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Pistons, Wizards have most room to work in East

by Chad Ford

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Also Below: Can Marcus Camby save the Nuggets? | Peja's miracle | Peep Show

Five years ago, talent, experience and potential were the most valuable commodities in the winter trade market in the NBA. But tough economic times have changed the way teams think about mid-season trades these days. With the luxury tax looming and almost every team in the league facing salary-cap woes, the players with the greatest value just so happen to be the guys whose contracts are up at the end of the season.

It shouldn't come as any surprise to people who follow the mid-season trading deadline closely. Last season, the biggest deal of the winter was a huge salary-cap dump by the Nuggets. They traded stars Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz to the Mavericks in return for Juwan Howard, a guy who had 18 months left on his contract. While the Nuggets got fleeced in the talent department, they made the trade with an eye toward this summer.

So forget for a second about re-signability, overpriced contracts or over-the-hill players. The bigger and shorter the contract, the better.

Here's a look at each team's significant, expiring contracts. Today we'll tackle the Eastern Conference. On Thursday, we'll do the Western Conference.

ATLANTA HAWKS

Expires in 2003: Jason Terry ($2.1 mil.); Dion Glover ($1.6 mil.)

Expires in 2004: None

Comment: Given the troubles the Hawks have drawing fans and the trouble AOL Time Warner has making money, something has to give. The Hawks are in luxury-tax land right now. It may be cheaper just to dump salaries now than pay the rebate to season ticket holders for missing the playoffs. With just $3.7 million coming off the payroll the next two summers, something drastic has to be done to get the team's salary straightened out.

BOSTON CELTICS

Expires in 2003: Shammond Williams ($2 mil.)

Expires in 2004: Eric Williams ($5.4 mil.)

Comment: GM Chris Wallace is praying that the new Celtics owners will be willing to spend some cash. If they aren't, expect the Celtics to sit out the next two summers with their legs crossed. They're right on the verge of the luxury tax and don't have much relief coming the next two years. They could try to package the Williams brothers for a legitimate third star to complement Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. However, that will do nothing to alleviate their long-term cap problems. Vin Baker's deal doesn't come off the books until the summer of 2006.

CHICAGO BULLS

Expires in 2003: None

Expires in 2004: Marcus Fizer ($3.7 mil); Jamal Crawford ($2.6 mil)

Comment: The Bulls are in pretty good shape. They're about $6 million under the luxury-tax threshold, meaning that they should be free to add a mid-level free agent and a rookie next summer. They're interested in getting Jalen Rose off their books, but at $12 million a year, it won't be easy.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Expires in 2003: Tyrone Hill ($6.6 mil); Jumaine Jones ($1.4 mil.)

Expires in 2004: Bimbo Coles ($2.6 mil); Darius Miles ($4.1 mil); Chris Mihm ($2.8 mil)

Comment: The Cavs could be players in the trade market this winter. Both Hill and Jones don't appear to have long-term futures in Cleveland and both of them have a lot of value. Mihm and Miles also fit into that category. However, GM Jim Paxson's goal right now is to create plenty of cap room. Eventually, he's going to have to start signing guys, and his owner, Gordon Gund, won't let him exceed the luxury tax. With another high lottery pick on the way, and an itch to play the free-agent market this summer, don't expect the Cavs to do much unless they get a big prize in return.

DETROIT PISTONS

Expires in 2003: Clifford Robinson ($8.4 mil); Jon Barry ($3.2 mil); Richard Hamilton ($2.7 mil)

Expires in 2004: Zeljko Rebraca ($4.2 mil); Hubert Davis ($2.9 mil); Michael Curry ($2.8 mil)

Comment: The Pistons are eyeing about $8 million in cap room this summer, so don't expect them to do anything drastic. They'll have to use most of that to re-sign Hamilton and that lottery pick they'll likely be getting from Memphis. However, they drop another $10 million off the cap in the summer of 2004 and Joe Dumars and Co. are hoping to land a max-type free agent to complete the picture in Detroit then.

INDIANA PACERS

Expires in 2003: Reggie Miller ($12 mil.); Jermaine O'Neal ($6.9 mil); Brad Miller ($4.8 mil)

Expires in 2004: Ron Mercer ($6.7 mil.)

