Insider on the possible trade

[jeddelong]

It appears from this article that the Hawks ended up with the prize that everyone wanted. Having said that, Ford certainly sounds like the deal is probably not going to happen. I am betting we get outbid or someone gets cold feet....

Brandon key to reported blockbuster deal

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

Send an Email to Chad Ford Wednesday, July 23

Updated: July 23

11:14 AM ET

How ironic is this picture? In the midst of all of the press conferences where newly signed free agents sit, crisp new jersey's in hand, talking about chemistry, championship banners and being a (insert team name here) for life -- the yin to the NBA's yang is finally starting to catch up.

Latrell Sprewell

Guard-Forward

New York Knicks

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

74 16.4 3.9 4.5 .403 .794

Remember when Glenn Robinson was going to be the guy who solved all of the Hawks' problems? Or how Keith Van Horn was misunderstood in New Jersey and had finally found a home in Philly? Or how T-Wolves vice president Kevin McHale once claimed he'd never have eyes for Latrell Sprewell?

For every happy marriage being consummated in the NBA, there's a messy divorce lurking in the shadows.

It didn't take long for the messy details to begin to spill in after ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucher reported that the T-Wolves, Knicks and Sixers had agreed to a trade Tuesday night.

There were denials, finger pointing and a whole cast of other unsavory characters trying to get in on the real trade trophy of this offseason -- Terrell Brandon.

Brandon is expected to retire in February, meaning that his $11.1 million salary this season will come off the books. That's a huge potential savings to a team like the Hawks, who are desperately trying to get below the luxury-tax threshold. The Heat and Pacers were also interested in Brandon.

Glenn Robinson

Small Forward

Atlanta Hawks

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

69 20.8 6.6 3.0 .432 .876

Bucher reported that the the Knicks would send Spree to the T-Wolves, the T-Wolves would send Brandon to the Hawks, the Hawks would send Robinson to the Sixers and the Sixers would send Van Horn to the Knicks.

The deal as reported doesn't conform to NBA collective bargaining agreement guidelines that stipulate that the salaries of players involved have to be within 15 percent plus $100,000 of each other. The problem is that the Wolves are sending out only $11.1 million but have to take back Spree's $13.5 salary in return.

However, various other reports have Minnesota adding center Marc Jackson to equation. If Jackson goes to Philly, the salaries should all fit.

Keith Van Horn

Forward

Philadelphia 76ers

Profile

2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%

74 15.9 7.1 1.3 .482 .804

As of late Tuesday night, though, everything seemed in flux. The New York Daily News, citing a person close to Knicks president Scott Layden, reported that the four-team trade was off but that the Knicks and Sixers were committed to getting a deal done. The Philadelphia Daily News reported that the T-Wolves had already heard from other teams trying to sweeten the deal for Brandon. Several reports had the Pacers trying to stay in the picture for Brandon. They must find a way to clear enough cap to make room for free agent Brad Miller. And the Newark Star Ledger is reporting that the Knicks may also send Kurt Thomas to the Kings for Keon Clark.

Got all that? It appears that the silly season in the NBA is back.

None of the involved parties seemed to be willing to discuss the trade. Four-team trades are highly volatile and chances of things falling apart always appear to be high.

"I can't really say anything," Wolves owner Glen Taylor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "We haven't done a trade."

"It's premature," Hawks GM Billy Knight told the Atlanta Constitution Journal. "We are talking about a deal, but no deal is a done deal until the deal is done."

"Nothing is planned," a Knicks source told Newsday. "It hasn't been agreed to. A lot of things are proposed."

If the deal does go through today as reported, it will put the Spree trade watch on hiatus for the first time in years. Spree has already been traded in the media a dozen times and, implausibly, seems to pop up in almost every trade scenario to rumored out there.

What we do know for sure is that the Knicks are serious about trading Spree and they're dead set on taking Van Horn in return. Knicks head coach Don Chaney likes Van Horn because of his shooting range and offensive rebounding. But most importantly he has size. Spree (at 6-foot-5) has been playing out of position in New York for years. Numerous reports claimed that the Sixers and Knicks are committed to working out a trade, even if the four-team trade falls through.

The Spurs also had reported interest in Spree and there were several reports Tuesday night (denied by Mark Cuban in e-mail) that had the Mavs also interested in getting into the Spree fray.

What is less clear is why the Sixers would be willing to take back Robinson in return for Van Horn. Robinson does have one less year on his contract, but after that the return is negligible. Robinson is a terrible defender, has struggled to fit in with his teammates in Milwaukee and Atlanta, and doesn't address the team's biggest need -- center. Adding Jackson (who played his collegiate ball at Temple) will help.

A better deal for Philly might be to ship Van Horn to New York for a combination of Kurt Thomas and Charlie Ward. Ward has only $2 million in salary protection for this year, meaning that the Sixers could immediately clear $4 million in cap room. Thomas is the type of low-post bruiser the team needs. The Knicks could then turn around and ship Spree to Minnesota for Brandon and Jackson. That move would give the Knicks another big body and it would clear $11.1 million off the books next year.