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Mailbag: A Sonics, Bulls, Warriors three-way

by Chad Ford

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Also Below: Should we just crown em' and go home? | Rookie of the Year? | What's wrong with Jay Williams? | Peep Show

The trade deadline is sure generating a lot of rumors, but so far, no concrete deals. You're not the only ones getting a little impatient. It may be time for one of us to intervene and get the ball rolling . . .

Q: It seems like the Sonics, Bulls and Warriors are all spinning their wheels right now. They have a nice collection of players, are winning some basketball games, but seem to have duplicates at too many positions. With all of the players on those teams rumored to be on the block, is there a way to redistribute them in a way that makes all three teams better in the long run?

-- David Harris, Oakland

FORD: Great question David. After pondering the same thing over the past few weeks, I've been talking to sources inside all three of these teams to get a good handle on who is and isn't available, what the asking prices are and who is likely to be moved. All three teams are actively looking to make moves before the trade deadline. They all have valuable assets, but as you pointed out, have too many duplicates at key positions. While I've been told that no "serious" trade talks are going on with any of these teams, it seems to me that all the pieces are in place for a blockbuster.

Why don't the Sonics, Warriors and Bulls start talking three-way on the following deal?

The Sonics send Gary Payton and Vladimir Radmanovic to Golden State.

The Warriors send Mike Dunleavy, Jason Richardson, Danny Fortson and Adonal Foyle to Chicago.

And the Bulls send Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, Marcus Fizer and Eddie Robinson to Seattle and Dalibor Bagaric to Golden State.

Gary Payton

Point Guard

Seattle SuperSonics

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

36 21.2 4.7 9.3 .459 .693

Not only do the salaries add up, the trade essentially solves many of the major issues facing each team. First, it gives the Warriors the second-best point guard in the league and the veteran leadership Eric Musselman needs to turn the Warriors completely around. Radmanovic's versatility also becomes a huge plus when you factor in that Antawn Jamison is never sure where he wants to play exactly. The addition of Payton should be enough to make the Warriors a dangerous contender for the playoffs. Payton's ties to the Bay Area should make it a cinch for the Warriors to re-sign him in the summer, especially if they make a big push.

For the Bulls, the deal essentially ships out four bench warmers, and brings in a dynamic, starting two guard in Richardson, the small forward of the future in Dunleavy, and two solid veterans to help the Bulls push their way out of the lottery for the first time in five years. Fortson does have a terrible contract, but the Bulls are essentially swapping it for Robinson, so call it a wash.

Eddy Curry

Forward-Center

Chicago Bulls

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

37 6.3 3.3 0.4 .515 .558

The deal will be a little tougher for the Sonics to swallow. Payton is the Sonics right now and fans won't be happy that he was moved for prospects. But how often are you able to get three lottery picks that can help you out in a position of need? Crawford has the potential to be the star point guard of the future. Curry has the potential to be a dominant center. Even at the age of 20, he already is major upgrade over the current group of Jerome James, Calvin Booth and Vitaly Potapenko. Fizer hasn't wowed anybody in Chicago, but he's tough as nails and can score in the paint. Robinson is a little tougher fit, but he proved to be valuable in Charlotte coming off the bench and could fulfill the same role in Seattle.

The trades would leave the teams with the following rosters:

Jason Richardson

Guard-Forward

Golden State Warriors

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

38 15.5 4.3 3.1 .386 .796

CHICAGO BULLS

PG: Jay Williams, Roger Mason Jr.

SG: Jason Richardson, Trenton Hassell, Fred Hoiberg

SF: Jalen Rose, Mike Dunleavy

PF: Donyell Marshall, Danny Fortson, Lonny Baxter

C: Tyson Chandler, Adonal Foyle, Corie Blount

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

PG: Gary Payton, Earl Boykins

SG: Gilbert Arenas, Bob Sura, Jiri Welsch

SF: Vladimir Radmanovic, Chris Mills

PF: Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy

C: Erick Dampier, Dalibor Bagaric

SEATTLE SONICS

PG: Jamal Crawford, Kenny Anderson

SG: Brent Barry, Desmond Mason, Joe Forte

SF: Rashard Lewis, Eddie Robinson, Ansu Sesay

PF: Marcus Fizer, Predrag Drobnjak, Reggie Evans

C: Eddy Curry, Jerome James, Vitaly Potapenko, Calvin Booth

What all three of these teams need is balance and a solid core of young players to build around. This is a trade that ensures the viability of all three teams for years to come.

