Monday Insider

[Guest]

Trade Rumors Heating Up

by Chad Ford

Send an Email to Chad Ford

Also Below: Gooden, Turkoglu also on the block? | Kidd says he won't write off the Nuggets | Wizards still stuck between contending, rebuilding | Blazers not missing 'Sheed

With less than a month to go before the NBA trade deadline, the names surfacing on the trading block become more curious by the minute. You've been bored to death already with the Latrell Sprewell-to-anywhere and the Wally Szczerbiak-to-nowhere speculation. But a few new names are starting to become the talk of the league.

Among the most intriguing? League sources told Insider over the weekend that Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Sixers' Eric Snow and the Raptors' Alvin Williams are all being dangled right now.

Ilgauskas has teams licking their chops for one reason -- when he's healthy, he's one of the two or three best offensive centers in the league. The big question though, is how much longer he can stay off crutches. After missing two full seasons with foot injuries, Ilgauskas made a miraculous comeback midway through last season. Is there a team out there willing to take the risk?

He has been phenomenal for the Cavs through the first half, which is partly why Cleveland wants to trade him -- his value has never been higher. Cavs GM Jim Paxson is also concerned that the heavy minutes he logged under John Lucas's tutelage will eventually catch up with him. Add three young centers -- DeSagana Diop, Chris Mihm and Michael Stewart -- to the mix and you can understand the Cavs' motivation. They need their young bigs to get more playing time and would love to be out from under the remaining two years and $28 million of Ilgauskas's contract.

So, who is rumored to be interested? The Knicks could put together a package of Charlie Ward, Travis Knight and Othella Harrington that would put them in the picture. Ward only has $2 million worth of salary protection on his contract next season, Knight has just one more year left on his deal, and Harrington's salary won't do any major cap damage. The move would allow the Cavs to clear about $5 million in additional cap room for next summer and $11 million of cap space for the summer of 2004.

The Jazz could also be interested, possibly shipping Greg Ostertag, John Amaechi, Jason Collins and a No. 1 draft pick. And the Blazers, always willing to wheel and deal, have looked at moving soon-to-be free agents Scottie Pippen and Antonio Daniels to Cleveland for Ilguaskas, Tyrone Hill and Michael Stewart.

Snow's status might even be more tenuous. Several league sources told Insider the Sixers are once again shopping their point guard in return for a post player. While Snow has been a valuable piece of the Sixers puzzle, coach Larry Brown feels that he has enough depth with Aaron McKie and rookie John Salmons to make Snow expendable. Snow's salary, $4.1 million a year, and his solid point guard play makes him attractive trade bait.

Several teams are still looking for a point guard and are rumored to be interested in Snow. The Warriors would swap Danny Fortson straight up in a heartbeat. The Hawks likely would part with a combination of rookie Dan Dickau and Nazr Mohammed. And the T-Wolves are ready to part ways with Joe Smith. However, whether any of those players would help Larry Brown turn around his Sixers is questionable.

The other player to keep your eye on is the Raptors' Alvin Williams. The emergence of Rafer Alston, combined with the team's lackluster play, has management looking to cut costs. You can add Jerome Williams and Antonio Davis to this list as well, but Alvin is generating the most interest right now. First, he's a big point guard, something just about everyone in the league covets. Second, his contract is pretty long, but he's not making outrageous money (around $5 million a year). Where will he land? Look to Boston, where the combo of Shammond Williams and Tony Delk is struggling. The Celtics could offer a package of Shammond Williams (free agent this summer) and Eric Williams (one more year left on his contract) that would allow the Raptors to clear some cap room.

Gooden, Turkoglu also on the block?

Still hungry for more trade rumors? Ilgauskas, Snow and Williams aren't the only new names on the block. Chicago Tribune scribe Sam Smith adds the Kings' Hidayet Turkoglu and Grizzlies rookie Drew Gooden to the list.

According to Smith, the Kings are looking for a lottery-caliber draft pick in return for Turkoglu. Many in Sacramento thought Turkoglu was poised to send Doug Christie to the bench after a solid off-season playing for the Turkish national team, but lately Turkoglu has struggled to find minutes in a deep rotation that includes Keon Clark and second-year guard Gerald Wallace. Turkoglu becomes a restricted free agent after next season and according to Smith, the Kings have spread the word that he's available.

Gooden is more interesting. It's hard to believe Grizzlies GM Jerry West, who proclaimed that Gooden a legit candidate for Rookie of the Year, would pull the plug on his first draft pick so quickly. The problem for the Griz right now is fit. Pau Gasol is their power forward of the future, and Gooden has struggled to adapt to playing small forward. His struggles have led to decreased playing time. Gooden's pouting over his role with the team hasn't helped things. Smith suggests that the Grizzlies may be willing to rekindle talks with the Magic. This summer, the Grizzlies were trying to get the Magic to agree to a Stromile Swift for Mike Miller swap. Will they up the ante to Gooden for Miller?

And what would any trade deadline column be without an old standby like Gary Payton? Coach Nate McMillan gave even more evidence on Sunday why Payton's antics no longer fit with the rebuilding program he's trying to put into place.

Payton, who will undoubtedly be selected tomorrow to play in his ninth straight All-Star Game, may be leading the league in assists and averaging more than 20 points, but McMillan feels that his young players, especially Rashard Lewis, need to be taking control in the deciding moments of games. Will he really get the opportunity with the ultra competitive Payton on the floor?