Comment: Expect the Pacers to be a busy team as the trade deadline hits. They need to clear another $7 to $10 million in cap space to have a good shot at re-signing all three of their top free agents. The Pacers have already been working the phones trying to find a new home for Austin Croshere. It won't be easy; his contract and lack of playing time don't mix well together. Mercer may be easier to move. His contract is up next year and he's shown signs of returning to form in Indy.

MIAMI HEAT

Expires in 2003: Alonzo Mourning ($20.6 mil); LaPhonso Ellis ($3.1 mil - Team Option); Vladimir Stepania ($1.3 mil)

Expires in 2004: Anthony Carter ($4 mil)

Comments: The Heat are in big trouble. Unless they find a way to move Brian Grant or Eddie Jones, they'll have only marginal cap room next season. Expect them to be among the most active teams as the trade deadline gets close. They also have to figure out what to do with Ellis. If he remains on the active roster for 120 games (over last season and this season) his contract ($3.4 million) becomes guaranteed for the 2003-04 season. That just makes a bad situation worse. The Heat could also try to pre-empt this mess and trade Mourning for a couple of top veterans. Teams looking to clear cap space would jump on that offer in a minute and it may be the only way the Heat can survive long term.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Expires in 2003: None

Expires in 2004: Toni Kukoc ($8 mil); Joel Przybilla ($2.4 mil)

Comment: The Bucks are another team that may be looking to dump salary. Since Senator Herb Kohl announced that he'd like to sell the team, the Bucks have been quietly probing what their assets might be worth. Tim Thomas, Sam Cassell and Anthony Mason are the three guys they'd love to dump, but they may have to use Ray Allen as bait to get far enough under the cap to really make a difference.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Expires in 2003: Jason Kidd ($9.6 mil - Player Option); Jim McIlvaine ($4.4 mil)

Expires in 2004: Kenyon Martin ($5.1 mil); Chris Childs ($1.7 mil)

Comment: They'll do nothing but cross their fingers and pray three times a day that Kidd spurns the Spurs and Sonics and decides to call New Jersey home next season.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

Expires in 2003: Elden Campbell ($8 mil); P.J. Brown ($7 mil); Jerome Moiso ($1.6 mil); Matt Bullard ($1.4 mil)

Expires in 2004: Stacey Augmon ($2.4 mil); Courtney Alexander ($2.2 mil); Jamaal Magloire ($1.7 mil)

Comments: No one is talking about the Hornets, which is odd considering they have some major expiring contracts this summer. Both Campbell and Brown have a lot of trade value and neither player appears to be vital to the team's future. So why not sell them off before losing them for nothing? Owner George Shinn, who has one of the tightest wallets in the league, wants payroll cut until the Hornets start making money in New Orleans. Of course, that won't happen until the Hornets actually start winning a meaningful game or two.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Expires in 2003: Larry Johnson ($9.6 mil); Luc Longley ($6.9 mil); Charlie Ward ($5.6 million - only $2 mil.salary protection);

Expires in 2004: Antonio McDyess ($13.5 mil); Travis Knight ($4.4 mil)

Comments: From a salary cap standpoint, they're screwed. Ward is the only real commodity they have. A team could trade for him and have him count for only $2 million on their cap next season. With Milos Vujanic on the way, there may be a window of opportunity here, but don't count on Scott Layden taking it. He's under marching orders not to incur anymore big salaries.

ORLANDO MAGIC

Expires in 2003: Darrell Armstorng ($4 mil); Andrew DeClerq ($3.6 mil - Team Option); Jud Buechler ($3.5 mil)

Expires in 2004: Mike Miller ($3.4 mil)

Comments: Like the Heat, the Magic have fallen well short of their goal to have max cap room to go after a guy like Tim Duncan. Instead, they'll have just enough to make everyone wish that Ben Wallace was back.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Expires in 2003: Derrick Coleman ($9.4 mil); Matt Geiger ($8.8 mil); Kenny Thomas ($1.6 mil)

Expires in 2004: Eric Snow ($4.5 mil - Player Option)

Comments: Forget about cap room. The Sixers have two choices. They can let the contracts of Geiger and Coleman expire and get out of luxury land or they can try to use either Coleman or Geiger's expiring salaries as trade bait to lure a legitimate low-post player in to help out Todd MacCulloch and Brian Skinner. Look for the Heat to try to convince them that Brian Grant is their man.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Expires in 2003: Lindsey Hunter ($3.3 mil - Team Option)

Expires in 2004: Hakeem Olajuwon ($6.3 mil); Morris Peterson ($1.6 mil)

Comments: The Raptors are in salary-cap [censored]. They have so many long-term contracts that they're essentially locked in with this under performing team forever. Their only hope is to start slashing payroll and moving players in return for guys with expiring contracts. Antonio Davis and Jerome Williams have some trade value and several top contenders are looking for some low-post help. Think A.D. and JYD would look good in a Sixers uniform?

