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The Celtics are putting a full-court press on Rasheed Wallace. Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce joined president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck for a three-hour meeting with Wallace in Detroit yesterday, the Celtics offering a contract using their midlevel exception. But Wallace is apparently in no hurry to respond, preferring to weigh approaches from Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio, according to an NBA source.

Boston Globe

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Marcin Gortat, the 6-11 center who helped Orlando reach the NBA Finals last season, has been offered a contract by the Mavericks, multiple sources said Thursday. Gortat was expected to visit Dallas before the weekend, and the sources said that the only thing that would prevent him from becoming a Maverick is if the Magic match the offer, which is believed to be for the full mid-level exception -- about $5.5 million.

Dallas Morning News

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Jason Kidd will have to decide whether playing at Madison Square Garden is worth forfeiting $12million. That is approximately the difference in the three-year offers Kidd received from the Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. A person close to the veteran point guard confirmed that the Knicks presented Kidd with a three-year contract worth approximately $18 million Saturday. The Mavs offered Kidd a three-year contract worth between $25million and $30 million. Several league executives are convinced that Kidd is using the Knicks in order to squeeze more money out of Dallas. But a source close to Kidd claims that he is excited by the challenge of helping to turn around the Knicks. Also, Kidd believes that he could help lure LeBron James to New York if James becomes a free agent next summer. At least one of Kidd's former teammates believes the Knicks have a good chance of landing the point guard. Former Net Richard Jefferson said on Dan Patrick's radio show Saturday that Kidd's "gonna be a Knick."

New York Daily News

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Celtics free agent guard Stephon Marbury said to The Globe early Friday morning that he doesn't expect to be returning to Boston after receiving a disappointing one-year contract paying $1.3 million using the veteran's minimum. Marbury said his representative, National Basketball Players Association deputy counsel Hal Biagas, called to tell him about the Celtics offer on Thursday night. The 32-year-old said three other teams, which he would not disclose, are currently interested.

Boston Globe

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The Minnesota Timberwolves' top draft pick, Ricky Rubio, 18, will remain in Spain to play for his DKV Joventut basketball team for the remaining two years of his contract rather than try to move to the NBA this season, El Periodico reported today. The Barcelona newspaper also says Rubio, who was paid $97,000 last season, plans to withdraw his contract lawsuit against DKV Joventut.

St. Paul Pioneer Press

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