Bruno
02-16-2008, 02:49 PM
http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/717681.html
By Martin McNeal
Published 11:27 am PST Saturday, February 16, 2008
The Kings have reached an agreement in principle to send veteran guard Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks for guards Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue and forwards Lorenzen Wright and Sheldon Williams, sources told The Bee on Saturday.
The deal is contingent upon league approval that could come as early as today. According to sources who did not want to be identified because of ongoing trade discussions, there is a 1 p.m. conference call scheduled between the two teams and league officials.
When reached Saturday morning, Bibby said he was a bit surprised to hear Atlanta was the destination, but not that he was going to be traded.
"I had some good times here in Sacramento," said Bibby, who became known with the Kings as one of the league's better clutch shot-makers. "Sometimes you need a change and you never know where that might take you. I just prayed and asked for what might be the best for my family and this is what happened, so you can't question it.
"I'll always have love for the people in Sacramento, the Maloofs and (President) Geoff (Petrie)."
Dallas and New Jersey this week worked out a trade that would send point guards Jason Kidd to the Mavericks and Devin Harris to the Nets as the central figures. However, the trade has not been able to get league approval because of a contract situation involving Dallas swingman Devean George.
The reasons behind the deal for the Kings and the Hawks are clear and different. Atlanta is a young team attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Sacramento, meanwhile, is trying to clear salary cap space to become a player on the free-agency market as well as increasing its ability to make trades. Each of the players acquired by the Kings has an expiring contract.
Atlanta makes its only visit to Sacramento on Wednesday, and starting for the Hawks in his first game, conceivably, could be Bibby. His expected departure removes the final piece from the Kings core that consistently challenged to make the NBA Finals during the first half of this decade, but never could get over the hump.
By Martin McNeal
Published 11:27 am PST Saturday, February 16, 2008
The Kings have reached an agreement in principle to send veteran guard Mike Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks for guards Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue and forwards Lorenzen Wright and Sheldon Williams, sources told The Bee on Saturday.
The deal is contingent upon league approval that could come as early as today. According to sources who did not want to be identified because of ongoing trade discussions, there is a 1 p.m. conference call scheduled between the two teams and league officials.
When reached Saturday morning, Bibby said he was a bit surprised to hear Atlanta was the destination, but not that he was going to be traded.
"I had some good times here in Sacramento," said Bibby, who became known with the Kings as one of the league's better clutch shot-makers. "Sometimes you need a change and you never know where that might take you. I just prayed and asked for what might be the best for my family and this is what happened, so you can't question it.
"I'll always have love for the people in Sacramento, the Maloofs and (President) Geoff (Petrie)."
Dallas and New Jersey this week worked out a trade that would send point guards Jason Kidd to the Mavericks and Devin Harris to the Nets as the central figures. However, the trade has not been able to get league approval because of a contract situation involving Dallas swingman Devean George.
The reasons behind the deal for the Kings and the Hawks are clear and different. Atlanta is a young team attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Sacramento, meanwhile, is trying to clear salary cap space to become a player on the free-agency market as well as increasing its ability to make trades. Each of the players acquired by the Kings has an expiring contract.
Atlanta makes its only visit to Sacramento on Wednesday, and starting for the Hawks in his first game, conceivably, could be Bibby. His expected departure removes the final piece from the Kings core that consistently challenged to make the NBA Finals during the first half of this decade, but never could get over the hump.