■ Kings: Sacramento said it was informed by the NBA that a former employee gambled while on its staff.
Jack Mai, the team's former assistant director of scouting, was found to have gambled while with the Kings, who fired him in January. Last season was his eighth with the franchise and third as assistant director of scouting.
Kings owner Joe Maloof said the team fired Mai as soon as it found out through General Manager Geoff Petrie that Mai had been wagering.
A news release from the Kings said the "investigation revealed that Mr. Mai participated in improper wagering activities while a member of this organization." The Kings said Mai had been disqualified from further association with the NBA and its teams.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed Mai's disqualification and said reinstatement was not possible, but said the league would have no other comment.
The league has taken gambling especially seriously since former referee Tim Donaghy admitted taking thousands of dollars from a professional gambler in exchange for inside tips, including games he worked.
■ Cavaliers: Cleveland coach Mike Brown said he'll know today if Shaquille O'Neal will return from his shoulder injury to play the Charlotte Bobcats.
O'Neal has missed six straight games since getting injured on Nov. 12 against Miami, trying to block a dunk.
The Cavs have been cautious with O'Neal, 37, after acquiring him from Phoenix in an offseason trade in the hopes of keeping him healthy for the second half of the season and playoffs.
O'Neal has averaged 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1½ blocks in nine games.
The Central Division-leading Cavs are 6-3 with O'Neal in the lineup and 5-1 without him.
■ Pistons: Guard Ben Gordon didn't play in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday because of a sprained left ankle and isn't sure when he will be back on the court.
The Pistons took Thanksgiving off and are scheduled to play host to the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.
Gordon was leading the team with nine points when he limped off the court at halftime against the Cavs.
He entered the game averaging 20-plus points. Only Richard Hamilton, who has been out since scoring 25 in the first game of the season, has a higher scoring average on the team.
Gordon signed a $55 million, five-year contract last summer after starring for the Chicago Bulls in his first five seasons in the NBA.
The banged-up Pistons have had starting forwards Hamilton (right ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back) on the court for a combined four games this season.
■ Thunder: Oklahoma City has signed veteran guard Mike Wilks after a spate of injuries to the team's other guards.
General Manager Sam Presti announced Wilks' signing yesterday.
The Thunder's two backup point guards, Shaun Livingston and Kevin Ollie, are sidelined by knee injuries, and another guard, Kyle Weaver, suffered a shoulder injury Wednesday during a practice.
Wilks has played for eight different NBA teams in six seasons but hasn't appeared in a regular-season game since the 2007-08 season, when he played in three games for the Seattle SuperSonics, who later moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.
He has career averages of 2.5 points and 1.2 assist per game.
■ 76ers: Philadelphia guard Lou Williams will miss eight weeks after having surgery on his jaw yesterday morning.
Williams broke his jaw in Philadelphia's loss to Washington on Tuesday night. His averages of 17.4 points and 5.1 assists are second-highest on the team behind Andre Iguodala.
Rookie Jrue Holiday started at point guard in place of Williams against Boston in a 113-110 loss on Wednesday.
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