…but will he play? Haven’t gotten definitive word yet one way or the other. Obviously, that will be the big story of the night, as well as what happens with Joey Dorsey. I reported earlier this morning that John Calipari was strongly considering bringing Dorsey off the bench. Lots of drama for a No. 1 ranked team, but as Cal likes to say, it is what it is.

Shouldn’t matter much against this bunch from SMU. If the Tigers struggle against these guys, there might very well be some problems festering. On the other hand, Cal has been saying that he wanted to get more time for guys like Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack and Jeff Robinson. So the more likely scenario is that everyone leaves here tonight feeling a little bit better about the situation.

We’ll get as much as we can after the game on the Dozier situation. I have a feeling Robert will be out of that locker room in record time tonight and the other players won’t want to talk much about it. Hopefully, Calipari will be able to provide some clarity as to punishments or suspensions, if they are forthcoming.

Grizzlies rookie guard Juan Carlos Navarro will have to settle on playing for the rookie team in the Rookie Challenge, which is held during the NBA All-Star weekend.

The Grizzlies long distance bomber was hoping to participate in the Three-Point Shootout. But his name was not among the six participants chosen. The NBA announced the five players who will challenge defending champion Jason Kapono of Toronto. Among them are four of the top 3-point shooters in the league this year - Daniel Gibson of Cleveland, Steve Nash of Phoenix, Richard Hamilton of Detroit and 2002 and 2003 3-point champ Peja Stojakovic.

The surprise participant is Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. While Navarro has seen his 3-point percentage dip to .391 recenttly, tying him for 38th in the league, that’s still a far cry from Bryant.

Bryant is the fifth-best 3-point shooter on his own team. He currently ranks 74th in the league, hitting on just 35.3 percent of his long range shots. He may repeat as the All-Star Game’s MVP, but I wouldn’t put my money on him winning the 3-point contest.

Looks like the Grizzlies trade of Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers has already had an effect on the Western Conference. The Phoenix Suns, owners of the best record in the West, are close to becoming the first team to react to Lakers acquiring Gasol. The Suns are currently deciding whether to pull the trigger on a trade with the Miami Heat that would sent aging center Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks.

The Suns believe the addition of Shaq will allow them to move Amare Stoudemire to his natural power forward position. They also believe that O’Neal will give them more of a defensive presence in the middle, which would keep the undersized Stoudemire out of foul trouble from having to guard centers much bigger than he is.

Two issues the Suns are contemplating, though, are Shaq’s health and his hefty contract of $20 million per season for the next two years. O’Neal, who turns 36 in March, has been plagued with a hip injury. That makes his acquisition a gamble for the Suns, who are looking to get over the hump that has prevented them from reaching the NBA Finals.

Apparently, both O’Neal and Marion are happy to be leaving their respective clubs. O’Neal has seen his relationship with Miami coach/president Pat Riley strained this season. And prior to the season, Marion requested a trade.

It will be interesting to see whether Shaq has anything left in the tank. If healthy, this could be the type of motivation he needs to lead his third team to a NBA title. But chances are Shaq is simply unable to keep up anymore with centers like Andrew Bynum, Tyson Chandler or even Tim Duncan.

Either way, the move makes the Western Conference that much more intriguing. Now let’s see if Dallas owner Mark Cuban has the guts to follow suit by pulling off a trade with New Jersey for Jason Kidd.

Stay tuned.

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As you saw in this morning’s edition of The Commercial Appeal, senior Joey Dorsey is probably going to come off the bench tonight.

This is a story that requires a little news-analysis. First, this is a big deal. The Tigers are 21-0. They’re No. 1 in the country and trying to win a national championship. Dorsey has started every game he’s been available to start since his freshman year. He’s one of the leading rebounders in the country. You don’t make a drastic change like this unless there’s a reason.

Is the reason Calipari gave legitimate? On some level, you can see what he’s talking about. But you simply don’t put Joey Dorsey on the bench to help your bench. It doesn’t pass the smell test. Is this “punishment” for something? I have no reason to believe that Dorsey was involved in an off-court incident recently, based on conversations with sources. I do have reason to believe that the coaching staff was very upset with Dorsey on Saturday for basically taking himself out of a close game. What was said, or what transpired behind closed doors, who knows. But this is, in my view, a power play by Calipari. John isn’t stupid. He won’t talk about it much publicly, but he knows Dorsey has been a no-show in two straight Elite Eight games. The question is, how much can you afford to count on him showing up this time? So perhaps you’re at the point where you either get him to play the way he’s capable of playing, or you get used to playing without him.