Jim Gray reports ...

[Treesquid PhD]

bucher was just on saying LA deal was dead and that LA just doesn't have the players Minne wants......THEY CAN SEE THROUGH THE LA HYPE!........

However, said it Amare and not Marion who the wolves want

 

[Steel Sun]

I am pretty sure jim gray had a reliable source when he said that. that isn't something that they would speculate on and then say it on espn.

I'm talking about gambo's sources.

 

[Diawsome]

Wasn't Gambo just talking about how the Suns were very close to getting a top 10 pick in the draft on the show this afternoon i.e. the Bobcats will send their pick to Phx if x player isn't available discussion?

 

[D-Dogg]

bucher was just on saying LA deal was dead and that LA just doesn't have the players Minne wants......THEY CAN SEE THROUGH THE LA HYPE!....

Bucher has been against the LA trade from the start...Ford has been all over it from the start. Jim Gray seems to be picking his horse right now as the Suns.

Honestly, I think these guys are all hedging their bets and reporting all kinds of misinformation and rumors with little concrete information out there.

 

[azirish]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2917781

Suns, Wolves, Celtics start up Garnett talks

ESPNKevin Garnett went so far as to talk to Kobe Bryant about the two stars playing together on the Los Angeles Lakers. He might want to give Steve Nash a call.

ESPN's Jim Gray reported on Tuesday night that a league source said that the latest trade scenario has Garnett landing in Phoenix with the Suns.

Three teams are involved in these discussions, with the Suns getting Garnett, the Celtics picking up Phoenix forward Shawn Marion and the Wolves acquiring the fifth pick in Thursday's draft and players from Boston.

This development comes after ESPN's Ric Bucher reported earlier on Tuesday that talks between the Lakers and Wolves concerning Garnett had broken down. The Lakers had reportedly offered a package containing at least forward Lamar Odom and center Andrew Bynum.

The current trade is basically contingent on whether Marion would agree to a contract extension with the Celtics, Gray reported. Marion can opt out of his contract after the 2007-08 season. The Suns have spoken to Marion about the deal.

The Suns and Wolves spoke about a Garnett trade last week, and according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Marion told Phoenix that he would not want to play for Minnesota or Boston.

Sources have told Stein that Garnett and Nash have become good friends in recent years. Garnett, a 10-time All-Star, has told the Wolves that he wants to play for a warm weather team that has a legitimate chance to win the championship.

Garnett can also opt out of his contract after the coming season, prompting talks that the Timberwolves refused to entertain for years.
Jim Gray is a reporter for ESPN. Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

 

[elindholm]

Gambo is just spewing out every single rumor he can get hold of, so that if any of them proves correct, he can claim that he called it in advance.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I refuse to believe that Marion is the only thing we give up for Garnett. Odom/Bynum is a better package than Marion in a solo deal. I'm guessing Barbosa or Diaw is involved somehow.

 

[HooverDam]

Gambo is just spewing out every single rumor he can get hold of, so that if any of them proves correct, he can claim that he called it in advance.

Agreed. I hate Gambo so much, how did he get a job in the Valley? Doesn't ASU pump out all sorts of media/sports journalism graduates? Give one of those local kids Gambo's job, his stupid New York accent is intolerable, he knows nothing about basketball, he's the worst.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I refuse to believe that Marion is the only thing we give up for Garnett. Odom/Bynum is a better package than Marion in a solo deal. I'm guessing Barbosa or Diaw is involved somehow.

i'm guessing atl's pick is involved.

 

[D-Dogg]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2007/news/story?id=2917804

Weird reporting going on...

The Phoenix Suns are discussing a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats for the No. 8 pick to get into the NBA draft lottery, multiple sources close to both organizations told ESPN.com Tuesday night.

Although Phoenix forward Shawn Marion can opt out of his contract at the end of next season, a source close to the Suns told ESPN.com that he is not part of a deal and is expected to stay put.

