The Griz just traded Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and two first-round draft picks — one in 2008 and the other in 2010.

Stromile Swift will be sent to New Jersey for Jason Collins in a deal that is expected to be announced soon. Swift was sent home today and didn’t practice with the Griz. He won’t play tomorrow against the Utah Jazz.

The New Jersey Nets continue to make a push for Stromile Swift, and have apparently offered center Jason Collins this time. It is not known if this is a straight-up proposal. But it could be (unlike the one Memphis turned down earlier this season involving Jamaal Magloire and other players) because Collins and Swift’s salaries essentially are equal this season and next.

As of this morning, however, the Grizzlies balked at acquiring Collins. The Griz coaching staff is said to be less enamored with Collins, who is not even as athletic as Darko Milicic.

Swift, meanwhile, returned to practice Thursday ready to put his one-game suspension behind him. The 6-9 forward/center did say, however, that it’s time to move on if the Grizzlies don’t intend to play him.

Stay tuned.

The Grizzlies have suspended Stromile Swift for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Swift and head coach Marc Iavaroni exchanged words on the bench during the Grizzlies’ loss Monday to the Dallas Mavericks.

Swift stood, leaning over Iavaroni, apparently trying to make his point during the disagreement. Assistant coach Johnny Davis eventually intervened before Swift strolled to the end of the bench. Swift will miss the Grizzlies’ game Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.

Albeit a player who never fully reached his potential, Swift has never been a knucklehead. So this is clearly a surprise turn of events in what has been a disappointing season for the Griz.

ROSTER MOVE: The Grizzlies will allow Bobby Jones’ second 10-day contract to expire today. He will not be signed for the rest of this season. Jones appeared in nine games for the Griz. He averaged 4.4 points on 39-percent shooting. If the Griz sign another player soon, he likely will be a point guard given Mike Conley’s injury and Damon Stoudamire’s departure via a buyout.

The Damon Stoudamire Buyout Saga is over.

The veteran point guard verbally accepted the Grizzlies’ latest proposal. He will be set free as soon as the Is are dotted and Ts are crossed on a legal document.

That could happen today but it is more likely to go down officially on Monday. I am told that the only way this doesn’t happen is if Stoudamire pulls out before he signs the paperwork.

That’s not going to happen. Both sides are happy mainly because the deal is less than what the Grizzlies wanted and more than what Stoudamire thought he’d have to pay.

The bottom line is that Stoudamire will be free to sign with the team of his choice after clearing waivers. And the Grizzlies can move on with their youth movement, having kept their word to help the 13-year veteran to a championship contender.

Stoudamire’s preference is to move to Boston. A person close to Stoudamire said he would choose Toronto (where his career began) over Phoenix as a second option.

The Griz, meanwhile, will likely look to add another point guard ASAP because rookie Mike Conley appears to be hurt badly after suffering a chest/rib injury Friday night at Washington.

Don’t expect Conley to play tonight. Don’t expect Stoudamire to play, either, although he will appear in FedExForum for the last time as a Grizzly.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Griz 7-footer Pau Gasol has been nursing a sore back lately, and he will rest it tonight when the Griz play the Washington Wizards. It must be painful because Gasol has rarely — if ever — sat out because of back soreness.

His goal is to be ready Saturday when the Griz host the Los Angeles Clippers in FedExForum.

Also, there is nothing new to report on Damon Stoudamire’s buyout situation. At least not at this very minute. I am told that both sides tried talking today. Stoudamire went about his daily routine, working out before the game and helping the youngsters, Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry prepare for the Wizards.

It’s a slow news day but there are numbers always crunching around Dunkyland. Here are a few tidbits to keep an eye on in the coming hours/days/weeks.

STOUDAMIRE UPDATE
I am told that the Damon Stoudamire buyout could happen at anytime, perhaps even before the Griz host the Orlando Magic tomorrow. The negotiations are affable given both sides are motivated to get this deal done.

It’s hard to say if the true numbers regarding the buyout will ever come out. I’m told that the Griz originally wanted 80 percent of Stoudamire’s expected salary for next season. Stoudamire’s representatives were expected to counter with an offer more in the 50/50 split range.

Stoudamire wants to join a championship contender and Boston is high on the list. Griz owner Michael Heisley insisted that he wants the 13-year veteran to land somewhere he can have a chance to get a ring.

GASOL QUESTIONABLE

Pau Gasol sat out of practice today with back trouble. He received treatment while the team worked out. The official team ruling on Gasol is that he is day-to-day with a sore back.

Knowing Gasol, he will play against the Magic because the back issues have never kept him out of action.

WOULD YOU VOTE FOR DICK HACKETT AGAIN?

Before we answer that question, I’m wondering if you miss the rash of Andy Dolich quotes/radio interviews since his “mutually agreed upon” split with the Grizzlies?

I digress.

Just putting two and two together: It appears that if former Memphis mayor Dick Hackett isn’t in line to replace Dolich as president of business operations, he is at least consulting Griz brass on the opening.

This much is true: Hackett has spent a lot of time talking to the Griz lately.

Hackett would be a curious choice he is indeed a serious candidate to build bridges between the Griz and the business community. After a 10-year stint running the city and losing to Mayor Herenton by fewer than 150 votes, Hackett has served as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Children’s Museum of Memphis and senior vice president at ALSAC — the fundraising arm of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Would you support Hackett again? Is he the right man to lead the Grizzlies forward?

Well, as Dolich would say: Hackett has this going for him: “He’s part of the DNA of the city.” But what, if anything, will it really mean?

The Grizzlies recently presented point guard Damon Stoudamire with a buyout offer that would have required the 34-year-old to give back nearly 80 percent of his expected salary for next season.

Stoudamire is preparing to counter in hopes of joining a contender soon. Stoudamire is hopeful that he can sign as a free agent with Boston, which is looking for help behind Rajon Rondo.

His contract is for $4.6 million next season. But that number gets cut in half if Stoudamire averages less than 20 minutes and appears in fewer than about 55 games.

Negotiations toward a buyout will likely heat up Monday when Griz owner Michael Heisley is expected in town for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game against the Chicago Bulls.

And it appears that Stoudamire’s immediate future will more likely involve a buyout rather than a trade. The Griz have already turned down a trade involving Stoudamire because the deal would have left the 13-year veteran in an undesirable position.

At the time Stoudamire’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, requested a trade or buyout in the wake of his client’s demotion, Heisley said his preference was to help Stoudamire get to a winner.