NBA Rumors

[cmove]

NBA RUMORS FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 31

"A rumor floating through NBA circles has the Warriors interested in acquiring Portland power forward Rasheed Wallace for point guard Nick Van Exel and center Erick Dampier. Warriors President Robert Rowell refused to comment on the issue. But he suggested it is misleading to single out one team the Warriors might be talking with or one player the Warriors might be talking about because the Warriors are ``talking to just about every team.'' The trading deadline is Feb. 19." San Jose Mercury News

"Dennis Rodman made a pitch to join the Knicks yesterdaysaying, "I could play for Isiah," on Howard Stern's radio show. Rodman says four teams are interested in him; the Knicks claim they are not one of them." NY Daily News

"Preliminary talks between the Knicks and Kurt Thomas regarding a contract extension for the veteran power forward have stalled before really getting started. "We've had discussions but they haven't been very fruitful," said Thomas' agent, Jerry Hicks. "The fact that they've expressed interest in doing something with Kurt, we interpret that to be a positive, but nothing has happened." Thomas, who had six points and eight boards last night against Boston, can exercise a buyout clause in his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent. But until the Feb. 19 trading deadline passes, he is a prime candidate to be traded, possibly to Portland in a deal for Rasheed Wallace." NY Daily News

"With Allan Houston out indefinitely with sore knees, it is unclear if Isiah Thomas would make a run at Van Exel, who can play either guard position. Thomas would like to make the Knicks more athletic along the front line, which is why he is after Wallace. A trade for Van Exel also would have to include Kurt Thomas. If Thomas is still around after Feb.19, the Knicks would want to re-sign him but they also run the risk of alienating someone who has a history of doing the unexpected." NY Daily News

"The Bruno Sundov experiment is over. Two sources said the Knicks won't re-sign the 7-foot-2 Croatian center after his 10-day contract expires today, and that he'll play in the CBA with Gary (Ind.) Knicks want roster spot to activate Michael Sweetney, possibly to showcase him with the Feb. 19 trade deadline approaching. They may bring Sundov back after deadline." NY Post

"When Antonio McDyess strolls the Garden hallways tonight, he will give the cold shoulder to Isiah Thomas. "He never said anything to me when I was there, so what do I have to say to him now?" the former Knick, now an injury-listed Sun, told The Post yesterday. "I'm happy to be out of that situation. I was feeling uncomfortable." NY Post

"During that interview, McDyess has been told the Suns' deal was virtually done, completed during the Nets' game. McDyess left the Garden without Thomas saying boo. "Instead he wakes me up with a phone call at 8 a.m.," McDyess said. "He's sneaky." "He doesn't want anything that Scott had," McDyess added. "I still feel that way for other players on that team. Isiah wants to clean it all up."NY Post

"Unlike many disgruntled NBA players who are unhappy with their playing time, Bulls forward Marcus Fizer will not campaign to be traded. Fizer considers it unprofessional to make such a request publicly, so he's letting agent Henry Thomas discuss trade scenarios with Bulls operations chief John Paxson. One possibility was trading Fizer, 25, to the Los Angeles Clippers for Melvin Ely and Marko Jaric as the Clippers try to clear salary-cap space to pursue Kobe Bryant this summer. Fizer's contract expires after this season, making him a restricted free agent. But general managers are hesitant to acquire someone who can't land regular playing time on one of the worst teams in the league, which is why there has been minimal interest in Fizer." Chicago Sun-Times

"Bryant said he was moving boxes, despite his sore shoulder, at about 7 p.m. Thursday when he placed his shooting hand on a window in his garage and tried to use it as leverage. He said the glass shattered and sliced the finger. After some consideration over an unspecified period of time, Bryant said he went to a doctor, who told him he'd done no tendon or nerve damage. The doctor stitched the wound and wrapped the finger in tape and gauze, which is how Bryant arrived Friday morning for the Laker shoot-around, and how the Lakers learned of his injury, 15 hours later. "My first reaction was ? to put a Band-Aid on it and go to sleep, check it out tomorrow morning," Bryant said. "I opted not to do that. "I got lucky. I missed the tendon, so I'm good." LA Times

"When all is right in Lakerland, the sound you hear is the refrigerator door closing, not the garage window breaking. That isn't the case this jinxed season. Bad news doesn't even bother General Manager Mitch Kupchak anymore, not after the steady dose he has received this season. He took the call Friday morning, didn't even notice a change in his blood pressure and started to look for a replacement. The Lakers will bring in Maurice Carter on a 10-day contract." LA Times

