With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
If it seems Cleveland's at the center of most trade rumors (non-Ron Artest division) this morning, it's because that is the case. ESPN's Chad Ford has spent half his morning chatting about a rumored deal which would (inexplicably) send Ben Wallace to the Cavaliers.
Ford says Cleveland wants to send Larry Hughes back to Chicago (which makes sense -- albatross for albatross), but the Bulls won't bite on that. Without Hughes, I have no clue why Danny Ferry would take Wallace back. Interior defense isn't among Cleveland's top 10 concerns. Larry Hughes' contract might be top 3.
Even if nothing comes of this, Ford's chat is worth its weight in Munster for all the lines resembling this one:
Sorry ... another GM who was reading the chat wanting more details on the Wallace deal ...
If there are no more trades today, I guess we can blame Ford's chat.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
We have a contender for Cleveland's Mystery Superstar, the big but anonymous ticket rumored to be headed to the Cavaliers this morning. The Philadelphia Inquirer's David Aldridge busts a move on his blog:
I was told by no less than six general managers during All-Star weekend that the Heat was shopping Shawn Marion around. ... If--if--it's Marion, that would certainly give LeBron James some serious help. My guess is that Miami would wind up with Mike Miller, and Memphis would get that Jason Williams-Ricky Davis slew of expiring contracts. But what would Cleveland donate to the party? That's what's stumping me.
What Cleveland would discard has stumped everyone, actually. With Udonis Haslem seemingly staying put, Drew Gooden would be redundant. This morning's rumor from the Akron Beacon-Journal said Zydrunas Ilgauskas has not been mentioned in any talks. Excepting Larry Hughes, Cleveland does not have much more to offset Marion's mammoth salary. (Free Damon Jones!)
Will it happen? I think it's rime to retire the 'will it happen?' line, because anyone who says they know is selling you bridges in Antarctica.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
Also, a league source told The News that the Bucks' owner, Milwaukee Sen. Herb Kohl, yesterday rejected a trade that would have sent Randolph and either Fred Jones or Jared Jeffries to Milwaukee for a package including Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric, who all have long-term contracts.
Milwaukee GM Larry Harris, who may be let go at season's end, is eager to make a deal to help his struggling team and presented a similar package to Kohl in January. However, Kohl is reluctant to approve any trades Harris brings to him. The Knicks and Bucks have tried to orchestrate several trades this season, including one that would have featured Stephon Marbury.
Now, getting back Z-Bo and Jones wouldn't be anything that the Bucks should consider a "prize haul", but if you can get a player as talented as Randolph and in the process free up a huge chunk of salary, well, don't you want to make that deal, regardless of how much of a lame duck Larry Harris is? Don't get me wrong -- I'm the biggest Chuck Bell fan on the planet, and Simmons scored a bunch of points for the Clippers one time ... but you gotta make this deal. Bell's contract is great because he's locked up cheaply for a long time, but the Bucks don't start him. And Gadzuric averages less points and rebounds per game than millions he makes per year (five something). Simmons can't stay healthy and he's fairly one dimensional anyway (plus, he makes NINE million this year!!). Look, Randolph is crazy, but not this crazy.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
Brian Windhorst, yeoman beat man for the Akron Beacon-Journal, has a bit of a big fish this morning on this blog.
So this will surely disappoint some of you and also anger some of you, but I cannot yet say what player the Cavs are considering making a deal for. I have to protect sources. But I can tell you that I have talked to two different people in different organizations that have confirmed the talks are serious. I know you want more, but I just can't give it to you at this point. I am not trying to build up ratings here, I am reporting what I can report. Just know that Danny Ferry is serious about trying to upgrade the roster. Whether or not it gets done though is up in the air. It's 50/50 at best.
Here is what I can tell you, it is a trade that would change the dynamic somewhat of how the Cavs play but not directly affect the way LeBron James plays. Also, if this deal goes through, it would potentially allow the Cavs to make another deal.
Without specifics, other than "this is big," "this is big," and, um, "this is big," there's really not much more to analyze. Windhorst does note Cleveland's trying to get a first-round pick from whatever team it's dealing with, which says to me a fallen superstar with a heavy salary is coming back. Jermaine O'Neal? Vince Carter? It could also mean there's some gnarly salary attached to a lesser valuable player. I guess we'll see.
Will it happen?I have a better chance guessing how many hairs make up Drew Gooden's beard.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
A rumor floating like Forrest Gump's feather on Monday, it would appear this whole Ron Artest to San Antonio shindig might actually go down. The Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick blogs from an airport:
The Spurs may be nearing a deal for Artest, although it's also believed Denver may finally be willing to give up Linas Kleiza. Of course, my flight from Portland to Sacramento is at this very moment, so we'll see where things stand when I land.
San Antonio has the requisite expiring contracts and a late first-round pick, which is basically what Denver has offered to date (according to most reports). You'd assume Geoff Petrie's decision to be receptive to the Spurs' advances means they included an extra asset -- maybe another pick, maybe Ziller lust objectIan Mahinmi, maybe the rights to Tiago Splitter. That opens the door to Kleiza, the player Petrie's reportedly held out for. Patience, I suppose, is half the battle.
