NBA Capsules: AP source: McGrady to Knicks in three-way trade
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets not only got rid of Tracy McGrady on Thursday, they also nabbed a high-scoring guard they've long coveted and set themselves up for big drafts in 2011 and 2012.
The Rockets sent McGrady and his massive expiring contract to the New York Knicks in a three-team, nine-player swap that brought Sacramento shooter Kevin Martin to Houston.
The Rockets also got Hilton Armstrong from Sacramento and Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries from New York, in addition to the Knicks' first-round draft picks in 2011 and 2012.
"This deal is about putting a team together, players who can help us now and in the future," general manager Daryl Morey said. "We're excited about how this sets us up for now and especially in the next year."
The Rockets acquired McGrady in June 2004, hoping that he and Yao Ming would return the franchise to prominence. He averaged 22.4 points and 5.7 assists in five seasons in Houston before this one, but he was always blamed — sometimes unfairly — for the team's string of playoff busts.
In December, when it became clear he was no longer part of the team's plans, McGrady's representatives asked the Rockets to look for trade options and Houston agreed. McGrady offered no ill will in a statement posted on his personal Web site on Thursday.
"I have tremendous respect for (owner) Leslie Alexander and have enjoyed playing for the Rockets over the last six years," McGrady wrote. "It has definitely been the most profound part of my career. I've learned a lot about myself from various situations, both good and bad that have occurred here. It was my hope when I came to Houston that I wouldn't leave, but I do understand this is the business side of basketball."
The Rockets have been talking to Sacramento about Martin for several years, Morey said. Once they decided to deal McGrady, acquiring the high-scoring Martin became a need more than a want.
Martin is the Kings' second-leading scorer (19.8 points per game) despite missing two months of the early part of the season with a broken left wrist. He will be reunited with Houston coach Rick Adelman, for whom he played two seasons in Sacramento from 2004-06, and he adds some much needed perimeter shooting to the Rockets' lineup.
"If you just look at that one ability to put the ball in the basket without using a lot of time shooting at the hoop, he's been in the top 10 in the league pretty consistently," Morey said. "He's a unique scorer and that allows the team to function a little bit with all the roles becoming a little bit more defined."
The Kings will get New York guard Larry Hughes and Houston forwards Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey. Hughes has a much-valued expiring contract and Landry is Houston's second-leading scorer (16.1 points) and third-leading rebounder (5.5 per game).
The Knicks will also get guard Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings, though the lure of the deal was McGrady and his expiring $23 million contract. New York is eager to drop its payroll and become a major player in this summer's free-agent sweepstakes.
The 6-foot-10 Hill, the eighth overall pick in last summer's draft, will bring rebounding and energy off the bench, a role Landry filled, although Morey said they're very different players.
The downside for Houston is absorbing Jeffries' contract, which will pay him about $6.9 million next season. The Knicks wanted to trade Jeffries mainly for financial reasons, and Morey said the Rockets will evaluate him closely to see if he fits in to their future plans.
"Even though that was the piece they wanted to move, when he's played, he's been effective," Morey said. "We're not afraid to put him out there. We think he can be a player who helps us."
The most uncertain part of the deal is McGrady, who will turn 31 in May and has played in only 107 games over the last three seasons because of injuries.
McGrady's health started becoming a persistent issue in 2005-06, when he missed 34 games with back injuries that lingered into the following season. He hurt his elbow and his knee early in the 2007-08 season and missed 16 games. He was in and out of the lineup during the 2008-09 season and finally opted for season-ending microfracture surgery on the knee around the All-Star break.
McGrady, a two-time scoring champion when he played for Orlando, couldn't convince the Rockets this year that he could return to his old form after the surgery. He played a total of 46 minutes in only six games before becoming dissatisfied with his role.
The Knicks have been interested in McGrady — and his contract — almost since the Rockets announced he was on the market. Morey wanted to include high draft picks in the asking price and didn't waver as the trade deadline approached.
"More importantly, we're pretty focused on the short term," Morey said. "Those picks might help complete something that finalizes the team, add maybe the last piece to a championship-quality roster."
McGrady trade the big deal on deadline day
The Cleveland Cavaliers hope they took another step toward keeping LeBron James. The New York Knicks are in better position for a run at him — and a second superstar, too.
And they aren't the only team lining up for a chance to become a summer spender.
The Knicks acquired former scoring champion Tracy McGrady on Thursday in a three-team swap with the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings. The deal left them on the verge of being able to offer two maximum salary contracts to the 2010 free agent class that could be headlined by James.
Amare Stoudemire could be in the market for one if he decides to leave Phoenix — where he'll again finish the season after spending the weeks before the deadline atop the trade rumor mill.
"I've maintained that unless there was something out there that improved our team and put us in a lot better position moving forward, then we weren't going to do anything. And that was the case," Suns general manager Steve Kerr said.
Chicago, Washington and Sacramento all cleared enough salary in moves before the 3 p.m. EST deadline to be able to afford a max player, and the Los Angeles Clippers got close.
The Cavaliers gave James more reason to stay home. They acquired forward Antawn Jamison on Wednesday, a deal that could make the Eastern Conference leaders even stronger.
"We're trying to build a franchise that all players want to be a part of, that can have sustainable success and do things at a high level," general manager Danny Ferry said. "Clearly LeBron's an important player for Northeast Ohio, for Cleveland, for the Cavaliers. It's all ground in winning, too. Antawn can help us win. We're excited what he can bring to us over the next few years."
The Knicks can afford James and perhaps someone else in the class that could include Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
By including Jared Jeffries in the deal for McGrady, whose $22.5 million contract expires after this season, the Knicks removed $6.9 million from next season's payroll and left them with about $32 million in salary cap space. Those top free agents would each earn a little more than $16.5 million in the first season of a max deal.
"Let's put it this way. I think this gives us flexibility. A lot of flexibility in a lot of different directions," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "I know everybody is focused on individual players, but we're not. We're focused on putting together the best team we can. So that takes a lot of different directions and we have a lot of time to figure out which way we're going to go, but it is a lot of cap space."
