Knicks in position to compete in East
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford
Monday, February 16
LOS ANGELES -- Maybe Isiah Thomas knows what he's doing, after all.
Sunday's trade that shipped Keith Van Horn to the Bucks and Michael Doleac to the Hawks for Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed should put the Knicks in a position to seriously compete in the East.
After taking over what appeared to be one of the worst jumbles of mismatched talent and excessive contracts in the NBA, Isiah has, in the course of two months, made three trades and replaced nine players on the Knicks roster.
The resulting makeover would make the Fab Five proud. Call it hip eye for the queer team.
Chances are he's not done. Rumors swirled here at All-Star Weekend that Isiah was considering swapping Shandon Anderson for Ruben Patterson. He also is shopping Othella Harrington, Frank Williams and Michael Sweetney, hard.
Scott Layden must be getting tired just keeping up with the transaction reports.
After casting a skeptical eye at Isiah's hire and his first two trades, it's pretty tough not to be impressed.
Thomas and Mohammed aren't the players that Stephon Marbury or even Penny Hardaway are, but they're the perfect complement to a backcourt of Marbury, Hardaway and Allan Houston and the blue-collar frontcourt of Kurt Thomas and Dikembe Mutombo.
After pulling off the Marbury miracle, the main critique was that Isiah had boxed himself in. He used up his expiring contracts and draft picks to land Marbury -- but was it enough?
The answer, of course, was no. But with Tim Thomas and Mohammed, the Knicks suddenly appear to have the pieces they need to compete in the East.
Thomas is far from a superstar, but as a fourth option, he's the perfect fit on the Knicks. He's young (he turns 27 in 10 days), tall and athletic. He can run the floor and has turned himself into a decent defender the past year. He'll never average 20 points or 10 boards a game, but on the squad the Knicks have assembled, he doesn't have to. Mohammed is another big body -- something the team needs as Mutombo nears his 80th birthday.
Here's the other thing about the three trades Isiah has made. Each one also has been pretty good for the other team making the trade. Not sure how that's possible, given the Knicks' current roster, but it's true.
The Moochie Norris for Clarence Weatherspoon trade was a wash. The Marbury trade gave the Suns the ability to get far enough under the cap to make a run at a top free agent along with two top young international prospects and an extra draft pick. It's tough to argue with the Suns' decision to pull the trigger.
This latest trade also works for the Bucks and the Hawks. Milwaukee is one of the surprise stories of the first half, but it needed another guy to pick up some of the scoring load. Van Horn is having a good season and is capable of averaging 20 and 8 on the Bucks, which is a nice upgrade over the 14 and 5 that Thomas provided. The move also allows them to reinsert Desmond Mason into the starting five and move Van Horn to the four. The Bucks also shave roughly $14 million off their cap for the summer of 2005, giving them around $25 million in cap room to play with that season.
While Van Horn isn't the defender Thomas is, he's a better scorer, and his offensive rebounding should make the Bucks an even tougher match-up in the second half.
The Hawks' interest is in getting cap room. By swapping Mohammed for Doleac and Joel Przybilla, the team will clear another $5 million next summer. That should put them second to only the Jazz, with roughly $20 million in cap space to make a run at some top free agents. While it's highly doubtful the Hawks have enough juice to lure Kobe Bryant, don't be surprised to see them make a major run at a guy like Kenyon Martin this summer.
Around the league
GMs were busy here in Los Angeles. Only one trade was actually finalized here, but several others are in the works. It appears that many GMs, especially in the East, are now feeling pressure to respond to Thomas' moves. The Knicks are now a force to be reckoned with and a few teams are going to have to get their act together if they're going to keep up. Here's the buzz from L.A. over the weekend.
Rasheed Wallace
Small Forward
Atlanta Hawks
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM
PPG
RPG
APG
FG%
FT%
45
17.0
6.6
2.5
.442
.742
One more theory why the Knicks traded Van Horn is worth investigating. Two sources at the All-Star Game Sunday night told Insider it was also a move to clear the way for Rasheed Wallace this summer. According to the sources, the Knicks are far and away Wallace's desired final destination -- even if he has to take the five million mid-level exception to get there. The Knicks will try to work out a sign and trade with Atlanta this summer, but if that falls through . . . expect Wallace to become the final piece of Thomas' puzzle anyway this summer.
Pistons GM Joe Dumars may be the most motivated GM left to make a deal. The Pistons have to clear around four to five million in cap space to have enough room to re-sign restricted free agent Mehmet Okur this summer. There were numerous theories flying around L.A. speculating what Dumars would do.
