Hoopsworld

NBA Week in Review: Shaq, Kobe, Marbury, Oden

Hoopsworld — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:41:56 -0800

By: Travis Heath

It's Sunday which means it's time to take a look at what the wonderful world of the NBA taught us this week.

From Selfish to MVP in the Blink of an Eye

Three years ago Kobe Bryant wasn't exactly known for being a great teammate or an unselfish player on the floor. And trust me, I wrote as much on a regular basis.

However, three years later it's pretty amazing just how much he has changed. Bryant has gone from a guy who was often salty with the media and his teammates to being a leader of perhaps the league's best team.

Others around the league have taken notice, too.

"My compliment to Kobe is that he has in a very quick period of time since Shaq and him separated and all of that chaos, I think that he has shown he can carry a team by being a team player," explained Denver head coach George Karl. "The power of Kobe Bryant is that he can beat you so many ways. He can be a defensive force. He's the most difficult cover on the perimeter in basketball. If you don't do it with two guys some nights you can't do it."

Even the most optimistic of Laker fans would have to acknowledge that Kobe has a different demeanor than he had three seasons ago. Moreover, I'm not sure too many people would have predicted that Kobe would have evolved into the type of leader and teammate he is now so quickly.

"He's come quick," Karl acknowledged. "You know, I didn't expect him to go from kind of a selfish player a couple of years ago -- or whatever phrase you want to use... individualistic player a few years ago -- to being now a leader of a championship drive."

In previous seasons Kobe had been known to throw a temper tantrum or two after tough losses like the one the Lakers suffered on Friday in Denver. Instead, what I observed was Kobe encouraging his teammates in the locker room after the game and brushing the loss right off his shoulder while conversing with the media.

His evolution has been something to behold.

What Could Have Been For Portland

I can already hear the keys tapping from those fans in Portland preparing to send me hate mail. Truth is, I really like Greg Oden. I've had the chance to sit down and speak with him on a couple of occasions and think he's a great kid.

What we're talking about today, though, is strictly business.

The Portland Trail Blazers had the chance to draft Kevin Durant. Instead, they went with size and drafted Oden, who, by the way, was the player most were saying the Blazers should select at the time.

Almost two years later it's hard not to think about what could have been had the Blazers opted to run with Durant instead. Dude is straight blowing up right now in Oklahoma City.

Just think how good the Blazers would be right now with Durant in the lineup.

Ohh! I just shivered a little bit pondering it.

Go ahead and get started with the rationalizations Rip City.

"Oden isn't the focus of the offense like Durant."

"The Blazers are still a dynasty in the making without Durant."

"It's too early to call Oden a bust."

Blah, blah, blah...

The bottom-line is that any intellectually honest Blazer fan knows that Portland would be better right now with Durant, and most of you are simply lying if you say the thought of how good Durant would look in a Blazers' jersey has never crossed your mind.

Could Oden come around and show that his early injury problems are simply a fluke?

Absolutely.

However, does anyone seriously believe the Blazers would be better if Oden were healthy and the focus of the offense? He's not for a reason, and that reason is that his offensive game is extremely limited.

A lineup of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Durant is significantly more imposing than the Blazers' lineup when Oden is healthy. My suspicion is most of the coaches around the Association would likely quietly agree if asked off the record, too. I know because I asked a few this week.

Look, I like Oden as a person and hope he goes on to have a fantastic career. It would be great for the Blazers and great for the league as a whole if Oden eventually hits his stride. But given the relatively small but ever growing sample size we have thus far, it's looking more and more like the Blazers made the wrong decision.

Problems Start at the Top for Detroit

You remember that scene in the movie Titanic where the ship was perpendicular to the water and cats were jumping and falling off the ship into the cold water below? I can't help but surmise that must be what it feels like to be a member of the Detroit Pistons these days.

The easy answer is to blame Allen Iverson for everything that's happening. However, it's really so much more than that.

Michael Curry is another easy scapegoat. But is it really his fault he was asked to lead a veteran team that would have been better suited to be captained by a more seasoned coach?

The guy who should be getting most of the blame seems to somehow be getting a free pass. I know you're not allowed to criticize Joe Dumars for anything in Detroit, but I don't live there so here goes.

Dumars first made a bad choice by assuming a young coach like Michael Curry could come in and gain the respect of the players simply because he played in the NBA. Guess what? It takes more than playing experience in the league to gain the respect of the players. Dumars would have been better served to hire a veteran coach. Either that or he should have stuck with Flip Saunders.

Dumars' next major mistake involved trading away the heart and soul of the franchise for Allen Iverson. The current spin in the Motor City is that it was a financial move. That may be true, but that sure wasn't the way the Pistons tried to spin it when they first made the decision to kick Chauncey Billups to the curb.

Creating cap space helps buy Dumars time. However, if he doesn't get a big free agent or two that gets this team back to the Eastern Conference Finals in the near future than it's time for Dumars to really feel the heat.

Go ahead and blame Iverson or Curry if that makes you feel better Piston fans. However, the real problem for the Pistons right now starts with the shot caller in the luxury suite.

Marbury Soon Won't Matter

It seems everybody has an opinion about Stephon Marbury being signed by Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics.

I'll say this: If I was running things in Boston I wouldn't have brought Marbury aboard simply because of the risk that it might disrupt the team's chemistry. However, given the Celtics strong team concept I don't think one player has the power to tear all of that down.

What's interesting to me is that the issue seems to have become extremely polarizing. Either people think Marbury is going to win the Celtics a couple of playoff games or he's going to be the kerosene that gets poured over the C's that ultimately leads to an explosion.

My guess is that neither will occur. Sure, Marbury will probably have a couple of nice regular season games. Come playoff time, though, I think Marbury will just kind of fade into the background and become insignificant. I don't think he'll end up winning the team any playoff games, but I also don't think he's going to implode and cause them to lose any games, either.

The Celtics were good enough to win a title before they signed Marbury. And if they win one again this season, it won't be because of Marbury's contributions.

In the end, his presence will be a non-story for the Celtics.

Shaq's Not Done Yet

Okay, I'll admit it. I was one of those that said Shaquille O'Neal's days of being a real factor in the NBA were over after what I saw last season.

Obviously, I was wrong. Look no further than his 45-point performance on Friday night against the Toronto Raptors if you need additional proof.

"He was just camping down in the lane," said Toronto forward Chris Bosh after the game. "I mean, if they're not calling three seconds... I thought it was a rule, but I guess not."

Sound like sour grapes to anyone else?

What's interesting about Bosh's comments is that these were the same kind of remarks we used to hear routinely four, five or six seasons ago. The fact we are now hearing them again is a testament to the kind of basketball Shaq is playing this season.

When brought up to speed that Shaq had dropped 45 on the Raptors Friday night, his former Laker teammate Kobe Bryant whose Lakers will play in Phoenix on Sunday replied: "Did he really? Go ahead, big fella."

