NBA ROUNDUP News and notes

Shaq and Kobe: Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant seemed happy campers 3,000 miles apart. O'Neal's public statements were an assortment of one-liners. "I weigh 330,000 pounds. ... I'm the NBA's best NFL player, and I've always been the sexiest 7-footer in the NBA -- for 12 years running." His strength? "I'll beat you up right now if you want me to." The comedy routine helped illustrate how relaxed and content the 7-foot-1, 335-pound O'Neal is on the eve of his 13th season.
Bryant is refreshed, too, after a summer that included the removal of coach Phil Jackson, the trade of O'Neal and the departures of Gary Payton, Karl Malone and Derek Fisher. "This is my team to lead," Bryant said. "Shaq was the focal point of the team. Now it's different. Guys are looking to me for leadership, so it's important that I establish what type of team we're going to be." Bryant got a jump on that by phoning each of his teammates, a group including nine new players, during the summer. Most of the team has been working out together informally for the last few weeks. "He has done a great job with his leadership. He's been a connector of the team," said new Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
Nets: Jason Kidd acknowledged he subconsciously wonders about leaving a vastly-depleted team. "I dream about it, but I haven't asked to be traded. Do I desire to be traded? No, I don't think so," Kidd said, breaking a summer-long public silence and offering his first comments on the trades of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles. Contradicting himself at times, Kidd often sounded like someone who wouldn't mind being traded but didn't want to admit it. He also wouldn't say when he expects to return from off-season surgery on his left knee, indicating he'll be cautious in his recovery. "We know we're not going to win a championship this year or next year, not with the caliber of guys we have now," Kidd said. "What can I do? I'm an employee. You can be a disgruntled employee or a happy employee, and I'm choosing to be a happy employee," Kidd said. A likely scenario would have Kidd returning sometime before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, giving other teams an opportunity to gauge whether one of the game's best point guards is still capable of playing at his usual level under a contract that will pay him $90 million over the next five years. New Jersey will use Travis Best, Jacque Vaughn and Zoran Plananic at point guard until Kidd is ready to return. The Nets changed ownership groups over the summer, and incoming boss Bruce Ratner was behind the cost-cutting moves that sent Martin to the Denver Nuggets for three first-round draft picks, and Kittles to the Los Angeles Clippers for a second-round pick. "I'm very disappointed, very much so. The reason why I came here was to win and to play with a great point guard, and both of those factors are in question right now," said center Alonzo Mourning, trying to make a comeback after a kidney transplant. "They've taken a huge step backward from where they were. I look at the decisions made, and I'm baffled by it."
Nets: Jason Kidd acknowledged he subconsciously wonders about leaving a vastly-depleted team. "I dream about it, but I haven't asked to be traded. Do I desire to be traded? No, I don't think so," Kidd said, breaking a summer-long public silence and offering his first comments on the trades of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles. Contradicting himself at times, Kidd often sounded like someone who wouldn't mind being traded but didn't want to admit it. He also wouldn't say when he expects to return from off-season surgery on his left knee, indicating he'll be cautious in his recovery. "We know we're not going to win a championship this year or next year, not with the caliber of guys we have now," Kidd said. "What can I do? I'm an employee. You can be a disgruntled employee or a happy employee, and I'm choosing to be a happy employee," Kidd said. A likely scenario would have Kidd returning sometime before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, giving other teams an opportunity to gauge whether one of the game's best point guards is still capable of playing at his usual level under a contract that will pay him $90 million over the next five years. New Jersey will use Travis Best, Jacque Vaughn and Zoran Plananic at point guard until Kidd is ready to return. The Nets changed ownership groups over the summer, and incoming boss Bruce Ratner was behind the cost-cutting moves that sent Martin to the Denver Nuggets for three first-round draft picks, and Kittles to the Los Angeles Clippers for a second-round pick. "I'm very disappointed, very much so. The reason why I came here was to win and to play with a great point guard, and both of those factors are in question right now," said center Alonzo Mourning, trying to make a comeback after a kidney transplant. "They've taken a huge step backward from where they were. I look at the decisions made, and I'm baffled by it."
Hornets: Baron Davis drew the ire of owner George Shinn, who called Davis "immature" and "a prima donna" for asking for a trade. But he also said he loves his All-Star point guard like a son and is counting on him to make the franchise successful. "Here we are trying to fill the arena and you make a dumb statement like that," Shinn said, recalling a phone conversation he had with Davis shortly after the trade comments. Davis said he had no regrets over expressing his opinion that the Hornets did too little to adjust to their move to the Western Conference and a new division that includes San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Memphis.