Wednesday And-1 links: David Stern broke the huddle at Saints Practice

Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points.

• David Stern broke the huddle with the Saints in New Orleans. We’re not making that up, he did. See the proof to the right (via the Saints twitter). It’s good to be the king.

• The Timberwolves holiday message is the best thing ever. Especially Nikola Pekovic.

• You heard LeBron James was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year. But did you read the profile of LeBron by Lee Jenkins? You should, it’s fantastic. If you think LeBron is physically gifted but doesn’t get the game well mentally you should read this. He is a true student of the game.

• The name Pelican — which may be the new name for the Hornets in a couple of years — has come in for a lot of mocking online. A lot. But the people in New Orleans kind of like it and will defend it.

• Anderson Varejao‘s name keeps coming up in trade rumors (such as there are rumors this time of year) but here is the case for the Cavaliers to keep him. And it’s a good one.

• The Lakers are not shopping Pau Gasol right now. They are not going to for a while, if ever. They want to see Steve Nash and Gasol and the entire  team together before they make that move. But if they do, here are some potential trade scenarios.

• The death of college coaching legend Rick Majerus has hit Nuggets coach George Karl hard.

• The Lakers Jordan Hill is frustrated he isn’t getting more burn this season. That’s what happens when you back up Dwight Howard.

• Lakers backup point guard Steve Blake had his abdominal surgery Wednesday. You’ll see him in 6-8 weeks.

• Russell Westbrook talks about his favorite Air Jordans and more. He is wearing the new Air Jordan XX8 on Wednesday night.

• Chris Kaman says Clippers owner Donald Sterling used to be cheap, but that has changed.

• Watch Allen Iverson drop 37 in an exhibition in China.

• Maccabi Tel Aviv has suspended its captain Guy Pnini for calling a player on the other team a Nazi. Good for them, that crosses the line (and people throw around the “he/she is a Nazi” thing far to casually).