Bryant later quipped: "That means he ain't going to have (expletive) left in the tank on Sunday, so I'm cool with that."

The sad thing is "The Big Cactus" is wasting what will certainly be one of his final two or three seasons on a team that has absolutely no chance of winning a championship this season.

Perhaps he will get traded or bought out by the Suns this summer. Fans of the NBA can only hope so because seeing Shaq on a true contender would be the perfect way for one of the best big men in the history of the game to go out.

NBA: Eastern Conference Bubble Teams

Hoopsworld — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:22:01 -0800

By: Joel Brigham

At this point in the season it seems as if seven Eastern Conference teams are likely going to make the playoffs, which leaves one open spot for just a small handful of teams vying to sneak in for a likely 4-game appearance against the Cavaliers or Celtics.

We call that group of organizations "Bubble Teams," because that bubble is going to pop for three of the following four groups. For the most part you could flip a coin, but heading down the stretch it's relatively clear who will make a run at it and who will come up short.

Milwaukee – The Bucks are the current holders of that eighth seed, but they're an organization fighting myriad injuries. Top scorer Michael Redd's out for the season and starting center Andrew Bogut is gone until the last two or three weeks of the year. There's some young talent on this team, but not enough experience to stave off some of the more veteran groups on this list, like…

Chicago – It's not clear yet whether the one-third of Chicago's roster they switched out at the deadline is going to be a good thing down the stretch this season. On paper it would seem that Brad Miller, John Salmons, and Tim Thomas are going to be more productive than Drew Gooden, Andres Nocioni, Larry Hughes, and Thabo Sefolosha, but who's to say they'll come together quickly enough to actually be a playoff team? Derrick Rose and coach Vinny Del Negro—both rookies—had just gotten used to their personnel. This isn't to say they won't be better next season, but they might not have the firepower to do it this year.

New York – Grabbing Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox for virtually nothing was a coup for the Knicks, but this still isn't a team that plays defense, and how is any team supposed to win in the clutch without sticking some D? Just like with the Bulls, this group has some adjustments to make with the new guys, but I don't like their chances any more than Chicago's.

New Jersey – Before their current five-game skid, the Nets might have been the favorites of this group to make the playoffs. Vince Carter and Devin Harris have been so very good this year, and rookie Brook Lopez has been one of the best rooks in his class. If they stay healthy and get back on track, they're the favorites.

When it's all said and done, nobody would be surprised to see any of these teams in that eighth spot, but the point of this piece is to pick a favorite. For now, that's New Jersey, but check back in two weeks and minds might be changed.

Until then, let's enjoy the race of it and agree that the best team will eventually win. We just don't know who that is quite yet.

NBA: Top Trade Deadline Winners

Hoopsworld — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:05:44 -0800

By: Bill Ingram

As expected, yesterday's trade deadline brought a flurry of deals between teams across the NBA. We didn't see the blockbusters that came out last year at this time, but we did see a significant number of teams take care of some business. In fact, a couple of teams helped themselves significantly. With that in mind, here are the big winners:

1) The Orlando Magic. As we saw last night in New Orleans, the Magic needed to address their point guard position in a much more serious way than by simply adding Ty Lue, and today they did that. Not only did they get a solid starting point guard in Houston's Rafer Alston, they did it by giving up a player they wanted to unload anyway in Brian Cook. Alston played some of his best basketball under Stan Van Gundy in Miami, so this could turn out to be a championship move for Orlando.

2) The Chicago Bulls. The Bulls took care of the present and the future in their multiple trades this week. The future is set with Brad Miller at center and John Salmons on the wing. Miller will provide invaluable veteran guidance for the Bulls' young big men and will likely start on Friday. Salmons is having a career year, is amazingly efficient, and will push the Bulls to the next level. Tim Thomas is a solid bench contributor - provided he agrees to show up in Chicago this time - and he and James both come off the books before 2010. The Bulls are now officially a playoff team, and have some room to work with in 2010, as well.

3) The New York Knicks. Larry Hughes has been chomping at the bit, waiting for a chance to play. Now, not only will he get to play, he'll play in a Mike D'Antoni system that could give him room to put up big numbers. At the same time, they landed the ending contract of Chris Wilcox, got rid of Jerome James and Malik Rose, who didn't play, and continued their push to get out from under the bad contracts Isiah Thomas saddled them with.

What Didn't Get Done

We were more than a little surprised that Kevin Pritchard didn't put Raef LaFrentz's ending contract to good use. Rumors had players like Richard Jefferson, Gerald Wallace, and even Vince Carter in the discussion for Portland, but as it stands the Blazers will keep the contract and let it expire.

The Phoenix Suns may be a little too excited about their wins over the hapless Los Angeles Clippers. New head coach Alvin Gentry convinced management to keep Amar'e Stoudemire in the mix, and subsequent rumors about trading Shaq evaporated, as well. The Suns will pay luxury tax this season and will lose money unless they get to the seventh game of the second round. Pretty optimistic on the Suns' part.

The Dallas Mavericks were hoping to land a playoff-ready piece in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse's ending deal, but will now have to stand pat and hope Stackhouse can actually get healthy and contribute before April.

And finally, great big kudos go out to a list of NBA general managers who said they weren't dealing and then didn't. Bryan Colangelo (Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani), Rod Thorn (Vince Carter), Danny Ferry (Wally Szczerbiak), and Rod Higgins (Raymond Felton) all told us they weren't making moves and they kept their words.

Ginobili Out 2-3 Weeks

The San Antonio Spurs released their medical findings with regard to Manu Ginobili's latest injury, and the diagnosis is not good. The Spurs, trying to cling to home court advantage in the Western Conference, will be without one of their big three for two-to-three weeks as he recovers from a stress reaction of his distal right fibula.

NBA: Latest Trade Deadline Rumors!

Hoopsworld — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:59:48 -0800

By: Eric Pincus

Deadline Day: Time for one last run through all 30 teams as the NBA's trade deadline is finally upon us! All deals must be in by 3:00pm Eastern although sometimes it takes a few hours for trades to be announced. More so than ever, it appears economics are directing player movement.

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have been pretty quiet at the deadline. This is a team that believes they can take the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference and home court advantage into the first round. The way they challenged the Boston Celtics last playoffs, Atlanta is thinking they even have a shot at the Eastern Conference Finals. Additionally, they're below the luxury tax and have financial flexibility this summer with two free agents to consider in Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams (restricted).

Boston Celtics: Well over the luxury tax, the Celtics saved a few dollars by sending Sam Cassell to the Sacramento Kings. He's since been cut by the Kings but if he rejoins the Celtics, it'll be as an assistant coach. Frankly Boston was always planning on waiving Cassell, luxury tax or not, to make room for one more player to bolster their playoff run.

The turn of events in Oklahoma City could benefit Boston, who have long hoped that Joe Smith would be bought out by the Thunder and sign as a free agent. Now that the Tyson Chandler trade has been rescinded, that may be an option once again.

