Wednesday, February 22, 2006

BOTH DEALS DONE

The Sonics completed two deals today; the first was a 4 team 9 player deal in which the Sonics received Earl Watson, Bryon Russell and a 2nd round pick. Denver received Ruben Patterson, Charles Smith and Reggie Evans, Porland recieved Voshon Lenard and Brian Skinner and the Kings get Vitaly Potpenko and Sergei Monia.

The Second deal has Flip Murray going to Cleveland for Mike Wilks.




UPDATE 10:09 AM DEAL NOT DONE--- Hold your horses. There are a lot of moving parts in the Earl Watson to Seattle deal. The players need to give approval which can be read as the agents need to give approval. There are trade kickers involved on Patterson’s contract.
This is still likely to happen, but it is not done and it still needs some items to fall into place.
The Flip Murray situation is a bit more in flux then I had thought. The Sonics are still working a deal for Flip, but none of them are done. The Sonics are looking to receive a 2nd round pick in the deal.


UPDATE 9:15 AM WATSON A SONIC--- As we suspected the deal is a three-way deal with Earl Watson coming to Seattle and Reggie Evans going to Denver with Vitaly Potapenko going to Portland. The Nuggets will also get Rueben Patterson and Voshon Lenard will be moved to Portland.
Seattle will also move Flip Murray before the deadline. His destination is currently unknown.
This is a very good move for the Sonics. They are a better team with a deal. This is basically a free agent signing for the Sonics. This is the replacement to Antonio Daniels that the Sonics didn’t fill in the off-season.



LATEST UPDATE AT 7:36 AM
--- The Sonics goal today is to split Reggie Evans and Flip Watson in two different deals. At this moment it seems likely that will get done. The Earl Watson trade is still hot with Reggie Evans and Vitaly Potpaenko going to Denver. This could be part of a multiple team deal with Rueben Patterson moving from Portland to Denver and one of these pieces, likely Evans ending up in Portland.
The Sonics had discussions with the Utah Jazz this morning but that deal is no off and the Sonics have another move percolating that involves Flip Murray.



UPDATE 12:15 AM
--- According to my sources the Sonics are willing to pick up the contract on Earl Watson so the Sonics Flip Murray and Vitaly for Watson deal is still a possibility. There are other combinations in that deal that have been discussed. Flip Murray did not play last night which is a clear sign the Sonics plan to move him. The Sonics plan to have more conversations with Utah on Thursday morning about a deal that they have been working on. Details are unclear, but the names Milt Palacio and Matt Harpring have been mentioned around the league. The Sonics also made final checks with Indiana about Anthony Johnson and Toronto about Jose Calderon as of late last night neither was willing to budge.
Elsewhere around the league the Carlos Boozer talk seemed to be heating up and Denver has looking for new trading partners after missing out with New York. Some of these conversations included a deal with Portland


LATEST UPDATE – 3:44 PM-- The Sonics are continuing the talks with the Nuggets amongst other teams. Through my sources I have learned that one of those teams is the Utah Jazz. The Jazz have three guards Deron Williams, Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio. The word is the conversation involves Palacio and Matt Harpring. Both of those players are free agents at the end of the season. It is unclear what the combination of players Seattle would need. Utah continues to work very hard on a Carlos Boozer deal.

11:35 AM UPDATE – The Knicks move with Orlando puts the Sonics back on the Earl Watson map. The conversations with the Nuggets were all but dead and have now recommenced. The Sonics are hoping to do the deal for Watson with by trading either Flip or Reggie with Vitaly and then moving the other piece in a separate deal.

UPDATED AT 11:15 AM --
LATEST NEWS -- According to my sources the Knicks and the Magic have completed a deal. The Knicks will receive Steve Francis and the Magic will get the contract of Penny Hardaway and Trevor Ariza. The big news here is that the particulars from the Knicks are different then anticipated. The Magic turned down Jamal Crawford because they wanted the expiring contract of Hardaway.

This makes things very interesting in regards to what the next domino will be. This eliminates the Kevin Garnett talk. This leaves Portland without the ability to clear their cap with a deal with the Knicks. It also leaves the Nuggets without an avenue to clear the out Kenyon Martin.

So what is the next move? This may put the Sonics back at the forefront of teams able to make moves.

Hee is what teams want to get done by tomorrow.
· The Nuggets want to move both Earl Watson and Kenyon Martin
· The Blazers want to clear cap to be able to sign Joel Przybilla
· The Sonics are interested in a back-up point guard
· Minnesota is looking to make waves
· Atlanta is talking about the
· Cleveland is willing to move Drew Gooden
· Golden State is looking for a big
· Houston is going to move Derek Anderson
· The Jazz are trying to move Carlos Boozer and the Lakers are interested.




