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NBA Rumors for Monday, Dec. 9

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Kings general manager Pete D’Alessandro said he owed it to Kings fans to be aggressive after years of suffering through relocation discussions and cost-cutting moves. The Kings took a bold step away from the frugal ways of the last ownership group by agreeing to acquire forward Rudy Gay as part of a seven-player trade Sunday. Gay, 27, comes from Toronto with a $17.9 million salary this season and a player option for $19.3 million next season. Sacramento Bee

The Kings will send Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Greivis Vasquez to Toronto as part of the deal. Sacramento also gets forward Quincy Acy and center Aaron Gray. The NBA must approve the trade today to make the deal official. All players also have to pass physicals. Sacramento Bee

Of the three players going to Toronto, only Hayes has a deal that extends beyond this season. Likewise, Acy and Gray, seldom-used players in Toronto, can come off the books after this season. Gray will become a free agent while the Kings will have a team option on Acy. Sacramento Bee

The Kings will likely have to go with a makeshift rotation for tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. Gay was pulled from the Raptors’ starting lineup for Sunday’s game in Los Angeles, where Toronto played the Lakers. Gay, Acy and Gray are expected in Sacramento today. Sacramento Bee

Next up? League sources told ESPN.com that the Kings will be trying to find a new home for forward Jason Thompson, who presumably wouldn't quibble with a fresh start after the arrivals of Gay and Williams to play alongside Cousins. It remains to be seen, though, what sort of market exists for Thompson, who received a five-year contract extension worth just more than $30 million from the Kings' previous regime under former lead executive Geoff Petrie, who selected the 6-foot-11, 250-pounder with the No. 12 pick in 2008. ESPN.com

The Toronto Raptors, according to the latest chatter in circulation after Sunday's shedding of Rudy Gay, are by no means done making moves between now and the Feb. 20 trade deadline. The same, though, can be said for the team gambling on Gay. At the behest of new ownership in Sacramento, first-year Kings general manager Pete D'Alessandro has been aggressive in trying to reshape the roster, swinging a trade earlier this month for former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams before rolling the dice that Gay -- whose 38.8 percent shooting thus far this season has only cemented his reputation as one of the league's least-efficient top scorers -- can mesh with franchise big man DeMarcus Cousins. ESPN.com

The Raptors, meanwhile, have been expected to be active in the trade market since the season began, with ESPN.com reporting since Nov. 1 that everyone on the roster apart from prized center Jonas Valanciunas had been made available. ESPN.com

The Los Angeles Clippers are strongly considering the signing of former San Antonio Spurs swingman Stephen Jackson to fill their growing need on the wing, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking. Sources told ESPN.com that Jackson, who has been searching for a new team since his sudden release by the Spurs shortly before last season’s playoffs in April, has emerged as a prime candidate for the Clippers to sign as early as this week after a series of injuries have decimated L.A.’s depth. ESPN.com

Former Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns guard Shannon Brown has also been mentioned as a potential target, but Jackson has the sort of size, 3-point shooting range and playoff résumé that could well appeal to Rivers as the Clippers search to fill the void. It was not immediately known how the prospect of a signing this week, if it indeed comes to fruition, would impact the Clippers’ well-chronicled interest in re-signing veteran forward Lamar Odom. ESPN.com

Jackson, meanwhile, has been working out on his own in Texas in hopes of hooking up with another contender. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich abruptly released the 35-year-old in April just six days before the end of the regular season because the Spurs felt that Jackson was unwilling to accept a lesser role in the playoffs behind fast-developing youngsters Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. ESPN.com

[Carmelo] Anthony stopped after the game to hug Rajon Rondo, whom Anthony supposedly is recruiting when the injured Celtics playmaker becomes a free agent. But they didn’t talk. Who’s to say Anthony is recruiting Rondo to come to the Garden, anyway? L.A. makes more sense. Rondo’s take? After the game, he walked out, flanked by a Celtics security man, without commenting about anything. NY Daily News

Why would Rondo want to come here, although even he could see how he would be a significant upgrade over what Woodson has to run out these days at point guard. But this debacle went beyond the roster flaws, enormous as they are. “An embarrassment,’’ Anthony termed the loss. “To lose like that on our home court, I think everybody should be pissed off.’’ NY Daily News

Tyler Hansbrough is not expecting a long absence from the Raptors lineup. The man who has become the poster boy for physicality on the Toronto roster took an elbow directly on top of his left shoulder in the loss Friday in Phoenix. An MRI Saturday in Los Angeles showed the injury to be nothing more than a sprain. Toronto Sun

Otto Porter Jr. has joined the Wizards at a time when they have been hit with another wave of injuries, but Coach Randy Wittman has no intention of placing a heavy load upon a rookie who is still getting acclimated to the NBA after missing nearly three months with a strained right hip flexor. “I can’t get the cart ahead of the horse here,” Wittman said. “I’ve got to make sure he gets comfortable, his conditioning. He said his legs felt like Jell-O out there a little bit, the first time he was out there. Keep monitoring that.” Washington Post Blog

Porter finished with two rebounds and an assist but missed all three of his field goal attempts in 14 minutes. “I think he was shocked to get in,” John Wall said about Porter. “I told him to be comfortable, calm down. You know you’re anxious your first game and you haven’t played in three months of not playing. I think getting in better shape and knowing that the speed of the game goes totally different in practice and I think that was a big adjustment for him.” Washington Post Blog

Webster said Porter approached him and asked for some advice about how to handle the adjustment to the league. “I told him, never feel any pressure, I understand the adrenaline and all the emotion you have while you’re out there. Just realize it’s part of the process. This is what you’re going to go through, it’s an obstacle. It’s a roller coaster ride. The most important thing is to go back to film and see how guys were playing you and understanding that you’re going to need to come up with counters.” Washington Post Blog

Nate Robinson, also a reserve, led the Nuggets with 20 points to go with three assists. His cousin, Tony Wroten, led the Sixers with 20 points while playing in place of rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams for the second consecutive night. Carter-Williams spent his third night at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with an infection and soreness involving his right knee. Young added 14 points and seven rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot while playing with left- glute muscle pain. Turner, however, had his second-lowest-scoring output of the season. The Sixers swingman was held to six points on 3-for-12 shooting. Not drawing fouls, Turner didn't attempt a single foul shot. He did, however, finish with a team-high five assists and two steals. Philadelphia Inquirer

For players who hang their heads when playing time dries up, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw has a word of warning (be careful what you wish for) and two words of advice (stay ready). Players on the Nuggets bench, one of the NBA's best reserve units, have stayed ready. In the Nuggets' win at Philadelphia Saturday night, the reserves scored 51 points of the team's 103 points They may need a similar effort again Monday night to win at Washington. Guard Ty Lawson is likely to miss the Wizards game with an injured hamstring. Denver Post

I don't think the Heat ever have made a top seed their make-or-break goal. It has just been a byproduct of where their record has landed them. This team has proven it can rise to the moment on the road, need be. Arriving to the postseason rested is the priority. Seeding simply doesn't rate as high as Dwyane Wade on two healthy knees. But Frank Vogel knows his team, as well, and I'm sure also would err on the side of caution. The Heat could wind up with the best of all worlds with the Pacers' No. 1 seed-or-bust approach, with so much space ahead of No. 3 in the East that they could settle in at No. 2 with weeks left in the season. South Florida Sun Sentinel

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