Other possibilities could be Robert Horry, P.J. Brown or Stephon Marbury.

When it comes to trade bait, the Celtics don't have much to offer. One name linked to Boston is Raja Bell of the Charlotte Bobcats but Coach Larry Brown is happy with his new roster and veteran shooting guard.

Charlotte Bobcats: Speaking of the Bobcats, they made their move in landing Vladimir Radmanovic from the Los Angeles Lakers. Since the trade, they've won three of four.

Charlotte came close to trading Raymond Felton earlier in the year but a D.J. Augustine injury gave Felton the opportunity to prove himself. Now the Bobcats are considering re-signing him as a restricted free agent this summer.

After inking Cartier Martin for the rest of the season, the Bobcats have a 14-man roster. Since they're well below the luxury tax, they could help another team make a salary cap swap similar to the Sacramento/Sam Cassell deal.

Nazr Mohammed is available but his contract is unfavorable. Otherwise it looks like the Bobcats are done tinkering.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls finally completed a blockbuster deal in landing Brad Miller and John Salmons. Miller may not be the explosive, offensive inside threat the team had hoped to acquire in Amar'e Stoudemire, but he's a solid, versatile big man. Salmons is a three-position perimeter player who can score and defend.

It doesn't look like Chicago will find a taker for Larry Hughes, although the Washington Wizards may be faint hope.

The phone has rung off the hook for Kirk Hinrich, despite his multi-year deal but the Bulls have always leaned towards keeping him. With uncertainty regarding unrestricted free agent Ben Gordon this summer, Hinrich may be a steady player to keep alongside young stud Derrick Rose.

Still, the Bulls will answer the phone and listen for Hinrich pitches until the deadline expires. Maybe one will be rich enough for a change in course.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The plan was always to keep the roster together, considering how well the team has played this year. The Cavaliers are shopping Wally Szczerbiak with rookie J.J. Hickson as bait but they want an impact player back like Amar'e Stoudemire.

They're just not going to make a deal to make a deal. Names associated with Cleveland include Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks have been actively shopping the Jerry Stackhouse who is only guaranteed $2 million of his $7.25 million contract next season. Brandon Bass hasn't been enough of an enticement coupled with Stackhouse.

Josh Howard can be had for the right piece but Dallas still values the forward to just let him go for less than value. Vince Carter could be an option but his lengthy contract could get in the way of any 2010 planning the Mavericks may have (Dirk Nowitzki has an early termination option).

All things being equal, the Mavericks may be better off sticking with Howard, whose 2010 salary is a team option.

Denver Nuggets: When did the Nuggets become the second best team in the Western Conference? They already made their big splash in acquiring Chauncey Billups. When they traded Chucky Atkins, that finally got the team under the luxury tax . . . so they're pretty comfortable right now as is.

The only readily available piece is Seven Hunter but there's not much of a demand for him since the Pistons aren't exactly looking to add long-term salary to the mix.

Detroit Pistons: One Western Conference executive mentioned privately a few months back that Detroit's move to land Allen Iverson was more about financial flexibility than winning now. If the Pistons with Iverson flourished, that'd be a bonus.

Unfortunately Detroit is in disarray. They've lost seven of their last 10 and face the San Antonio Spurs at home before a brutal road trip (Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans, Orlando and Boston). When they finally return home they get the Nuggets.

It'll take a below .500 team to play exceptionally well for the Pistons to miss out on the playoffs altogether but it is what is . . .

Detroit is gearing up to spend this coming summer, possibly on Carlos Boozer (should he opt out of his contract in Utah).

Kwame Brown for a last year, anyone?

Golden State: The Warriors are nearly healthy (still waiting on Andris Biedrins) and finally playing well. They made their big splash in acquiring guard Jamal Crawford from the New York Knicks. They're not expected to do much more.

Houston Rockets: How disappointing is it to hear that Tracy McGrady is done for the year. It typically takes about a year to get over microfracture surgery so McGrady could be out to start next season as well. Trading Tracy for the Los Angeles Clippers Baron Davis does not appear to be a viable option.

Basically the Rockets are in turmoil. Ron Artest is potentially available but he's not really considered a conservative investment around the league.

Don't be surprised if the Rockets do something before the deadline but it's not quite clear what exactly there is to do? Calls for Carl Landry haven't enticed Houston to date.

One thing is for certain, the Rockets are going to make sure they have plenty of salary cap space in 2010 to both keep Yao Ming and add a new (and hopefully more durable) star next to the big men.

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have been operating with a sky-high payroll for years. While they could easily be a buyer with Rasho Nesterovic's expiring contract and the team option on Marquis Daniel's 2009/10 salary.

Instead, it appears they're learning towards reaping the financial benefit themselves . . . that is, unless someone wants to take Jamaal Tinsley off their hands.

Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers have received plenty of calls for Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman but well-placed sources say nothing has compelled them so far to change course.

General Manager Mike Dunleavy has repeated many times that he believes the Clippers have arguably the top front court in the league when healthy.

Now if they can just get on the floor together considering Zach Randolph is suspended (two games), Marcus Camby is sick (inner ear infection) and Chris Kaman isn't due back for another couple of weeks (foot).

There has been some buzz that LA has buyer's remorse with Baron Davis (and vice versa) but that's unconfirmed and is unlikely to be resolved by Thursday.

Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers weren't getting anything significant out of Chris Mihm, so General Manager Mitch Kupchak cashed him out on Wednesday to save a couple of million. LA had already relieved some of their financial burden by sending out Radmanovic.

There's no room in the rotation for LA to utilize the newly opened roster spot. Other than a nice sentiment, there's probably no real drive at this point to sign free agent Robert Horry as insurance. It's not completely off the radar . . . just unlikely.

Adam Morrison makes a bit too much to develop but there doesn't appear to be any teams looking to send an expiring contract for a player still trying to recapture his game after an ACL tear.

Media-wide calls that LA trade for Shaquille O'Neal didn't take into consideration the economic realities making that impossible (next year's budget). Besides, there's a very good chance that Kobe Bryant opts out and re-signs this summer. Would he be so inclined to stay if Shaq was back in town?

Survey says . . . no way.

Memphis Grizzlies: It's quiet in Memphis as they wait to do their damage in the offseason, armed with plenty of cap room.

Miami HEAT: The HEAT are under the luxury tax by a hair. They shed Marcus Banks from their 2010 payroll. Whether or not Jermaine O'Neal brings them success over the next two years is secondary to keeping Dwyane Wade and adding an All-Star like Chris Bosh beside him.

Miami appears to be done tinkering.

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks have a very attractive piece in Richard Jefferson. Since his contract likely runs past the summer of 2010 (early termination option), Milwaukee may be inclined to move him considering Michael Redd is out for the year and Andrew Bogut is down at least another six weeks.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers may be the favorites should the Bucks decide to deal.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves have reportedly pursued Kirk Hinrich, which makes a ton of sense alongside combo guard Randy Foye. It just doesn't look like Chicago is willing to move him tomorrow for expiring contracts. Perhaps the Bulls have a change of heart but otherwise the Wolves appear to be set for now.