Q: Chad, Kevin Garnett is lonelier than Tim Duncan. Tim has the Admiral over Rasho Nesterovic (it's becoming closer, however we both know Robinson's better) and Stephen Jackson fills his role on the team better than Joe Smith. What a surprise he has been. Malik Rose is struggling to find his niche with Jackson around, but I'm sure KG would love to have him around. Tony Parker is better than Troy Hudson as a pure point (which is what KG or Duncan need) and I'd take Emanuel Ginobili and Steve Smith over Wally Szczerbiak and Kendall Gill, although I understand that many wouldn't. I think Sczcerbiak is incredibly overrated, as much as anybody in the league.

-- Padraic Duffy

FORD: I shouldn't have left KG out of my lonely star piece Wednesday. Some would claim that Wally, who made the all-star team last season, counts as a sidekick. But your point rings true. The supporting cast around KG is pretty weak. Nesterovic is really coming along and has a bright future, but Smith, Hudson and everyone else on that team are really eighth or ninth men. The problem with KG is that his salary is so enormous that he'll never be able to swim in a sea of supporting talent. The best he could hope for is that GM Kevin McHale finds KG a young, Kobe-like star to complement him. I'm not sure I agree with your harsh assessment of Wally, but I do think that the two don't mesh well together. Garnett needs another athletic, aggressive, strong ball handling two guard (think Paul Pierce or Tracy McGrady) to complement his game.

Several other readers mentioned Allen Iverson as another lonely all-star. While the comment is true on the surface, there's a difference with AI. Larry Brown has brought in talented sidekicks to play alongside the Answer. He scares them all away. Even Batman gave Robin a little love now and then. Iverson can't share. Selfishness almost always guarantees loneliness. Speaking of the Sixers . . .

Q: You should dig up some stories last year when Larry Brown was ripping Matt Harpring for being too selfish and demanding the ball too often. Now, he has Keith Van Horn and is ripping him for NOT doing exactly what he ripped Harpring for doing. Ridiculous. Brown is slipping. By the way, Van Horn is a year older, much more expensive and scoring two points fewer a night.

-- Steven Payne, Atlanta

Keith Van Horn

Forward

Philadelphia 76ers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

37 15.5 8.1 1.4 .468 .781

FORD: There's a long history of Brown's love-hate relationship with his small forwards. Toni Kukoc, George Lynch and Harpring can tell some stories. Brown doesn't get quite the flack on Van Horn because he also has a checkered history. No one is surprised that he's underwhelmed by Van Horn's play at the moment. But Van Horn isn't the problem in Philly. The problem is the utter lack of a low-post presence. Todd MacCulloch is hobbling on one foot. A lazy, overweight Derek Coleman has become enamored with the perimeter game because it allows him to stand around more. Brian Skinner and Kenny Thomas are nice, but they're not enough. They need a real presence in the paint. Van Horn has never been that and never will be that.

Q: I hear two of the players the Nuggets are after are Michael Olowokandi and Andre Miller. I don't know how excited I would be for two players who aren't taking the Clippers anywhere. I like Miller, but he has not shown the ability to carry a team ala Jason Kidd. I guess they want Kandi as he is a legit center. What are your thoughts?

-- Jim Nix, Denver

FORD: It's a good question. I don't think you can blame Miller for the Clippers' woes. He's played well there and seems like he's starting to click with his new teammates. Olowokandi on the other hand? I think some red flags are starting to go up. His play is still inconsistent, but his attitude has been consistently surly. He's complained publicly (they all do it privately) about his contract, number of shots, the fans and just about everything else in L.A. If you're the Nuggets, I'm not sure that will instill a lot of confidence. Still, the Nuggets have two major needs this summer -- center and point guard. Nene Hilario looks like he's well on his way to becoming the Nuggets' power forward of the future. The team will be patient with Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Rodney White at the swing positions (plus you can almost guarantee that either LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony will be in Denver if the Nuggets have a top three pick). Olowokandi will be the best center willing to play in Denver. At some point, all of the other off-the-court issues are dwarfed by a player's size. What Kandi's comments may do, however, is make him more affordable. Miller would be a solid leader for a young team like this. It needs a pass-first point guard who can set up the young players in the best position to score. I know the Nuggets will also give a long look to Gilbert Arenas here, but I think Miller would be a better fit.

Q: Instead of using the $11.3 million in expiring salaries to facilitate a trade during the season, could the Lakers wait until the offseason, let the contracts/options expire, and use the cap room to pursue free agents in the offseason? If so, what do you think the Lakers' prospects would be on picking up an impact player?

