NEW YORK -- Memo to my Paper Clips: Tread cautiously while negotiating language land mines regarding Mike Dunleavy's contract extension.

Trying to finish the nearly-completed play (four years, $22 million) on the cheap cannot be worth chancing the prospect of sabotaging the season and annulling credibility gained since hiring him as coach, and following his personnel suggestions.

Nobody's saying owner Donald Sterling should roll over at the bargaining table, something he's notorious for doing, but low-balling bonuses, deferrals, etc. is not a particularly successful way to do business with a valued employee.

I know for a fact numerous teams -- not one or two or three -- are waiting by the phone eager to enlist Dunleavy (at the same $5.5 million, or decidedly more) should he become a free agent come summer.

You don't need a source to ascertain most; they'll have vacancies soon enough. The identity of one team would surprise almost everyone, possibly even the current coach and his players.

A New Jersey source reveals the Nets have offered Jason Collins ($6.1 million and $6.2 million left after this season) and a No. 2 pick for rising free agent Jamal Magloire, whose low-post presence would take defensive pressure off Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

The Blazers countered by asking for a first rounder. They already own more than enough long-term contracts at that position.

Brendan Haywood (three years left at $5 million, $5.5 million and $6 million) is always an option. Despite some decent outings of late, Haywood and Eddie Jordan, who prefers Etan Thomas' more consistent energy, effort and execution, will never be boys.

While on the subject of unwanted centers, Adonal Foyle has two full years guaranteed after this ($8.937 million and $9.75 million).

The Warriors will only owe him $1 million when they pass on exercising Foyle's final year at $10.562 million. Not that he's any more desirable on the trade market, but it makes swallowing his contract easier to digest.

Somehow, someway, VP Chris Mullin must clear cap room within the next year or two in order to reward Andres Biedrins, Monta Ellis and Mickael Pietrus. Meaning Foyle and either Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy Jr. (where have I heard that name before?) or Jason Richardson must be excised for draft picks and lower contracts.

Murphy and Dunleavy are Don Nelson's favorite whipping boys at the moment, the difference being, Dunleavy plays four positions and is in the game handling the ball when the jury's out and the verdict is up for grabs.

Should Richardson fully recover from off-season knee surgery (it swelled following a promising 26-point, five-assist performance the other night), he'll be the easiest to move in spite of a four-year, $50 million obligation.

Marc (Iavaroni) my words, the Suns assistant will be a head coach next season after far too many years as a treasured understudy.

No disrespect to Sam Mitchell, who appears to have the Raptors in gear offensively and in sync defensively, but Iavaroni either will reunite with former boss, Toronto president Bryan Colangelo, replace Mike Fratello in Memphis when his contract expires, or take charge somewhere else.

Had the Grizzlies' operations not been paralyzed by their everlasting ownership transition, I'm informed Jerry West would have substituted Iavaroni for Fratello last summer.

There's not a shred of truth to a Miami Herald report that had the Heat and my Paper Clips discussing a trade involving Corey Maggette. Not one word of dialogue along those lines ever took place. Moreover, it won't.

Pat Riley can offer nobody of consequence who can replicate what Maggette does for L.A.

This has to be David Stern's worst nightmare.

Not only have the Mavericks reeled off a dozen consecutive victories after an 0-4 start, there's none of that six figures worth of fine money coming in from Mark Cuban.

Dallas laid waste to visiting Sacramento by 19 points Friday night in a game that was over around the same time as the anthem.

To compensate for the lack of those weekly Cuban certified checks, Stern has had to take some drastic measures. Seems the league office Christmas party is now one lick from a candy cane and egg nog made in a bathtub.