A little of this and that while we wait for news of what happens to NBA labor negotiations now that there's a big boy -- federal mediator George Cohen -- in the room.

* Ricky Rubio has arrived.

Well, sort of.

He left Spain for Los Angeles last week and is there seeing the sights -- Malibu and Santa Monica last weekend -- while working out daily with NBA players.

Yesterday, he played pickup ball on a team with Pacers star Danny Granger, Chicago's Joakim Noah, Utah rookie Enes Kanter and Cavs forward Omri Casspi.

Michael Beasley made a call on Twitter the other day, asking Rubio to play in his All-Star Classic game on Friday at Osseo High.

No indication that's gonna happen, though.

* The Beasley game last week added Kevin Love and Kevin Durant to its list of players expected. Now, it looks like Joakim Noah, Greg Monroe, Sebastian Telfair, Wayne Ellington and Martell Webster have been subtracted from the original list.

You can see the current details as they're updated here.

* It sure looks like the Wolves are waiting for a labor agreement to approach before they hire Rick Adelman's staff, but...

Terry Porter -- who played for Adelman in Portland and was interviewed for the head coach job in July -- will be on board whenever that happens now that it seems certain the Suns won't let Elston Turner go.

Turner was Adelman's No. 1 assistant and defensive guru in Houston, but he accepted a job in Phoenix in June.

Not sure yet on what place in the pecking order or what role Porter will assume when a labor deal is reached and he's officially hired.

Two of Adelman's sons, R.J. and David, as well as former Portland assistant and former UNLV head coach Bill Bayno also will be hired.

You can expect Jack SIkma and/or T.R. Dunn from Adelman's Houston staff to join him in Minnesota as well.

* The Wolves should be midway through their preseason schedule by now.

Instead, the big news out of Target Center today is...staff members, season-ticket holders and Wolves/Lynx prez Chris Wright are headed to help out on a Wargo Nature Center cleanup project in Lino Lakes tomorrow aftenroon.

More updates on that as they become available...