NBA TRADE RUMORS / expiring contract 2011

[MavsMan]

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New Orleans trade costing everybody in the NBA

New Orleans trade costing everybody in the NBA | Dallas Mavericks Blog | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | The Dallas Morning News

[jameskobe234]

Hornets acquire Landry from Kings for Thornton
By BRETT MARTEL, AP Sports Writer
2 hours, 34 minutes ago


tweet0EmailPrintNEW ORLEANS (AP)—The Hornets and Kings agreed Wednesday on a trade sending forward Carl Landry(notes) to New Orleans in exchange for shooting guard Marcus Thornton(notes) and cash.

The deal gives the playoff-contending Hornets depth in the front court, but at the cost of a popular former LSU star who can score in a flurry.

It also upset at least one NBA owner—the Dallas Mavericks’ Mark Cuban— who questioned the fairness of the NBA allowing a league-owned team to absorb more salary while at the same time sending cash to the other club involved in the trade.


“It’s cash out of pocket right now—cash out of my pocket,” Cuban said before the Mavericks hosted Utah. “You want to trade players for quality of players, no problem. You want to trade apples to apples, no problem. You want to take on salary using my money? You’re kidding.”

The NBA took over the Hornets in December from founder George Shinn, who was having cash-flow problems and wanted to unload the club quickly.

Thornton, a second-year pro who was drafted in the second round in 2009, is being paid about $762,000 this season, while Landry is making $3 million. Because of league rules designed to prevent straight-up trades of players with vastly different salaries, the Hornets included cash in the deal to make it work.

“That is so far wrong, that’s not even close,” Cuban said. “There’s so few teams in the league who could afford that, yet we’re allowing a team that’s owned by the league to do that?”

The Hornets defended the deal as equitable for both clubs involved.

“This is a trade that benefits both teams as Carl is a player we have looked to acquire for a long time and we hope to be a big part of our long term success,” Hornets general manager Dell Demps said. “Carl is a high character person that will add a scoring punch to our front court while providing toughness and the ability to make plays. In order to get a good player, we had to give up a good player.”

The 6-foot-9 Landry, a fourth-year pro out of Purdue, has averaged 11.9 points and 4.8 rebounds this season. He was acquired by the Kings in the middle of last season but has started only 16 games this season while vying for playing time with rookie DeMarcus Cousins(notes).

The 6-4 Thornton is averaging 7.8 points in 16.2 minutes per game in his second NBA season.

Thornton’s more memorable performances this season included a 22-point outburst in the Hornets’ 92-89 overtime victory over Orlando on Jan. 12, and his 17-point outing—in only 22 minutes—in a 103-102 overtime win over Memphis on Jan. 19.

“He brings a scorer’s mentality to our team and will certainly add an offensive threat to the backcourt with his ability to shoot from the perimeter,” Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie said. “He’ll improve the look of our team offensively and we’re really excited about having him in Sacramento.”

Hornets coach Monty Williams never played Thornton as many minutes as Hornets fans seemed to want, based on their calls for him at home games. Still, the coach said he liked Thornton and appreciated his ability.

“To me, Marcus and I have had a great relationship since Day One,” Williams said. “He’s improved in areas that don’t show up in the stat sheet. To me, I feel good about that—him moving forward. There were some defensive lapses, but he wasn’t the only one. … Marcus is a guy who has value around the league and is going to play for a long time.”

Apparently, the value Williams spoke of is what made the Hornets feel compelled to part with him in order to improve their play inside behind starting power forward David West(notes). Williams said having Landry on the roster also will allow him and West to play together at times, with West playing some at center.

“Our backup bigs certainly needed a lift and it’s just one of those situations where you have to give up some talent to get something,” Williams said.

Williams also said the Hornets’ bench “has been one of the worst benches in the league. … It puts a lot of pressure on our starters to get leads, maintain leads and try to pull out games.”

[jameskobe234]

Nets acquire Williams in trade
By LYNN DeBRUIN, AP Sports Writer
2 hours, 9 minutes ago


tweet0EmailPrintSALT LAKE CITY (AP)—The New Jersey Nets finally landed a big-name All-Star in a blockbuster trade that gives them point guard Deron Williams(notes) and sends rookie Derrick Favors(notes) and point guard Devin Harris(notes) to the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz also will receive the Nets’ first-round pick in 2011, which could be a lottery pick, along with cash and Golden State’s 2012 first-round draft pick.

“I feel Deron Williams is the best point guard in the NBA,” Nets general manager Billy King said in announcing the deal Wednesday. “I spoke with Deron and he’s excited about it. He understands where we are and where we want to go. In this league, you win with point guards.”


The Nets hope Williams will sign a contract extension, which they can offer this summer. If so, he would become the face of their franchise when they move to Brooklyn in 2012.

“Everything happens for a reason. I take everything in stride,” Williams told the Jazz team broadcasters from his hotel room in Dallas. “I had a great five-and-a-half years in Salt Lake. The fans have always been great for me. I’m going to miss them.”