Mike Miller is an intriguing asset for a number of teams but word is he's likely to be shopped at the NBA Draft.

We'll see if Chicago or Minnesota's positions change overnight.

New Jersey Nets: If there's a "star" to be moved Thursday, it's probably Vince Carter. The problem for New Jersey is that his deal goes on too long (past 2010) - which is their fault considering they just recently signed him to the big contract.

He's been linked to the Cavaliers, Blazers and even the San Antonio Spurs. It's not clear exactly how San Antonio would come up with enough outgoing salary for Vince (or Richard Jefferson for that matter).

New Orleans Hornets: There probably isn't time for Plan B - sending off Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, Antonio Daniels and/or Rasual Butler away for expiring contracts. Tyson Chandler failing the physical in Oklahoma City means he's not going anywhere.

The Hornets have significant luxury tax issues next season but they'll have to find another way to reduce it.

In the long run, if Chandler can get healthy, New Orleans will probably be more competitive this season without the trade.

Wonder if the Celtics have called, trying to land James Posey?!?

New York Knicks: Barring a last minute Shaquille O'Neal for Stephon Marbury trade (which would be an unlikely stunner), the Knicks appear to be quiet. The priority is obviously saving 2010 cap space for LeBron James. In the meantime, they're likely to hold onto both David Lee and Nate Robinson.

There's really no reason to write two talented players off because they might be too costly in the future. Considering most teams won't have cap room to work with, both Lee and Robinson may not be too expensive after all.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Oops! Scramble time. Any other back burner deals for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox?

Orlando Magic: The Magic will address Hedo Turkoglu and his opt-out/free agency status this summer. In the meantime, there don't appear to be any serious takers for Brian Cook at this point.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Miller will be a free agent this summer. The Sixers are finally back to the style of ball they played last year and Miller is a key part of that. Decisions on Dre will be made in June and July, not February.

Phoenix Suns: All that noise and the Suns look like they're holding firm. Coach Alvin Gentry is a solid guy who has gotten the team off to a great start albeit against the struggling LA Clippers.

Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers are looking at small forwards now that it looks like Amar'e Stoudemire is staying in Phoenix. With insurance paying for a bulk of Raef LaFrentz salary, he represents about a $5 million savings or whoever acquires him. Of course Portland reaps that benefit if they don't trade him.

While the Blazers won't have as much cap space as they had hoped (since Darius Miles came out of retirement), Portland does have some room to work with.

With the more cost-effective John Salmons is out of the picture but Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter could be the answer.

Bait would include players like Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw and Sergio Rodriguez in addition to LaFrentz.

Sacramento Kings: The Kings are rebuilding taking on Drew Gooden's expiring contract while dumping Brad Miller and Salmons. They picked up a hefty investment in Andres Nocioni who is a nice face-up forward.

If Sacramento could find a way to dump Kenny Thomas and Beno Udrih - they certainly would but after the Bulls trade, they're probably set.

San Antonio Spurs: The big question is the status of Manu Ginobili who has an ankle injury. There is plenty of buzz going around that Manu could be out awhile but that's unconfirmed.

To make a deal, the Spurs want to hold onto Roger Mason and George Hill who have been positive contributors but are said to be interested in adding an offensive-minded three.

It could cost Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto who both are only guaranteed half of their $4.0 and $3.8 million deals next year, respectively. Another piece going out could be Ime Udoka - or even free agent Robert Horry, via sign and trade.

Other than cap relief and possibly Mason or Hill, the Spurs don't have a lot to offer. To land Carter or Jefferson they may have to pray for a Kwame-style salary dump.

Toronto Raptors: That should be it for the Raptors. They just need a healthy Chris Bosh to see if the Andrea Bargnani, Shawn Marion and Bosh front court works together.

Before Bosh becomes a free agent, the Raptors have to find a way to add a high scoring guard to the mix.

Utah Jazz: The Utah Jazz/Carlos Boozer relationship doesn't look it'll have a long shelf life but it'll likely last beyond the trade deadline.

Washington Wizards: Keep calling for Antawn Jamison or Caron Butler, word is the Wizards aren't going to move either. Teams interested include the Cavaliers, Blazers and even the Spurs . . . but nothing looks feasible heading into Thursday.

It'll all be over soon enough . . .

NBA: Monday Trade Talk/Rumors

Hoopsworld — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:03:51 -0800

By: Steve Kyler

Making A Decision on Amar'e: The Phoenix Suns are expected to make the firing of Terry Porter official today, and will then name Alvin Gentry the interim head coach. Word is Suns' owner Robert Sarver put Porter's firing in motion himself and attempted to pressure GM Steve Kerr into coaching, but was convinced, according to sources near the situation, to name Gentry as the next coach. Gentry, a player favorite supposedly has committed to bring back the "Fun and Gun" offense, which could change Phoenix's plans with Amar'e Stoudemire. After last night's All-Star Game, Stoudemire sounded resigned to the idea that he would be traded and that it could happen as early as today. League sources in Phoenix have hinted that the long rumored deal between the Suns and Chicago could get consummated as early as today, a deal that would send the expiring contract of Drew Gooden, Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas to the Suns in exchange for Amar'e Stoudemire. It's also believed that the Bulls would take on an additional player using their $5.4 million dollar traded player exception to help Phoenix reduce it's luxury tax exposure as the final concession to getting a deal. Ironically, Bulls' forward Drew Gooden was in Phoenix last night. Gooden smiled at the notion of a trade saying he hadn't heard anything yet, but laughed when prodded if he was looking for a new house in Phoenix. The Bulls seem to be the front runners when and if the Suns make a deal. The Suns were doing a good job with the PR spin in Phoenix, telling some reporters that the pending coaching change could end trade talks involving Amar'e, but league sources say too much has been done to say talks are dead. The Suns do have other suitors who have expressed real interest in Amar'e including the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are reported to have offered the ending deal of Wally Szczerbiak and rookie J.J. Hickson. The Philadelphia 76ers have been linked to the Suns as have the Portland Trail Blazers who have been distancing themselves from Amar'e talks recently and seem to have turned their sights to Richard Jefferson of the Milwaukee Bucks - more on that as it develops.

