With Jerry Reinsdorf and director of player personnel Gar Forman taking a greater role in contract negotiations, Bulls GM John Paxson has been freed up to talk trades with other teams, according to a report by Mike Mcgraw of the Daily Herald.

According to the report, the Bulls have had discussions with Sacramento about center Brad Miller while guard Larry Hughes has been attracting some interest.

Some options, according to McGraw, include include Portland's Joe Przybilla, New York's Jared Jeffries, Dallas' Erick Dampier, or Denver's Kenyon Martin.

Among the teams showing interest in former Cavs guard Devin Brown are Dallas, New Orleans, Denver and Atlanta. To a lesser extent, both Miami and Washington have made contact with Brown's representatives.

Brown played a team-high 78 games for the Cavs last year, which included 20 starts. He averaged 7.5 points.

Germany clinched the last available spot in Beijing by beating Puerto Rico 96-82 Sunday behind 32 points from Mavericks All-Star Dirk Nowitzki in the third-place game at the Olympic qualifying tournament, as reported by ESPN.com.

At least six teams are interested in Devean George, according to the Dallas Morning News, but after signing DeSagana Diop there may not be any money left for him in Dallas.

"I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope right now," Donnie Nelson said. "We're pretty far apart as far as the numbers go."

The Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New Orleans Hornets have expressed interest in George.  According to the report, Boston may also enter the mix after losing James Posey to the Hornets.

The Sacramento Kings have tried for a Ron Artest trade to Dallas in exchange for Josh Howard, but the Mavericks are not interested, the Dallas Morning News is reporting.

The Mavs were willing to give up Jerry Stackhouse and Brandon Bass for the former All-Star, but when the Kings wanted Howard in return the discussions ended, writes Brandon George.

The talk involving Artest and Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers also appears to have broken down while Phoenix and San Antonio are still interested.

The Milwaukee Bucks have added center Malik Allen, whom Scott Skiles coached in Chicago, the Associated Press is reporting.

Allen is joined by point guard Tyronn Lue, who agreed to a contract on Wednesday and signed on Thursday.

Both Allen and Lue finished last season with the Mavericks.

Former Blazers' forward Darius Miles completed the latest audition in his attempt to get back into the NBA, this time with the Dallas Mavericks, Ian Thomsen from Sports Illustrated is reporting.

"He was much better than I thought he would be," a member of the Mavericks' camp said. "On a scale of 1 to 10, I was expecting him to be 6. But he was a good, solid 8."

While exhausted, Thomsen reports that at the end Miles jumped flat-footed and touched the top of the backboard square, showing he still has some explosion in his leap.

"I'm physically 100 percent," Miles said in his first interview since attempting a comeback unprecedented in this salary-cap era. "I'm not in [basketball] shape, but healthwise and bodywise, I'm 100 percent. I've got the explosion; I can move."

Miles is trying to become the first player to come back after the NBA ruled that his injury was "career ending".

If he were to sign a new contract and play in 10 or more games this season, his $9 million salary would go back on Portland's books.

The Mavericks have reportedly made an offer for Kings' forward Ron Artest, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Dallas has reportedly offered Jerry Stackhouse and Brandon Bass for Artest, but the Kings aren't expected to seriously consider trading with the Mavericks unless Josh Howard is included in the deal.

Dallas reportedly has had internal discussions about Ron Artest and may be willing to part with Josh Howard to get him.

Kevin Love had an impressive debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 18 points and 13 rebounds in a 90-74 loss to the Mavericks, the Associated Press is reporting.

Love started slowly, picking up four fouls in the first quarter, before finding his feet.

"I had to get the jitters out," Love said. "I was shaking out there a little bit because it hadn't sunk in that I was a NBA player."