• NIT staying at Madison Square Garden: The NIT is staying at Madison Square Garden. The NCAA, the NIT and the Madison Square Garden Co. announced a three-year agreement to keep the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals and title game at the New York arena along with the season-ending tournament in April.
• Rockets trade G Lee to Boston: The Houston Rockets will send Courtney Lee to the Boston Celtics as part of a multi-team, sign-and-trade deal, completed on Friday. The Rockets will receive a second-round pick in next year’s draft from Boston (a pick that was originally owned by Charlotte), forward JaJuan Johnson, guard E’Twaun Moore and forward/center Sean Williams. Houston will also acquire the rights to guard Jon Diebler from Portland. The Celtics completed the deal by trading guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic to Portland.
— From staff and wire reports