In the meantime, the Knicks hope McGrady can lead them into the playoff race. He's only played six games this season after returning from knee surgery, but is convinced he has plenty left.
"I can't wait to get back on the court to continue doing what I love to do," McGrady said in a statement on his Web site. "I am excited to be headed to New York and look forward to wearing a Knick uniform. I know that I can and will contribute to this organization. It's a dream to play in New York and there is nothing that compares to playing in the Garden."
To get him, the Knicks sent Jeffries and rookie Jordan Hill to Houston along with a protected first-round pick in 2012, and gave the Rockets the right to exchange first-round picks in 2011. The Rockets will get high-scoring guard Kevin Martin and forward Hilton Armstrong from Sacramento, while the Kings received Larry Hughes from the Knicks, Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from Houston and sent guard Sergio Rodriguez to New York.
The Knicks also dealt Nate Robinson to Boston along with Marcus Landry for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker and a future conditional second-round pick.
"I don't think we would have done the trade if we didn't think he'd make us better," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of Robinson. "He absolutely makes us better. He gives us speed, No. 1, and he gives us another ballhandler. He gives us a guy that can have a night. ... The other thing he does is give us defense because he can pressure the ball."
The Bulls were busy, trading power forward Tyrus Thomas to Charlotte for a future, protected first-round pick and the expiring contracts of guards Flip Murray and Acie Law.
Chicago also dealt guard John Salmons to Milwaukee for Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander, whose contracts also are expiring.
"You can see the price to be paid to gain flexibility and in a lot of cases, it was very, very high. You've got to give something to get something," Bulls GM Gar Forman said. "That's why I think we feel so good today that we kept the nucleus intact, our starting lineup intact, and yet gained the type of flexibility that we wanted to gain to make that next step in the process we wanted to make this summer."
The Wizards and Clippers also shed salary in the three-team deal that sent Jamison to the Cavaliers. They joined the Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Bulls as the teams with the most money available.
Also Thursday:
—The Utah Jazz traded shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future first-round draft pick.
— Milwaukee made a second trade, sending rookie guard Jodie Meeks and center Francisco Elson to Philadelphia for guard Royal Ivey, center Primoz Brezec and a second-round pick in the 2010 draft.
—Sacramento acquired swingman Dominic McGuire and cash from Washington for a protected 2010 second-round pick.
—The Bobcats made another minor trade, acquiring veteran big man Theo Ratliff from San Antonio for a second-round pick.
-- Brian Mahoney
McGrady in, Robinson out, and money to spend in N.Y.
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — A big trade deadline day has the New York Knicks in position for a bigger score in July.
The Knicks acquired Tracy McGrady in a three-team deal and shipped Nate Robinson out in another trade, but the makeup of this season's roster is secondary.
New York was able to trade Jared Jeffries in the McGrady deal, removing $6.9 million from next season's payroll and putting the Knicks on the verge of being able to offer two maximum salary contracts this summer, when LeBron James can headline the free agent class.
"I think that's probably what everything the last few years has been about, getting cap room and setting ourselves up for the summer and trying to create a better atmosphere," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "There's a lot of things that we want to do, but a major component is creating as much cap space as we can."
Robinson went to Boston along with Marcus Landry for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens, Bill Walker and a future conditional second-round pick.
The Knicks already were in position to afford one max player, but the moves Thursday left them with about $32 million in salary cap space, tops in the league to use in July. Players such as James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would each make a little more than $16.5 million in the first season of a new deal.
"Let's put it this way, I think this gives us flexibility. A lot of flexibility in a lot of different directions," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "I know everybody is focused on individual players, but we're not. We're focused on putting together the best team we can. So that take a lot of different directions and we have a lot of time to figure out which way we're going to go, but it is a lot of cap space."
And they get a look at McGrady, a two-time scoring champion who has played only six games this season while recovering from microfracture knee surgery. Barely hanging on to fading playoff hopes, the Knicks will likely give him as much time as he needs to show he can still play.
"He's a great player. He didn't lose that," Walsh said. "We'll have to see where his physical condition is, but I've been told he's (been) playing."
Walsh said he didn't know if McGrady would make his Knicks debut Saturday against Oklahoma City. New York also got point guard Sergio Rodriguez from Sacramento in the deal. Walsh thought a potential Knicks-Rockets deal was in jeopardy Wednesday night before the Kings got involved.
"I think the Knicks are going to get their plan done, whatever it is," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "They probably will be a much-improved team next year, but you never know. It gives us two shots at it, our pick and theirs, to maybe pick high in the draft."
Robinson's loss likely will be felt most in the short term. He was often a spark off the bench and the three-time slam dunk champion was a fan favorite. But he fell out of favor with D'Antoni earlier this season, being benched for 14 straight games at one point.
New York also was forced to give up rookie power forward Jordan Hill, the No. 8 pick last year, in the McGrady deal, and the Knicks are vulnerable if they strike out in free agency. They have only four players under contract beyond this season, and their first-round pick this year belongs to Utah, having been included long ago in the acquisition of Stephon Marbury from Phoenix.
Plus, the Knicks sent Houston a protected 2012 first-round pick and gave the Rockets the option to exchange first-round picks in 2011.
New York also sent Larry Hughes to Sacramento in the three-team deal. Hughes wasn't playing much anyway, and he might be playing even less for his new team. The Knicks revealed Thursday he has a fractured left ring finger and could miss four weeks.
Jeffries has played heavy minutes, and they are perhaps catching up to him. He lasted just six minutes in Wednesday's loss to Chicago before coming out with a sore right knee.
His agent, Andy Miller, said the knee pain has been an ongoing issue all season and has gotten progressively worse despite treatments, but said Jeffries will continue to play hard despite the pain.
-- Brian Mahoney
Antawn Jamison arrives in Cleveland after trade
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers and their newest star have something in common. Neither has ever won a championship.
Together, they hope to fix that in June.
