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udrih a playmaker? ugh i think i just threw up a little in my mouth
So, Tuesday's Melvin Ely-Eric Williams trade didn't really get your blood boiling, eh?
You expect a little more action, a few bigger names to be changing addresses as we count down the days until the Feb. 22 NBA trade deadline, the day general managers finally get to set down their cell phones and take stock of the elbow tendinitis that comes from holding a receiver to one's ear for 12 hours a day.
Well, take heart, folks. Bigger and better deals are on the way, and Insider has been working the phones and aggravating the elbows, too, to get a handle on who's on the block, who isn't, and what might be in store for the week ahead.
We expect at least 10 players to be relocating by the time next weekend rolls around, but you can never really be sure whether it's going to be a busier-than-usual trade deadline day or a dud along the lines of the deadline day seven years ago when only one trade -- Anthony Johnson going from Orlando to Atlanta for a second-round pick -- was consummated.
With that warning safely dispensed, we present our Week Before The Deadline List of the 10 Players Most Likely to Be Traded.
1. James Posey, Heat
While he has been recovering from hip and knee replacement surgery, Pat Riley has been working the phones trying to find a point guard to relieve some of the burden from the banged-up Jason Williams and the washed-up Gary Payton.
Posey's $6.4 million contract expires after this season, making him the No. 1 chip Riley has at his disposal. Posey isn't enough to entice the 76ers to part with Andre Miller (even with a No. 1 draft pick thrown in), but he'll be enough to get some other team to part with a player who will keep Chris Quinn out of the Heat's starting five for the rest of the year.
2. Mike James, Timberwolves
In the category of "seemed like a good idea at the time" (see Harrington, Al, in Indiana), we point to Minnesota's signing of this free agent last summer as the next mistake the Wolves will try to rectify.
The Heat are very interested, but so too are the Pistons and Cavaliers. And since Detroit (able and willing to move Nazr Mohammed, Dale Davis and Flip Murray) can likely outbid Cleveland and Miami, the educated guess here is that James is back playing Deeee-troit bas-ket-ball by this time next week.
3. Juan Dixon, Trail Blazers
Yes, we know the most popular Portland trade chip to be run through the rumor mill this season has been Jamaal Magloire, but Insider is hearing that Portland is now "begging" teams to take the former All-Star off their hands. Magloire's $8.3 million contract expires at the end of this season, but big expiring contracts clearly aren't nearly the valuable commodities they were in recent years.
That's why we're listing Dixon as the likeliest member of the Blazers to be shipped out. Don't be surprised if he goes to Toronto for Fred Jones.
4. Dale Davis, Pistons
Not all expiring contracts are unmovable, just the bigger ones (Magloire, Grant Hill, etc.).
This graybeard center is pulling down $3.5 million from the Pistons, and Joe Dumars has vowed to break up his big man logjam. Most of the attention has been focused on the Pistons' trying to move Mohammed, but he has a five-year contract that's giving plenty of teams second thoughts.
Davis is a heck of a lot easier to move, and plenty of playoff-caliber teams are in need of an extra big body for the postseason.
5. Corey Maggette, Clippers
If it were up to Maggette or coach Mike Dunleavy, who get along like oil and water, Maggette would already be an ex-Clipper. The problem is that Clippers owner Donald Sterling has a particular fondness for Maggette, and the owner still thinks the two can coexist.
But the most recent tiff between coach and player might make Sterling reconsider, and the Jazz, Heat and Spurs are all still very much interested. The Clips turned down an offer of Morris Peterson earlier this season, and the Raptors are no longer looking to move Mo Pete.
6. P.J. Brown, Bulls
He is one of the main pieces of the package of players the Bulls are trying to send to Memphis for Pau Gasol. If that doesn't happen, he could still be a main piece of any backup deal the Bulls are working on to add a capable low-post scorer.
Brown's $8 million contract comes off the books after this season, but if Chicago can't find a match for him, another option is to trade Michael Sweetney's expiring $2.7 million deal and keep Brown in the Bulls' starting five, where he's been playing fairly well of late.
7. Pau Gasol, Grizzlies
The big fella from Spain doesn't make it any higher on this list because the Grizzlies continue to insist that they'll keep Gasol on the roster and further explore trade possibilities over the summer if they can't get a package of what they're looking for (two good young players and an expiring contract).
Chicago remains the front-runner, but we're hearing whispers that the Nets are seriously in the mix, too. The Knicks stated their interest, too, but Memphis wouldn't send him to New York even if Isiah Thomas was offering both Channing Frye and David Lee.
8. Mike Bibby, Kings
When agent David Falk came out last week and said Bibby would not opt out of his contract after this season, it forced Sacramento to weigh its options with Bibby as he slumps through his worst season in years.
Bibby makes $12.5 million, so there would have to be a lot of lumber, at least salarywise, coming back to the Kings in any deal.
The three teams most desperate for a new point guard (Miami, Cleveland, Lakers) are all interested, but the cost (at least $9.9 million in salary must go back, and Sacramento will want a No. 1 pick, too, which the Cavs don't have) may preclude a deal of this magnitude from going down.