-- Lane Chin, San Mateo, Calif.

Lorenzen Wright

Forward-Center

Memphis Grizzlies

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

38 9.9 6.8 0.8 .462 .633

FORD: I get this question a lot from Laker fans. Will the Lakers have cap room if they let all of their contracts expire? The answer is no. Even with Robert Horry, Samaki Walker, Tracy Murray and Mark Madsen's salaries coming off the books this summer, the Lakers are still looking at a $55 million payroll next season. Shaq's $26.5 million salary and Kobe's $13.5 million together almost eat the entire cap. That's why it makes a lot of sense for them to take advantage now and add another solid young player or two to their rotation. Of all the potential deals out there right now, I think a move for either Marcus Camby in Denver, or Lorenzen Wright and Stromile Swift in Memphis, makes the most sense. Their contracts aren't terrible, and they have a huge upside.

Should we just crown em' and go home?

Chris Webber

Power Forward

Sacramento Kings

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2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

34 23.0 10.5 5.3 .468 .559

The Lakers have all the rings, the Nets have the MVP and the Mavs have all the wins and the money . . . but why do we get the sneaking suspicion that they're all playing for second place behind the Kings this season?

I'm not one to harp over my preseason prediction that the Kings would win it all. But their dominating performances the past few weeks against the NBA's two-best teams should stifle the debate for a while.

The Kings are for real and here's why. The last few years the Kings' knees started to buckle under pressure. Whether it was the hot lights, the roar of the crowd or the Laker magic, the Kings just could not get it done in big games.

This season is different. The chip is there now. And when they have a meaningful game, their goal isn't just to save the village. They're burning it down.

Just ask Don Nelson, whose Mavs were whipped 123-94 Wednesday night.

"This game doesn't say anything about where we are," Nelson told the Sacramento Bee. "I think it says more about who they are. We've never said we were better than Sacramento. I've been saying all along that I love watching the Kings play every night. I think they are the best team in the league."

Coach Rick Adelman said he has been impressed by his team's ability to step up in victories against three of the league's best teams: the Los Angeles Lakers, New Jersey Nets and Mavericks.

"I really can't give our guys enough credit for the way they approached this game," he said. "We went through a lot of things in the past two days that we thought we could do against Dallas, and our concentration was terrific the whole game."

While everyone acknowledged that the Kings are now the team to beat in the West, Mavs guard Avery Johnson said his team has a long way to go before they get up to the level of Sacramento.

"We haven't arrived yet," Johnson told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. "No matter what the deal is, we haven't arrived yet. It lets us know at pre-practice, at every shoot-around, at every film session, at everything that we're involved in we've got to really pay close attention to detail to get where we're trying to go. That's a hungry basketball team over there" in the Kings' locker room."

Chris Webber agrees. About the hungry part, that is.

"Dallas is a good team, but we've probably been through the most in the NBA in the last four years," he told the Bee. "We have experienced the most pain. Whether it was losing to Utah the first series on a phantom foul with [Karl] Malone. Or whether it was losing and getting swept by the [Los Angeles] Lakers the next series and getting ousted by the Lakers in seven games. So we have a lot of experience, and we tend to think we can draw on that experience. And we play real defense, tough defense, and we're ready to see what happens."

The Kings are hungry. And finally, no longer afraid.

Showdown? It's Kings' showcase

Martin McNeal / Sacramento Bee

Royal Blush

Dwain Price / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Webber welcomes talk of NBA championship

Martin McNeal and Joe Davidson / Sacramento Bee

Rookie of the Year?

Yao Ming may be the people's (and the fawning media's) choice for rookie of the year . . .

But Amare Stoudemire, and the other 28 terrified starting power forwards in the league, may beg to differ.

Yao Ming

Center

Houston Rockets

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

37 12.9 7.9 1.4 .534 .766

Yes, Yao is awesome. He may already be the second-best center in the NBA behind Shaq. His transition from the international game in China to the NBA has been remarkable. And no one since Charles Barkley left the NBA gives a better interview.

With all of that said, if the season ended today, Stoudemire deserves to be the league's Rookie of the Year.

We can debate stats and team records. They're virtually the same. Stoudemire is averaging 13.1 ppg to Yao's 12.9 ppg. Stoudemire's averaging 9.4 rpg to Yao's 7.4 rpg. Yao's averaging 2 bpg to Stoudemire's 1.08. The Suns are 24-16. The Rockets are 22-15.