"The Magic, trying to fill Shaquille O'Neal's size 22 sneakers since he left in 1996, have been teased and tortured by Hunter's promise for too long. They've run out of patience. And Hunter may need a change of scenery -- perhaps catching on with the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, who begin play next season. Of course, he always could be included in a trade by the Feb. 19 deadline." Orlando Sentinel

"The agent for Seattle SuperSonics center Jerome James said it still is too early to determine if his client will opt out of the final year of his contract this summer. However, Marc Fleisher said, if James continues to get indications he is not a part of the Sonics' future, it is likely he will become a free agent in June. James, 28, signed a three-year, $15 million contract in the summer of 2002, but the final year of the contract is at James' option." Tacoma News Tribune

"Marc Jackson said that he hopes to be back in action after the Feb. 15 NBA All-Star Game, and his return can't come soon enough for a 76ers team that is awfully thin in the frontcourt. "I think after the all-star break is realistic," Jackson said before last night's game with the New Orleans Hornets. "It has been unbelievably tough sitting out, but I try to stay positive, knowing I will be returning soon." Philadelphia Inquirer

"Nets forward Eddie Griffin is preparing to enter the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., where he plans to spend the next six weeks being treated for alcohol abuse, said his lawyer, Rusty Hardin. Hardin met with Harris County (Tex.) Judge Mike Anderson on Friday and was told that Griffin could have inpatient treatment even though he is still under several court restrictions, including a curfew." NY Times

"Walter McCarty has kept his tongue in check in the wake of Jim O'Brien's resignation, but last night he made himself clear. Waltah doesn't love what's going on with the Celtics in general and O'Brien's departure in particular. ``I haven't talked about it until now,'' McCarty said before going for five points in the Celtics' 92-74 loss to the Knicks last night. ``But it's obvious I didn't feel real good about the situation. I'm very frustrated, but like I said, we have a job we have to do." Boston Herald

"Karl Malone vowed earlier this week to "make the Jazz pay" for making fun of him and Kobe Bryant with a phone-call parody during the Jazz's loss to the Lakers last Saturday in the Delta Center. The Jazz started paying Friday, when the NBA fined the franchise $15,000 for the skit. Coach Jerry Sloan worries that his players will pay even more once Malone takes the floor against the team he played with for 18 seasons." Salt Lake Tribune

"The window opens tonight for the possibility of Bulls forward Tyson Chandler returning to game action, but Chandler's actual return may be a few days off.Chandler's bad lower back, which put him on the shelf Nov. 25, appears sound, but he still is working on his conditioning as well as trying to learn the system of Scott Skiles, who took over as head coach on Nov. 28. The Bulls visit Portland tonight. ''I plan on playing,'' Chandler said Friday before the Bulls took on the Golden State Warriors. ''We'll see how things are going. I feel like every day I'm getting better.'' Chicago Sun-Times

KOBE BRYANT CASE

"Kobe Bryant's defense team will not have access to a contested single line of notes written by a sexual-assault victim's advocate under a ruling issued Friday. Chief Judge Terry Ruckriegle ruled the notes, apparently referring to the mannerisms of the accuser in making statements to investigators, fall under the secrecy provisions of victim-advocate privilege. "It is clear ... that these notes were a record made in conjunction with the work the advocate is doing with the victim," Ruckriegle wrote in his ruling issued in advance of a two-day pre-trial hearing that begins Monday. The ruling ends several rounds of arguments over the notes." Denver Post

[mattmatik]

The move for Rasheed might not be bad now. Van Exel has played like crap, and Speedy Claxton more than makes up for the slack. Unfortunately, Erick Dampier is having a career year, finally, and it would be a shame to get rid of him. The only problem I see is the Warriors will be extremely thin at the point guard spot. After Claxton, there is only Avery Johnson.

Of course, the Warriors have never been known as a team to go out and get a really good player, so I doubt this will go down. I expect they will trade Van Exel for some more waste of space on the bench :sleep:

[....]

Good Stuff! Thanks for the info!

[Wannes]

So much to read. :no: Good stuff though. (Y)

[Greenstein]

Rodman's team was in Kansas City on Friday night playing the Kansas City Knights. The game was sold out and 2 mins before the game started, they said that Rodman didn't make the trip. Not a lot of happy fans here in KC as many paid good money for tickets/parking and there was a news report earlier that day that he would be there.

What a waste of money to see that game, I left at halftime as did many people.