Kris Humphries, who looks like he'll have his second straight double-double season, is switching agents for the second time in a year, and has returned to the fold of superagent Dan Fegan. Sports Agent Blog broke the story and a league source confirmed the switch.

According to writer Darren Heitner, Humphries has left Marc Cornstein, who negotiated his $8 million, one year deal. Fegan of course reps Dwight Howard. At one point or another over the past three years, Fegan has had nine of his clients on the Nets roster.

Meanwhile, Hump spoke to ESPN's Rachel Nichols about Jeremy Lin and the booing at the Garden. Humphries said Lin told him before Monday's game that he couldn't understand the booing.

• On To The Next One: Kris Humphries - Darren Heitner - Sports Agent Blog
• Lin seeks out Hump, calls boos 'unfair' - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
  

Stefan Bondy talked to both Stephen Jackson and Deron Williams Sunday night and the two formed a mutual admiration society, minus only Dwight Howard.

"(Howard and Williams) is a championship contending team right there," Jackson said. "Of course I’d want to play on that team."

What team? The Brooklyn team. "I’m from the other side of Texas (far from Dallas). I don’t want to play there." Jackson, who has $10.1 million on his contract next season, even joked with Nets ballboys about whether they had his uniform ready.

D-Will was no less enthused about S-Jax. "I like his game. He’s very versatile. He’s the type of guy that’s 6-8, and he’s guarding the point guard. He has a lot of toughness."

In later tweets, Bondy guessed that "only way Jackson fits on a team w/ Deron and Dwight is if he's amnestied and picked up for much less than his salary next season of 10 mill." But last month, John Hollinger was able to work out separate trade proposals for both Jackson and Howard.

Said D-Will: 'We’ll see going forward. I’m sure it’s a possibility at some point'.”

• Stephen Jackson talks Nets, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
• How the Nets could add Howard, Jackson this season - Tim Bontemps - New York Post Nets Blog
  

Fred Kerber and Stefan Bondy report the Nets are looking into signing Renaldo Balkman, the defensive-oriented small forward who has twice had stints across the river, the second one ending this week when the Knicks cut him to make room for J.R. Smith.

Balkman, 6'8", was taken by the Knicks in the 2006 draft, famously just ahead of Rajon Rondo and Marcus Williams. He spent two less than memorable years in New York before being shipped in a salary dump to Denver where injuries slowed him. He came back to the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade. The Nuggets demanded he be added. He played only 14 games this season. The 27-year-old has career marks of 4.0 points and 3.5 boards.

The Nets have 15 players under contract. Andre Emmett's 10-day contract runs out Wedneday, the same day Balkman clears waivers. With the Nets $2 million over the salary cap, Balkman would likely receive a vets' minimum deal.

• Balkman gets look 'forward' - Fred Kerber - New York Post
  

Speaking with a Boston radio show Thursday, Adrian Wojnarowski said that if Dwight Howard reaches free agency, it's likely a competition between the Nets and Mavericks. Asked if Boston could mount a "full court press" to change D12's mind and consider the Celtics, here's what Woj said.

I think it's late in the game to do that. Boston has tried very hard to get into that mix to be a team he would consider. I think there are really two scenarios for him in free agency, one is going to Brooklyn with Deron Williams and the other is going to be Dallas. Dallas...do you see Mark Cuban telling everyone how great Shawn Marion is, he's all defensive team, why does't anybody appreciate Shawn Marion? Because he's trying to get his contract off so he'll have the cap space to sign both Deron Williams and Dwight Howard. If they get rid of Shawn Marion, then Dallas is in the game for both those guys and then, they'll be right there with the Nets in getting both guys.

• Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo Sports, on the future of the Celtics Big Three and Jeremy Lin (Audio) - WEEI

Brian Schmitz has long covered the Magic for the Orlando Sentinel. He has also long been an advocate of trading Dwight Howard now, if not yesterday. On Thursday, he writes about Howard's latest Sphinx-like comments.

After noting Howard's comments about wanting to be the "go-to guy", the "closer", in Orlando and about his desire to lead the Magic to a title, Schmitz writes, "Unusual for him to care this much if he wasn't thinking about staying, isn't it? When I asked him after everybody left whether anything had changed in his trade scenario, he didn't say no. 'Just have to be patient,' he said."

Schmitz admits he doesn't know what to make about it all, but of course, the Magic have long hoped they could persuade their big man to stay. Schmitz thinks Howard is still playing games with the Magic and treating them like "the NBA Developmental League for the Nets."

• Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard's "closer" comments ill-timed - Brian Schmitz - Orlando Sentinel
  

One month from Wednesday could be the most important date in recent Nets history. It's the trade deadline and if Dwight Howard is a Net, two years of the Melo Drama and Dwightmare will have been worth it. If not...maybe we don't want to think about those consequences.

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at things from a Magic perspective, offering much of what is already known about the situation. But he also notes a few things that aren't in the Magic favor. Robbins says that with all the talk of Howard leaving $30 million on the table (something no professional athlete has ever done), Howard may actually prefer a four year deal and could even ask for a player option in that fourth year.

He also writes that as the days fall away, teams not on Howard's list will have less time to convince the all-Star center to join them long-term. Bottom line, though, remains the same: no movement is expected until March 1, when the 130 free agents signed this year join the trade pool, and the Magic are still hoping to persuade Howard to stay in Orlando.

• Analysis: With 1 month until the trade deadline, much remains unknown in the Dwight Howard saga - Josh Robbins - Orlando Sentinel
• Shaquille O’Neal says it would be a ‘travesty’ if Dwight Howard leaves Orlando - AP
  

Does this sound like a guy who's getting ready to leave Orlando?

"I want to lead this team and be that guy. Kobe (Bryant) is that guy for the Lakers, Carmelo (Anthony) is that guy for the Knicks and (Michael) Jordan was the guy for the Bulls,’’ Dwight Howard said after Monday night's win over Minnesota. "I want to be great. Great players want to take that load and put a team on their backs. That’s what I want to do for this Magic team. I want to carry this team to a championship and I want them to ride my back. I want to lead this team."

Howard didn't say that he's pulled his trade request or that he's asked the Magic to stop talking to the Nets or anyone else.

But as John Denton, who works for the Magic as an in-house beat writer noted, Howard is "sounding more and more like a player committed to the Orlando Magic for the long term." It's all part of a dance that can't leave anyone happy.

• MAGIC: Denton: Howard Desires to be Magic's "Closer" - John Denton - Orlando Magic
  

Austin Link, writing for ESPN Insider, suggests that while the Magic are not going to get equal value for Dwight Howard they can get a good deal that will load up their roster with good young players and offers three scenarios involving the Bulls, Nets and Lakers (in a three team deal with the Rockets). Never mind that Chicago isn't on Howard's list.

In the Nets scenario, the Magic get Brook Lopez, Marshon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Jordan Farmar, Mehmet Okur, and a first-round pick in return for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu. "That's a good amount of overall talent in return for Howard," writes Link, who notes the Nuggets and Jazz got similar talent for Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams..

"There is room for successful teams in the NBA that don't have an elite player, but instead have many good ones," he concludes. "If Orlando can get quality assets in return for Howard, its future doesn't have to be a disaster."

• How Orlando Magic can win Dwight Howard trade - Austin Link - ESPN Insider