Truth & Rumors > NBA

07:02 AM ET 05.20 | On the surface, Kendrick Perkins might set up as an amnesty candidate. [Sam Presti] essentially put an end to the rampant speculation that Perkins would possibly be waived under the NBA's amnesty clause. "We just haven't considered using the provision," Presti said. "I wouldn't necessarily directly attribute that to any player on our team. Every team looks at the amnesty provision different based on their different circumstances. But it's not something that we've really explored." When pressed, Presti went on to praise Perkins. "We think Perk has a lot of value to our team," Presti said. "He's a member of a team that won 60 games and helped us to our third division title in three years."

The Oklahoman

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12:42 AM ET 05.20 | Kelvin Sampson is a hot name on the NBA head coaching market, as he's in the mix for four of the six current job openings. Sampson has already interviewed with the Bucks and Bobcats, and he's expected to interview with the 76ers and Suns in the coming week. Sampson does not have any NBA head coaching experience other than a brief interim period with the Rockets, but he was successful with Oklahoma and Indiana in college before being forced to resign as the Hoosiers' head coach in 2008. Sampson entered the NBA ranks as an advisor with the Spurs that same year before joining Scott Skiles' staff in Milwaukee. Sampson has been on Kevin McHale's staff in Houston since 2011.

CBS Sports

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11:08 PM ET 05.19 | After the Pacers eliminated the Knicks in six games on Saturday, coach Frank Vogel looked ahead to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat. "Oh, it's exciting," he said. "But this is not about getting back at Miami. You're in the final four, you're competing for a championship, you're competing for a championship. And they're just the next team that's in our way. And that's how we're approaching it." LeBron James didn't take too kindly to some of the wording Vogel used to describe the Heat, and the league MVP pointed this out on Sunday. "We're not just another team," James said. "I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. It's not true." There's some history between the Heat and Pacers, as the two teams engaged in a physical six-game series in the second-round of last year's postseason. There was a war of words before that series as well, and the barbs being traded now will only add more tension to what should be another good battle.

South Florida Sun Sentinel

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10:40 PM ET 05.19 | One would think that NBA MVP LeBron James would be the Heat's most important player. But don't tell that to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who bestows that title upon Chris Bosh. ???He is our most important player for a reason,??? Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ???We???ve said that for three seasons. He allows everything to work on both ends of the court.??? Bosh has been excellent thus far in the playoffs, outplaying Joakim Noah in the Heat's second-round series victory over the Bulls. Bosh has played well on both sides of the floor, protecting the rim on defense and knocking down jumpers at a high rate on offense. Bosh will face another challenge in Roy Hibbert in the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami did have some struggles against Indiana in last year's postseason, but Bosh missed most of the series due to an abdominal injury.

Miami Herald

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10:12 PM ET 05.19 | The Cavaliers had their eye on Greg Oden earlier in the year, and they are still considering signing him in the offseason. Oden is working hard to make a return to the NBA, where he has not played since December 2009. The big man has been plagued by injuries his entire career, undergoing three microfracture surgeries as well as several other procedures. The 2007 No. 1 pick has played in just 82 games in his NBA career, posting averages of 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds with the Trail Blazers.

The Plain Dealer

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