Kevin Garnett's last words of a two-minute interview after Friday morning's shootaround were, "Thank God for opt-outs."

The term opt-outs was a reference to opt-out clauses in some NBA player contracts. Garnett has one, and he can exercise it following the 2007-08 season, leaving the final year of his deal worth $24 million on the table to become a free agent.

Garnett made the comment after a question about whether the passing of the trade deadline might lift a cloud that had been hanging over the team.

A few minutes later, Garnett emerged from the locker room and was asked if he wanted to clarify his comment about opt-outs.

"I didn't say that," Garnett said over his shoulder as he exited down a corridor. "I said 'opts.' I said 'outs.' "

Former NBA star Latrell Sprewell, accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their children, may communicate with his children only by phone, e-mail or text message.

Harrison Town Judge Marc Lust extended an order of protection Friday keeping Sprewell -- best known for choking Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo at a 1997 practice -- away from girlfriend Candace Cabbil and their four children.

The Rockets have had talks with the Minnesota Timberwolves about a long-shot deal in which they would acquire former Rockets Mike James and Eddie Griffin before today's trade deadline, two Western Conference officials said.

The Rockets, however, are among many teams that have inquired about James since he was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Randy Foye. The Timberwolves are insisting that to get James any team must take Griffin, whom the Rockets, and most other teams, would likely then release.

Griffin has played in just 13 games this season and not at all since he was suspended for violating the NBA/NBA Players Association anti-drug policy.

Griffin and James earn almost $8 million, making it difficult if not impossible for the Rockets to make such a deal without including either Rafer Alston or Juwan Howard, options that could make a deal with the Rockets unlikely.

Think you can find Mike James a new home?  Try by using RealGM's Trade Checker.

According to Fred Hoiberg, assistant general manager for the Wolves, suspended forward Eddie Griffin's days with Minnesota aren't necessarily over.

Griffin has been working out with the Wolves to find out if he can contribute, or if a trade can be worked out while lawyers talk about a contract settlement.

The NBA will return for its second year of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS? this Fall when the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors will conduct training camps and play exhibition games in six European cites in four countries, it was announced today by NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The 2007 NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS? will mark a series of firsts in the NBA?s 19-year history of conducting games in Europe.  The Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves will play in the first basketball game in the O2, London?s new state of the art NBA style arena.

In addition, the NBA will conduct its first game played in Turkey.  The event will also feature the first time two NBA teams have competed against one another in Rome.

Randy Foye, rookie guard for the Timberwolves, was cited early Monday for disorderly conduct after police found him in a fight outside a Minneapolis gas station.

Foye and two others were released after receiving citations, Lt. Amelia Huffman said. A fourth person, Pierre D. Mitchell, was booked into Hennepin County jail for obstructing the legal process after he kicked at officers while refusing to be seated in a squad car.

According to the police report: Officers responded about 2:40 a.m. to a witness report of a scuffle outside the gas station about 3 kilometres south of Target Center. They found four people in a fight next to a parked sports utility vehicle while the store was closed.

Randy Wittman will definitely be back as head coach of the Timberwolves next season, according to team owner Glen Taylor.

Wittman is the third coach the Wolves have had since Flip Saunders was fired two years ago.

Taylor said he is not in the mood to change coaches for a while.

"Randy had a three-year contract as an assistant coach to assist [fired coach Dwane] Casey when he came back from Orlando," Taylor said. "I redid his contract, paying him a bonus now that he is a head coach."

Mike James chose to sign with Minnesota over Houston and Dallas and isn't happy with his current role.

"Not at all," James said after his team's 109-107 victory. "But they were preparing him, and they were seasoning him, Randy (Foye, the rookie who took James' place Sunday). This is what they want for him. They're getting what they want. It's tough at times because I just feel like, if I'm not a fit here, then like they always say, if it ain't one place, it always can be another."

"Mike's a vet," Kevin Garnett said. "He knows how the league works. He knows he has to be professional and stay ready. Just because he's not a starter doesn't necessarily mean we don't need him. It's not about one person around here, it's about what's best for this team. We've all got full faith that he'll do that. He was ready (against Boston). Played good minutes, kept things afloat. Cheering on Randy, so that was a good thing."

Eddie Griffin remains in limbo with the Timberwolves.

General Manager Jim Stack said before the Wolves' game against the Hornets on Friday night that "it's something we're evaluating." He said he was reasonably sure there would be a resolution one way or the other in the next several days.

"We're looking into doing a few things with him in terms of evaluation," Stack said, remaining intentionally vague.

Minnesota guard Rashad McCants returned from microfracture surgery on his right knee, entering the Timberwolves' 100-98 loss against Sacramento early in the second quarter on Wednesday night.

McCants had two points in five minutes for the Wolves, who were fresh off their best win of the season, a 121-112 victory over Phoenix that ended the Suns' 17-game winning streak and moved Minnesota back to the .500 mark.

Speaking about an hour before tipoff, Timberwolves interim coach Randy Wittman said McCants had a chance to make his first appearance of the season against the Kings.

"He's made progress every day. I'm to the point now when an opportunity presents itself, I think you might see him," Wittman said.