CubanMustGo
06-28-2006, 03:45 PM
Garnett trade in the works?
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=ford_chad&univLogin02=stateChanged
posted: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
I'm feeling very confident that the Toronto Raptors will make Andrea Bargnani the No. 1 pick in the draft.
After that, things get fuzzy.
Will the Chicago Bulls trade the No. 2 pick?
The hot rumor floating among GMs this morning was that the Bulls and Timberwolves might pull off a blockbuster Kevin Garnett deal, sending picks No. 2 (Tyrus Thomas) and No. 16 (probably Marcus Williams) along with either Luol Deng or Ben Gordon to Minnesota for Garnett.
Blockbuster deals are very difficult to pull off at this time of year. Given the Bulls' cap situation, they'd have to wait until after July 1 to clear the cap space to make it happen.
I'm skeptical the Wolves are ready to trade Garnett, but otherwise the trade makes a lot of sense.
If the Bulls keep the pick...
I talked to GM John Paxson on Tuesday night, and he appeared close to making up his mind between LaMarcus Aldridge and Tyrus Thomas. There were reports today that Shelden Williams might be in the mix there, but I'm not buying that. Paxson didn't mention his name.
Paxson told me that Bargnani was also seriously in the mix for Chicago at No. 2. I think this helped end trade talks for the Raptors. They were looking at trading down a few spots in the draft, but once they were convinced Bargnani would be gone at No. 2, they knew they had to keep the No. 1 pick.
Charlotte is the real wild card this afternoon. When I talked to GM Bernie Bickerstaff on Tuesday night, he said the team was still undecided and might wait until right before the draft to make its decision. He said four guys were in the mix: Rudy Gay, Adam Morrison, Brandon Roy and Andrea Bargnani.
Several sources I talked to Tuesday night and this morning think it's Gay. Why? In part because Bobcats co-owner Michael Jordan was impressed that Gay was willing to work out for him and upset that Roy blew off the workout.
As for Morrison, I think he was the early favorite, but I continue to hear that MJ isn't a fan. For what it's worth, Morrison's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told me this afternoon that he believes the Bobcats will take Morrison, but he says that's just his gut feeling.
He was more adamant that I was wrong when I put LaMarcus Aldridge ahead of Morrison for the Portland Trail Blazers in this morning's mock draft.
I'm getting lots of e-mails about that, many filled with profanity -- the general theme is that Blazers fans would be ready to storm the Rose Garden if their team passes on Morrison.
Bartelstein thinks there's "no way" the Blazers pass on him. But after what I heard Tuesday night, I think Aldridge is their guy.
The Celtics and Allen Iverson rumors continue to churn. GM Danny Ainge told Insider on Tuesday that an Iverson-to-the-Celtics trade was "not going to happen." I don't think Danny would lie to me. But this is the time of year when you can't trust anyone.
Finally, I've made some changes in my mock draft based on talk around the league.
I'm hearing that Mouhamed Saer Sene might be the pick for Seattle at No. 10, if the Sonics don't trade the pick.
The Hornets have Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons ranked higher than Patrick O'Bryant, meaning O'Bryant could be in for a major draft-day slide if the Warriors don't take him at No. 9.
We always thought the Hornets would be the backstop for O'Bryant at No. 15, but several sources insist the Hornets are taking Memphis' Shawne Williams there.
That could complicate things for Indiana at No. 17 and Sacramento at No. 19. It would be hard to pass on O'Bryant if he slips that far.
If Williams is gone before No. 20, that puts the Knicks in an interesting situation. They like Florida State's Alexander Johnson and tried to work him out this morning. But he sprained his ankle in a workout against Leon Powe in Memphis and wasn't able to do a full workout for the Knicks.
We'll keep posting updates as we hear them...
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=ford_chad&univLogin02=stateChanged
posted: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry
I'm feeling very confident that the Toronto Raptors will make Andrea Bargnani the No. 1 pick in the draft.
After that, things get fuzzy.
Will the Chicago Bulls trade the No. 2 pick?
The hot rumor floating among GMs this morning was that the Bulls and Timberwolves might pull off a blockbuster Kevin Garnett deal, sending picks No. 2 (Tyrus Thomas) and No. 16 (probably Marcus Williams) along with either Luol Deng or Ben Gordon to Minnesota for Garnett.
Blockbuster deals are very difficult to pull off at this time of year. Given the Bulls' cap situation, they'd have to wait until after July 1 to clear the cap space to make it happen.
I'm skeptical the Wolves are ready to trade Garnett, but otherwise the trade makes a lot of sense.
If the Bulls keep the pick...
I talked to GM John Paxson on Tuesday night, and he appeared close to making up his mind between LaMarcus Aldridge and Tyrus Thomas. There were reports today that Shelden Williams might be in the mix there, but I'm not buying that. Paxson didn't mention his name.
Paxson told me that Bargnani was also seriously in the mix for Chicago at No. 2. I think this helped end trade talks for the Raptors. They were looking at trading down a few spots in the draft, but once they were convinced Bargnani would be gone at No. 2, they knew they had to keep the No. 1 pick.
Charlotte is the real wild card this afternoon. When I talked to GM Bernie Bickerstaff on Tuesday night, he said the team was still undecided and might wait until right before the draft to make its decision. He said four guys were in the mix: Rudy Gay, Adam Morrison, Brandon Roy and Andrea Bargnani.
Several sources I talked to Tuesday night and this morning think it's Gay. Why? In part because Bobcats co-owner Michael Jordan was impressed that Gay was willing to work out for him and upset that Roy blew off the workout.
As for Morrison, I think he was the early favorite, but I continue to hear that MJ isn't a fan. For what it's worth, Morrison's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told me this afternoon that he believes the Bobcats will take Morrison, but he says that's just his gut feeling.
He was more adamant that I was wrong when I put LaMarcus Aldridge ahead of Morrison for the Portland Trail Blazers in this morning's mock draft.
I'm getting lots of e-mails about that, many filled with profanity -- the general theme is that Blazers fans would be ready to storm the Rose Garden if their team passes on Morrison.
Bartelstein thinks there's "no way" the Blazers pass on him. But after what I heard Tuesday night, I think Aldridge is their guy.
The Celtics and Allen Iverson rumors continue to churn. GM Danny Ainge told Insider on Tuesday that an Iverson-to-the-Celtics trade was "not going to happen." I don't think Danny would lie to me. But this is the time of year when you can't trust anyone.
Finally, I've made some changes in my mock draft based on talk around the league.
I'm hearing that Mouhamed Saer Sene might be the pick for Seattle at No. 10, if the Sonics don't trade the pick.
The Hornets have Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons ranked higher than Patrick O'Bryant, meaning O'Bryant could be in for a major draft-day slide if the Warriors don't take him at No. 9.
We always thought the Hornets would be the backstop for O'Bryant at No. 15, but several sources insist the Hornets are taking Memphis' Shawne Williams there.
That could complicate things for Indiana at No. 17 and Sacramento at No. 19. It would be hard to pass on O'Bryant if he slips that far.
If Williams is gone before No. 20, that puts the Knicks in an interesting situation. They like Florida State's Alexander Johnson and tried to work him out this morning. But he sprained his ankle in a workout against Leon Powe in Memphis and wasn't able to do a full workout for the Knicks.
We'll keep posting updates as we hear them...