"If you're going to be a go-to kind of guy, the kind of guy Gary has been for us for years, then you have to take those shots," McMillan said. "I want Rashard taking those shots. That's what he wanted and that's what we want.

"You learn from your defeats and he's no different. He'll be better the next game and the game after that because he's taking those big shots."

Fun's over in Lakerland

Sam Smith / Chicago Tribune

Sonics need second-half surge for playoff run

Percy Allen / Seattle Times

Kidd says he won't write off the Nuggets

Jason Kidd continues to scare the [censored] out of the Nets, whose road trips are becoming a weekly free-agent tour for Kidd. And so far, Kidd has done very little to quiet all of the heavy breathing.

He was in Denver on Sunday and, of course, was asked the question: Would he consider bolting the Nets for the Nuggets this summer?

It's not as implausible as it seems. Denver should have enough cap room to go after two major free agents this summer. If Kidd signed on, he could essentially, pick another teammate to play with. As bad as the Nuggets are now, they have some nice young prospects like Nene Hilario, Rodney White and Nikoloz Tskitishvili to build around. Factor in Marcus Camby, if he's ever healthy, and a high lottery pick (you think Kidd would like to tutor LeBron?) and the Nuggets aren't too shabby.

Kidd agrees.

"In free agency, everyone is going to look around," Kidd told the Denver Post. "Denver's a place that has had success, not this year, but in past years. They have a great facility. They'll land somebody. Playing in the Western Conference, I've gotten to see Denver. Denver's nice. You definitely have a home-court advantage (with the altitude)."

Kidd knows there is a limited number of teams that can afford him next summer. The Spurs, Jazz, Nuggets and Nets are the only teams right now that have enough cash to throw the max his direction. That's why he's not writing off anyone.

"I am going to look at all my options and see what happens," said Kidd. "Nobody knew that New Jersey would have so much success. You never know what can happen."

Nets GM Rod Thorn sounds weary of all of the speculation. He should be. If he loses Kidd for nothing, the Nets would crumble quickly.

"We have a good team. Hopefully, we'll have a good team in the future so our chances are good," Thorn said. "But he never said he was going to sign with us, and he's never said he's going to sign with anyone else. He's going to go through the process."

Kidd, Nuggets have plenty to offer

Marc J. Spears / Denver Post

Nuggets may be in golden position to make Kidd offer

Ohm Youngmisuk / New York Daily News

Wizards still stuck between contending, rebuilding

It ha taken Doug Collins 41 games, but he finally admits that his task -- meshing a team of grizzled veterans with a bunch of youngsters -- may be a more difficult task than anyone imagined.

"The dynamics on our team are unlike any other team in the NBA," Collins told the Washington Post after the Wizards' third straight lost.

The Wizards have been on a roller coaster ride all season. One minute they look like playoff contenders, the next they look like LeBron James contenders.

Collins canceled practice on Sunday to try to regroup. Michael Jordan said it may be time for a change. The Wizards play the Suns, Nets, Hornets and Bucks leading up to the All-Star break. No one wants this funk to last all the way until then.

"As a coach you're going to have to find ways to draw on that type of energy, maybe change the lineup, change personnel, try to do something to motivate each and every person," Jordan said. "Right now, I'm pretty sure Doug is trying to search and find that. Hopefully we can come up with a solution very quickly."

Collins isn't so sure. He's yet to find a consistent rotation and has struggled to keep everyone happy with their playing time. More specifically, Collins has struggled to find meaningful minutes for young players like Kwame Brown, Etan Thomas and Juan Dixon. Is Collins ready to sacrifice the future to make sure this year's Wizards make it to the playoffs.

"Every coach would like to have a nine-man rotation and know how he's going to use them every night," Collins said. "We don't have that kind of team. I've yet to be able to get a gauge on our team. It might not happen all year."

Jordan doesn't advocate a trade. He just feels it's time for everyone to pull their own weight.

"It's nothing we all can't fix. It's a correctable issue. It's not that we have to trade for something like that. It's here on this team. We have to find it and keep it in the forefront."

Just Feeling a Little Flat

Steve Wyche / Washington Post

With 38 games left,no hope remaining

Tom Knott / Washington Times

Blazers not missing 'Sheed

So how are the Blazers faring without their team leader and top scorer, Rasheed Wallace?

"Rasheed who?" center Dale Davis said straight-faced after the Blazers knocked off the Mavs. The team is 4-1 since the NBA suspended him for verbally assaulting a referee after a game.

"We don't like it like this, playing without Rasheed," guard Bonzi Wells told the Oregonian. "But it helps our character out a little bit."

Character. The Blazers could use a little bit of it right now. The team has been the NBA's pariah for the last five years. The talent has always been there, but the attitude, selfishness and damaging off-court behavior always limited the team's success.

Wallace has been the poster child for the Blazers woes. His talent is superstar quality, but his attitude on and off the court has crippled the team. With second-year forward Zach Randolph excelling (17 ppg, 8 rpg over last three) in Wallace's absence, is it time for the Blazers to think about moving Sheed?

While team captain Scottie Pippen won't go that far, he's quick to point out that Randolph is giving the team a dimension that, for whatever reason, Wallace isn't comfortable giving.

"Rasheed is a little more reluctant to go out and score," Pippen said, "but Zach is more hungry to score. It is a big difference, because Sheed can make guys around him better where Zach makes our team better, because he gives us that interior post presence that we really need."

Trail Blazers have all the answers against Mavericks

Jason Quick / Oregonian