The Thunder Making Noise: Oklahoma City Thunder forward Joe Smith is a very attractive piece to a playoff team, he brings not only experience and toughness, but his $5 million ending contract means Joe is very cheap to an acquiring team. Joe is in Phoenix and chatted a bit with HOOPSWORLD last night and confessed that he'd heard some of the rumors, but was honestly hoping a deal did not happen, saying he really enjoyed being in Oklahoma City and hinted he'd like to stay beyond this year. Thunder GM Sam Presti has been very active in talks and word is he may be closing in a Tyson Chandler trade with New Orleans. The deal as reported would send Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox who posses a $6 million ending deal as well, to the Hornets in exchange for Chandler. Presti told reporters in Phoenix that he has received dozens of calls this week and is sorting through offers for his ending contract guys and some of his future draft picks. The Thunder hold five draft picks in the next two years and those future assets might be enough to get the Thunder to take on a contract, assuming it's the right deal. The Thunder look poised to be very active in the next couple of days since they have a number of chips to cash.

Wade Liked The Deal: The Miami HEAT and Toronto Raptors finally triggered the Jermaine O'Neal/Shawn Marion trade. The Raptors were quick to say that acquiring Marion was not simply a salary cap move. Raptors' GM Bryan Colangelo says his club will try and reach a new deal with Marion. For the HEAT, Miami's All-Star Dwyane Wade sees the addition of Jermaine O'Neal as the answer to their low post scoring problems, and believes JO can help push the HEAT into the next level of the playoff discussion. Wade was also very excited about the addition of Jamario Moon. Raptors sources said the hold on the deal was Toronto's reluctance to include a first round draft pick, something Miami was adamant about obtaining. The compromise reached brought Miami it's pick, but returned enough cash in the deal that would allow Toronto to buy a pick if it so desired. It's possible the Raptors trigger another deal involving Anthony Parker or Joey Graham before Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

NBA: VC to Spurs, Shaq & Kobe Reunited, More..

Hoopsworld — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:37:34 -0800

A Hollywood Ending for Shaq and Kobe?

This weekend in Phoenix we will see Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson all reunited for the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in The NBA Finals in 2004. It marked the end of a highly successful but also highly tumultuous run for the trio.

Almost five years ago, no one could even imagine the three on a basketball court working toward the same cause. The emotions at the time simply ran too high.

Time, however, tends to heal most wounds.

Just recently O'Neal told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith the whole squabble between he and Bryant was simply "marketing," later adding, "I always did love Kobe."

Anyone else feel like the big guy is angling for a reunion that might last longer than the few hours it will take to play Sunday's All-Star Game? And with Andrew Bynum out for the rest of the regular season and everyone not named Steve Nash on the trading block in Phoenix, what better time for it?

On the surface it sounds like an intriguing idea. The problem is that O'Neal is making $20 million this season and will make the same again next season. The Lakers are perennially one of the NBA's biggest spenders, but it would be hard to see even the Lakers absorbing that kind of price tag in this kind of economic climate.

Moreover, the Lakers would have to part with too many pieces to make a deal with the Suns work financially. Since Pau Gasol is untouchable Lamar Odom would almost certainly have to be part of the deal for it to work financially... yes, the same Lamar Odom who dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers last Sunday. In addition to Odom, the Lakers would also have to give up at least two other players for the salaries to work. Given the way the Lakers are playing, that would simply be too much for the Lakers to give up.

From a sentimental perspective it's fun to think about O'Neal coming back to Los Angeles. And given the kind of shape he's in and how well he's been playing, he could be just the kind of inside presence the Lakers need to assure another title for the Lakers come June.

All that said, a return to Tinseltown for O'Neal appears very unlikely. At the very least O'Neal's recent rhetoric is posturing to make sure his number 34 one day hangs in the rafters in Staples Center next to greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson.

And who knows, perhaps the Lakers might be able to pick him up when he's a free agent in the summer of 2010 or even next summer if the Suns get crazy and decide to buy him out after this season to help shave some money off their cap. At that point, though, there's no guarantee O'Neal will be playing at the level he is now and Andrew Bynum will have likely developed his game even further and might be lacing up his sneakers for an All-Star appearance.

If there were ever a place where we could script this kind of ending, though, it would of course be Los Angeles.

Kobe, Shaq and Phil riding off into the sunset together.

Too crazy to imagine?

Well, Hollywood endings always seem to be.

Will Denver Stand Pat?

The Denver Nuggets are playing some very good basketball. We're talking best in the history of the franchise since it joined the NBA kind of basketball.

With a record of 36-17 the Nuggets head into the All-Star break for all intents and purposes tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the West's second best record and 6.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

After Tuesday's against the HEAT, Miami head coach Eric Spoelstra called the Nuggets a contender and one of the top six teams in the league. He hasn't been the first to voice such sentiment this season, either. Barring some kind of drastic change of fortune, it seems hard to fathom Denver not making it out of the first round of the playoffs this season.

All that said, it also seems hard to fathom the Nuggets getting past the Los Angeles Lakers out West.

Can the Nuggets compete with the Lakers as currently constructed? You bet. However, anyone who thinks the Nuggets would beat the Lakers in a seven game series based on what we've so far this season is probably fooling themselves.

Don't get me wrong, if the Nuggets were even able to advance to the Western Conference Finals that would be one hell of a season all things considered. However, if the objective is truly to win a title than the Nuggets have to make at least one more roster move. But wanting to make a move and finding one that makes sense are certainly two different things.

Furthermore, given the relatively solid showing Johan Petro had last night in Orlando with Chris Andersen out of the lineup, perhaps the coaching staff might now view Petro as the additional big man the team has been said to covet.

Should Denver want to make a deal, the team has Charlotte's conditional first round pick to play with and can also offer up the expiring deal of Linas Kleiza. Whether or not that will return anything that makes the team better, though, is questionable especially considering how much the value of New York's David Lee seems to have increased over the past several weeks.

George Karl has been more and more public over the last few days about how he thinks this current Nuggets' group has earned the right to stay together and show what they can do come playoff time. Of course, this is the same sentiment we heard last year when the Nuggets were exploring deals for players like Ron Artest and Mike Miller.

Don't misunderstand, last year's team had some fatal flaws that this year's iteration simply doesn't have. That said, it's still hard to imagine the Nuggets getting past the Lakers come playoff time.

Perhaps making it to the second round of the playoffs or even to the Western Conference Finals is good enough in the eyes of some in the organization. If not, Denver's front office had better be glued to their cell phones over the course of the next week looking for a deal that could give Denver a viable shot to knock off the Lakers.

Windows of opportunity close very quickly in the NBA... just ask the Dallas Mavericks or the Phoenix Suns. Denver is at least in the conversation right now as far as being a contender is concerned and the worst thing the organization can do is take it for granted and assume they will be in a similar position a year from now.

If the right deal is not there to be made even despite the front office's best efforts, that's one thing. But standing pat because of financial considerations or because this team has "earned the right" to try and win come playoff time is something entirely different.

V.C. Really a Good Fit in San Antonio?

There have been substantial rumblings in the past week or so about the Spurs trying to find a way to land Vince Carter. While the idea may sound intriguing on the surface, the more one thinks about it the less sense it seems to make.

First, it doesn't seem like San Antonio really has the pieces to get a deal done. And even if the Spurs tried, it would almost certainly mean the team would have to part with Roger Mason, a player that has been a very important part of the Spurs' success this season.