"There's only one thing left for me to achieve," Antawn Jamison said Thursday. "It's the one thing that keeps me going. It's the one thing that drives me night in and night out. I said to myself, 'It's going to happen before I retire.' I don't have another five or 10 years left in this body. I'm just blessed to be put in this situation."
The best team in the league filled its last glaring hole when Cavs GM Danny Ferry acquired Jamison on Wednesday in a three-team trade with Washington and the Los Angeles Clippers. Now the Cavaliers can trot out a frontcourt of Jamison, Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James, a trio with a combined 23 All-Star appearances.
This was Cleveland's final statement to James before his pending free agency this summer that the team is dedicated to winning its first championship. It came at a hefty price for a team already well over the salary cap. The Cavaliers were forced to trade away Zydrunas Ilgauskas, while Cavs owner Dan Gilbert swallowed the remaining $28 million owed to Jamison over the next two years.
Trading Ilgauskas was the most difficult part for Ferry, since the two were Cavaliers teammates at one time. Ilgauskas has spent his entire 12-year career with the Cavaliers and is the career leader in games played, blocks and rebounds. He is second in scoring to James.
James has played more games with Ilgauskas than anyone else in his career.
"I'm OK with the trade," James said. "I'm not OK with losing Z, but I'm OK with the guy coming in. ... The best thing he'll do for our team is spread the floor. His shooting ability is unbelievable. The fact he can play multiple positions can really make us versatile."
Ferry admitted he's been trying to get Jamison in Cleveland for the last couple of years. Washington finally relented when it began rebuilding following the season-long suspension of Gilbert Arenas.
The Cavaliers shipped Ilgauskas to Washington, along with a 2010 first-round draft pick and the rights to Emir Preldzic, who was selected in the second round of last year's draft. The Wizards also received forward Al Thornton from Los Angeles.
Cleveland gets guard Sebastian Telfair from the Clippers, who received Drew Gooden from the Wizards. The chance to add a scorer like Jamison, who has averaged nearly 20 points for his career, was too good for Cleveland to pass up.
"I didn't feel we had to do something," Ferry said. "It was a great position to be in. Our guys have done a great job in giving us the ability to only make a decision if there was something that really excited us and caught our eye."
Now it is up to Cavaliers coach Mike Brown to make all the pieces fit. At 43-11, Cleveland already has the league's best record and is riding a 13-game winning streak. Tinkering with that sort of chemistry can be dangerous, but Ferry believes the addition of Jamison will be seamless.
"It's not going to be without its challenges," Ferry said. "Mike is going to have some hard decisions to make. The depth we have on this roster; Mike has a lot of tough decisions to make night in and night out."
Brown isn't sure yet whether Jamison will start or come off the bench. After speaking with Jamison, Brown is confident he'll fit in either role.
"His character is off the charts," Brown said. "To me, chemistry equates to trust. He's a guy you can easily trust and you feel the same coming back."
Jamison could not be activated in time for Thursday's game against Denver. Instead, he watched the game from a luxury suite. He could be in the lineup Friday at Charlotte.
Jamison heard he had been traded just as he was headed out onto the floor for Washington's game against Minnesota on Wednesday night.
"It's been surreal," Jamison said. "To one day be in the situation that is really tough and you don't see anything positive coming out of it to the next day, right before you're about to go out and suit up, I probably heard the greatest news of my whole career."
Stoudemire staying with Suns
PHOENIX — After weeks of trade discussions, the Suns decided the one player they could not do without was Amare Stoudemire.
It is a gamble. All-Star starter Stoudemire can opt out of the final year of his contract worth $17.7 million next season, and the Suns will have nothing but a little extra money to spend next summer.
Still, general manager Steve Kerr said he considered standing pat at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline was the best option for a Suns team that has a three-game lead on a Western Conference playoff spot with 27 games remaining.
"I’ve maintained that unless there was something out there that improved our team and put us in a lot better position moving forward, then we weren’t going to do anything. And that was the case," Kerr said.
"We contemplated a lot of things today. Nothing jumped out, and we move on. Frankly, all of us are kind of relieved, because we are excited about this team. We listened to a lot of people. Multiple teams called us. We called a couple of teams just to inquire about certain things. In the end, nothing really struck our fancy."
Cleveland was the team most often linked to the Suns, with J.J. Hickson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas mentioned as trading chips, but Kerr said any trade with the Cavaliers "never really rang a bell with us, frankly."
"It had to be better. It had to be a spin-off. There had to be something else. That had a lot of different offshoots to it that were tricky, and it just didn’t happen," Kerr said.
Stoudemire, in his seventh season, is averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game while playing for about $16.4 million. He has until June 30 to decide if he will opt out.
Miami and Philadelphia also were mentioned as possible trading partners, but it became clear that any deal involving the Suns and Miami would have had to include a third team. Stoudemire makes an offseason home in Florida.
"He’s fine with what happened. He always has been with the Suns. He likes the team. He loves the city. He’ll go 110 percent the rest of the year," said Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters.
The Suns are in seventh place in the tightly bunched Western Conference, although seedings can change daily. They are 3½ games behind second-place Denver and three games ahead of ninth-place Houston.
Phoenix has won six out of its last eight games, a streak that began when Stoudemire was on the bench for the entire fourth quarter of a 112-106 victory over Dallas on Jan. 28.
At the All-Star festivities, Stoudemire said he wondered why he has been mentioned in trade talks in each of the last two seasons, but Kerr said he did not expect any ill will moving forward.
"It’s not easy to have your name mentioned," Kerr said. "It’s harder when you are a first-team All-Star, because those guys are not used to having their names thrown around. I don’t foresee any problems relationship-wise, but I’m going to talk to him. I expect him to keep playing his heart out."
Kerr and Stoudemire’s camp exchanged ideas on a new contract for Stoudemire earlier this season, and Kerr said he hoped to continue that process.
Walters said he is always open to listening.
"I don’t know that we’re going to reach an agreement. I’ve been quoted as saying we’re close, but I never said that," Walters said. "Amare is an important part of their future — it is up to the Suns to say how much.
"We’ve exchanged ideas. The ball is in their court. It’s going to be what he feels the team is going to do in the future. Are they going to build the team, or stay where they are?"
Bulls send Thomas to Bobcats for Murray, Law, pick
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Bobcats addressed coach Larry Brown's biggest concern on Thursday, acquiring power forward Tyrus Thomas from the Chicago Bulls just before the trade deadline.
Charlotte sent a future, protected first-round pick to Chicago, along with the expiring contracts of guards Flip Murray and Acie Law. The Bobcats have lacked depth behind starting power forward Boris Diaw. They hope Thomas — who has clashed with coaches in the past — will provide needed rebounding and shot-blocking as they look to secure their first playoff berth.
"It's like getting a lottery pick in my mind," Brown said. "A young, big kid that's got a huge upside. He fills a lot of needs for us."
The 6-foot-10 Thomas is averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds and making $4.7 million in the final year of his contract. He'll be a restricted free agent this summer.
The Bobcats made another minor trade, acquiring veteran big man Theo Ratliff from San Antonio for a 2016 second-round pick.
It was a day of two trades for four expiring contracts for the Bulls, who are expected to be $18-20 million under the salary cap and poised to be a major player in free agency this summer. Chicago also acquired forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander from Milwaukee for guard John Salmons.
It may be a while before the Bulls get Charlotte's draft pick.
The NBA doesn't allow teams to trade first-round choices in consecutive years, and Minnesota — through a deal it made with Denver — is owed a Bobcats' pick.
The Timberwolves will get it this year if it's outside the top 12. There's a sliding protection on that original deal that could extend to 2014. The Bulls won't get Charlotte's pick, which is also lottery protected early, until two years after Minnesota does.
But for the Bulls, who also released forward Chris Richard to open a roster spot, it was all about clearing cap space.
"I believe he's still trending up and he's got a chance to reach that potential," Bulls GM Gar Forman said of Thomas. "The reality is his cap hold this summer is going to be so large that it was going to be a problem for us as trying to go out and attract free agents this summer."
The 23-year-old Thomas was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft — taken right after Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan selected the disappointing Adam Morrison.
After spending just one season at LSU, Thomas has been inconsistent and far from dominant in the NBA. He missed seven weeks earlier this season with a broken left forearm. He's also been suspended twice, once for missing practice in 2008 and again earlier this month for conduct detrimental to the team.
"A lot of young kids are sometimes a little bit immature, maybe, or trying to realize how to handle a situation," Brown said. "But that's my job. We've got a great locker room and some really good leadership."
The two deals means Charlotte has made seven trades involving 21 players under the tinkering Brown in the past 16 months. General manager Rod Higgins said they talked to numerous teams until the Chicago deal came into play Thursday morning.
Brown had complained about Charlotte's lack of a true backup power forward for months. Thomas gives the Bobcats an athletic, rebounding big man that would seem to pair well with All-Star small forward Gerald Wallace
The deal also clears up Charlotte's logjam of guards, but Brown said they "tried everything we could" to try to keep Murray.
The 6-foot-3 shooting guard could pick up the scoring slack in Chicago for Salmons, who was averaging 12.7 points. Murray, who will join his ninth team, was averaging 9.9 points and shooting 31 percent from 3-point range while giving Charlotte a quick scoring burst off the bench behind Stephen Jackson and Raymond Felton.
The 6-3 Law, a backup point guard, played in only five games for Charlotte after being included in November's trade with Golden State for Jackson.
The Bobcats may need Thomas right away. They announced earlier Thursday that DeSagana Diop will miss up to two weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Centers Nazr Mohammed (back) and Tyson Chandler (ankle) have missed practice the past two days.
The 6-foot-10 Ratliff, who turns 37 in April, could help short term with depth. Ratliff, averaging 1.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 21 games, is making $1.3 million in the final year of his deal. He played under Brown in Philadelphia early in his career.
Brown said Thomas and Ratliff should play Friday against Cleveland.
-- Mike Cranston
Bulls poised for big splash in free agent pool
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Dwyane Wade, any interest in playing for your hometown team? How does Chicago sound, Chris Bosh?
The Bulls are in position to make a big splash in a star-studded free agent market this summer after a flurry of activity before Thursday's trade deadline.
Not only did they rid themselves of John Salmons' $5.8 million player option for next season, they unloaded their biggest headache in Tyrus Thomas. Now, they're in position to land a big-ticket free agent to play alongside All-Star Derrick Rose, and they didn't have to dismantle the rest of their core.
"You want to be seen — and I think we are — as a team that's trending up," general manager Gar Forman said. "I think we saw some of that last year in the Celtics (playoff) series. You could see Joakim Noah growing right before your eyes. You can see Derrick Rose now growing, it seems like, almost game by game. Luol Deng is making strides."
And now, the Bulls are in position to take a giant step.
"In order to create the cap space to attract a max free agent this summer, we knew we had to make some moves," Forman said. "A lot of teams were positioning themselves to be able to attract a maximum free agent this summer, so we created that flexibility."
The Bulls did it by sending Salmons along with their second-round picks in 2011 and 2012 to Milwaukee for the expiring contracts of forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander. The Bucks also have the option to switch first-round picks in this year's draft as long as Chicago's isn't in the top 10.
That trade left the Bulls with about $18 million to $20 million in cap space this summer and enough room to offer a maximum contract to one of the big-ticket free agents such as Wade, Bosh, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer or even LeBron James if he becomes a free agent.
Then, they dealt Thomas to Charlotte, parting ways with an athletic but underachieving forward who had several run-ins with the organization during his 3½ seasons. In return, they acquired the expiring contracts of guards Flip Murray and Acie Law along with a protected first-round pick.
Chicago also released forward Chris Richard, who was on a second 10-day contract.
Thomas, who's averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds, is due to become a restricted free agent and there was little chance the Bulls would make the $6.3 million qualifying offer let alone match anything he got from another team.
He missed seven weeks early this season with a broken left forearm and was in and out of the rotation, leading to a reported tirade at coach Vinny Del Negro that resulted in a one-game suspension for detrimental conduct. He was also fined $10,000 in February 2006 for saying he was participating in the slam dunk contest for the money and got suspended for two games in March 2008 for skipping practice.
The Bulls knew they were getting an unfinished product when they acquired his rights from Portland for the rights to LaMarcus Aldridge on draft night 2006. While Aldridge quickly emerged as one of the Trail Blazers' top players, Thomas never realized his potential.
Now, he's gone. And the Bulls can start looking ahead.
In the short term, they get an athletic forward in Warrick to fill the void up front left by Thomas along with an explosive shooting guard in Murray, and at 27-26, they figure to remain in playoff contention. But these moves were really about that star-studded summer.
Besides offering a big contract, they can sell the stars on the idea of playing alongside one of the best young point guards in Rose.
"We've got an All-Star — a young All-Star — who we feel is going to be one of the top players moving forward in the NBA, and I think his game translates into the type of game that guys want to play with him. Though he's got a lot of special abilities, he's very unselfish. He gets others involved."
-- Andrew Seligman
Bucks deal 2 players to Bulls for G Salmons
MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond wanted to add another scoring threat to take some of the pressure off of rookie Brandon Jennings, even if it meant helping a division rival clear salary cap space to go shopping in free agency this summer.
Hammond sent forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander — and, more important, their expiring contracts — to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard John Salmons on Thursday, adding a veteran player who showed he can be counted on to score in a playoff series against Boston last year.
That's something the Bucks could use right now.
"We have had issues at times, especially starting games — how can we find ways to score points if by chance Andrew (Bogut) isn't scoring early or Brandon's not having the chance to hit some early shots," Hammond said. "We've had difficulty. And once again, I think John's the kind of player that's proven he can score."
The Bucks also obtained the Bulls' second-round picks in 2011 and 2012, along with the option to switch first-round picks in the 2010 draft — provided that Chicago's pick isn't in the top 10.
Hammond then made another move before Thursday's deadline, sending rookie guard Jodie Meeks and center Francisco Elson to Philadelphia for Royal Ivey, center Primoz Brezec and a second-round pick in the 2010 draft.
It will be Ivey's second stint in Milwaukee, having played in a career-high 75 games — including 20 starts — and averaging 5.6 points per game in the 2007-08 season.
Hammond said the 76ers expressed an interest in Meeks almost immediately after Milwaukee took him in the second round of last year's draft.
"I can tell you that when we drafted Jodie, the Sixers were a team that called us maybe 10 minutes after that pick," Hammond said. "So they've liked him, they've coveted him. So he's in a place where he, I think, has a chance to be successful."
But the Bucks' main target was Salmons, who averaged just over 12 points in 51 games for the Bulls this season. He is scheduled to make $5.8 million next season if he doesn't opt out of his contract.
"We would love to have him here for two more years, and think that he could be really a very good asset to our team," Hammond said. "We need some more scoring, and he's a proven scorer in this league."
Salmons averaged 18.3 points per game in stints with Sacramento and Chicago last season, and made his mark in the Bulls' playoff series against Boston — including a 35-point performance in Game 6.
"He's a good pro guard," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "He's been a solid player for quite a while, and we feel like we still need to solidify one of our perimeter spots, especially with Michael (Redd) out. So it made sense."
Given Redd's uncertain future after yet another serious knee injury, is Salmons an insurance policy?
"No question whatsoever," Hammond said.
Hammond said he was hesitant to trade with a division rival, but figured the Bulls could have unloaded Salmons' salary elsewhere. And he couldn't pass on the opportunity to acquire another scorer.
"I think that you could safely say that if they didn't move John to us, they might have had a chance to move him somewhere else," Hammond said. "So yeah, you do hesitate, and that does bother you, but at the end of the day you have to do what's best for you and your organization."
In the process, the Bucks cut ties with Alexander, their No. 8 overall pick in 2008.
Despite his disappointing and injury-plagued career to date, Hammond praised Alexander for his professional attitude.
"It is now over, and we move forward, and hopefully at the end of the day it's going to be the right decision for us," Hammond said. "And I think it's going to be the right decision for Joe. We want nothing but good things for him, he deserves it."
-- Chris Jenkins
Jazz trade guard Ronnie Brewer to Memphis
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz traded shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future first-round draft pick.
The trade completed just before the 1 p.m. MST deadline Thursday should open up some room in a position where the Jazz are well-stocked and reduce the club's luxury tax burden. But it is costing the Jazz's first-round pick in the 2006 draft who has started every game this season and averaged 9.5 points.
"We felt like we gain an asset for drafts coming up," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Thursday. "We felt like we had a lot of players that were similar."
The Jazz can fill the gap with C.J. Miles, Kyle Korver and rookie Wes Matthews, who has been the surprise of the team since making the squad as an undrafted free agent in training camp.
Brewer is making $2.7 million this season and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
O'Connor said the trade won't put the Jazz under the luxury tax penalty, but it does get them closer and gives them some stock in future drafts, possibly as early as next year.
"If we didn't get an asset back we wouldn't have made the deal," he said.
Brewer started all 53 games this season and 80 of 81 last year. He has been starting since his second season in the league and averaged 10.5 points in 266 games for the Jazz.
Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said Brewer is a winning NBA player.
"Ronnie is an intelligent, versatile player who is an excellent ballhandler and defender," he said.
Brewer's agent, Henry Thomas, said there had been talk about a deal with the Grizzlies for more than a month, but it had died down until the last-minute trade Thursday.
"It was a little bit of a surprise," Thomas said. "I think it's a little too fresh for him to really have a good handle on his feelings right now."
The deal Thursday was minor compared to what the Jazz had been widely expected to do since last summer. Utah is hanging on to two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding at 19 points and almost 11 boards per game, and seeing how far this team can go in the playoffs.
Utah has won 11 of 12 and surged to third place in the Western Conference standings.
-- Doug Alden
Surging Thunder idle at trade deadline
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant had become used to saying his goodbyes to teammates during the time leading up to the NBA trade deadline. Not this year.
Riding a seven-game winning streak, the Oklahoma City Thunder didn't make any moves before the deadline passed Thursday afternoon. It marked the first time in Sam Presti's three years as general manager that the franchise wasn't part of the season's final flurry of trades.
Presti made a pair of deals in the week leading up to the trade deadline each of the past two years, plus a trade that ended up being rescinded when Tyson Chandler failed a physical.
This year, the Thunder are sticking with an overhauled roster that has already won eight more games than it did all of last season and is tied for fifth in the Western Conference. Presti confirmed as he walked out of the Thunder's practice facility Thursday that Oklahoma City hadn't made any moves.
"The last two years, we made big moves," said Durant, the league's second-leading scorer behind LeBron James. "We almost shipped our whole team, basically with the core group of guys that played a lot the last two years that I've been in the league. It's going to be a little different this year."
Only forward Nick Collison remains from draft day 2007, when Durant and forward Jeff Green joined the team as the first parts of the team's young nucleus. The rest of the roster has been overhauled with a series of trades, cuts and contracts that were allowed to lapse. There's even been a coaching change.
"The first two years, I could say, 'Man, I don't know if these guys might be here,' or whatever because guys talk," Durant said. "But this year, I can't see coming in without these guys every day. ... I think we've got the right pieces to move forward."
In its final season in Seattle, the franchise shipped away forwards Kurt Thomas and Wally Szczerbiak along with guard Delonte West in a pair of deals in the final 24 hours before the deadline as Presti stockpiled draft picks and expiring contracts to facilitate the turnaround that has since occurred in Oklahoma City.
Last season, he came right back after the rescinded Chandler deal and brought in guard Thabo Sefolosha from Chicago and forward Malik Rose from New York. Sefolosha has since become a staple in the starting lineup and the leader of a defense that's allowing about eight points fewer per game than last season.
"It's day and night from when I came in and where we're standing now," said Sefolosha, who will mark one full year with the Thunder on Friday. "It's great. I think over the summer, some of the players really grew up and came back ready, and since the beginning of the year we can feel it. We're definitely now starting playing the way we should."
Oklahoma City, which was 13-41 at the trade deadline last season, is 31-21 heading into back-to-back games on the road at New York on Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday.
"I like our team and I like what Sam has done. We have a team that's coachable, that works, that's going to get better. That's all I'm concerned with," coach Scott Brooks said. "If Sam feels that we can get better, he's going to get us better. He does a great job. We've gotten better in three years since he's been the general manager."
-- Jeff Latzke
Pistons didn't make a move at NBA trading deadline
Joe Dumars worked the phones, exploring the possibility of making a move to make the Detroit Pistons better as they remain in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
The team's president of basketball operations decided against shaking up the roster for the sake of being active.
"We spoke with quite a few teams, but at the end of the day there was not a deal that we felt was best for us to make right now," Dumars told The Associated Press shortly after Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
The Pistons are 19-34 — 7½ games out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race — heading into Friday night's game at home against Milwaukee.
Trading Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton seemed to be possibilities for the rebuilding team. Both helped Detroit win the 2004 NBA title during a dominant stretch in which it advanced to the conference finals for six straight years.
Detroit dealt Jerry Stackhouse to Washington in 2002 to acquire Hamilton. He has averaged nearly 18 points during his career. The shooting guard is showing signs of regaining his form after missing much of the season with injuries. He had 36 points in a loss Wednesday night at Orlando.
The Pistons picked Prince with the 23rd pick in the 2002 draft. He has averaged 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds over his career. Like Hamilton, he has started to bounce back from an injury-plagued start. The lanky small forward scored 13 points in Detroit's last game against the Magic.
Hamilton insisted he would not follow the rumor mill, wondering if the eighth season in Detroit would be his last.
"The question I ask myself is, 'Do I think we can win here?' and my answer is, 'Yes,'" Hamilton said in January. "It's just been tough with all of the injuries. Once we get everyone on the floor playing together to find a rhythm, we'll be fine."
Dumars said last month he would not be adverse to a trade, but he wasn't looking for a short-term fix.
Detroit was expected to endure a rebuilding season after dealing Chauncey Billups last season, then losing Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess in free agency during the summer.
The Pistons have been in flux off the court, too.
Tom Wilson resigned as president and CEO of the Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment on Wednesday, saying a year after the death of the team's owner, Bill Davidson, it was the right time to move on. Karen Davidson, who was married to late owner, acknowledged last month the option of selling the team was being explored.
-- Larry Lage
Heat stand pat as trade deadline passes
MIAMI — Unwilling to part with Michael Beasley, the Miami Heat came up short in their bid for Amare Stoudemire as the NBA trade deadline passed Thursday.
A flurry of last-minute deals around the league meant stiffer competition in this summer’s free-agent sweepstakes, but Heat president Pat Riley remained confident his team can make a big upgrade while keeping Dwyane Wade.
The Heat pushed hard for Stoudemire, who was on the trading block because he can opt out of his contract after this season. But the All-Star power forward stayed with Phoenix.
"We did attack the opportunity of going after who we considered was the most talented player that was out there," Riley said. "In the very end, it didn’t work out."
The package the Heat offered was limited because they wanted to keep Beasley, the inconsistent but talented second-year pro who was the overall No. 2 draft pick in 2008.
"We took him off the board," Riley said. "We feel like Michael is going to be a core component in this team for years to come. He just has too much of an upside. You see how he’s growing every day. I see him down the road two or three years from now as a 25 and 10 guy every single night."
Riley said the Heat turned down the chance to acquire a first-round draft pick for a player because they want to win this season, even though the team is only 28-27.
"We’re a playoff team," Riley said. "We can be very competitive. This team might be a better playoff team than it is during the regular season if everybody’s healthy."
That’s not the case now. All-Star Game MVP Wade is day to day with a strained left calf after leaving the Heat’s win against the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night in the first quarter.
There was no swelling but tenderness in his calf Thursday, and there are fears he might miss several games. Wade remained with the Heat, who play Friday night in Memphis.
"We hope it’s something he’ll get over with quickly," Riley said.
Deals this week left the Knicks, Bulls, Clippers and Wizards in more competitive bidding positions this summer, giving Wade more options in free agency. The Heat have salary-cap room for a maximum-level free agent, and they can pay Wade more than any other team.
"We feel very strongly that Dwyane Wade is going to be back with the Heat," Riley said. "We feel very comfortable that Dwyane feels very comfortable in a city that has embraced him and that he likes."
A blockbuster free agent class could also include Stoudemire, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
"There’s a lot at stake for a lot of teams," Riley said. "I’m going to be approaching this with a lot of excitement, not anxiety, in the hopes we’re going to be able to build a team that I’m going to be proud of and the city is going to be proud of. We have that opportunity to do it."
-- Steven Wine
Wolves wait for Milicic to arrive
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves will give Darko Milicic a 27-game audition at center, hoping he can show some potential and consider staying in the NBA.
The Wolves have acquired the little-used Milicic in a trade with the New York Knicks. Coach Kurt Rambis says it was possible the 7-footer could make it to Minnesota in time for Friday's game against Chicago.
Milicic was the second pick in the 2003 draft, but this is his fifth NBA team. He has never averaged more than eight points per game. The 24-year-old has said he wants to return to Europe next season. Rambis says the team will "cross that bridge" later.
The Timberwolves sent Brian Cardinal to New York and received cash considerations along with Milicic, who was unhappy with the Knicks.
Wizards trade McGuire to Sacramento
WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards traded forward Dominic McGuire to the Sacramento Kings for a second-round draft pick.
Sacramento also received cash from the Wizards. McGuire, who was in his third season with Washington, was the team's second-round draft pick in 2007.
The 6-foot-9 McGuire averaged 2.5 points in 190 games with Washington. This season, he averaged just 0.7 points in 41 games.
Hornets decide against a trade-deadline move
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Hornets have decided against making any more trades this season.
With the NBA's trade deadline passing Thursday afternoon, Hornets spokesman Harold Kaufman says the club has decided to stick with the roster it has while trying to stay in the playoff picture.
The Hornets are 28-26, three games behind Portland for the final Western Conference playoff spot. New Orleans has 28 games to make up ground and may be without All-Star point guard Chris Paul another month while he recovers from surgery on a meniscus tear in his left knee.
New Orleans has made several trades already, cutting enough payroll to avoid paying the NBA's luxury tax while giving rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton more playing time.
Elsewhere
Karl coaches first game since cancer disclosure
CLEVELAND — Nuggets coach George Karl was on the bench against Cleveland on Thursday night for his first game since disclosing he has neck and throat cancer.
Karl, who revealed the illness on Tuesday, likely will miss some games and practices while undergoing a rigorous six-week treatment program of radiation and chemotherapy. He accompanied his team on its two-game trip to Cleveland and Washington, where the Nuggets play Friday night.
"It's going to be my sanctuary to do what I like to do and forget maybe the things that are always going to pop into your mind," Karl said of being on the sidelines.
Karl, a survivor of prostate cancer, said he expects to miss at least a couple of upcoming games, at Golden State on Feb. 25 and at Minnesota on March 10. But he is optimistic about making a full recovery in time for the playoffs in April.
"I felt a little bit different the last three days because I had chemotherapy treatment," Karl said. "I had a lot of headaches and I still have a little nausea, but other than that I'm fine."
Karl said he has received an outpouring of support from around the league.
"It's been very nice, a lot of players, a lot of coaches, a lot of ex-players," he said. "The basketball family has a way of being angry competitors towards one another, but when there's trouble and there's pain, it unifies pretty quickly. I do appreciate it and I thank them all."
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown saw Karl's announcement on television.
"That was a tough interview to watch," Brown said. "He said it best. He said he doesn't need anyone to feel sorry for him, but he'd like everyone's support, so that's what we all should try to do is give him as much support as possible. I'm sure the people that are close to him every day are going to give him a ton of it."
Brown has known Karl for several years.
"He's a fighter," Brown said. "He's a tough guy. If anybody can kick cancer's behind, he's one of the guys I'd put my money on. My heart goes out to him and his family being in that situation, but I know he's going to fight through it."
Karl, 58, has coached Denver to the playoffs each of the last five seasons. His 260 wins since joining the Nuggets in January 2005 are the second most in team history.
The Nuggets started the day at 35-18 and leading the Northwest Division.
Karl recently signed a contract extension with the Nuggets and coached the Western Conference All-Star team last Sunday. He was successfully treated for prostate cancer in 2005. His son, Coby, also is a cancer survivor.
Karl coached the Cavaliers from 1984-86.
Karl said assistant coach Adrian Dantley would lead the team when he's absent.
Arenas is only 1 of Big 3 left in DC
WASHINGTON — Gilbert Arenas is the only member of the Big Three still in Washington and when he might be available to play for the Wizards again is uncertain.
But when Agent Zero returns to the NBA, Washington team president Ernie Grunfeld expects it to be with the Wizards.
"He's under contract and he's going to be with us," Grunfeld said. "He's part of the organization. If he wants to play, he's going to play here."
First, however, Arenas has to find out if he's going to jail.
Arenas pleaded guilty last month to a felony gun charge and is scheduled to be sentenced March 26.
Grunfeld negotiated a six-year, $111 million contract extension with Arenas in July 2008. Arenas was coming off two left knee surgeries and had played in only 13 games in the 2007-08 season. He underwent a third surgery in September 2008, and despite vowing a quick return, played just two games last season.
Arenas averaged 22.6 points in 32 games for the Wizards before he was suspended for the rest of the season last month by NBA commissioner David Stern for bringing a gun into the locker room.
Arenas negotiated the contract without an agent, and since the suspension there was talk that his once close relationship with Grunfeld was damaged beyond repair.
When asked about the relationship, Grunfeld said tersely: "It's fine."
Arenas isn't allowed to work out in the Wizards' facility, but Grunfeld says the team's trainers are working with him.
