A difference of opinions While Houston coach Kevin McHale is back home in Minnesota on a leave of absence to be with his ill daughter, the Rockets and fellow Minnesotan Royce White engaged last week in a rumba over the first-round draft pick's unexcused absence.

White missed practices after the team planned to send him to their D League team. He went on a Twitter crusade, saying he was not away from the team without leave in an issue that appears to be over whether he should see a team-appointed doctor about his anxiety disorder or continue with the Minnesota doctor who diagnosed his condition.

Already, though, Rockets owner Les Alexander is answering questions about the Minneapolis-raised player taken 16th overall last summer possibly being a wasted pick. White hasn't yet played an NBA game and is scheduled to meet with team officials Monday after a week away.

"I'd feel bad for Royce, and I would feel very bad for the team," Alexander told the Houston Chronicle when asked about the damage if White doesn't pan out as a player for the Rockets.

Disobeying Mom The outcry over the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to hire Mike D'Antoni as coach over Phil Jackson included a contribution from former Lakers great Magic Johnson himself.

"The reason I haven't tweeted in 2 days is because I've been mourning Phil Jackson not being hired as the Lakers head coach," Johnson wrote on his Twitter account. "My mother always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."