The 6-foot-3 Williams was selected third overall in 2005 out of Illinois, and he’s averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds for the Jazz. Williams has been even better in 44 postseason games, with averages of 21.1 points, 9.6 asissts and 1.2 steals.

The deal came two days after the Nets failed to land Carmelo Anthony(notes), who was acquired by the New York Knicks as part of a blockbuster deal with the Denver Nuggets.

Jazz CEO Greg Miller said he made the move because of a “gut feeling” that he wouldn’t be able to sign Williams to a long-term deal after next season.

“If you look at what happened with Phoenix, Toronto and Cleveland … they all lost their marquee player and had very little if anything to show for it,” Miller said. “This trade allows us to be competitive now and beyond the 2012 season.”

Asked how he would be able to market a team in Salt Lake City without a star, Miller said with “classic Jazz basketball.”

“It’s lunchpail, work boots,” he said. “And who knows? We may have a star player before any of us realizes it.”

Harris, a former All-Star point guard, and Favors, the No. 3 pick in the draft, were part of the package the Nets had been offering the Nuggets for Anthony.

“Everybody was talking about getting longer and athletic and when are you going to get one of these guys,” said Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor, who hinted that he may not be done dealing before Thursday’s trade deadline. “We got one now (in Favors) and we’ll see how he progresses. He’s not a finished product but at least it’s somebody we can build on.”

Both GMs said they discussed a deal several weeks ago, but it only came to fruition after the Nets lost out on Anthony. O’Connor acknowledged cash was part of the deal and the maximum that can change hands is $3 million.

The Jazz were a perennial contender with Williams, but his reputation took a hit when Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan retired one day after clashing with him during a game.

Sloan, reached Wednesday morning at his second home in Illinois, was aware of the trade but didn’t want to say much.

“I have no reaction to what the Jazz are doing,” Sloan said. “Good luck to Deron.”

Miller insisted Sloan’s retirement and Williams’ trade were not connected, and reiterated that the Jazz have always been about structure, order, discipline and respect.

“One of the things that will always be the case as long as our family has anything to say about it is we will support our coach first and players second,” he said.

That doesn’t mean new Jazz coach Ty Corbin isn’t in a tough spot.

Just two weeks ago he was second assistant to Sloan, who saw longtime assistant Phil Johnson follow him into retirement on Feb. 10. Now, Corbin is 0-3 as head coach and has lost his All-Star guard and team leader.

“First I receive the job, then the injuries and now the trade,” said Corgin, who learned of the deal as he left for a shootaround in Dallas, where the Jazz faced the Mavericks on Wednesday night. “If you’re not ready for this, you’re not ready for the business.”

Al Jefferson(notes), who was acquired in a trade with Minnesota last summer, said he hadn’t gotten over Sloan leaving and now has to deal with a new leader at the point.

“When they hit me with this, it was like, ‘Wow.’ I was surprised, but it’s a business,” he said. “I got to play for a legend and play with a great point guard. I got another great point guard coming here. We still have a chance to make the playoffs and make a run.”

Williams was expected to be one of the headliners of the 2012 free-agent class, along with 2008 Olympic teammates Dwight Howard(notes) and Chris Paul(notes).

New Jersey has been desperate to make its first score under new owner Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets talked with LeBron James(notes), Dwyane Wade(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) last summer, then turned their attention to Anthony, before bouncing back and finally landing Williams.

“Utah traded DWill??” Paul wrote on his Twitter page, adding hashtags with “EpicFail” and “notagoodlook.”

Williams joins an exodus of players heading to the East, following Amare Stoudemire’s(notes) move from Phoenix to New York and Anthony’s deal to the Knicks. The Jazz are only a half-game ahead of Memphis for the final playoff spot in the West.

“Very rarely are you able to trade for someone who is arguably the best at his position,” Nets coach Avery Johnson said. “We had to give up a lot, but when you get a chance to get him, you go for it. It wasn’t a planned trade. This wasn’t a plan B. He’s a plan A guy.

“We eventually had to do something like this to get a player of this skill level,” Johnson said. “We felt we needed to get someone who was going to give us a little swagger. He’s someone we will have for the long run. Sometimes, you have to try things to get better.”

AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in New York contributed to this report

[Jantehshiznit]

Baron Davis for Mo Williams

source: Hangtime blog NBA.com

[cainez]

b. didddy and b. scott reunites!!

[CompTech]

Baron Davis for Mo Williams

source: Hangtime blog NBA.com

tinood ni.......

[ManWhore]

^^ Yep. Heard it was Moon and Mo for Davis. .

[Onins]

lig-ona na sa NYK oi.

mura dili kaau sila lig-on bai...

[CompTech]

mura dili kaau sila lig-on bai...

dili pajud sila lig-on kaau. mapildi ramn gihapon ni sa celtics

[EvenStar]

cguro kuwang lang sila ug decent Center....if makakuha sila next year ug Center nga tarong then lig.on pod ni sila.ila naman gud giapil sa trade si Mozgov.