The Boston Celtics will not grant the Brooklyn Nets permission to speak to Doc Rivers about their vacant head coaching job.

The Dallas Mavericks believe they have a better shot of landing center Dwight Howard in free agency this summer than point guard Chris Paul, according to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.

You?re going to see a whole heck of a lot of this over the next few weeks, leading up to the NBA draft on June 27. The Dallas Mavericks did not plan to be and are not happy to be in the lower 14 picks of the draft, due to their first playoff absence in 12 years, and though the team has a fantastic front office and scouting staff (complete with myriad analytic plans they don?t let anyone in on), this is a thin draft and the Mavericks have their eyes set on bigger and better things than their 13th pick in next month?s draft. Like Dwight Howard, the free agent center that is looking to embark on a tour of suitors this summer that we?re all already annoyed with. In order to clear up more cap space (the 13th pick is set to make $1.7 million next year) to sign Dwight, the Mavericks are reportedly considering shopping their first rounder. From Eddie Sefko at the Dallas Morning News discussed one option on Thursday : [Dallas owes] the Oklahoma City Thunder a first-round pick before 2018. That pick is protected through the first 20 picks of the draft. But if the Mavericks don?t convey it by 2017, the Thunder gets the pick no matter when it is in the 2018 draft.

COMMENTARY | The Boston Celtics have a lot of needs this offseason, yet they fall under a precarious salary cap situation which could allow very little activity in free agency. Regardless of whether Paul Pierce gets amnestied, or Kevin Garnett retires, or Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee get dealt in sign-and-trades, a great deal of work needs to be done.

It?s no secret that the Dallas Mavericks want to get a big star to pair with ? and eventually take over the franchise mantle from ? Dirk Nowitzki. And there are only two franchise-caliber players on the market this season, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. But to offer a max contract Dallas has to make?

Version 3 of our NBA Mock Draft is here. The Cavaliers snuck into the No. 1 spot, the Magic get No. 2 and the Wizards moved up to No. 3.