Smith Trying to Recruit Howard to Atlanta?

(Josh) Smith, who also grew up in Atlanta, has known (Dwight) Howard since preschool. They joke that they’ve been balling together since they were in diapers. The two boys remained friends as they completed grade after grade and started developing into the physical specimens we see today. They formed one of the best AAU duos in the nation and talked about someday playing together in the NBA. When Smith got married two years ago, Howard was the best man in his wedding. Smith admits that he would love to reunite with Howard in Atlanta.

“Who wouldn’t want a guy like that on your team?” Smith said of Howard when HOOPSWORLD caught up with him in Las Vegas. “He’s the best big man in the league. I’d love to have him. Who wouldn’t? He’s the most dominant big in the game right now.

“We do have a lot of money coming off the books, especially after this year. I don’t know what the plans are. I guess every team that’s unloading money, the media thinks they’re targeting Dwight.”

Smith said that if Howard were to join the Hawks, it’d be “icing on the cake.”

Kobe Bryant May Finish Career Overseas

The idea intrigues Kobe Bryant: A farewell season beyond the completion of his Los Angeles Lakers career, a victory lap in a European destination that bookends a blessed basketball life. NBA stars rise and fall in performance and popularity, but the loudest cheers, the biggest crowds, the most reverential treatment never changes for Bryant.

He’s a transcendent icon overseas, borne of an unparalleled blend of life as a Laker and winner of five championships, two scoring titles, and an MVP award. What’s more, Bryant is one of them. In his formative years, Europe was home. He speaks Italian and Spanish. He hangs around soccer stadiums. Bryant travels to Europe and it all comes so easily to him. As he chases his second gold medal with Team USA in these Olympic Games, his basketball future in Europe remains ripe with possibilities.

Asked about the possibility of playing a season in Europe, Bryant told Yahoo! Sports: “It would be natural for me to go do it. It wouldn’t be a stretch at all. I grew up here.”

Paul Pierce Wants to Experience Free Agency

Paul Pierce, after giving away awards and working with kids at his annual basketball camp at Basketball City near TD Garden, continued to discuss the Celtics and his personal future:

About his contract, which has a team option for 2013-14: “I think I am going to play this one out. I want to see what it feels like to be a free agent for once in my life. I think I am going to play this one out. A lot can change in two years. My body (may not) be where I want it to be, I could retire, a lot of things could happen. It’s not about the money at this point. I love the game. I made as much money as I possibly can. It’s about winning a championship and if I feel like it’s the right thing to do.

If he uncomfortable with the team option?: “Not at all. I mean if they don’t want me back, I feel like I’m good enough and I’ll be wanted by a lot of teams. I’m coming into this year and I just made another all-star team at 34. So I’m still feel like I’m playing at a great level.”

Doc Rivers to Blame For Allen Leaving?

In his first lengthy and candid interview on the circumstances since Allen spurned a two-year, $12 million offer to sign with the Heat in July, Rivers told Yahoo! Sports that his decisions to relegate Allen to a sixth-man role and give point guard Rajon Rondo complete freedom with the ball and leadership were ultimately what helped lead Allen to leave Boston.

Allen, a future Hall of Fame guard, left the Celtics full of acrimony and disillusionment, ending a spectacular five-year run with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as Boston’s Big Three. Allen signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Heat.

“People can use all the Rondo stuff – and it was there, no doubt about that – but it was me more than Rondo,” said Rivers, who is working as an NBC analyst during the Olympics. “I’m the guy who gave Rondo the ball. I’m the guy who decided that Rondo needed to be more of the leader of the team. That doesn’t mean guys liked that – and Ray did not love that – because Rondo now had the ball all the time.

Roy Never Wanted to Officially Retire

Brandon Roy’s retirement from the NBA last year wasn’t intended as a final decision.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were eager to help him clarify his status.

“After a few months of sitting out, I decided, ‘Hey, I don’t want to stop playing basketball,’ ” Roy said Tuesday at a news conference at Target Center after signing a two-year, $10.4 million contract. “I wanted to continue going forward. It was never a situation where I said, ‘I’m done forever.’ It’s just more of a pause.”

The Portland Trail Blazers announced Roy’s medical-related retirement right before the start of the lockout-shortened season last year. His knees, lacking cartilage after six operations, were bothering him too much to continue. Roy said Tuesday, though, that the team doctor advised him to quit. The Blazers used the amnesty clause to waive Roy and not count the remaining $63 million on his contract against their salary cap or luxury tax.

“It was never really officially my decision to retire,” Roy said.

Diogu Using Olympics to get Back to NBA

(Ike) Diogu came to the Olympics looking for a single person: that one NBA general manager who will give him another chance, a real chance, to play at the highest level. He never thought he’d inspire a country.

The son of Nigerian schoolteachers, Diogu led the D’Tigers to stunning upsets of Greece and Lithuania at a qualifying tournament in Venezuela. For an encore, his 25-point, 10-rebound performance against the Dominican Republic clinched Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic berth in basketball.

Once here, it didn’t take long for Diogu’s crew to score a first Olympic victory, beating Tunisia in its London debut. Do you believe in miracles?

“When we first got together, we talked about making history,” Diogu said. “My brother lives in Nigeria, and he said the place is just going crazy. With all the turmoil going on over there, this gives the country something to rally around. Our soccer team didn’t make it, so we’re the team everyone is riding on.”

Raptors Re-Sign Center Aaron Gray

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have re-signed centre Aaron Gray. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

Gray averaged 3.9 points, with career bests of 5.7 rebounds (third on team) and 16.6 minutes in 49 games with the Raptors last season. He started 40 contests, averaging 4.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 17.4 minutes. Gray finished the season second on the club in field goal percentage at .516 (83-161). He paced the team in rebounding 11 times, with six 10-plus rebound efforts, and recorded two double-doubles. He posted season highs with 12 points and 12 rebounds February 22 versus Detroit.

Gray played for the New Orleans Hornets in the 2010-11 season, averaging 3.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 13.0 minutes. He shot .566 (56-99) from the field in his 41 appearances, including six in a starting role. He started six consecutive games from February 5-15, averaging 6.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 25.8 minutes.

Gray, 7-foot, 270 pounds, was a second-round selection (49th overall) by Chicago in the 2007 NBA Draft. He was dealt by the Bulls to the Hornets in January 2010.

Gray posted his career highs against the Raptors on April 16, 2008 with a 19-point/22-rebound performance for the Bulls.

Gray played four seasons collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh. He was named Big East Most Improved Player in 2005-06, upping his scoring and rebound averages from 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds as a sophomore to 13.9 points and 10.5 rebounds in his junior season. He was an All-Big East First Team selection as a senior, posting averages of 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds.