[/h3][h3]Smith won't deal his bigs?[/h3]
9:53AM ET
[h5]Orlando Magic [/h5]
Teams may have interest in Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass, but Magic general manager Otis Smith has no desire to trade them by the Feb. 18 deadline, especially with the offers he's been getting.
"Everyone needs a couple bigs, but what they're looking to give you back is not that much," Smith told the Orlando Sentinel. "And as I've said, I like our team. Our guys aren't 100 percent thrilled with their playing time, but they come to work every day."
"Sometimes, I think you have to let things settle as opposed to agitating them and move things around. We just haven't settled yet," Smith added. "So it's hard to say, 'Let's go out and do another move.'"
Both Gortat and Bass would have welcomed a trade so they could more time on the floor.
http://[h3]Amare's departure imminent?[/h3]
9:51AM ET
[h5]Amare Stoudemire | Suns [/h5]
ESPN.com's J.A. Adande spoke with Amare Stoudemire and Suns general manager Steve Kerr on Thursday and there is a sense that Stoudemire's days in Phoenix are coming to an end.
"I'm 50-50," Stoudemire said. "They've shopped me around for two maybe three years. It's not a great feeling to feel that way. I feel like the confidence in me is not quite there within them, for them to want to shop me around so much."
"Obviously with a player of Amare's caliber, an All-Star player, when the rumor mill starts it's tough to stop, because he's such a high-profile player," said Kerr. "Especially when a guy is a free agent at the end of the year, potentially. That's why you're going to see Amare and Chris Bosh in the news here the next few weeks. It's just business as usual. We always look at this as, 'How can we make our team better?' Re-signing Amare long-term, or any other option, whatever we do is going to be designed to make our team better."
http://[h3]Bosh rumors just rumors[/h3]
9:49AM ET
[h5]Chris Bosh | Raptors [/h5]
Chris Bosh trade rumors won't end for this season until the Feb. 18 deadline passes. The biggest one out there is Bosh for Andrew Bynum, however as far as the Raptors are concerned it's just a rumor.
"I've talked to Bryan Colangelo extensively and those rumors are just rumors," head coach Jay Triano told the Toronto Sun. "The rumors persist because of the quality of the names of guys who will be free agents at the end of the year. People love to speculate and when you can speculate about great names, it becomes more interesting."
According to the newspaper, insiders believe the Lakers started that Bosh-for-Bynum rumor to motivate Bynum.
Triano also tells the Toronto Star that he hopes the Raptors don't make a big trade.
"I don't want to see much changed," Triano said.
http://[h3]No untouchables on the 76ers?[/h3]
9:48AM ET
[h5]Philadelphia 76ers [/h5]
With rumors swirling about a possible deal that could see Andre Iguodala going to Houston for Tracy McGrady, 76ers president and general manager Ed Stefanski did not rule out anything.
"I won't talk about trades or rumors," Stefanski told The Philadelphia Inquirer Thursday. "I will say that we're very active in talking to teams throughout the league, and we're listening to any option to improve the basketball team. When I was in Jersey, and here, I don't think there are untouchables. ... Anyone can get traded in this league, and we've seen it over and over. But we don't trade a player unless we get value back, basketball-wise."
Yesterday Iguodala didn't appear to be fazed by the rumors.
"You get asked about it by family and friends," he said. 'What's going on?' 'What can happen?' There are a lot of different scenarios that can come up, and 95 percent of them are just rumors. I think the most important thing is, wherever you are at that moment in time, you'd better give 100 percent of your time and focus on the job you have."
http://[h3]Arenas untradeable right now?[/h3]
9:46AM ET
[h5]Gilbert Arenas | Wizards [/h5]
A source tells The Washington Post that the Wizards looked into trading Gilbert Arenas before the guns incident, but moving him has become very difficult.
"Realistically, it would be impossible to trade for him right now," a league executive said. "No team is going to trade for him not knowing what his future is."
http://[h3]Extension off the table for Butler[/h3]
9:45AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler | Wizards [/h5]
A source told The Journal Times a month ago that the Wizards were working on an extension for Caron Butler, but that is off the table now after Gun-Gate.