The source indicated that role players were involved in the proposed trade, but at least one other team besides Phoenix and Charlotte is also involved, making the deal difficult to pull off

The Suns also invited Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers to watch the workouts in Phoenix. The Celtics and Suns both told ESPN.com, however, that Boston was there to watch the workout, not to discuss a trade.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I refuse to believe that Marion is the only thing we give up for Garnett. Odom/Bynum is a better package than Marion in a solo deal. I'm guessing Barbosa or Diaw is involved somehow.

i gotta agree with this as well. Hell, here's a worst nightmare scenario - Marion shuts down the deal, Kupcake gets his head out of his ass, proposes the exact same three team trade with LA-BOS-MIN where:

Minny gets exactly what they would hav gotten from us and the Celts: #5, expiring contracts, 19th pick and a future first, Green

LA: gets KG

Boston gets: Odom as their third wheel (and someone who can't opt out) and then can probably turn Bynum into a lottery pick, thus being able to have a core of Pierce/Odom/Jefferson/Lotto Pick - which is probably better than Pierce/Marion/Jefferson.

that's actually my call for what happens. and it's a disaster of epic proportions.

 

[JS22]

This is insane. Now ESPN has a story right next to the Garnett story about the Suns trying to get the #8 pick.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2007/news/story?id=2917804

The Phoenix Suns are discussing a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats for the No. 8 pick to get into the NBA draft lottery, multiple sources close to both organizations told ESPN.com Tuesday night.

Although Phoenix forward Shawn Marion can opt out of his contract at the end of next season, a source close to the Suns told ESPN.com that he is not part of a deal and is expected to stay put.

The source indicated that role players were involved in the proposed trade, but at least one other team besides Phoenix and Charlotte is also involved, making the deal difficult to pull off.

The Suns currently own picks No. 24 and 29 in the first round while Charlotte has Nos. 8 and 21. Phoenix convinced the agents for likely lottery players Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah of Florida, Jeff Green of Georgetown and Brandan Wright of North Carolina to work out for the Suns because they felt confident they could get into the top 10.

The Suns also invited Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers to watch the workouts in Phoenix. The Celtics and Suns both told ESPN.com, however, that Boston was there to watch the workout, not to discuss a trade. Both said the Celtics and Suns aren't trade partners for the Celtics' No. 5 pick.

The Celtics could throw a curveball at the rest of the lottery. They are working out USC junior guard Nick Young on Wednesday morning at their practice facility in Waltham.

Young, who has been projected by most NBA personnel to go as high as No. 13 to New Orleans, is a personal favorite of Celtics' assistant general manager Leo Papile. Papile wants Ainge and Rivers to see Young before Thursday's draft and decide if he is a viable alternative for the Celtics at No. 5 if the team decides against going with China's Yi Jianlian. Young, considered one of the top shooting guards in the draft, could displace Green, Noah or Brewer as the Celtics' Plan B.

A surprise Young selection that high in the draft would obviously change the entire complexion of the lottery. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

 

[mjb21aztd]

we will see but if Marion is the one that doesnt let us get Garnett I will be a little disapointed to say the least. He can go to the celtics and then prove to everyone that he is really a allstar player

 

[Cheesebeef]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2007/news/story?id=2917804

Weird reporting going on...

if this is the case, and Marion goes to Boston and we get that pick, we can then offer KT/Ratliff and the number 5 and #8 picks for KG - pretty much a lock for what McHale wants. makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Gaddabout]

Why do you guys think Ainge flew into Phoenix and joined the Suns in LA to watch Yi Jianlin? Who is Yi's agent?

Hmmmmm ....

FWIW, Fegan has been so busy with Yi, much of the relay between Marion and his agency has been handled by associates or assistants. This is a big problem.

 

[JS22]

I'm logging off before I go nuts.

Though I'm sure I'll be back in about 20 minutes.

 

[TBaslim]

I hope your kidding, Marion is a stud has been one of the Best small forwards in the league for awhile now, and if you remember the Dream Team Marion was the best player on that squad when they struggled. We have to make this trade but Marion is not appreciated as he should be here. He does so many things that go unappreciated, to say he is not worth a kid coming out of college not named Durant or Oden is a joke...

Amen and agreed. Glad someone is saying these things...this board is hilarious. Love reading all the thoughts, but thank goodness most of you are not part of the Suns brain trust or the GM.

Just for the record, and contrary to common opinion, a KG for Marion swap has long MADE the most sense if KG were to move on from Minny. They are the current top 2 most versatile forwards in the game.

Just look at their stats - they are both the bball equivalent of stud 5 tool baseball players.

KG > Marion, but not by nearly as much as you all claim, when you add in the age difference and the $$$ difference (extra KG $$$ brings better bench players if used correctly). You trade like for like often in this league. Minny just needs to turn KG into multiple assets, not a similar player. Hence the 3rd team.