Amare Stoudemire

Forward-Center

Phoenix Suns

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

40 13.1 9.4 0.9 .464 .670

That doesn't tell the whole story. While Yao seems to have hit the wall a bit in January, Stoudemire continues to progress at a rapid rate.

In November, Yao averaged 10.1 ppg and 5.3 rpg on 67 percent shooting. In January, he's averaging 11.93 ppg and 9.3 rpg on 40 percent shooting. In November, Stoudemire averaged 8.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg on 36 percent shooting. In January he's averaging 16.1 ppg and 11.3 rpg on 46 percent shooting.

That isn't the whole story, however. Like Yao, Stoudemire's transition to the the NBA wasn't supposed to be easy. No high school player since Kevin Garnett has made such a big impact as a rookie. And Stoudemire's troubled background should have been more than enough to slow down his development for a few years.

While Yao's Rockets are in playoff contention, many expected them to be in this position without Yao. The Suns, on the other hand, were predicted to be one of the two or three worst teams in the West this season. The emergence of Stoudemire has been the biggest reason why the Suns have greatly exceeded expectations.

Stoudemire took it to Yao and the Rockets on Wednesday, and after the game said he's not sure what the big deal is with Yao.

"He's tall," Stoudemire told the Arizona Republic. "He's got some low-post moves. I mean, he's not a bad player. [He had] pretty much the same stats. First game I think he had 10 points and two rebounds. This time he had 11 points and seven rebounds. The first time we played, I had like four points and two rebounds myself. I think my game has developed a lot more."

While Stoudemire wasn't awed by Yao, the Rockets' Chinese-born star was impressed with Stoudemire.

"It seems like he's played for several years already," Yao said through an interpreter. "I heard he's only 20 years old. I think when I was 20, I was only half his width."

And when someone asked Yao whether he could envision a long career in the NBA, he joked, "If there aren't more players like Stoudemire in the future, I think I can last."

If Yao thinks Stoudemire's tough, wait until he gets a piece of Shaq on Friday. The big fella's looking to put a lickin on Yao. If he stays out of foul trouble and in one piece, it will be a miracle.

"Oh bro, man, I've played against Shaq and Yao Ming and I've guarded them both," Stoudemire said. "I'll tell you what, Shaq is a monster, bro. And Yao is developing. Look for Shaq to have a big game. You know Shaq is my favorite player, so you know I'm going to talk about Shaq."

Stoudemire wins battle of rookies

Bob Young / Arizona Republic

Yao hits a wall even before Lakers bring Shaq to town

Dale Robertson / Houston Chronicle

What's wrong with Jay Williams?

Speaking of rookies, there aren't many sure things in the NBA Draft anymore. With high school kids, international kids and college freshmen and sophomores dominating the draft these days -- tried and true just don't come along very often.

Jay Williams

Guard

Chicago Bulls

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

36 9.8 3.0 5.4 .375 .573

Jay Williams was supposed to be as close as it gets to a sure thing. He played three years at the best college program in the country. He was an All-American. A quick point guard with great floor vision and a knack for getting the ball in the basket. There were plenty of people who felt he should've been the No. 1 pick on draft night.

But after a miserable start, Williams is just the latest in a long line of great college players to remind us of this simple truth . . .there's no such thing as a sure thing in the draft. LeBron James fans, repeat that sentance at least 10 times a day.

Williams has struggled with the triangle offense, the pressure of being a No. 2 pick, the depth of the NBA three-point line, the brutal schedule, the losing record and the quickness and strength of NBA players.

No one is more surprised by this than Williams himself.

"It has been difficult for me," Williams said Wednesday. In January, Williams is shooting just 14 percent from the field. After a 0-for-7 performance on Tuesday, he offered this critique of his game.

"I was horrible," Williams said. "I don't think any other word could sum up my playing. It's frustrating."

He's not alone. Other prominent college stars, including Mike Dunleavy (can we stop with the Larry Bird comparisons now?), Chris Wilcox , Ryan Humphrey, Tayshaun Prince, Dan Dickau and Frank Williams aren't doing any better. But it's been Williams who has had to deal with the brunt of criticism.

Yao Ming is lighting it up. So the media are focusing their glare on the next guy in line. Coach Bill Cartwright is the first to come to Williams' defense.

"This league can really overwhelm you, especially being drafted where he was with anticipation of doing all these great things," Cartwright told the Chicago Tribune. "We don't want him to have to think about making something happen. We'd rather he let things come to him. That's what he's learning. Jay's challenges are different from other rookies in the league. We're asking him to general our team. That's a huge responsibility. We're asking him to be a John Stockton or Gary Payton or Jason Kidd right now. That's what he's being groomed for. It's a big challenge."