Here is the latest of what I am hearing …

SONICS MOVES
· The Denver Nuggets have told the Sonics that they will do the Earl Watson deal to the Sonics for Flip Murray and Reggie Evans and a contract if everything else falls apart. The Sonics would likely have to take Bryon Russell as well. The Nuggets are in the midst of numerous conversations around the league including New York and Orlando most prominently. The Sonics may turn this down by the end of the day. The Sonics are very concerned with the contract that Watson signed, he is badly overpaid, but at the same time they are looking for someone to push Ridnour and Watson could be that guy. That is the internal debate in Sonics land

· The Sonics and the Chicago Bulls have had conversations about Chris Duhon for Reggie Evans. The Bulls are all over the map at this time and there is no deal that is imminent. The Sonics would probably rather do this deal then the Denver deal if Chicago buys in. According, to some sources the Bulls are unwilling to move Duhon.

· The Sonics have also had conversations with the Toronto Raptors for Jose Calderon and the Pacers for Anthony Johnson. The Raptors have no interest in moving Calderon and the Sonics and Pacers are having a hard time getting the numbers to add up.

· According to sources, the Wolves and the Sonics had conversations about Marko Jaric however, the Sonics went cold on the conversation.

· Ideally, the Sonics would like to hold onto Danny Fortson and Vitaly Potapenko because their contracts would be valuable pieces to trade along with their draft pick if the right deal came about.

REST OF THE NBA
· Don’t dismiss the Kevin Garnett talks with New York. KG has lost the fire that he used to play with and Minnesota is open to moving him. However, they are very concerned about taking back bad contracts. Therefore, the realgm.com rumored deal of Penny Hardaway and Channing Frye makes sense because the Wolves would be getting rid of the albatross of Garnett’s deal without taking back too much baggage.

* The Utah Jazz are actively shopping Carlos Boozer. According to most people in the league they believe that Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor is doing the leg work for a deal this summer.

· The Denver Nuggets are trying to move Kenyon Martin. Martin and Karl don’t click and the relationship in not salvageable.

· Numerous reports have the Magic and the Knicks close to culminating a deal for Steve Francis to New York that would include Rainer Beach product Jamal Crawford going to Orlando

· The Blazers deal of Ratliff and Miles to New York for Penny Hardaway is supposedly very close. However, the recent Garnett discussions have this on the back burner.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Getting interesting now!

Anonymous said...

I like the Watson deal; if we get him I think he'll eventually be our starting PG.

Anonymous said...

Hey David, please keep this updated. You are, the very only, only reliable source we have on trading rumors. I will wait for your show this afternoon.

Anonymous said...

Watson deal is big but 4 years $24 million remaining needs to be compared to the likelihood that they would have to offer Ridnour 6 years at least $30+ million (running thru 2013) to keep him.

If they acquire Watson I think the possibility that they bargain with Luke next summer but in the end do a sign and trade because he gets an offer they dont want to match goes from a low possibility to at least triple that. Is that then a 30% chance of this cenario playing out after a Watson trade? Hard to say but that my feeling.

Anonymous said...

Watson as just a longterm 20-25 minute backup at that price never made enough sense to me to believe that.

But he could be used to try to show options and maybe get a little price edge in the Ridnour negotiations for him to stay here at a reasonable price.

And his acquisition would move faces out that are losing value and he would hold that value for awhile and it could be used liked Denver is using him as a trade asset to entice future trading partners, perhaps after the Ridnour signing is completed and the next younger PG is brought in, Morlende or somebody else by draft or trade at a smaller salary. That could make enough sense.

If Watson were bigger I could see the tandem more but as it is I don't think it is ideal for the long term to keep both.

Anonymous said...

Reading the first line of the 736 am update shouldn't the Sonics get Earl Murray back? :-)

Anonymous said...

SONICS SHOULD DO THIS TRADE

Golden State Warriors

Incoming Players
Chris Webber
Salary: $19,125,000 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 19.6 REB: 9.9 AST: 3.2 PER: 17.98

Ronald Murray
Salary: $895,248 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 9.9 REB: 1.8 AST: 2.5 PER: 11.69

1-Year Bird Must receive consent to trade players with a 1-year contract, excluding options, who will become Early Bird or Bird free agents at the end of the contract, or players who have accepted a qualifying offer for a 5th season following the 4th option season on the Rookie Scale. If the player consents, he will lose his Bird rights and become a non-Bird free agent at the end of the contract.

John Salmons
Salary: $1,699,001 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 8.0 REB: 2.8 AST: 2.5 PER: 11.85


Outgoing Players: Adonal Foyle, Derek Fisher, Mike Dunleavy, Mickael Pietrus, Chris Taft, Future 1st and 2nd round picks

Philadelphia 76ers

Incoming Players
Adonal Foyle
Salary: $7,312,500 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 4.2 REB: 5.9 AST: 0.4 PER: 10.01

Rashard Lewis
Salary: $9,571,429 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 21.1 REB: 5.4 AST: 2.4 PER: 21.81

Mikki Moore
Salary: $1,029,873 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 2.5 REB: 1.8 AST: 0.5 PER: 6.84

Derek Fisher
Salary: $5,393,300 Years Remaining: 4
PTS: 12.0 REB: 2.5 AST: 3.4 PER: 15.20

