Los Angeles  - Brad Miller and John Salmons are leaving royalty to help the Chicago Bulls in their playoff push.

The Sacramento Kings agreed Wednesday to trade Miller and Salmons to the Bulls in exchange for Drew Gooden and Argentine Andres Nocioni as part of a three-team, seven-player deal, according to multiple reports including the Chicago Tribune.

The Bulls also shipped Cedric Simmons to Sacramento and centre Michael Ruffin to the Portland Trail Blazers, who sent centre Ike Diogu to the Kings.

Los Angeles - New interim head coach Alvin Gentry brought out the old playbook, and the up-tempo Phoenix Suns were on the run, having fun again.

"Brazilian Blur" Leandro Barbosa scored 24 points, Amare Stoudemire added 23 to lead a balanced attack and the Suns lit up the defenseless Los Angeles Clippers
140-100 on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles  - Tyson Chandler will no longer be soaring toward the basket to convert Chris Paul's flashy alley oop passes into ferocious dunks.

The New Orleans Hornets shipped Chandler to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday in exchange for veteran forwards Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox and the draft rights to DeVon Hardin.

The deal comes with the NBA trade deadline looming on Thursday.

Los Angeles  - Singer Chris Brown has issued an apology for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna, saying he was seeking counseling to deal with the scandalous incident that occurred just hours before last week's Grammy Awards.

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," said the 19-year-old pop star in a statement issued through a public relations firm Sunday. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."

Los Angeles  - Phoenix Suns head Terry Porter is expected to join the ranks of the unemployed this week.

Porter could receive his pink slip as early as Monday, and likely be replaced by Suns' lead assistant Alvin Gentry on an interim basis, according to reports on the Arizona Republic's website.

However, no decision on a replacement has been made yet.

In his first season behind the Suns' bench, Porter has guided the club to a respectable 28-23 record, but they are in ninth place in an eight-team playoff race in the highly-competitive Western Conference.