The three most popular had him moving Corliss Williamson to Chicago for Marcus Fizer and Kendall Gill; trading Williamson to Boston for Chris Mills and a Pistons' first-rounder; and Chucky Atkins to Orlando for Tyronn Lue and Gordan Giricek. Of the three, you've got to believe that the Orlando scenario is the most attractive to Detroit.
Ronald Murray
Shooting Guard
Seattle SuperSonics
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM
PPG
RPG
APG
FG%
FT%
52
13.2
2.4
2.4
.409
.687
The Sonics were happy to see that Ronald Murray could still drop 20 points in game -- albeit in the defenseless NBA Rookie Challenge. It appears that the team is now serious about making a move using Murray as the bait. With Ray Allen the permanent fixture at the two and Antonio Daniels and Luke Ridnour the future at the point -- Murray is expendable and he's got a ton of trade value. The same holds true for Yugoslavian Vladimir Radmanovic, who never has appeared to play up to his potential in Seattle. The team already tried to package the two, along with one of their struggling centers and the expiring contract of Brent Barry to Atlanta.
The Hawks decided to make a deal with the Blazers instead. That may be a mistake in the long run if the Hawks can't turn their $20 million in cap room into a real free agent. The Sonics obviously want a big in return. Is anyone else willing to play let's make a deal? The Mavs would do something in a heartbeat, but the Sonics are reluctant to take back either Antoine Walker or Antawn Jamison -- both of whom (especially Walker) were being shopped hard by the Mavs over the weekend.
There's so much talk about an Aaron McKie-for-Jerome Williams swap, and it looks like it's bound to happen. Williams' critical comments toward his teammates, even though justified, probably sealed the deal in Chicago. Not sure how it helps either team in the long run, but the truth is that both sides are looking for anything to shake things up.
There was also a little draft buzz in the air here in L.A. when 18-year-old Latvian 7-footer Andris Biedrins showed up at the All-Star Game with his family and NBA agent Bill Duffy. Biedrins, who many scouts compare to a taller version of Andrei Kirilenko, is the subject of an intense recruiting war among several of the top international agents. Many scouts believe he's a lock for the top 10 if he enters the draft this year. Biedrins got the royal treatment, including tickets for his entire family and a pass to the NBPA party featuring Snoop Dog on Saturday.
Insider ran into Biedrins at the party and then into his family at the game Sunday night. All of them looked completely overwhelmed by the intensity of All-Star Weekend. The word from the family is that Biedrins wants to be in this year's draft, though his mother told me she's concerned he's a little too young to "live this life."
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford
Monday, February 16
LOS ANGELES -- Maybe Isiah Thomas knows what he's doing, after all.
Sunday's trade that shipped Keith Van Horn to the Bucks and Michael Doleac to the Hawks for Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed should put the Knicks in a position to seriously compete in the East.
After taking over what appeared to be one of the worst jumbles of mismatched talent and excessive contracts in the NBA, Isiah has, in the course of two months, made three trades and replaced nine players on the Knicks roster.
The resulting makeover would make the Fab Five proud. Call it hip eye for the queer team.
Chances are he's not done. Rumors swirled here at All-Star Weekend that Isiah was considering swapping Shandon Anderson for Ruben Patterson. He also is shopping Othella Harrington, Frank Williams and Michael Sweetney, hard.
Scott Layden must be getting tired just keeping up with the transaction reports.
After casting a skeptical eye at Isiah's hire and his first two trades, it's pretty tough not to be impressed.
Thomas and Mohammed aren't the players that Stephon Marbury or even Penny Hardaway are, but they're the perfect complement to a backcourt of Marbury, Hardaway and Allan Houston and the blue-collar frontcourt of Kurt Thomas and Dikembe Mutombo.
After pulling off the Marbury miracle, the main critique was that Isiah had boxed himself in. He used up his expiring contracts and draft picks to land Marbury -- but was it enough?
The answer, of course, was no. But with Tim Thomas and Mohammed, the Knicks suddenly appear to have the pieces they need to compete in the East.
Thomas is far from a superstar, but as a fourth option, he's the perfect fit on the Knicks. He's young (he turns 27 in 10 days), tall and athletic. He can run the floor and has turned himself into a decent defender the past year. He'll never average 20 points or 10 boards a game, but on the squad the Knicks have assembled, he doesn't have to. Mohammed is another big body -- something the team needs as Mutombo nears his 80th birthday.
Here's the other thing about the three trades Isiah has made. Each one also has been pretty good for the other team making the trade. Not sure how that's possible, given the Knicks' current roster, but it's true.
The Moochie Norris for Clarence Weatherspoon trade was a wash. The Marbury trade gave the Suns the ability to get far enough under the cap to make a run at a top free agent along with two top young international prospects and an extra draft pick. It's tough to argue with the Suns' decision to pull the trigger.
