Tag: Vince Carter (Page 4 of 5)

      NBA trade rumors: Shaq to Cleveland?

      February 19, 2009 /

      6/16/09 Update: For discussion about the more recent Shaq rumors, click here.

      6/25 Update: Shaq has been reportedly traded to Cleveland.

      The trade deadline is at 3 PM ET today, and the rumors are flying fast and furious. I’m not going to spend too much time on each one, but here’s a rundown of the rumors…

      – Yahoo! Sports says that the Cavs are considering acquiring Shaquille O’Neal at the cost of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. I’m not sure what the upside is here for the Suns other than the fact that they’d get about $5 million in cap relief next season when Pavlovic’s salary comes off the books.

      – The NBA league office apparently sent out a memo warning of drastic reductions in the salary cap and luxury tax thresholds, which may have a few teams scrambling today.

      – There was some talk of a Tracy McGrady-for-Baron Davis deal, but that rumor seems to be dead.

      – The Suns are reportedly still trying to pry talent away from the Grizzlies, offering up Amare Stoudemire for Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick and a 2009 first round draft pick. Unsurprisingly, the Grizzlies have declined.

      – The Bucks are trying to get out from under Richard Jefferson’s contract and they’ve been making some headway with the Blazers and Cavs about Raef LaFrentz and Wally Szczerbiak, respectively.

      – The Cavs have been trying to pry Antwan Jamison away from the Wizards, who might be more willing to deal today with the news about the (possible) significant drop in the luxury tax threshold.

      – The Vince Carter-to-the-Spurs talk has died down because they don’t want to give up Roger Mason or George Hill in the deal. Apparently, they want the Nets to give Carter away.

      Deadline day is like a poker game with 20 people playing. Teams are holding out until the last minute hoping that they can get the best deal. Complicating matters is the state of the economy and the financial strength of the NBA. There could be a flurry of trades today or everyone could stand pat.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Vince Carter to the Blazers?

      February 18, 2009 /

      The Rockets and Spurs are known suitors for Vince Carter’s services, but apparently the Blazers have entered the fray.

      Sources say the Blazers and Nets have discussed a deal that would send Carter to Portland for Raef LaFrentz and his expiring contract along with Travis Outlaw and Sergio Rodriguez.

      LaFrentz’s $12.7 million comes off the books this summer and Outlaw is an upgrade to the Nets situation at the three. As for the Blazers, adding Carter gives them a veteran small forward who has more playoff experience than most of the players on Portland’s roster.

      See this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine.

      It seems strange to me that a young team like the Blazers would want to acquire the 32-year-old Carter. He is playing at a very high level, but his contract runs another two seasons at the tune of $33.6 million, which would severely impact the team’s salary cap space in the fateful summer of 2010.

      However, I can see why they might want to pull the trigger here. The Blazers are currently sitting in the 4th spot in the Western Conference playoff race and the two teams fighting for that spot — the Hornets and the Rockets — just lost Tyson Chandler and Tracy McGrady, respectively. With the Lakers safely in the #1 position, the Blazers may be looking ahead to a semifinal showdown with Kobe and Co. Having Carter in tow should help Portland’s chances of pulling an upset.

      Now, about next summer…Portland could be looking at the free agent class of 2010 and wondering if they have a legitimate shot of signing any of the five big-name free agents. LeBron is probably going to re-sign with the Cavs or jet to the Knicks or the Nets, D-Wade will probably re-sign with the Heat, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire play the same position as LaMarcus Aldridge and Joe Johnson plays the same position as Brandon Roy. Instead of holding out hope that they can sign an impact player next summer, the Blazers are thinking about adding one now, and all it’s going to cost them is a solid small forward (Travis Outlaw) and a young point guard prospect (Sergio Rodriguez).

      Why are the Nets thinking about this deal? Salary cap flexibility. Without Carter on the payroll, the Nets would only be on the hook for $27 million heading into 2010, with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez locked up for two more seasons. That’s an attractive situation for a big-name free agent (or two).

      During his chat yesterday, Chad Ford commented on the Blazers desire to upgrade at small forward.