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Expires in 2003: Jerry Stackhouse ($6 mil - Player Option); Tyronn Lue ($1.9 mil); Bryon Russell ($1.4 mil - Team Option); Michael Jordan ($1 mil)

Expires in 2004: Etan Thomas ($2.2 mil)

Comments: As it stands right now, the Wizards could be looking at anywhere from $7 to $9 million in cap space this summer. They may use it to re-sign Stackhouse, or they may try to go out and be players in the free-agent market. If they could move Christian Laettner's or Jahidi White's contract off the books, they could move right into max cap space along with the Nuggets, Spurs and Jazz. Expect Jordan to do what it takes to ensure that his team has ultimate flexibility this summer. The Wizards like Stackhouse, but long term, he may not be the best fit.

Can Marcus Camby save the Nuggets?

Please don't squeeze the Charmin.

There's lots of talk today about the fallout from the Nuggets-Knicks draft night deal that sent Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and the draft rights to Nene Hilario to Denver in return for Antonio McDyess and the draft rights to Frank Williams. The only thing that could have made the deal more dreadful would've been to throw in Tom Gugliotta, Penny Hardaway, Matt Geiger and Grant Hill for good measure.

Camby

The media and Marcus Camby have been pretty bold in their assurances that the Nuggets got the better end of the deal. Did they?

"Obviously, Denver, [did]," Camby told the Denver Post. "They got Nene [Hilario], and they got me. We're both young, and we're both going to be there for a long time." Really?

He's right about Hilario. Nene is one of the top five rookies in the league this year. He's tough, play's hard and the talent is really starting to shine. That's a blow to the Knicks, who desperately needed an injection of youth this season. But it's hard to believe that Camby factors positively into the equation at all. His soft-as-Charmin rep got a big boost when he injured his ankle just 17 seconds into his debut last week. His derogatory comments about Denver, and his constant yapping, haven't won anyone over there.

Camby now denies that he wants to be traded. Isn't that convenient? Now that he's proved once again that he's a real life version of Samuel Jackson's character in "Unbreakable", even desperate teams are shying away from the "Handle with Care" big man. The Nuggets' plan, all along, was to move Camby by the trade deadline to free up more cap space. With this latest setback, it looks like they may be stuck with him for the next season or two.

Camby's injury history reads like a grocery list. At various times in his seven-year NBA career, Camby has fallen victim to plantar fasciitis, a right hip contusion, a sprained left ankle, a strained left groin, back spasms, a lower back strain, tendinitis in both knees, a strained abdominal muscle, a strained right ACL and a sprained capsule in his right knee. He's never played more than 63 games in a season.

McDyess, on the other hand, was an all-star power forward before his latest two setbacks with injuries. However, McDyess doesn't have the same brittle reputation that Camby has. Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe believes McDyess will be able to bounce back just fine.

"I don't know if he's the best athlete in the league, but he could be," Vandeweghe said. "The world changes when he comes back. Antonio's injury was a freak thing, nothing to do with [the past]. When Antonio gets healthy, he's a tremendous player. The Knicks will be a different team with him."

Camby's future, however, is much cloudier. The Knicks admitted Tuesday that they traded for McDyess, in part, because of the constant injuries.

"I think he's going to have to have a number of seasons where he's healthy to eliminate that. It's like Bill Walton," Knicks coach Don Chaney told the N.Y. Post. "Every year you get hurt, naturally that cloud continues to hang over. What he has to do is have one or two years where he's completely healthy."