9. Jason Kidd/Vince Carter, Nets
Here's the thing with J-Kidd. He's due to make $19.7 million next season and $21.4 million the year after, and the law of diminishing returns is coaxing Rod Thorn (and owner Bruce Ratner) to give serious consideration to the idea that it might be time to blow this team up.
Like Kidd, Carter has been shopped around the league. But with no one knowing for sure whether he plans to opt out of the final year of his contract this summer (the Nets wanted to give him an extension last summer, but Carter's impending divorce kept him from accepting), there's more risk in acquiring Carter than there is in getting Kidd.
10. Beno Udrih, Spurs
Wasn't it just a few days ago that Gregg Popovich said there would be no trades and no changes to the roster? Well, the Ely trade proved that Pop was merely disseminating some misinformation (he learned that from all his years spying on the Soviets).
Udrih has been in Pop's doghouse more than any player since Malik Rose was on the Spurs, and he's expendable now that Jacque Vaughn has taken over the backup point-guard duties. With so many teams seeking playmakers, Udrih may be the fallback guy for a team that can't land its No. 1 choice.
Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN Insider. To e-mail Chris, click here.
udrih a playmaker? ugh i think i just threw up a little in my mouth
You and I both! But, shhh maybe no one else knows that he stinks...
Shhh... other teams' GM's could be reading here, you never know.
I really, really hope the Spurs don't trade Beno Udrih. He is such a great young prospect. I think he could be a better pure point guard than Tony Parker and would be a valuable addition to any team. I don't think they could possibly get equal value for him, unless they received in return a good-rebounding center and a long 3.
All ball-handling and getting the ball past mid court aside, Udrih could be an explosive offensive player in many offenses in the L.
WTF let's just ing take MAggette before it's too late.
Beno is a playmaker for whoever we're playing against.
I laughed so hard when I read that.
Ben...AARF!!
Another naif that believes in POP's word
Concerning the beno situation I am beginning to wonder if Pop has lost him. As in life some people's personalities just don't mesh and this seems to be one of those situations. From what I can see Pop is a striaght forward no bulh kind of coach and some players respond to that. Pop seems willing to give his players a tough straight-to-the point constructive criticism. Some players respond and some don't. I think Beno falls into the latter. Pop puts pressure on his players to be responsible and to know what the team is trying to accomplish on a nightly basis. Beno seems to be playing not to make a mistake rather than just 'playing' which leads to further mistakes. At this point a move may be good for both parties involved.
Beno has been "playing scared" so to speak. Knowing that one mistake gets him a trip back to the bench, what once was a pure shot, turned sour.
Did anyone notice his performance at Jersey? Knowing he wouldn't be pulled with such a lead, the pure shooting returned for a few minutes.
I still say Beno was ruined with the Nick Van Excel experiment. Yes, he had a few problems, but the shot wasn't one of them.
And even Pop says Beno is the best passer on the team.
I think he has to be traded now. I just hope it doesn't come back to haunt the Spurs someday.
ooooooo Ferry!The three teams most desperate for a new point guard (Miami, Cleveland, Lakers).....
it could be so easy. we just swap Beno for Varejao!
no? ok then Beno+Scola rights for Varejao.
Beno+Scola rights+ 2nd round pick??.... + White?
ok, then Beno+Butler for Pavlovic+Gibson+Dwayne Jones (for the numbers)
done!
Miami:
a potential trade for Posey died with the Williams trade.
otherwise something like Beno+Butler+Williams for Posey would have made sense.
Beno has his moments. He does have a lot of skill and is a great passer. Its just that he doesn't do it enough when he is on the court.
beno has a fragile pysche and cracks under pressure. he has talent but if he can't get the mental aspect of the game down, his talent is worthless since it will never manifest itself in a game situation.
This quote is crap....Pop never said the Spurs weren't going to trade anyone, he said they were only going to trade "peripheral" players. I don't think the Spurs FO is planning something HUGE and wouldn't be suprised if any other trade the Spurs made would have a similar goal (to tweak).Wasn't it just a few days ago that Gregg Popovich said there would be no trades and no changes to the roster? Well, the Ely trade proved that Pop was merely disseminating some misinformation (he learned that from all his years spying on the Soviets).
I do think that the Spurs will consider a deal that might be too good to pass up (Maggette), but doubt they'll seek to make a big splash.
I don't think the Spurs want Maggette. If they did, if they truly thought he could improve this team, they would have pulled the trigger already. But I think they like Barry too much. If one of these things were different:
1) Injury prone (sat out a week after a pedicure gone wrong).
2) Contract runs one year too long (he would take his player option).
3) Absolutely no defense.
... then it would be a different story. He's also a lousy outside shooter. I think they've already assessed the situation and decided that Maggette is not the one for them.
would anyone consider Dixon?
He is soft, but not softer than Beno.
Yeah beno is gay
Beno needs to take some xanax or something. Maybe he'd be able to actually play then.
What part of the Clips don't want anything we have to offer do people simply not understand? Thats the reason Magette isn't a Spur. Thats it. Why do people keep trying to read anything else into something that is freaking obvious? It is like the ers who see Jesus in a tortilla.
or a tree.
denver is said to be looking for back court help, maybe they'd give up one of their forwards for beno, maybe diawara or kleiza?
Wow, If they manage to trade Magette to the Heat for Posey, Heat will look mighty scarier come playoff time.
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