"He's part of this organization and he's under contract and if he wants to play, this is the place where he's going to play," Grunfeld said.
"Gilbert's a basketball player, that's what he likes to do, that's his life and obviously this is a tough situation for him. It's a tough situation for everybody and I think we all feel for him because he loves to play the game so much and this is something that he really misses. Nobody wants to see anybody go through something like this, but during the summertime we're going to sit and I know he's going to work very hard to be the best player he can possibly be."
In the past week, Grunfeld traded Caron Butler to Dallas and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.
Grunfeld has repeatedly said the team had grown stale and needed to go in a different direction.
Grunfeld was asked if he bore responsibility for the team's lackluster performance. After a win on Wednesday over Minnesota, the Wizards are 18-33.
"I don't know what happened from that standpoint. I think everybody thought we had a very solid team going into this season," Grunfeld said.
Grunfeld's Big Three are history and struggled to bring wins to the team.
"I think that was an entertaining ball club. I think the city enjoyed these players," Grunfeld said. "It happened quickly, in our second year here we went to the playoffs and we went to the second round. And then we added Caron the following summer, and I think that they were an entertaining group. They were good guys."
Nets to play in Newark until move to Brooklyn
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Nets are going to play in Newark, at least for the next two seasons.
The NBA team reached a deal with the state to move their regular-season games to Newark's Prudential Center until their new arena is built in Brooklyn.
Under the deal, the Nets will pay a $4 million penalty over two years to get out of their lease at the Izod Center in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, their home since 1981.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted to approve the deal Thursday morning. Details of the arrangement were announced Thursday afternoon by Gov. Chris Christie's office.
"This is a good agreement for the Nets and a good agreement for New Jersey," said Jon Hanson, who chairs a governor's gaming, sports, and entertainment commission and who worked on the deal.
The Nets plan to finish the current season at the Izod Center and move to "The Rock" in downtown Newark for the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 seasons.
The team, which will continue to practice and be headquartered in an East Rutherford office about a mile from the Izod Center, plans to move into a new arena in Brooklyn for the 2012-13 season.
"This temporary move not only gives our fans a state-of-the-art arena with the first-class amenities common in most NBA buildings, but also provides our players with a great atmosphere in which to play," Nets chief executive Brett Yormark said in a statement.
Yormark said the move also allows the team to grow its fan base in Essex and Union counties, as well as with fans in New York City who can use mass transit to attend games.
"We are confident that the NBA family will see this as a positive move, as we do," Yormark said. "We look forward to being part of the community in Newark and will continue our extensive community outreach in the area."
The Nets are struggling this season. They have won only 5 of 54 games and need five victories to avoid the NBA record for fewest wins in a season (9-73) set by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1972-73.
The Nets likely will have a very high pick in the NBA draft in June. The team has plenty of salary cap space for potential free agents this summer. Among the players eligible to seek free agency are LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian tycoon who has agreed in principle to buy the team, has indicated that he will spend money to sign free agents once the league approves the sale.
Officials have long tried to broker a truce between the Izod Center and the Prudential Center; while the Nets played in East Rutherford, the New Jersey Devils called Newark home.
The deal means that the Devils, Nets and Seton Hall will be playing in the Prudential Center.
"The Nets, Devils and Seton Hall all played at Continental when it was called that and it wasn't a problem," said Devils owner Jeff Vanderbeek, referring to the previous name of the Izod Center. "I am confident if they came here it would work out fine."
The agreement reached Thursday contains a non-disparagement between Izod and Prudential, with the Newark arena focusing on sports and the Izod Center concentrating on concerts and family shows.
As part of the agreement, the $4 million penalty can be offset by various credits, including up to $250,000 each year for the guarantee of proceeds to benefit the Newark Symphony Hall; up to $100,000 each year for the leasing of two Prudential Center suites to the Sports and Exposition Authority, one during Nets games and one during general events; and, up to $100,000 each year in advertising credits.
The Nets played two preseason games in Newark, both drawing far more than usual at the Izod Center. The announced crowd for their 96-92 preseason loss to New York was 15,721.
-- Beth DeFalco
Wade day to day with strained calf
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — All-Star Game MVP Dwyane Wade is day to day with a strained left calf, and there are fears he might miss several games.
Wade left the Heat’s win against the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night in the first quarter. There was tenderness but no swelling in his calf Thursday, and he was able to stand on his toes.
Wade remained with the Heat, who play Friday night in Memphis.
"We hope it’s something he’ll get over with quickly," team president Pat Riley said.
The injury ended Wade’s streak of scoring in double figures in 148 straight games, the second-longest active streak in the NBA to LeBron James.
Bobcats struggling with injuries in frontcourt
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Bobcats are running out of healthy big men.
Starting center Nazr Mohammed and backup Tyson Chandler missed practice for a second straight day Thursday, just as the team announced reserve DeSagana Diop will be sidelined up to two weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
Mohammed has been slowed by back spasms, but said he hopes to play Friday against Cleveland.
Chandler was less optimistic, expressing frustration with his sore left ankle. Chandler missed 22 games earlier this season with a stress reaction in his left foot, and had offseason ankle and toe surgery.
Diop was injured when he collided with teammate Raymond Felton in Tuesday’s loss to New Jersey.
Cavs' Williams to play Thursday
CLEVELAND — Cavaliers guard Mo Williams will not start Thursday's game against Denver despite being cleared to play.
Williams has missed the past 11 games with a sprained left shoulder. He is averaging 16.9 points and 5.1 assists for the Cavaliers, who have won 13 in a row and have the NBA's best record at 43-11.
Forward Leon Powe, who missed the season's first half while recovering from knee surgery, has not been cleared. Powe was hopeful he could make his Cavaliers debut against the Nuggets. He was signed during the offseason from Boston.
Darius Songaila will miss Indiana game
NEW ORLEANS — Hornets reserve forward Darius Songaila will miss Friday night's game against Indiana.
Team officials say Songaila sprained his right ankle Wednesday night.
Songaila, who has shot about 50 percent this season, was 1 of 6 against Utah, when he left the game.
