NBA Rumors and News Roundup: Jennings Wants Big Market, Iverson in Venezuela

Brandon Jennings is already giving consideration about his future in free agency and Allen Iverson is close to inking a contract to play professional basketball once again.

Shaquille O'Neal will make history in Lakers-land, while freshly anointed Dirk Nowitzki is feeling good following his ridiculously slow start to the season.

Mo Williams had some titillating comments about his future with the Clippers and Manu Ginobili is poised to return for San Antonio this weekend. 

Kyrie Irving

Irving's concussion has some in Cleveland worried about his availability, but the rookie shouldn't be sidelined for an indefinite period.

He'll have to pass a series of tests before being cleared to play and Irving is unlikely to suit up over the weekend in either of Cleveland's two games.

The Cavs will exercise extraordinary caution before allowing Irving to return to the starting lineup.

Manu Ginobili

Barring a setback, Ginobili is set to make his triumphant return for the Spurs on Saturday against the New Jersey Nets.

However, it might not be as a member of the starting lineup.

Gregg Popovich is giving consideration toward bringing Ginobili off the bench, a role the veteran is familiar with, as he's played sixth man previously in his career.

Ginobili was absolutely rolling before going down with a broken hand. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench, Ginobili is going to play a major role for the Spurs.

D.J. Augustin

Augustin has been out since Jan. 24 with a toe injury and although his absence has been a little longer than expected, the starting point guard is inching closer to a return.

He's no longer wearing a protective boot on his foot and is reportedly feeling major improvement. Augustin revealed he could play as soon as Monday.

On a Charlotte team desperate for offensive production, Augustin will be a welcome sight in Paul Silas' line of vision when he gets back onto the court.

Mo Williams

Williams has never been afraid to say exactly what is on his mind and he provided some very interesting comments about his role with the Clippers.

In an extended interview, Williams' expressed uncertainty of his role and indicated he'd like to receive a contract extension from the team.

Williams is collecting a salary of $8.5 million this season and another $8.5 million for 2012-13, so he's got sizable paychecks coming his way for the foreseeable future.

It appears unlikely the Clippers will extend him unless he takes a massive paycut. Los Angeles will do absolutely nothing to jeopardize the financial flexibility necessary to pay both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin when the time arrives.

Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki really didn't look like his usual, consistent self when the season began and the struggles even forced him to take a four-game sabbatical from the Mavericks in order to get his conditioning right.

He's really come back with a vengeance of late. On the heels of being named an All-Star reserve, Nowitzki is feeling more confident in his leg strength going forward.

He has to play extremely well for the Mavericks to have any real chance of contending this season and his performance has definitely improved of late.

Corey Maggette

Maggette was expected to play a prominent offensive role for the Bobcats this season, but a hamstring injury has shelved him for the majority of the season.

Constantly dealing with the injury bug throughout his career, Maggette finally felt well enough to participate in practice on Thursday and is targeting a return in the coming days.

The Bobcats could use all of the help they can get as the team is an absolute mess, but Maggette's fragile body is anything but a sure bet to hold up.

Shaquille O'Neal

O'Neal is back in the news and it's not for a ridiculous comment he made as part of the pregame show on TNT.

The Lakers are expected to retire his number at some point next season and it's a move that has been a long time coming, considering O'Neal's history with the franchise.

It'll be very interesting to see what type of reception O'Neal receives from the fan base, as there is a split opinion among Los Angeles faithful as to where the big man stands in Lakers history.

Allen Iverson

Iverson has been interested in returning to the NBA since before the season began and he's exploring unorthodox routes in order to do exactly that.

After flirting with the idea of heading to Puerto Rico and showcasing his stuff, Iverson is reportedly in negotiations with a Venezuelan team and the deal is "80 percent done."

It would be incredibly fun to watch Iverson enjoy success abroad, but he's got a long road ahead of him if he hopes to return to the league.

Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings isn't even waiting for his rookie contract to expire before researching his options as a free agent.

Signed through the 2012-'13 season, Jennings is doing his "homework" on where he could possibly land. There is a strong indication that he's got a watchful eye on big-market teams.

The comments from Jennings put the Bucks in an extraordinarily awkward situation and the timing of his comments are extremely puzzling given his current contract status.