Nuggets winners of Camby-Dice deal

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Knicks See Marcus Cursed By Injuries

Mark Hale / New York Post

Chaney: McDyess Big Key

Mark Hale / New York Post

Peja's miracle

Maybe Grant Hill and Vince Carter need to make a trip to Belgrade. Sacramento Kings doctors are still scratching their heads over Peja Stojakovic's miraculous recovery from a foot injury.

Peja Stojakovic

Small Forward

Sacramento Kings

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

32 17.5 5.2 2.2 .463 .867

Peja tried ice. Electrical stimulation. Stretching exercises. Even the latest in Yugoslavian therapy, straight from Belgrade.

No one knows what happened exactly, but his sore left foot has improved so dramatically -- so mysteriously, to hear him tell it -- that Peja is quickly returning to his all-star form.

In his last seven games he's averaging 26.1 ppg on 60 percent shooting from the field.

That's got to be bad news for NBA teams that have already been overwhelmed by the Kings' depth.

"I have never seen Chris Webber play better, and when Stojakovic plays like that ... they are virtually unbeatable," said one NBA scout in attendance.

"I'm just relieved that my foot is so much better," Peja told the Sacramento Bee. "I was very concerned. But it was like the doctors said; one day it would just start to get better."

Peja is putting his bad foot forward

Ailene Voisin / Sacramento Bee

Peep Show

Walker

Boston Celtics: Antoine Walker may have hit the game-winning shot against the Sixers Monday night, but it will cost him. He remained in the game after spraining his right knee in the third quarter and doctors now say it will take two weeks to recover. "I've got to look at longevity instead of short term right now," Walker, who has missed only 10 of 517 games in his career, told the Boston Herald. "And if I have to miss a couple of games to get healthy and get back to 100 percent, then I've got to do that. I'm not going to be stubborn to that fact. I think we're a good enough basketball team where we can win without me, and I've got confidence in my teammates that they can step up. And we're not in a win-loss desperation right now. I've got to play it smart and I've got to think about my health as well."

Seattle SuperSonics: Don't count Kenny Anderson out just yet. Thought to be Gary Payton's backup for a season, he may become his permanent replacement as it seems the franchise will not re-sign its all-time greatest player. "I'm not at all closed-minded about Seattle," Anderson told the Tacoma News Tribune. "Not at all. The bottom line is, I just want to play, man. I don't care where I'm at. As long as I am playing, enjoying myself, doing my job, helping the team, contributing like I think I can. But I have to judge it from a family aspect, as well as what's left on my career, where my career is heading. I haven't closed anything out. Whatever's best for me." The Sonics are hoping to squeeze a quality big man and Anderson for around the mid-level exception in place of Payton.

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons want to win one for their coach. Well, actually win three. That way, they hope, Rick Carlisle will become the coach of the Eastern Conference all-stars. But first they have to beat the Sixers at home and Spurs and Rockets on the road to hope to catch the Pacers, who have 1 1/2 game lead, by Sunday. "We can make it happen," Pistons center Cliff Robinson told the Detroit Free Press. "To a man, we'd love to play well enough to see Rick and his staff coach in the All-Star Game. They've put in a lot of hard work into getting us ready, and we'd like to thank him by helping him get there."

Hill

Orlando Magic: Grant Hill, who was recently placed on injured reserve, was in New York Tuesday having his left ankle looked at by specialist Dr. Richard Hamilton. "He had a productive visit," Magic general manager John Gabriel told the Orlando Sentinel. "But until the doctors talk with doctors, it's hard for me to say anything. No one is really hanging their hat on one thing, saying this is the reason."

New Jersey Nets: Kerry Kittles is back, Rodney Rogers is out, which means Lucious Harris is back to being the sixthman of the hour. "I just think it's time," Byron Scott told the New York Post of the Kittles-Harris switch. "I think Kerry . . . has played like Kerry is capable of playing. I think it's time to put him back in a familiar role and put Lucious back coming off the bench to give me that spark he's been doing for so many years." Rogers, with a strained left calf, will miss at least four more games.

Sprained knee ligament sidelines Walker

Steve Bulpett / Boston Herald

Anderson leaving not a foregone conclusion

Frank Hughes / Tacoma News Tribune

Carlisle flattered by players' goal

Jo-Ann Barnas / Detroit Free Press

Hill leaves team to visit doctor

Tim Povtak / Orlando Sentinel

Kittles Back As Starter; Rogers Out

Fred Kerber / New York Post