      Sounds like their primary target is Gerald Wallace. The problem is that Charlotte wants them to take back Nazr Mohammed in any deal. Richard Jefferson is an easier get, but he’s got a bigger salary, is older and isn’t as good of a defender. I think Caron Butler is the best fit, but I’m not convinced Washington will let him go. Vince Carter is intriguing, but you have to worry about chemistry a bit with him. Bottom line, I think the Blazers will do a deal and I think it will be something that lands them Wallace or Jefferson.

      The Blazers, armed with Raef LaFrentz’s expiring contract (most of which is covered by an insurance policy) are definitely on the prowl for a small forward.

      Related content: Should the Spurs trade for Vince Carter?

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Should the Spurs trade for Vince Carter?

      February 17, 2009 /

      There has been some talk of late that the Spurs are interested in acquiring Vince Carter.

      Duncan says he would love to have Carter as a teammate, and why not? At age 32, Carter remains one of the NBA’s most productive small forwards, averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists.

      Duncan hedges when the price for Carter reportedly includes Roger Mason Jr., Bruce Bowen, George Hill and Fabricio Oberto.

      “I’d hate to see that many guys go,” Duncan said after an All-Star appearance he enjoyed, largely because of its brevity.

      If general manager R.C. Buford can find a way to get Carter from the Nets without including so many rotation players — a Robert Horry sign-and-trade could be part of such a solution — it is easy to imagine Duncan giving such a deal the blessing Popovich likely would seek.

      Here’s a look at the proposed trade in the ESPN Trade Machine. Kurt Thomas could also be substituted for Oberto.

      Of the four Spurs that would be heading to New Jersey, the team would miss Roger Mason, Jr. the most. He’s playing over thirty minutes a game and has hit several clutch/game-winning threes this season. In fact, he’s shooting almost 45% from long range; he’s exactly the kind of player that the Spurs need to space the court for Duncan, Ginobili and Parker in crunch time. There is no doubt that Vince Carter is a better player, but he’s also a different player, and that’s what should scare Spurs fans about this deal. San Antonio is 26-9 since the beginning of December and they are arguably the second-best team in the West. Their current roster is capable of giving the Lakers fits if the two teams were to meet in the playoffs, so is it worth the risk to add Carter to the mix?

      Hill is the piece that San Antonio is most likely to miss in the long term. He has played very well in his rookie season and has finally given the Spurs a proper backup to Parker. He looks like he’ll be a starting-caliber point guard in a year or two, so they’d be giving up on his potential as well. Bowen can still defend in spurts and hit the corner three and Oberto is a big, beefy backup on the front line (though he isn’t playing much this season).

      Without those four, the Spurs would have a rotation that would include Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, Carter, Finley, Thomas, Bonner and Udoka. I think Gregg Popovich trusts those eight guys, but what happens if one of them gets injured? Does he have faith in any of the other guys further down the bench?

      My guess is that the Nets would do the deal if Mason, Hill and (maybe) a first round pick were included. It would give the team incredible cap flexibility in the summer of 2010. With Devin Harris and Brook Lopez already on board, New Jersey would become an attractive landing spot for one (or two) of the big name free agents that should be available that summer.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      NBA trade deadline scuttlebutt

      February 10, 2009 /

      Rich Bucher reports that the Warriors have offered up Andris Biedrins and Anthony Randolph for Chris Bosh, and presumably made a similar offer to the Suns for Amare Stoudemire…J.A. Adande has a source that says that there is a “zero” chance that Stoudemire lands with the Raptors. It seems that Toronto is just not ready to move Bosh, even for a shot at Amare…Henry Abbott says that while most teams are overvaluing their players right now, there are two teams — Golden State and Chicago — that are ready to deal…The Arlington Heights Daily Herald reports that the Suns may actually prefer Tyrus Thomas over standout rookie Michael Beasley…NorthJersey.com says that Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Cleveland are all interested in acquiring Vince Carter, but that it’s unlikely that the Nets will send him to an Eastern Conference team…Cleveland.com reports that since the Cavs will be without Sasha Pavlovic for 4-6 weeks that the team is probably going to stand pat with the roster they have. Wally Szczerbiak has been playing better of late and the team believes in its roster… David Aldridge says that despite their denials, the Clippers are very interested in trading Chris Kaman.