This latest trade also works for the Bucks and the Hawks. Milwaukee is one of the surprise stories of the first half, but it needed another guy to pick up some of the scoring load. Van Horn is having a good season and is capable of averaging 20 and 8 on the Bucks, which is a nice upgrade over the 14 and 5 that Thomas provided. The move also allows them to reinsert Desmond Mason into the starting five and move Van Horn to the four. The Bucks also shave roughly $14 million off their cap for the summer of 2005, giving them around $25 million in cap room to play with that season.
While Van Horn isn't the defender Thomas is, he's a better scorer, and his offensive rebounding should make the Bucks an even tougher match-up in the second half.
The Hawks' interest is in getting cap room. By swapping Mohammed for Doleac and Joel Przybilla, the team will clear another $5 million next summer. That should put them second to only the Jazz, with roughly $20 million in cap space to make a run at some top free agents. While it's highly doubtful the Hawks have enough juice to lure Kobe Bryant, don't be surprised to see them make a major run at a guy like Kenyon Martin this summer.
Around the league
GMs were busy here in Los Angeles. Only one trade was actually finalized here, but several others are in the works. It appears that many GMs, especially in the East, are now feeling pressure to respond to Thomas' moves. The Knicks are now a force to be reckoned with and a few teams are going to have to get their act together if they're going to keep up. Here's the buzz from L.A. over the weekend.
Rasheed Wallace
Small Forward
Atlanta Hawks
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM
PPG
RPG
APG
FG%
FT%
45
17.0
6.6
2.5
.442
.742
One more theory why the Knicks traded Van Horn is worth investigating. Two sources at the All-Star Game Sunday night told Insider it was also a move to clear the way for Rasheed Wallace this summer. According to the sources, the Knicks are far and away Wallace's desired final destination -- even if he has to take the five million mid-level exception to get there. The Knicks will try to work out a sign and trade with Atlanta this summer, but if that falls through . . . expect Wallace to become the final piece of Thomas' puzzle anyway this summer.
Pistons GM Joe Dumars may be the most motivated GM left to make a deal. The Pistons have to clear around four to five million in cap space to have enough room to re-sign restricted free agent Mehmet Okur this summer. There were numerous theories flying around L.A. speculating what Dumars would do.
The three most popular had him moving Corliss Williamson to Chicago for Marcus Fizer and Kendall Gill; trading Williamson to Boston for Chris Mills and a Pistons' first-rounder; and Chucky Atkins to Orlando for Tyronn Lue and Gordan Giricek. Of the three, you've got to believe that the Orlando scenario is the most attractive to Detroit.
Ronald Murray
Shooting Guard
Seattle SuperSonics
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM
PPG
RPG
APG
FG%
FT%
52
13.2
2.4
2.4
.409
.687
The Sonics were happy to see that Ronald Murray could still drop 20 points in game -- albeit in the defenseless NBA Rookie Challenge. It appears that the team is now serious about making a move using Murray as the bait. With Ray Allen the permanent fixture at the two and Antonio Daniels and Luke Ridnour the future at the point -- Murray is expendable and he's got a ton of trade value. The same holds true for Yugoslavian Vladimir Radmanovic, who never has appeared to play up to his potential in Seattle. The team already tried to package the two, along with one of their struggling centers and the expiring contract of Brent Barry to Atlanta.
The Hawks decided to make a deal with the Blazers instead. That may be a mistake in the long run if the Hawks can't turn their $20 million in cap room into a real free agent. The Sonics obviously want a big in return. Is anyone else willing to play let's make a deal? The Mavs would do something in a heartbeat, but the Sonics are reluctant to take back either Antoine Walker or Antawn Jamison -- both of whom (especially Walker) were being shopped hard by the Mavs over the weekend.
There's so much talk about an Aaron McKie-for-Jerome Williams swap, and it looks like it's bound to happen. Williams' critical comments toward his teammates, even though justified, probably sealed the deal in Chicago. Not sure how it helps either team in the long run, but the truth is that both sides are looking for anything to shake things up.
There was also a little draft buzz in the air here in L.A. when 18-year-old Latvian 7-footer Andris Biedrins showed up at the All-Star Game with his family and NBA agent Bill Duffy. Biedrins, who many scouts compare to a taller version of Andrei Kirilenko, is the subject of an intense recruiting war among several of the top international agents. Many scouts believe he's a lock for the top 10 if he enters the draft this year. Biedrins got the royal treatment, including tickets for his entire family and a pass to the NBPA party featuring Snoop Dog on Saturday.
Insider ran into Biedrins at the party and then into his family at the game Sunday night. All of them looked completely overwhelmed by the intensity of All-Star Weekend. The word from the family is that Biedrins wants to be in this year's draft, though his mother told me she's concerned he's a little too young to "live this life."