Stories about his complaints to his parents, and his constant harping about the good ole' days at Duke aren't helping him right now. Neither is the fact that Jamal Crawford is looking over his shoulders. Jerry Krause doesn't want to move Crawford because he's great insurance. But he's freaking out Williams. That alone should be reason enough to move him.

"The way we played in college was so much more of an open style," Williams said for the thousandth time. "Here I'm never really wide open. In the triangle, the ball is in our big guys' hands a lot, so it's hard to create. The only open shots you get are in transition."

Despite all of the negative press, no one is writing off Williams. The talent is undeniable. Was he a sure thing? Of course not. But once he reaches a comfort level, he still has all the potential that made him the No. 2 pick. Not everyone can be Amare Stoudemire or Tim Duncan. Just ask Cartwright.

"I feel comfortable having him start," Cartwright said. "The big thing for me is that he continue to learn and get better. It's not only him, but all of our guys. Gary Payton, in his first year, was no great shakes [7.2 points, 6.4 assists, 45 percent shooting]. Jay's going through all the things rookies go through as they learn to play basketball. He's been doing a good job for us."

He has will, must find way

K.C. Johnson / Chicago Tribune

Rookie Challenge is what Jay needs

Roman Modrowski / Chicago Sun-Times

0-for-7 night dogs Williams

K.C. Johnson / Chicago Tribune

Parents' story still dogs Jay

Lacy J. Banks / Chicago Sun-Times

Peep Show

Nuggets: Marcus Camby continues to insist that he is not looking for a trade. "That's not the case," Camby told the Denver Post. "I do want to be here. I like Coach Bzdelik and [general manager] Kiki [Vandeweghe]. ... I'm so focused on coming back and playing." Vandeweghe acknowledged other teams have inquired about Camby but said, "We're not shopping anybody." We know, Kiki. No one shops anybody. . . Bzdelik told point guard John Crotty he likely will be signed to a second 10-day contract after his current 10-day deal ends Friday.

Clippers: The Clippers just hit a new low. And that's saying something. A record-setting 95-64 loss Wednesday to the Timberwolves has coach Alvin Gentry baffled. "That was ridiculous," Gentry told the L.A. Daily News. "It should be embarrassing for the fans. It should be embarrassing to ownership. It should be embarrassing to management. It should be embarrassing to the coaches. The fans deserve to boo the [poor play] that went on."

Sixers: Doctors finally have diagnosed Todd MacCulloch's foot problems as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. CIDP is a neurological condition where a person's immune system turns against the outer coatings of the nerves. Symptoms may include gradual weakness and loss of sensation, most commonly in the arms and legs. Sixers team physician Brad Fenton said the specialist treating MacCulloch does not think the disease is career threatening, nor season-ending. "The prognosis is very good," Fenton said. "Sometimes, very rapidly, symptoms resolve... . He could be ready to play Monday night."

Heat, Pacers: Rookie Caron Butler got a taste of what it's like to be hounded by Ron Artest. He didn't like it. Butler, Miami's leading available scorer for Wednesday's game with a 14.1-point average, went scoreless on seven field-goal attempts against Artest's defense until late in the third period. Bulter blamed his a sore wrist for his poor performance. "Take nothing away from Ron Artest; he's a great defender," Butler told the Indianapolis Star. "But I just couldn't do anything with my wrist tonight." Miami coach Pat Riley, however, cut through the crap. "It was more Artest than anything," he said.

Celtics: The team will make a decision early this morning on Mikki Moore, whose 10-day contract expires today. Since arriving Jan. 6, the forward had played just seven minutes, with no points, no rebounds and no blocks. Boston is thinking about replacing him with veteran Grant Long. Long is nursing a broken left hand at his home in Atlanta and may be a week away from playing. "It's a lot better," Long told the Boston Globe. "I'm not medically inclined to give an opinion. I'm scheduled to see my doctor and we'll see then. I can't do anything until I see him. But there's not a whole lot I can't do. [The Celtics] have actually said that they would like to reevaluate [the injury]."

Hilario up for rookie game

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Clippers at all-time low

Joe Stevens / Los Angeles Daily News

MacCulloch relieved to get answers at last

Ashley McGeachy Fox / Philadelphia Inquirer

Miami rookie gets taste of Artest's defense

Mark Montieth / Indianapolis Star

Taking a Long look

Shira Springer / Boston Globe