The team now is willing to trade anyone on the roster, including Butler.
http://[h3]Stoudemire and the Bulls[/h3]
9:37AM ET
[h5]Chicago Bulls [/h5]
The Chicago Bulls are on the list of teams that seem to have interest in Amare Stoudemire, whether it's via a trade now or in free agency this summer.
Several NBA officials tell The Journal Times that the Bulls would be willing to put together a package that would include Tyrus Thomas and possibly Kirk Hinrich or Brad Miller for Stoudemire.
http://[h3]Redick wants to re-sign with Orlando[/h3]
9:15AM ET
[h5]J.J. Redick | Magic [/h5]
J.J. Redick will be a restricted free agent after the season and he said Thursday that he wants to re-sign with the Orlando Magic this summer.
"I'd love to stay here," Redick told the Orlando Sentinel. "This is where my home is. I'm comfortable with the city. I'm comfortable in Florida. I'm comfortable with the organization. I love the team and I love my teammates and the coaching staff."
http://[h3]Dooling desires to stay with Nets[/h3]
9:03AM ET
[h5]Keyon Dooling | Nets [/h5]
The http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=njnNew Jersey Nets may have the most cap room this summer to spend on free agents. Keyon Dooling's contract will factor into that because it's only partially guaranteed. Dooling knows he could be released or traded, but his desire is to be part of the Nets turnaround.
"I hope I'm around for the turnaround," Dooling told The Star-Ledger. "Because I think next year is going to be a lot brighter than this year. I hope they don't clean house entirely."
"Imagine the possibilities, with all the free agents out there, combining it with the pieces we have?" he added. "Most teams with our kind of record need wholesale changes. We can improve in the draft, improve in the free agent market, and improve from within. We do those things, we can be really good next year. And I want to be around for it."
http://[h3]Daniels getting close?[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Marquis Daniels | Celtics [/h5]
The Celtics had initially set a target date for just after All-Star Weekend for Marquis Daniels to return to game action. That might be moved up a bit if his left thumb is feeling good enough.
"He's getting close, so that's a good sign," head coach Doc Rivers told the Boston Herald. "If we can get the New Orleans game in, that would be terrific. That would give him a game before All-Star break to try to get his legs and get some type of rhythm, then come out of All-Star break and we've got our whole team intact for the first time this year."
http://[h3]Hawes not giving up on himself[/h3]
7:26AM ET
[h5]Spencer Hawes | Kings [/h5]
Spencer Hawes might be having a poor season and fans, media, scouts and team personnel may have written him off, but Hawes has not given up on himself.
"There's no way of slicing it -- it hasn't been easy," Hawes tells The Sacramento Bee. "(But) I think I'm as motivated as I've ever been.
"There's so much more to be excited about from a team standpoint this year in terms of direction and style of play and the guys we have in here and the coaching staff. For me, also, it's a big year in terms of going in and being able next summer to start talking about a new contract."
http://[h3]Wizards won't get value?[/h3]
5:07AM ET
[h5]Washington Wizards [/h5]
Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and Mike Miller are players that are wanted around the league. Unfortunately for the Wizards, they probably won't get maximum value for any of them in a trade and are considering salary cap relief, young players and/or draft picks in return for them.
"I'd use my assets to get off salary and try to restructure the whole thing," a Western Conference general manager told The Washington Post. "It didn't work. Push the reset button and try to create as much room as possible."
The team now is willing to trade anyone on the roster, including Butler.
trade artest, sasha, amo, farmar for mike miller, caron and a piece of candy
do it mitch
Over the past couple of weeks, we've looked at more than 30 players who could be traded before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.
For players like Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, the trade talk continues to heat up. For others, like Portland Trail Blazers point guard Andre Miller, the talk has died down; in Miller's case, GM Kevin Pritchard declared recently that the team doesn't want to trade him.
[h4]TRADE OF THE WEEK[/h4]
• Trade Machine: Propose a deal
This week we adjust our gaze to another question: Which teams are most likely to make a deal before the deadline?
Someteams are looking for the missing piece. Others are throwing in thetowel and looking to rebuild. And for a few others, the trade deadlineis an opportunity to save some serious cash.
Here's a look at the 10 teams most likely to deal:
[h3]The contenders[/h3] One piece away from a championship?
