Maurice Evans has been a key part of the union's negotiating team this offseason, but he also has finished his degree in education from the University of Texas.

“I was very proud of that,” Evans said this week. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t make as much news as the bargaining sessions, but I’ve had a great and productive summer.”

Evans left Texas after his junior season in 2001, hoping to be drafted in the first round but wound up going undrafted. 

“I know I’m a leader on and off the court and before you can commence in anything, you have to finish stages and that was the stage left open due to me continuing my NBA career,” Evans said. “Once I had a break due to this lockout, I was able to find the time.”

Evans is already thinking about his career once his playing days are done and said he established a great relationship with Atlanta Hawks General Manager Rick Sund and later Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld.

Yi Jianlian has signed a contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers ahead of the start of the Chinese Basketball Association season in November, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The team's manager Liu Hongjiang was quoted as saying that the 23-year-old had signed a one-season contract “with an option to leave once he accepts an invitation from NBA teams.”

Liu acknowledged that Yi may not stay long if the lockout was resolved and he returned to the NBA.

“Although he may not stay with us very long, I am quite sure his return is good for himself, the team and Chinese fans as well,” Liu was quoted as saying in the Saturday report.

“He could keep his edge in the CBA, our team will also benefit from his skills and fans certainly want to see him play in his best years.”

John Wall has been working hard on improving his game this offseason, but he has even been practicing while simply walking down the street.

“I know it sounds a little crazy, but I’ll just be walking down the street and, out of nowhere, I’ll hit someone with an in-and-out move without having a ball," said Wall. "I scare them because they don’t know what in the world I’m doing, but I think this game through so much that it just comes out anywhere. 

"I only work on the moves that I would do in a game though. I had one man tell me that I better not do that again because he got scared when I did a quick crossover in front of him when I was walking down the street. It ends up being pretty funny.” 

Wall believes working on his shiftiness benefits his game.

“Basketball is so mental and with me being a point guard it’s all about reaction. How are you going to react to any given situation? So I might be walking and see someone in front of me and do a crossover motion or I might spin. 

"Again, I know it sounds crazy, but it really helps you because it just becomes second nature. I play off my instincts so when you’re constantly working on your handles and your moves it becomes even easier in the game.” 

Josh Howard is a free agent that could be pursued by the Celtics.

Howard was formerly one of the game's better small forwards, but has endured injuries over the past few seasons. Howard is believed to now be recovered from an ACL tear suffered in February of 2010.