NBA Rumors and News Roundup: Dwight Howard Clippers Update, Boris Diaw on Block

Dwight Howard is now being linked to Chris Paul once again, this time in trade rumors involving the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers.

In addition to new developments on the Howard trade front, there are other players who could very well find themselves in a new destination before the trade deadline this season.

As we've seen for a while, the injuries continue to impact lineups around the league, and there are several big names dealing with nagging issues already.

Kirk Hinrich

Hinrich has yet to play a game this season as he recovers from shoulder surgery, but his return may be right around the corner.

Currently rehabbing the injury, Hinrich is reportedly ahead of schedule, and there is no doubt the Hawks could use him off the bench as soon as he's ready.

The team could use him behind Jeff Teague and Joe Johnson to serve as the third guard off the bench and look to give him extended minutes in order to boost his trade value.

Eric Bledsoe

Los Angeles was able to keep Bledsoe out of the Chris Paul trade, and it will be interesting to see what type of role he's used in by the team given the duplicity on the roster at the guard position.

He had offseason knee surgery which has kept him off the court, but he is looking to make his return in approximately two to three weeks.

It's possible the Clippers could explore a deal for Mo Williams once Bledsoe gets healthy, as it's hard to imagine the team keeping the veteran guard at his slated salary given his limited role with the club.

Boris Diaw

Diaw has been the subject of several jokes around the league due to poor conditioning, and his sloppy play appears to have finally landed him in Paul Silas' doghouse.

One of the more maddening players in the league, Diaw can be extremely efficient when he's playing with a passion, but he often appeared lax and indifferent when he saw extended minutes.

After barely getting off the bench on Monday, it shouldn't be surprising to hear that the Bobcats are putting his $9 million expiring deal on the trade block.

Stephen Curry

Curry has missed the last six consecutive games with his troublesome ankle, and it looks like he'll have to sit out at least one more.

He was previously hopeful that he could return on Tuesday against Charlotte, but Mark Jackson doesn't think his stud guard will be able to give it a go quite that soon.

The Davidson product will have to show that his ankle is 100 percent before the team allows him to get onto the court, and the Warriors certainly won't rush him back, as has been done previously.

Carmelo Anthony

Anthony has been the focal point of everything the Knicks have done on offense this season, and it's been difficult to watch New York's offense without him on the court.

After missing a game over the weekend with his sprained ankle, Anthony acknowledged that he re-tweaked it in Monday's loss, but he plans to play on Wednesday.

Like so many others around the league, Anthony is banged up with a variety of nagging injuries, but he'll have to keep pushing through it in order for his team to right the ship.

Dwyane Wade

Wade's ankle has been the subject of concern among Heat fans since he hit the floor, but the team has been cryptic at best with updates on his condition.

There is still no timetable for him to return to the court, and Erik Spoelstra said that his superstar will be re-evaluated on a daily basis.

Miami will take every precaution to ensure that Wade isn't rushed back and the ankle doesn't become a long-term concern, but it's worth noting that Wade hasn't played in a full slate of regular season games at any point in his career.

Derrick Rose

Rose is dealing with a painful toe injury which has limited his ability to accelerate on the court, and he had a minor setback which led to him sitting out on Monday.

After calling the pain a six or seven on a scale of 10, the Bulls are leaning toward holding Rose out of Tuesday's game as a precaution to prevent further aggravation.

Rose is a warrior and he'll be pushing to play, and although the final decision may belong to Rose, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him miss at least one more game.

Eric Gordon

Gordon has played in just two regular season games to date for the Hornets due to his balky knee, and he's still got a little time before he comes back into the fold.

He isn't doing any running or contact work currently, and it's going to take some time for him to get his legs back underneath him before he's able to be reinserted into the starting lineup.

The youngster has had trouble staying healthy every season since he's come into the league, and he's going to have to stay on the court consistently to prove that he's not prone to injuries.

Dwight Howard

On Monday, there was a report that Howard had added the Clippers as the fourth team to his list of preferred destinations he'd like to be traded to, joining the Lakers, Mavericks and Nets.

Less than 24 hours later, there was another update that cited league sources as saying the Clippers and Magic have held "no serious discussions" regarding Howard since before the lockout.

It would be absolutely shocking to see Howard land with the Clippers, as a deal between the two teams centered around DeAndre Jordan isn't nearly enough of a return for the Magic.

There are better offers available, and the Clippers will not trade either Blake Griffin or Chris Paul to bring Howard onto the roster.

The only thing that's certain is that this won't be the last rumor we hear on the Howard front before the March 15 trade deadline.