Second, Carter really isn't the type of player the Spurs need. Sure he's got all kinds of scoring ability, but he is also a player with notoriously bad shot-selection who often becomes disinterested defensively. San Antonio is a team that has always been built to execute with precision offensively, play tough on the defensive end and find a way to add role players that fit around the team's "Big Three."

"Clearly this is a championship organization and I think it starts from the top," Mason recently told your friendly neighborhood columnist. "I think everybody's mindset is totally unselfish and towards one common goal which is to win. And with that unlike a lot of other teams they are willing to make the sacrifices to do that."

One such sacrifice is resisting the urge to trade for a "superstar" mid-season and instead stay the course with role players like Mason who aren't sexy names but fit what the Spurs are trying to do a whole lot better. Moreover, it's not like the Spurs made the wrong choice by bringing in guys like Matt Bonner and Mason, who are now thriving in Gregg Popovich's system after having been given ample playing time.

"I knew they made me a very high priority in free agency," Mason explained. "I got a lot of attention from a lot of teams, but when I signed here I knew I'd have a pretty big role."

Part of that role has included making big shots at big times... sort of like a guy named Robert Horry used to do.

"Obviously, you dream about hitting game-winners as a kid but you can't predict that," said Mason. "But I definitely thought I'd be an integral part of the team."

Much like the Nuggets as mentioned above, the real question for the Spurs seems to be whether or not they can get by the Lakers come playoff time. The Spurs would probably be viewed as underdogs by most around the league at this juncture, but given the organization's track record you have to believe they will have at least a puncher's chance.

"We're still a work in progress," Mason admitted. "We're starting to play better now, but the encouraging thing is that we're winning games and we still haven't hit our stride yet. Obviously, the Lakers are the team to beat since they went to The Finals last year. Even without Bynum they are still the team to beat in the West because we saw what they did last year without him. I like where we're going and by the end of the season I think we'll be able to compete for a championship."

And given the Spurs' history why should anyone believe otherwise?

It's fun to talk about Carter relocating to San Antonio, but in the end it's hard to see how that deal fits into the recipe Popovich and General Manger R.C. Buford have used so successfully for so long.

NBA: Who Should be the All-Star Reserves?

Hoopsworld — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:19:58 -0800

By: HOOPSWORLD Staff

With the NBA's head coaches set to name the All-Reserves tomorrow, we thought it would be interesting to ask some of our top NBA reporters who they would select for the seven open roster spots for each conference. Here is how our guys voted:

EAST

Travis Heath
Paul Pierce – Celtics
Chris Bosh – Raptors
Joe Johnson – Hawks
Danny Granger – Pacers
Rashard Lewis – Magic
Mo Williams – Cavaliers
Ray Allen – Celtics

Eric Pincus
Joe Johnson - Hawks
Jameer Nelson - Magic
Danny Granger - Pacers
Chris Bosh - Raptors
Paul Pierce - Celtics
Rashard Lewis* - Magic
Devin Harris - Nets

Joel Brigham
Joe Johnson – Hawks
Devin Harris – Nets
Danny Granger – Pacers
Paul Pierce – Celtics
Chris Bosh – Raptors
Rashard Lewis – Magic
Mo Williams – Cavaliers

The name most folks will find curious on my list is Ray Allen. However, he has been great for the C's this season shooting over 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. It was tough to leave Rajon Rondo off, but I think Allen has quietly been just as important - and perhaps even more important - than Rondo. It was also tough to leave off Devin Harris, a player who has had a great season. That said, I just think Mo Williams is having a better year than both Harris and Rondo so far. Some may question me including Danny Granger given his team's struggles, but this guy has been a beast on both ends of the floor. Everyone has seen his offensive numbers, but he gets the nod from me because of how hard he's played defensively this season. He has truly become a very complete player. I generally reward winning, but every year there seems to be one exception to the rule. Granger is my exception this season. - Travis Heath

The East is trickier with very few big men to choose from and too many point guards. Left out are two well qualified players on two top notch teams - Rajon Rondo and Mo Williams but Devin Harris has been the heart and soul of the rejuvenated New Jersey Nets. Jameer Nelson has had a slightly bigger role in making the Magic what they are as compared to Rondo and Williams. Danny Granger's team is still trying to get back into contention but his high-level consistency deserves reward. – Eric Pincus

I've seen Jameer Nelson penciled in as a starter all over the internet in the course of the last week, but he somehow got left off of my list. Even though the Nets haven't been as good as Orlando, Devin Harris has stepped into an All-Star role this year, and with Rashard Lewis the Magic still get two All-Stars. I also think Mo Williams deserves a nod for everything he's done for the Cavaliers this year. – Joel Brigham

WEST

Travis Heath
Chauncey Billups – Nuggets
Pau Gasol – Lakers
Brandon Roy – Trail Blazers
Carmelo Anthony – Nuggets
David West – Hornets
Dirk Nowitzki – Mavericks
Tony Parker – Spurs

Eric Pincus
Chauncey Billups - Nuggets
Brandon Roy - Trail Blazers
Pau Gasol - Lakers
Dirk Nowitzki - Mavericks
Shaquille O'Neal - Suns
Carmelo Anthony - Nuggets
Tony Parker - Spurs

Joel Brigham
Chauncey Billups – Nuggets
Brandon Roy – Trail Blazers
Pau Gasol – Lakers
Dirk Nowitzki – Mavericks
Al Jefferson – Timberwolves
Tony Parker – Spurs
Carmelo Anthony – Nuggets

Shaquille O'Neal drew some consideration, but it's hard to put a guy who doesn't play every night on the team. It was also hard to leave Al Jefferson off, especially given the Wolves' improved play of late. That said, the Wolves were so awful for the first six weeks that I just couldn't bring myself to put Big Al on the roster even though his numbers are outstanding. Deron Williams is another worthy name, but he really hasn't been himself this season after suffering a severe high ankle sprain early in the season. - Travis Heath

The West is relatively straight forward. Shaquille O'Neal has been playing his best basketball in years. Pau Gasol has helped the Lakers become a powerhouse. Dirk Nowitzki is still one of the most difficult covers among big men. David West is on the wrong side of the bubble but the Hornets don't appear to be quite as good as they were last year . . . not yet anyway. Deron Williams misses out to Chauncey Billups, Brandon Roy and Tony Parker. - Eric Pincus

In the West the only spot I had to think long and hard about was the backup center spot, but ultimately I chose Jefferson over All-Star legend Shaquille O'Neal because he's become one of the best post players in the league. Sure, Shaq has had a nice stretch, but Al-Jeff has been an overall player all season, especially as the Wolves surge under Kevin McHale. All the choices I made were in the interest of fairness, rewarding a combination of teams with good records and standout players too good to leave out. - Joel Brigham

The coaches have already locked in their votes, and the NBA will announce the All-Star reserves tomorrow, but if our group is any indication of how the coaches see things who is going to get snubbed? Put your comments in below.