Broken record alert - if this trade happens, I will welcome KG with open arms, but damned if I'll bad mouth Shawn on his way out the door.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Gambo is just spewing out every single rumor he can get hold of, so that if any of them proves correct, he can claim that he called it in advance.

I dont agree, this is what happens to Gambo, he knows someone in the Suns Front Office probably some 2nd tier Front office who is present during tHe dicussionss, this person gives him some news on the current trade scenarios being dicussed at the time, but by the time these guys deliever this new to Gambo, and especialy in this case, the game changes, and why wouldn't it? Alot of the high aqnd might Amaqre only talk could have been posturing, not finality of negotiations.

The point is, I am sure Gambo's source are credible, but I don't think his sources are are Kerr/Sarver/Dantoni/Griffin/ and if it's not them then well you are likely gettting the table scraps on rumors.

so gambo will succeed on very static trade scenarios that don't move much, he realy suffers when the environmrent is completly dynamic because his contact might not be in the brain trust and have to wait for the info to flow downwards.

Seems more realistic that Gambo just needs to aim a little higher for his leak moles. Lesson learned

 

[TBaslim]

Marion for a #10 or #11? Sure... A #5 and players?? Sorry...

I think you do not have any idea how draft talent (outside of an Oden or Durant) is rated in the NBA versus All Star players in their prime. Marion is definitely worth #5 and players, regardless of what people here think of him.

Is he worth Oden or Durant? No. But a high draft pick from a team desperate for top shelf veteran talent to keep their only superstar happy? Heck yeah.

 

[Gaddabout]

I dont agree, this is what happens to Gambo, he knows someone in the Suns Front Office probably some 2nd tier Front office who is present during tHe dicussionss, this person gives him some news on the current trade scenarios being dicussed at the time, but by the time these guys deliever this new to Gambo, and especialy in this case, the game changes, and why wouldn't it? Alot of the high aqnd might Amaqre only talk could have been posturing, not finality of negotiations.

The point is, I am sure Gambo's source are credible, but I don't think his sources are are Kerr/Sarver/Dantoni/Griffin/ and if it's not them then well you are likely gettting the table scraps on rumors.

so gambo will succeed on very static trade scenarios that don't move much, he realy suffers when the environmrent is completly dynamic because his contact might not be in the brain trust and have to wait for the info to flow downwards.

Seems more realistic that Gambo just needs to aim a little higher for his leak moles. Lesson learned

Honestly? I've heard some of the very things Gambo has reported just hours before he's reported them. The difference is I don't come running to the computer to post everything I hear because so much is one source, uncomfirmed. Gambo has no filter. This is what makes Gambo so unreliable, regardless where his information comes from.

If he heard it, he's going to report it.

I exchange e-mails with certain Suns employees, but they're not part of the process. Just because Sarver signs their checks doesn't make them reliable.

 

[azirish]

One added factor is that the Celtics have the 32nd pick. It seems unlikely that both the Charlotte deal and the Celtics deal could both go through because the Wolves would end up with all the picks.

BTW, in a perfect world the Wolves would take Banks to balance the salaries. OK, I'm dreaming.

 

[TBaslim]

No, I'm not... Marion can get you regular season W's... But check his stats in the post season as compared to the regular season. Shooting % - down. And he looks ******** in the half-court which is a MUST in the post season...

I can't believe the Celtics would be this stupid...

Give it a rest - this has been disproved and discussed to death over the last few years here.

 

[Gaddabout]

On the surface, it seems unlikely that both the Charlotte deal and the Celtics deal could both go through.

Unlikely but not impossible.

 

[SunsTzu]

They just played a Ric Bucher clip on ESPNews and he is now saying the Suns would include Amare for KG if KG were willing to waive his trade kicker................

 

[joshstmarie]

just to add more smoke to the fire.

my "guy" just text me about an hour ago and said sarver/griffen/kerr are all at dinner..

he said basically suns are getting cats pick marion to boston for #5 and those 2 picks and atls next year for KG


thats the MEAT part of it..dunno about fillers.

thats what he told me about an hour ago now. for whatever its worth.

if you want to know who my "guy" is, check my post history in the big "source from minnesota board says KG..."

i got yelled at last time i put crap on here...but i think enough stuff has leaked out that it should ight. ( 3rd hand info)