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are sporting the best record in the league and have swept theWestern Conference favorites, the Lakers, 2-0. But after last year'splayoff collapse, you can be sure GM Danny Ferry will take everyprecaution. And Cleveland has another big reason to make a deal: LeBron James can be a free agent this summer, and the Cavs want to do everything in their power to persuade him to stay long term.
The Cavs have some good assets, including Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaquille O'Neal, whose contracts are expiring, and the semi-retired Wally Szczerbiak, a sign-and-trade candidate. They also have a young player, J.J. Hickson, in whom some teams have shown interest. Plus, the Cavs would be willing to give up this year's first-round pick.
Butthose assets are of value primarily to teams trying to clear cap room.Hickson and a late first-round pick alone won't net a star.
As trade targets, the Cavs have been concentrating mostly on 4s who can spread the floor. The Wizards' Antawn Jamison and the Pacers' Troy Murphyare reportedly at the top of their list. While both the Wizards andPacers have some financial reasons to make a deal with Cleveland, bothteams are seeing whether they can get something more from another team.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers, like the Cavs, are perched atop their conference at themoment, and they are favored to win a second straight NBA title. So whywould they mess with a good thing?
Thereis a growing fear in L.A. that the point guard position has become areal problem. Starter Derek Fisher looks as though he's run out of gas,and reserve Jordan Farmar, while decent, is hardly world-class. If the Lakers can acquire even an average point guard, they may have to do it.
They, too, have assets for a team that needs to save money. Both Fisher and Adam Morrison come off the books this summer, for a total of more than $10 million in expiring contracts.
The three big names mentioned in connection to Los Angeles have been Devin Harris, Andre Miller and Kirk Hinrich.The Nets want more than expiring contracts for Harris, so I thinkthey're out. The Blazers aren't eager to move Miller, especially downthe coast to a Western Conference rival. That leaves the Bulls, whowant to get further under the salary cap to make a run at two freeagents this summer. Hinrich has been solid in a backup role for theBulls, but he's expendable. While the Lakers would have to commit tothe remainder of Hinrich's contract, it's a deal that makes a lot ofsense for both sides.
Orlando Magic
The Magic were a preseason pick of many, including me, to make it to the Eastern Conference finals and perhaps beyond. Vince Carter was supposed to be an upgrade over Hedo Turkoglu. The addition of Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson was supposed to give them depth inside. And a healthy Jameer Nelson was going to put them over the top.
Ithasn't happened yet. The Magic have been shaky, playing roughly .500ball for the past couple of months. Several GMs have told ESPN that theMagic have been aggressive in their efforts to shake up the roster andregain their swagger.
They have a number of assets. They could find takers for several of their reserve bigs, including Marcin Gortat and Bass. Rashard Lewiswould also garner interest if he were available. And while they wouldbe interested in moving Carter, sources around the league say that themarket for VC is lukewarm at best.
Dallas Mavericks
Mavs owner Mark Cuban has always broken the bank to put a quality teamon the floor. This year's Mavs, for instance, have the third-bestrecord in the West and the league's second-highest payroll.
So, despite what he's already spending, Cuban will try to add another piece to put them over the top. Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry aren't getting younger. The Mavs need to win now.
The team has a number of unusual and intriguing assets. Josh Howard is a valuable player, and his contract isn't guaranteed for next season. Likewise, a team can trade for starting center Erick Dampierand decide whether to pay him in 2010-11. Between Howard and Dampier,any team (Mavs included) could get about $24 million off the books fornext season.
But the Mavs don't have the kind of young talent ordraft picks normally needed to sweeten such trades. Because of the Kiddtrade, the Nets own the Mavericks' first-round pick this year.Therefore, given NBA rules, the next first-round pick they can trade istheir 2012 pick, which doesn't have much value now.
What do the Mavs want? According to the rumblings out there, they are looking for an athletic wing like Philly's Andre Iguodala or the Kings' Kevin Martin. Or they'll save their assets to make a move this summer.
[h3]Playing the lottery[/h3] Looking to next season
Washington Wizards
The Wizards as we knew them appear to be history. Before the season,many of us had them pegged as a potential playoff team. But all of thatwas on the assumption that the team would have Gilbert Arenasfor the season. Now that Arenas has been suspended for the rest of theseason and with his future appearing very shaky, the word is thatWashington is contemplating a fire sale.