No matter the bounty, if it were to happen -- San Antonio would steal some Lakers thunder, at the least. Can you imagine that team replacing a flagging Bruce Bowen with a (contract year) Artest? I just got scared, and my team's nowhere near the playoffs.
Will it happen? No flippin' clue, but perhaps the weight of the viewing world can will it so.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
As for the Grizzlies trade rumors, yes they are true. I've reported numerous times, including in today's paper, that the Cavs have put in bids for Mike Miller. Again, it will all come down to what they are competing against. Taking on a guy like Brian Cardinal is a heavy price to pay. One of the reasons the Cavs didn't get Mike Bibby was because they weren't crazy about taking on a massive salary like Kenny Thomas that stretches to 2010.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
ESPN's Chris Sheridan gives heavy rotation to an intriguing rumor out of NYC this morning: Eddy Curry to Miami, exipring contracts to New Jersey, and Vince Carter to the Knicks. On the surface, it'd seem to fit everyone's goals -- NJ gets closer to financial freedom, Miami gets a Shaq replacement at about 1/2 the price (and something like 2/3 the production), and Isiah Thomas gets a star two-guard while thinning out the post corps.
Furthermore, Zeke explicitly told reporters getting cap space was not the goal of any potential trades to be made this week. Yes, Isiah (seemingly) has free range to add to the Knicks' salary quagmire, potentially wrecking the future of this team past, say, 2013. Well done, James Dolan. Well done. (Not that Carter won't help. It's the other potential moves to fear in New York.)
Will it happen? It makes enough sense this wouldn't drop any jaws. If anyone balks, it'll be Miami. Note that this could also set off the Udonis Haslem sweepstakes.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
In our second post discussing the sharp-shooting Mike Miller, this time it's the Clippers who appear to be the latest team that's interested in participating in the Memphis fire sale. The proposed deal would include the expiring contracts of Sam Cassell and Aaron Williams, and would probably be completed by now if the Clippers were willing to include their first round pick in 2008. Which at this point, is a deal-breaker.
For the Clippers, I suppose this works alright, as long as they don't include that pick. Miller is a slightly better version of Cuttino Mobley, so the team would be set as far as jump-shooters go. Obviously by moving Cassell the team either believes that Shaun Livingston will be back next season, or they're willing to use that lottery pick for someone like D.J. Augustin or O.J. Mayo.
On the Memphis side, is this deal any better for them than the discussions with the Pacers? Maybe, if they're truly looking to gut the team and rebuild from ground zero. Because Ike Diogu and Marquis Daniels are actually players with some skills who have a future, whereas Williams and Cassell would simply be considered expiring contracts. And if Cassell's interest in going to a contender was genuine (and why wouldn't it have been), I can't imagine him being all that happy getting sent to a team that is giving players away in an effort to rebuild for the future.
Will it happen?: If the Clippers include that lottery pick, absolutely. If not, it all depends on what other teams are offering, and whoever gives the Grizz the best opportunity to clear cap space will be rewarded with Miller.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
What does Orlando want? "In trade talks with various teams, the Magic have been looking to add a defensive-minded power forward, mostly using a variety of their players with expiring contracts as bait." What has Seattle got? Kurt Thomas. Now, yes, you can argue that Thomas has a monster 8 million dollar expiring contract. But I can argue that Orlando has a package -- James Augustine, Pat Garrity and Carlos Arroyo -- that makes more expiring contract money than Thomas. So the Sonics pick up a little extra cap room next year, and Orlando lobs them a second round draft pick as well for their effort. Or not lobs.
Thomas provides the Magic with the defensive power forward they want, Seattle gets to add to it's future cap space and Thomas, who is apparently expendable now that Robert Swift will be stealing his playing time, gets to not be an eight million dollar waste on a non-contender.
Will it happen? Yes. Yes it will. The only hold up here -- I would imagine -- is whether the Sonics and Magic want to consider anything that might involve either J.J. Redick or Chris Wilcox. Well, that and the full compensation for the swap: draft picks, etc.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
The proposed deal - made a little awkward by the Warriors not wanting to burn up their trade exception just to dump Mickael Pietrus - would be Pietrus and Austin Croshere for Joey Graham and Juan Dixon, the two names that have apparently been tossed around.
This trade helps both teams to a certain degree, but more than anything it rids each one of their most recent malcontent (that being Pietrus and Dixon). Croshere helps out the Raptors because his contract, although a small one, is an expiring deal, freeing up more room for Toronto to resign Carlos Delfino and Jose Calderon. Pietrus' contract is also expiring and he has purportedly agreed to waive his George Bird Rights should Golden State find him a new locale.
From a basketball standpoint, Pietrus would give the Raptors a more scoring-capable option at the three than Jamario Moon currently provides in addition to lineup flexibility. Croshere provides a little frontcourt depth while Graham gives the Warriors a tougher body in the post (neither has really played in 2008, both have expiring deals, the money works out to save the Warriors' exception from the Jason Richardson trade).
Will it happen? It certainly could. Both Pietrus and Dixon are likely to get moved before the deadline and in this case, each team gets something useful in exchange for their unhappy player.
With the NBA trade deadline looming, Trade Machinations rounds up real rumors (and creates fake ones) of moves that'd make the NBA a better, brighter place.
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With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
With the NBA trade deadline looming, 
