Interesting trade rumor in Raptorland: Chicago Bulls offering Jalen Rose & Donyell Marshall for Antonio Davis & Alvin Williams/Morris Peterson (+ more?).

The trade has been reported, but won't become official until Monday. AD & JYD didn't dress for tonight's game, where the offensively challenged Raptors scored only 26 first half points in a loss to the Heat.

Raptors get: Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall, Lonny Baxter

Bulls get: Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Chris Jeffries

Cavs and Celtics pull off a trade.

Cavs get: Tony Battie, Eric Williams, Kedrick Brown

Celtics get: Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart

On paper it seems to favor the Celtics, who get the only name player in the deal, Ricky Davis. But for the Cavs I think it may be addition by subtraction, allowing LeBron to have the spotlight entirely to himself.

Up to now, LeBron has been doing everything on the court just right--making sure Ricky Davis got his shots and playing well with others. Now, the Cavs are his team so he may have to step up & shoot a lot more!

~Adam

Knicks acquire Moochi Norris & John Amaechi for Clarence Weatherspoon.

This trade sounds very Isaiah-like, as he believes in the importance of the point guard. Knicks now have quantity in that postion with Moochie Norris, Charlie Ward, Howard Eisley and Frank Williams.

The classy John Amaechi, the "throw-in" on this deal, apparently will be released by the Knicks once the trade is formally completed, according to quotes attributed to Isiah Thomas....if this is the case then why include him in the deal in the first place? :confused: ....despite being healthy and on the active Houston roster all season, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy failed to play Amaechi EVEN ONE MINUTE since training camp ended, making John the only player on an active roster since opening day to fail to appear on the court.

As someone who has followed Amaechi's career both in the US and Europe (primarily via his website) for the past several years I have never heard or read a single negative word about him being a "problem" or "head case" with teammates or coaches, which raises further questions in my mind about Van Gundy's coaching decision to bury him DEEP in the Rockets doghouse -- not to mention the strange actions of Isiah, who I have NEVER liked and am certain will experience the same amount of success with the Knicks as Matt Millen (who I believe has a very similar personality and beliefs) has garnered since taking control of the Detroit Lions.

It has something to do with salary cap issues. The Sixers traded someone to Orlando just recently and Orlando did the same thing.

I'm not that up on financials, but aren't NBA contracts basically guaranteed? If that is the case, and you have to pay the guy, why not have him actually on the team? Or, if you waive the player, does it not count against the cap even though you are paying him?

A similar issue came up when Jason Williams (Nets) had that injury that ended his career. A big deal was made that he had just signed a huge contract, and that he would get all the money. At the time, much was made of the fact that had he been in the NFL, he would have lost all of that money. My understanding was that NFL contracts weren't guaranteed, but NBA and MLB contracts were, regardless of why you were released.

Similarly... does anyone know if 'Zo gets all of that money from his new Nets contract? There didn't seem to be any mention of this when his retirement was announced.

I would imagine big-name players have guaranteed contracts no matter what. Whether Mourning has a special clause because of his illness, I don't know.

As for other players, such as those filling in from the CBA, on a certain date each season if you're still on the roster you get paid for the entire season no matter what.

The way the salary cap works, in the NFL but particularly in the NBA, is ridiculous. There's a cap, but then there are all these exceptions and variations and such.

In the NBA sometimes teams are saddled with a player's contract long after the player is even playing. The Raptors, for example, had Hakeem Olajuwon counting against them for a couple of seasons despite the fact the he had essentially retired.

When Mourning left the game, I recall some commentator saying the Nets were unable to get insurance on him when they signed him & that the team itself would therefore be responsible for his salary, unable to recoup that money. I took that to mean Mourning gets paid.

~Adam

The Knicks and Suns have agreed to a huge trade, according to ESPN.com. Sure seems like a great deal for the Knicks if they can pull it off. The rumor is that the Suns may be trying to clear salary to try and lure Kobe Bryant, who will be a free agent next season.

For months I've been saying the Phoenix needed to make a trade. Despite star players (Marbury, Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion), the team was woefully underperfoming. They fired the coach, but even that didn't help (as it did in Orlando), leaving the team dead last in the Western Conference.

The trade should be an immediate boost for the Knicks, who get a star point guard without having to give up a starter. Marbury, Houston and Van Horn give them 3 scoring options, and they are rid of previous management's jinx: Antonio McDyess.

Phoenix seems to have thrown in the towel on this season. Dumping Marbury and Hardway's contracts (plus Antonio McDyess's expires this year), frees up big money for next year. Plus they get the Knick's first round draft picks (plus their own, presumably)... if it's a good draft, they could be laughing.

Portland trades Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person (acquired in the Bonzi Wells deal) for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and hottie Dan Dickau.

This seems to be a salary dump by Atlanta, as Abdur-Rahim and Ratliff are owed $49 mil. over the next 2 years, and Rasheed's $17 mil. contract expires at the end of this season.

I saw a quote from the Blazers' president that said the Blazers were getting "people of good character" in the trade. So that would make, what, three? wink

Isaiah is at it again: trading Keith Van Horn and acquiring Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed in a 3-way deal. Van Horn goes to Milwaukee; Michael Doleac and a 2nd round draft pick go to Atlanta.

Keith Van Horn is getting passed around more than a fruitcake at Christmas. Oddly enough, this is the second time Van Horn and Thomas have been trade for each other!

I had a feeling Van Horn was going next. Isaiah Thomas said he's trying to get the team more "athletic". I guess the two white guys weren't athletic enough for Isaiah. LOL.

Th balance of have shifted drastically with the Pistons acquiring Rasheed Wallace from the Hawks. No doubt Atlanta will retire Rash's number after his one game Hawk career! From ESPN.com:


This, along with the news of Ron Artest being out indefinitely after thumb surgery, makes the Pistons looking primed for a finals run. I know the Nets are on a great run, but I think this makes the Pistons the Beast of the Least(ern Conference).

Is it too early to order my Rasheed Wallace throwback Hawks jersey?? wink Since he never played a home game, it would have to be the away jersey..

~Adam

Hero to goat. That could be Isaiah Thomas. I think he has made one trade too many sending Keith Van Horn away. It's affected Marbury. The team offense has been woeful in 3 straight home games. This is why I hate those trade deadlines. It forces GM's to make unnecessary deals. The Knicks were not a great team with Van Horn and now they could be a worse team without him.