The Wizards will explorethe market for Arenas, of course, but, with four more seasons remainingon a huge contract, he's going to be very difficult to move.
And we've all heard the rampant trade talk about Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, whose contract is expiring. Basically no one is safe on the roster at the moment.
Rightnow, it's not clear exactly how the Wizards want to play this. Willthey insist on getting talent back for players like Jamison and Butler,or are they willing to settle for immediate cap relief? If the latter,the chances that the Wizards are active between now and Feb. 18 arevery, very high.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers thought that if everyone stayed healthy this season, theymight have a shot at the playoffs. But the team has been adisappointment. While injuries have played a major part in theirstruggles, there are other problems. T.J. Ford has been awful, second-year guard Brandon Rush has struggled, and Mike Dunleavy has been slow to return to form.
With so many teams interested in both Murphy and big man Jeff Foster, it looks as though the Pacers are primed to make a move that could set them back in the short term and help in the long term.
Thequestion is, what do Pacers execs Larry Bird and David Morway want inreturn? If they want cap space, there are plenty of willing suitors. Ifthey want more -- and that would be understandable given their dearthof talent -- it may be harder to find the perfect combination.
Whateverthey choose, the Pacers' best play appears to be forgetting about thisseason and looking to the future, even if it means more losses now. Thedraft might be their quickest route to getting an elite talent, such asJohn Wall or another high lottery pick, to play alongside Danny Granger.
Detroit Pistons
After Detroit's disappointing 2008-09 season, Pistons GM Joe Dumarsknew that the days of his team making the Eastern Conference finalsevery year were over. But he didn't expect this.
The Pistons, fresh off spending a boatload of money this summer on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, have been awful. Injuries have played a significant role, but the Pistons' pain goes deeper.
Detroit,known for its gritty defense for most of the past three decades, hasbecome a team interested more in outscoring teams than in stoppingthem. The talent is also unbalanced, with a loaded backcourt and adesperate need for big men who can guard elite bigs and command adouble-team in the post.
Moving Richard Hamiltonwould be ideal, but there's probably no way the Pistons can trade hiscontract right now, especially with Hamilton still trying to get backto full strength. So Tayshaun Prince has become the primary bait. But I'm willing to bet everyone but Rodney Stuckey is available -- and even Stuckey might be had at the right price.
Dumarswill be patient as his team returns to health, but ultimately he wantsto get the team back into championship contention. His current rosterappears to have a ceiling no higher than fifth-best in the East. So Ithink Dumars will do what it takes to put a stop to the slide.
[h3]The tax man cometh[/h3] A penny saved is more than a penny earned
Utah Jazz
Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor continues to insist that the Jazz are interestedin making only basketball moves, not cap-related moves. Still, the Jazzcould save millions of dollars by moving Carlos Boozer (or another highly paid player) and getting under the luxury-tax line.
Whilethe Jazz have made cost-saving moves in the past, O'Connor seems tohave more swagger this year. But will things change as we get closer tothe trade deadline? Knowing O'Connor, I doubt it. Ultimately, though,that might be ownership's decision.
Philadelphia 76ers
It sounds as if the Sixers are very motivated to make a deal that givesthem salary relief right now. They've been dangling Iguodala, once thecornerstone of the franchise, to any team willing to take Samuel Dalembert, too.
Cleveland,Dallas and Houston have been mentioned as possible suitors. WhileIguodala might be a little overpaid (and Dalembert is way overpaid),both players could help a team. Given that, I have to believePhiladelphia is going to find a way to make this happen.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have been stiff-arming all trade rumors and declaring thatthey like the young guys they have and just want to be patient and letthem develop together.
Atthe same time, general manager Larry Riley recently said, "We're in asituation where we need to look very strongly at change." And the windsmight be shifting for another reason: If owner Chris Cohan isinterested in selling the team, as reports have suggested, then asalary dump becomes more likely.
That may be why Monta Ellis and Corey Maggette, despite having strong seasons, are appearing more and more in trade talk. And if names like Anthony Randolph and Stephen Curry start coming up in trade discussions, you'll know that the Warriors are contemplating big changes.
Originally Posted by DLo13
If ATL wins tonight and tomorrow, Mike Woodson coaches in an All-Star game.
