Trade Rumors

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Wally-for-Payton rumors bogus

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Wally Szczerbiak

T-Wolves

Sonics, Knicks Feb. 18 - Szczerbiak thought the trade rumors would stop once he signed a six-year, $63 million extension this summer. He was wrong.The latest rumor making the rounds this week has the Sonics and T-Wolves talking about a Gary Payton for Wally trade. It's bogus.

Not only do the T-Wolves have no intention of trading Wally, "We're not going to trade Wally," coach Flip Saunders said earlier this year. "We didn't sign him [to a contract extension] with the idea of trading him," but trading Szczerbiak is virtually impossible. Szczerbiak, because of the extension he signed this fall, has what is called a "poison pill" contract. Basically, for trade purposes, a player's contract is averaged over the life of his deal. That means that Szczerbiak's salary would be $9.42 million for trade purposes. However, the T-Wolves could only take back the salary he makes this season, $2.93 million. That $6.49 million disparity is an almost impossible number to make up.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Keith Van Horn

Sixers

Knicks

Magic Feb. 18 - The 76ers are still burning up the phone lines. The Keith Van Horn-for-Latrell Sprewell rumors continue to boil. The Knicks are looking for the Sixers to throw something else in the mix or take something off the Knicks' hands. The latest has the Knicks also asking for rookie John Salmons. That may be too high a price for the Sixers, who feel Salmons is their point guard of the future.

The latest permutation of the deal, according to the Newark Star Ledger, has the Sixers throwing in Greg Buckner and the the Knicks adding Othella Harrington.

ESPN's David Aldridge reported this weekend that the Sixers and Magic were talking about a Keith Van Horn-for-Grant Hill swap. However, Aldridge said that the deal was unlikely to go down due to insurance issues concerning Hill's contract.

The Hill-for-Van Horn rumors have been churning for several weeks. The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported the story in January. However, Magic GM John Gabriel told the Orlando Sentinel that there isn't any truth to the rumors. "I can see where people would think there would be an interest in Grant. But I don't know where that [the story] would come from. It doesn't make sense," Gabriel said.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Marcus Camby

Nuggets

Sonics?

Lakers?

Bulls? Feb. 18 - Is Marcus Camby back on the trading block? The New York Daily News reported today the Nuggets are still trying to shop him. But with just four games under his belt this season, is anyone interested? "He's missed most of the season with injuries and I'd like to see him play a little," GM Kiki Vandeweghe said.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Hakeem Olajuwon

Raptors

??? Feb. 18 - Raptors GM Glen Grunwald can't find anyone interested in Hakeem Olajuwon and his potential expiring contract. According to the Toronto Star, that may mean the Olajuwon will be waived and sent off into official retirement after the trade deadline passes.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Gary Payton

Sonics

Pacers

Blazers

Hawks

Bucks

T-Wolves

Warriors Feb. 17 - A source inside the Sonics told Insider this weekend that it's highly unlikely that the team will move point guard Gary Payton by the deadline. "We really haven't heard an offer that comes even close," the source said. While some inside the Sonics' front office have been pushing for the team to get something now in return for Payton before he bolts this summer, others think he isn't going anywhere.

"I think Gary wants to stay in Seattle, bottom line," the source told Insider. "We could probably work out some sort of trade with his cooperation, but he sounds like a guy who, when all is said and done, will retire here. I don't think that's a bad thing if we can make a few other moves to shore up our future."

Payton is in the final year of a seven-year deal and becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. Payton's agents made claims before the season about their unwillingness to re-sign with Seattle after overtures for a contract extension were denied. Even though team owner Howard Schultz has reiterated that he wants Payton to retire a Sonic, the writing on the wall is becoming clear in Seattle -- the Sonics aren't ready to compete right now for a championship. That means anyone not named Rashard Lewis and Desmond Mason is expendable.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Andre Miller

Clippers

just about everyone Feb. 17 - For those of you itching to get your hands on Andre Miller, Elton Brand, Lamar Odom or Corey Maggette . . . forget about it. Several NBA GMs told Insider over the past few days that the Clippers weren't doing anything.

"They're not having serious talks with anyone," one Eastern Conference GM told Insider. "They believe that come this summer, the market will allow them to re-sign most of their players for cheap. I don't think that is going to happen, but Donald [sterling] is always the optimist."

Still, some believe if anyone is traded by the deadline, it will be Miller. After putting up all-star-caliber numbers in Cleveland last season, he has just been awful since the New Year. Miller's ineffectivness, combined with the strong play of rookie Marko Jaric and third-year guard Dooling, continues to fuel speculation that Miller could be gone by the Feb. 20 trade deadline.

Several teams, including the Jazz and Nuggets plan on making a run at Miller this summer when he becomes a restricted free agent. Will a capped out team like the Knicks, Wizards or Magic try to beat them to the punch?

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Mike Miller

Magic

Grizzlies Feb. 17 - Jerry West admitted (sort of) this weekend that Orlando's Mike Miller was the apple of his eye."The right phone call," West told the Memphis Commercial Appeal, "could precipitate something we'd do. It's very evident that we'd like to do something to improve the quality of our team. Are we satisfied? No."

The deal West wants to get done? The same one Insider reported two weeks ago. Stromile Swift and Gordan Giricek for Mike Miller and Andrew DeClercq. The Grizzlies have been trying to pull off this trade, in one form or another, since the start of the summer. Just recently they added Giricek into the mix to sweeten the deal. West said the Magic still aren't budging.

"There's been nothing productive," West said. "I've had no fruitful [trade] discussions. I've talked to a number of teams. Some teams I've talked to several times." The problem, according to the Commercial Appeal, is a disagreement between GM John Gabriel (who isn't a Swift fan) and coach Doc Rivers (who's desperate for an athletic four who can block shots and rebound.)

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Pau Gasol

Grizzlies

Heat, Blazers, Pistons Feb. 17 - The Grizzlies have been quietly putting out word for the past few weeks that they're willing to part with Gasol. However, there's a catch. The team interested in Gasol must be willing to agree to a package deal that rids the Grizzlies of the long-term contracts of Lorenzen Wright and Jason Williams. Jerry West is tired of being hamstrung by the salary cap and is apparently ready to pay a big, big price to get some flexibility this year or the next.

There are really only threecandidates -- the Heat, Blazers and Pistons. If the Heat want to offer Alonzo Mourning, or if the Blazers want to give up Scottie Pippen, and their $20 million in expiring salaries, they can get Gasol and a host of the Grizzlies' bad contracts, including Lorenzen Wright, Jason Williams and Wesley Person's.

The Pistons may have a little more leverage, they own the Grizzlies first round pick this year as long as it's not the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. West reportedly wants it back. Given the number of expiring contracts the Pistons have this year, would a Clifford Robinson, Jon Barry, Don Reid, Pepe Sanchez and the Grizzlies first round pick for Gasol, Wright and Williams satisfy both teams?

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY

Drew Gooden

Grizzlies

Magic

Warriors Feb. 17 - Rumors of a Drew Gooden-for-Mike Dunleavy swap have been gaining momentum again. It's pretty clear, after a few months, that the Warriors have no room for Dunleavy. Gooden, on the other hand, would be a great fit in the post alongside Troy Murphy.