NBA: Mavs Regret the Kidd Deal?

Hoopsworld — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:50:01 -0800

By: Bill Ingram

The chances are you've had this conversation. I've certainly had it more than a dozen times, both on radio and TV shows as well as with friends in Dallas who love the Mavericks. As we watch Devin Harris go out and score 47 points against Phoenix and hit the 30-point mark more often than not, people want to know what the Mavericks were smoking when they traded him for the "old and tired" Jason Kidd.

As well as Harris is playing, and he's certainly on track to be an All-Star and possibly this year's Most Improved Player, we have to stop and think about what kind of team the Mavericks are and what kind of team the New Jersey Nets are. There are few similarities, and to a man the Mavs feel Kidd is the better player for their team and their system.

"I think it's a win-win for both teams," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told HOOPSWORLD. "Devin's having a great season, we're proud of him, but he's not going to have the ball in his hands every single time if he's here. They're a two-man team and they dominate the ball. That wasn't going to happen here. We needed a guy to distribute the ball, provide leadership, and that's what we got. Would I do the deal again? Yep."

"All situations are different," adds veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse. "If Devin had never been traded, who's to say that he would be able to play the same style that he's playing right now and playing as loose and as confident as he's playing right now. They have some different pieces around him, too. They have some spot-up guys around him. There aren't a lot of guys who stand in the post and demand the ball and get in his way. There are other teams that could give him the ball and tell him to do his thing and he wouldn't be as successful as he has been because of the personnel. Personnel has a lot to do with it. Here we're going to get the ball to Dirk a huge percentage of the time and I don't think the Nets have another guy who they're looking to just run the ball through, Vince Carter included."

"Devin's playing well, which is good for him, but you can't live in the past," says Dirk Nowitzki. "I love playing with Jason Kidd. He's been great around here, not only on the court but off the court he's been great. We're comfortable playing with him and we just have to move on."

Overwhelmingly, the feeling among Mavericks who played with Devin is that he wouldn't have become the player he is for the Nets if he hadn't been traded to a team where he could dominate the ball.

"You've got to be on a team where you dominate the ball," says Cuban. "That's what Devin does best. Clear out and let Devin go. They're not giving it to Yi Jianlian. They're not giving it to Lopez. They're not giving it to Bobby Simmons, who just stands in the corner. One time they give it to Devin, one time they give it to Vince. That's perfect for them, that's the way they designed their offense. It's kind of like when Michael Finley first got here. We just gave it to Fin. He went from a guy who was just a slasher to an All-Star. That's just who he was."

"Devin's playing well, but you have to attribute that to the system he's in," agrees Terry. "He doesn't have the team that we have over here. We have a lot of talent and sometimes you have to defer to other guys. He's being able to shine in a system where he's the focal point. Over here, obviously, he wouldn't be. He's maybe the third or fourth option over here. We're happy that he's doing well, but at the same time you never know if he'd be as effective here."

Harris couldn't agree more, and told HOOPSWORLD that he feels he can be more aggressive with his team in New Jersey than he could ever have been with the Mavericks.

"Dallas has a very balanced type of scoring in that they've got their top two guys in Dirk and Josh, and that third scorer then kind of varies. Jet's played well this year because J-Kidd's a little bit more of a distributor, but I agree that I wouldn't have had the same shot to be as aggressive as I have been here. They need me to score here, but there those guys need to score, and they need to get the ball."

"Devin wouldn't be doing what he's doing in this structure," explains Cuban. "Devin would be asked to create plays to open up room for Dirk. That's not Devin. when he was a one-man fastbreak for us he was phenomenal. That's just a different structure. It's kind of like when Steve Nash left here. Nellie was talking about how Nash wouldn't last and he was cutting his minutes, he goes to a system designed for him and he's an MVP. I hope Devin gets the MVP. He's the type of kid that's great for the NBA, but we have an MVP here. That's the difference."

Nowitzki even went so far as to suggest that perhaps former coach Avery Johnson was holding Harris back. It's an interesting point, especially for those of us who saw Avery night after night trying to mold and shape his young point guard.

"Maybe it's good for him to get away from Avery for a little bit," says the Mavs' MVP. "He was looking over his shoulder constantly and it just seems like he's playing free in New Jersey. He doesn't have to worry about anything, he's just playing his game. Maybe that change was good for him. I'm happy for him. He's playing well. He was a great kid from the beginning and we all knew he was going to be a good point guard in this league. I just think Jason fits a little better in what we're trying to do."

Jason Terry was very close to Johnson, and as a point guard he had more of Avery's undivided attention than the rest of the squad. He disagrees with Dirk's assertion that perhaps their former coach was limiting Harris' development.

"I don't think Avery overmanaged us; I think he coached to his team," says Terry. "He coached to the players that he had. When you're a point guard and then you're a coach who played the position, you're going to put extra emphasis on coaching and teaching that position. He did a great job for me, coming from Atlanta, being a scoring guard, he taught me to manage the game. Even though I'm at the two now I'm still out there thinking like Avery would be thinking. I know he helped JJ (Barea) and he helped Devin Harris, as you see by the way he's leading that New Jersey team."

"We all knew Devin was extremely talented and it was just a matter of time before he blossomed into the player that he's playing like right now," adds Stackhouse. "It's just that he had growing pains in getting there and unfortunately we experienced some of those growing pains last season. Our team was constructed, at the time, as a team that was built to win right now. There was just a moment there where everybody felt that we had to do something. When you've got Jason Kidd being dangled out there, a guy who's a proven winner, who's been to the Finals, and maybe didn't have the best supporting cast - you tend to think that he might be the missing piece. You had to wonder how much longer Devin was going to have those growing pains. I think he's proving that his learning curve was almost at the end and now he's showing that he's an extremely gifted and talented player."

The answer to the question of whether or not the Dallas Mavericks regret the trade that brought Jason Kidd to town in exchange for Devin Harris, then, is an emphatic "no." They recognized Harris' potential, but they also knew they needed more of a set-up man to instigate their offense. Jason Kidd is filling that void for Dallas, just as Harris filling a much bigger void on both ends of the floor for the New Jersey Nets.

It seems this trade is truly working out for both teams, with no regrets on either side.

NBA: Trades on the Horizon?

