Updated: Feb. 16, 2006, 5:35 PM ET
The 10 players most likely to be dealt by Feb. 23
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN Inside
The clock is ticking, and the days are winding down until next Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
There are going to be some deals, but there's really no telling exactly how many. Lots of folks were predicting a quiet deadline day a year ago, but it turned into one of the busiest days of deal making ever.
Insider has been in constant touch with general managers and player personnel officials throughout the NBA, allowing for a handicapping of who might be wearing a new uniform by next weekend. So without further ado, we present The 10 Players Most Likely To Be Traded by Feb. 23:
9. Earl Watson/Nene. No list of the Most Likely To Be Traded would be complete without the Denver duo who have been involved in trade rumors throughout the entire season -- and even longer in Nene's case. There's not as much interest in Watson as the Nuggets would have people think, but there are teams willing to throw money at Nene when he becomes a restricted free agent over the summer, and the Nuggets seem convinced he won't be worth the investment.
10. Eric Williams. New Raptors general manager Wayne Embry said he would try to accommodate Williams' desire for a trade, but Williams has an option to be paid $4.3 million next season, and he simply isn't good enough to justify that salary. Philadelphia was interested earlier this season, but the Sixers are now holding a roster spot open in case Tim Thomas gets a buyout from Chicag
The 10 players most likely to be dealt by Feb. 23
By Chris Sheridan
ESPN Inside
The clock is ticking, and the days are winding down until next Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
There are going to be some deals, but there's really no telling exactly how many. Lots of folks were predicting a quiet deadline day a year ago, but it turned into one of the busiest days of deal making ever.
Insider has been in constant touch with general managers and player personnel officials throughout the NBA, allowing for a handicapping of who might be wearing a new uniform by next weekend. So without further ado, we present The 10 Players Most Likely To Be Traded by Feb. 23:
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Francis[/SIZE]1. Steve Francis. It now appears to be a matter of when, not if, the Magic will trade him. New York and Denver are the leading candidates as of now, but Minnesota is trying to engineer a three-team deal that would put Francis alongside Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis. A long-shot possibility is Francis returning to Houston. Wednesday night's Orlando-Detroit trade removed the possibility of Kelvin Cato going to New York in a Francis trade, but the Knicks can still do a Hardaway-Francis deal by removing Jamal Crawford from the equation and substituting Trevor Ariza and rookies David Lee and/or Nate Robinson.
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Hardaway[/SIZE]2. Penny Hardaway. The most valuable thing about Penny is his expiring max contract, which comes off the salary cap at the end of this season. Teams can make up for years of mistakes by dumping their big contracts in exchange for an expiring deal (see Jalen Rose to Knicks; Rasheed Wallace to Hawks; Tom Gugliotta to Jazz), so there's plenty of interest in the former superstar who's appeared in only four games this season for the Knicks. Aside from Orlando, Portland is a possibility.
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Lenard[/SIZE]3. Voshon Lenard. There is always a market for a deadeye shooter, even when he's well past his prime (see Steve Smith-Malik Allen a year ago). Denver has been trying to find a taker for Lenard since early this season, and the Nuggets probably will take the best offer on the table by 3 p.m. Thursday for the career 38 percent 3-point shooter (42 percent in the playoffs).
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Evans[/SIZE]4. Reggie Evans. One of the league's best rebounders has the right to veto any deal after accepting a one-year tender offer from Seattle, but the time has come for him to escape Bob Hill's doghouse and get to a place where he can establish some value for himself before becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Sonics have been willing to move him all season.
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Anderson[/SIZE]5. Derek Anderson. The arrival of Keith Bogans in Houston last week signaled the end of the Anderson experiment for the Rockets, who publicly stated they'd make every effort to trade him. Anderson makes less than $1.7 million but has an option for next season. He was a solid player in Portland a couple years ago, but his production level and his value have plummeted.
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Sweetney[/SIZE]6. Michael Sweetney. The Chicago Bulls still are trying to find a big man with an expiring contract who can help them make a push for the playoffs, and one of the assets they'd be most comfortable moving (as opposed to their fear of letting go of Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and/or Kirk Hinrich) is the overweight power forward who came in the Eddy Curry trade. The Jazz like him, and they'd consider taking Sweetney and another player if they could get rid of …
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Boozer[/SIZE]7. Carlos Boozer. The worst hamstring in the history of the state of Utah finally is healed, just in time for the Jazz to showcase their $70 million asset. Boozer's star has faded considerably since he was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, and if the Jazz had it to do over again they'd have spent their free agent money elsewhere. Drew Gooden in Cleveland is often mentioned as the power forward most likely to be moved, but the Cavs need him more than the Jazz need Boozer.
You must be registered for see images
[SIZE=-2]Jackson[/SIZE]8. Jim Jackson. The Suns were close to moving him recently, but the deal fell through. Phoenix is content to keep him as an insurance policy in case of an injury, but he's not going to play much this season if the Suns stick with their current rotation. Not many teams are calling Phoenix, but interest in veteran players such as Jackson typically picks up when the deadline is inside of 72 hours away.
You must be registered for see images attach
[SIZE=-2]Watson[/SIZE]9. Earl Watson/Nene. No list of the Most Likely To Be Traded would be complete without the Denver duo who have been involved in trade rumors throughout the entire season -- and even longer in Nene's case. There's not as much interest in Watson as the Nuggets would have people think, but there are teams willing to throw money at Nene when he becomes a restricted free agent over the summer, and the Nuggets seem convinced he won't be worth the investment.
You must be registered for see images
[SIZE=-2]Williams[/SIZE]10. Eric Williams. New Raptors general manager Wayne Embry said he would try to accommodate Williams' desire for a trade, but Williams has an option to be paid $4.3 million next season, and he simply isn't good enough to justify that salary. Philadelphia was interested earlier this season, but the Sixers are now holding a roster spot open in case Tim Thomas gets a buyout from Chicag