      Fantasy Basketball, Rumors & Gossip

      Carter-for-Szczerbiak swap still a possibility?

      January 28, 2009 /

      ‘Tis the season for NBA trade speculation. With the the contenders separated (for the most part, at least) from the pretenders, and the trade deadline fast approaching, the rumors are flying fast and furious. Chad Ford goes down the list of wings that might be on the move.

      Here are a couple of interesting names:

      Wally Szczerbiak, Cavs
      There are a lot of expiring contracts out there, but none gets more attention than Szczerbiak’s. The Cavs aren’t interested in cap room right now. They want a championship.

      Everyone in Cleveland is crossing their fingers that some desperate GM will pull a Chris Wallace and give away an All-Star for cap relief and late first-round picks. More often than not, it doesn’t happen. But with the economy turning sour and a scrum of teams trying to get under the cap in 2010, the Cavs might be able to pull it off.

      Chance of trade: 60 percent

      Vince Carter, Nets
      Going into the season, no one predicted that Carter, at the age of 32, would put up All-Star numbers on a rebuilding team. But he has played his heart out and, with Devin Harris, has made the Nets respectable. Which means it’s the perfect time for Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe to throw him a farewell party.

      Carter has garnered plenty of interest from a few championship contenders like Cleveland and Houston who see him as a nice veteran addition. The Nets should jump on any deal that gets them a combination of cap relief and picks. Getting the last three years and $51 million of his contract off their books has to be a priority right now.

      Chance of trade: 45 percent

      If the Nets want to get out from under Carter’s contract (which runs two more years at the tune of $33.6 million) now is the time to move him. He is playing All-Star caliber ball and, along with Devin Harris, has kept the Nets in the playoff hunt. The tough part about trading Carter is his age (32) and the fact that his contract extends through the 2010-11 season, so he’s not going to be attractive to teams looking to make a splash in the summer of 2010. Another big thing standing in the way for the Nets is the fact that they are very much in the playoff hunt. Do they want to throw the towel in on this season for future salary cap flexibility?

      A potential Szczerbiak-for-Carter swap is interesting on a couple of fronts. The Cavs’ biggest weakness right now is shooting guard (though they could use another young big man as well). They have Szczerbiak, Delonte West (who is injured) and Daniel Gibson (who is shooting under 40% from the field). Some might say that Carter will be a distraction, but at this point in his career, he seems to be willing to put aside his ego (and stats) to win a championship and LeBron James is one of those players whose stature creates an environment that makes it easy for guys to fall in line. Just look at Mo Williams. He and Michael Redd clashed last year in Milwaukee, but we haven’t heard any complaints out of him this season.

      Granted, winning solves everything, but that’s why the Carter trade might work. If the Cavs add Vinsanity and they break through and win a title (or at least make it to the Finals), the franchise is far more likely to retain LeBron next summer. But they run the risk of the trade not working and squandering their chance to sign a second big-name free agent in 2010 (assuming they’re able to re-sign LeBron). It’s sort of a Catch-22.

      Word out of Cleveland is that they are happy with the status quo, but if they can make a Pau Gasol-type trade and acquire a great player for an expiring contract and a late first round draft pick or two, they’ll pull the trigger. And with the way Carter is playing, a Szczerbiak-for-Carter is in that ballpark.

      But I don’t think the two teams will make a deal unless the Nets believe that the Cavs’ acquisition of Carter will ultimately backfire. Since New Jersey is one of the potential suitors for LeBron it behooves them to do everything they can to keep the Cavs from winning a title in the next two seasons. Do they believe that Carter will help or hinder LeBron’s quest?

      I think we may very well see Szczerbiak on the move, but probably not to the Nets. After all, the Nets already rejected the offer once, and since then Carter looks better and Wally looks worse.

      It would be surprising if the Cavs don’t move Szczerbiak at all. Right now, I don’t think they’d be favored if they faced the Lakers in the Finals or maybe even the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. If they can find a good player who doesn’t have major character issues and whose contract does not run into the 2010-11 season, they should pull the trigger.

      NBA, Rumors & Gossip

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