Hoopsworld — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:35:40 -0800

By: Steve Kyler

The Next Wave: The NBA has seen some pretty exciting trades this season – Iverson and Detroit, The Washington Wizards shook up the backcourt, while the Phoenix Suns get an impact scorer. With less than 70 days remaining until the NBA trade deadline there are a few teams shopping for change and a few more looking at additional deals, here are some of the teams in play:

The Blazers: The Portland Trail Blazers are not going to do anything silly that breaks up the core, but GM Kevin Pritchard has made it clear that he's shopping the $12.7 million ending contract of Raef LaFrentz and looking for value. LaFrentz is injured and not going to play, meaning in a few weeks at the 41 game mark, insurance will start paying his deal making him a "free player" that clears a ton of cap space in July. Its unlikely LaFrentz returns a serious impact player to Portland, but at $12 million the Blazers could pick up a sizable contract if indeed a team is looking to clear space. The Kings, the HEAT and the Hawks could all be players this summer, while Oklahoma City, Memphis and Detroit are already looking at ample space in July. A $12 million swing could also be interesting to the ten teams looking at hefty luxury tax payments into 2009 as well. The other thing to consider is LaFrentz could be an interesting third-team toss in that gets the Blazers future draft picks, a trade exception or a promising young guy. Sources close to the situation say the preference from Portland is a veteran leader to help the young guys prepare for the post-season, so expect Portland to be involved in talks as the deadline approaches.

The Kings: As mentioned, the Kings are going nowhere fast and have a couple of veteran assets they are more likely to move than keep. Brad Miller is by far the most obvious chip for the team to cash, and there is a lot of interest around the league in the former All-Star center. The thought process coming out of Sacramento is that there are some decent core pieces in town, but that a solid trip through the 2009 free agent class might be enough to swing the team from outside the playoff discussion to in the hunt next year. Miller and the contracts of Kenny Thomas ($8.5 million) and Mikki Moore ($6.2 million) seem to be the deals the Kings will look to move. If the Kings can return ending contracts for those players they could be sitting on as much as $18 million below the salary cap with significant room to go shopping. Do not expect the Kings to part with any of their promising young core or future draft assets.

The Warriors: The Warriors may be a team in the market next week, as December 15th opens the first days the team can trade players signed to contracts this past summer. Duplicate players like Corey Maggette or even Kelenna Azubuike (base year) could be on the move. The Warriors have had Marco Belinelli and Marcus Williams on the trade market for some time, so it's possible one of these four guys is moved, especially with Monta Ellis making progress towards a late December/early January return to the court. Warriors' coach Don Nelson and new assistant GM Larry Riley are expected to join the half dozen executives in attendance for tonight's NBDL game in Bakersfield, don't be surprised if rumors involving Detroit, Denver, and Miami surface as they will all be in attendance sitting with each other for several hours during the game.

The Magic: The Orlando Magic have been in the market for a third point guard, but it is clear in their lack of action with names like Antonio Daniels and Mike James already having been moved that Magic GM Otis Smith is not looking at anything splashy. Talks with the Denver Nuggets regarding Chucky Atkins seem to be stalled or outright dead, and long coveted Javaris Crittenton is now off the market. Brian Cook seems to be the asset the Magic would consider moving. Cook's $3.5 million contract is not going to return much in terms of marquee level talent, but Smith has been clear he is not looking for anyone that would upset the apple cart in terms of "needing" minutes, the ideal candidate would be happy to be the third guard, yet capable if injury strikes – not sure that player exists, but that's what the Magic seem to be coveting.

The HEAT: The HEAT have started to string together some wins behind an MVP-type season from Dwyane Wade, which is causing the team to pause – there is a belief the team needs to get D-Wade some front court help, but there is also a belief that things are starting to work so why mess with it. As constructed the HEAT are unlikely to be formidable playoff contenders, which is why the team has been sniffing at deals. Shawn Marion is the big chip the HEAT can cash, and it seems more likely than not he is the guy dealt before the February 19th deadline.

The Knicks: The Knicks finally got closure yesterday on Cuttino Mobley's heart situation – while clearly a sad day for an amazing team guy that is one of the best "people" in the league, it now opens a much needed roster spot for the Knicks. Fans are hoping the spot goes to pre-season sensation Patrick Ewing, Jr. although Knicks sources say Stephon Marbury is holding his chair, once Steph's buyout situation is resolved Ewing would be signed (smart PR move actually). The Knicks have been active in trying to trigger a two-for-one deal, and have expressed interest in Sacramento's Quincy Douby according to reports and Portland's Sergio Rodriguez. The Knicks may be the team that makes the next move in the trade market, they are by far the most motivated.

Raptors Want To Deal: Raptor's president Bryan Colangelo has been trying to be patient with his team in the wake of relieving Sam Mitchell as head coach, but the writing is on the wall. His club needs some help, and needs it quickly. The first order of business seems to be adding a front court player, mainly as a backup. Word is the club is considering adding a D-League guy like Courtney Sims or Jermareo Davidson, Damone Brown has also been mentioned in the press. On The trade front the Raptors are looking for some shooting, but like a few other teams in the market – they have very little that teams are interested in. The cupboards are a little bare of talent that the team could afford to part with leaving them looking for bargains. Expect a roster move or two in the coming weeks.

May Not Ready? The Charlotte Bobcats were a little shorthanded last night in Dallas but are expecting their new assets Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and Sean Singletary to arrive in time for Saturday's game in Detroit. Bobcat's coach Larry Brown told reporters that he did not think his club was finished dealing pointing to "too much duplicate talent" and saying his club still has not addressed its front court needs. Brown also took some additional shots at Sean May, saying he's simply "not ready to play at this level." Looks like May might want to update his passport, because league sources say it's highly unlikely another NBA team takes a chance on May coming off two knee surgeries and being a "tad" overweight. Oliver Miller anyone?

Suns Acquire Jason Richardson

Hoopsworld — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:48:25 -0800

By: Bill Ingram

The Phoenix Suns had to do something. Their big gamble, taking on the aging (and expensive) Shaquille O'Neal, wasn't paying off. In fact, a quarter of the way into the 2008-09 season the Suns were looking like a team in real trouble.

The Charlotte Bobcats were going nowhere fast. A coaching change was supposed to get their young team headed in a new direction, but a quarter of the way into the 2008-09 season that wasn't the case. They were even having trouble finding a trading partner to help get them out of the situation.

Well, on Wednesday evening a lot changed for both the Phoenix Suns and the Charlotte Bobcats. The two teams worked a significant trade, with Charlotte sending Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley and a future second round pick to Phoenix for Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary.

The deal immediately helps both teams, with Phoenix getting a premier perimeter scoring threat who should help carry the scoring load during Shaq's frequent breaks. It also resolves the trade rumors that have flurried around Diaw and Bell since early last summer.

The Bobcats get some much-needed depth with a solid scorer and defender in Bell and a post threat in Diaw. As much as Bell and Diaw were part of a good defensive team in Phoenix, it's their offense the Bobcats are hoping to capitalize on. Charlotte was already the fourth-best defensive team in the league, but their 89.85 point per game is currently dead last in the NBA.

"We're excited about the opportunity to add these new pieces to our team," Bobcats GM Rod Higgins said in a statement. "While we're giving up two key members of our rotation, we feel like Raja, Boris and Sean can help us improve our team."

The best trade is one that helps both sides immediately, and on paper this trade meets that criteria. The Suns and Bobcats have addressed some glaring needs with this deal.