Fewer than half of the NBA's 30 teams are involved in a seven-game slate tonight, but four of the five Pacific Division clubs are in action. Let's take a look at what's happening out west:
- Grant Hill, 39, thinks he can play "another year, maybe two" after this season and hopes to finish his career with the Suns, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
- Rasheed Wallace, who has been linked to the Lakers and the Heat, will wait until after Friday to make his decision on where to sign, Tomasson tweets.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks back on last year's Suns–Magic trade, which had Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus going to Phoenix and Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark headed east. After tonight's loss to the Heat, the Suns are 51-52 since the trade, and even though Gortat has ably filled a hole at center, Schmitz believes the Magic won the deal, if only by a hair.
How stupid is Schmitz? Phoenix annihilated Orlando in that trade. Gortat has been playing at an all-star level over in Arizona, and Orlando got back nothing but bad contracts. Orlando only has a better record since the trade because they are fortunate enough to have Dwight Howard–for now.