Mike Dunleavy
Salary: $4,506,261 Years Remaining: 5
PTS: 10.7 REB: 4.8 AST: 2.8 PER: 12.09

Danny Fortson
Salary: $6,207,670 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 3.8 REB: 3.4 AST: 0.1 PER: 8.82

Rick Brunson
Salary: $719,373 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 1.3 REB: 0.3 AST: 0.7 PER: 7.41



---PHILADELPHIA FUTURE SECOND ROUND PICK ROUND PICK



Outgoing Players: Chris Webber, Andre Iguodala, Jamal Mashburn, John Salmons, Steven Hunter

Seattle SuperSonics

Incoming Players
Andre Iguodala
Salary: $2,058,000 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 12.2 REB: 5.9 AST: 2.7 PER: 14.53

Jamal Mashburn
Salary: $10,075,000 Years Remaining: 0

Steven Hunter
Salary: $2,844,828 Years Remaining: 4
PTS: 4.6 REB: 3.2 AST: 0.3 PER: 11.56

Mickael Pietrus
Salary: $1,910,520 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 11.6 REB: 3.6 AST: 0.9 PER: 13.02

Chris Taft
Salary: $423,762 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 2.8 REB: 2.1 AST: 0.1 PER: 15.88

------PHILADELPHIA FUTURE FIRST ROUND PICK
Outgoing Players: Rashard Lewis, Mikki Moore, Ronald Murray, Danny Fortson, Rick Brunson

Anonymous said...

Sonics should have done this trade

Chicago Bulls

Incoming Players
Ray Allen
Salary: $13,223,140 Years Remaining: 4
PTS: 24.8 REB: 4.2 AST: 3.4 PER: 22.25

Hedo Turkoglu
Salary: $5,393,300 Years Remaining: 4
PTS: 14.1 REB: 4.3 AST: 2.5 PER: 14.98

Success - Minimum Salary Exception allowed larger portion of Trade Kickers

Rick Brunson
Salary: $719,373 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 1.3 REB: 0.3 AST: 0.7 PER: 7.41

Success - Minimum Salary Exception allowed larger portion of Trade Kickers

Luke Ridnour
Salary: $1,638,000 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 11.7 REB: 3.0 AST: 6.8 PER: 16.05


Outgoing Players: Chris Duhon, Eric Piatkowski, Luol Deng, Mike Sweetney, Ben Gordon, Darius SongailaOrlando Magic

Incoming Players
Mikki Moore
Salary: $1,029,873 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 2.5 REB: 1.8 AST: 0.5 PER: 6.84

Minimum Salary Exception allowed trade to be successful

Eric Piatkowski
Salary: $3,000,000 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 2.1 REB: 0.7 AST: 0.7 PER: 6.59

Mike Sweetney
Salary: $2,116,920 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 9.2 REB: 5.9 AST: 1.0 PER: 14.93

Darius Songaila
Salary: $2,200,000 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 9.3 REB: 4.0 AST: 1.4 PER: 14.58


Outgoing Players: Travis Diener, Hedo TurkogluSeattle SuperSonics

Incoming Players
Travis Diener
Salary: $398,762 Years Remaining: 0
PTS: 4.5 REB: 1.1 AST: 0.8 PER: 14.23

Chris Duhon
Salary: $2,800,000 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 9.0 REB: 3.1 AST: 5.5 PER: 13.02

Offer Matched When a team exercises the right of first refusal to keep a Restricted Free Agent cannot trade the player for 1 year without the player's consent. The player cannot be traded to the team that gave the offer sheet. (Raptors).

Luol Deng
Salary: $2,443,920 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 13.1 REB: 5.9 AST: 1.8 PER: 15.69

Ben Gordon
Salary: $3,610,200 Years Remaining: 1
PTS: 16.5 REB: 2.6 AST: 2.9 PER: 14.35


Outgoing Players: Mikki Moore, Ray Allen, Rick Brunson, Luke Ridnour

Anonymous said...

if we had done both trades i proposed, and on the second trade took at moore and brunson and gave away bryon russel-this would b r team






Nick Collison PF
Travis Diener PG
Chris Duhon PG
Luol Deng SF
Ben Gordon SG/PG
Steven Hunter C
Andre Iguodala SG/SF
Johan Petro C
Mickael Pietrus SG/SF
Robert Swift C
Chris Taft PF
Earl Watson PG
Chris Wilcox PF
Damien Wilkins SF/SG


PG---Earl Watson---Chris Duhon---Travis Diener
SG---Ben Gordon --- Damien Wilkens
SF---Andre Iguodala---Luol Deng---Mickael Pietrus
PF---Nick Collison---Chris Wilcox---Chris Taft
C---Steven Hunter---Johan Petro---Robert Swift


2006 Draft
Seattle 1st round
New York First Round
Philadelphia First Round
Seattle Second Round
Memphis 2nd round

Anonymous said...

The extra picks both being second rounders means no guaranteed money is locked up in either. They will have the freedom to draft players with a more long-term development, i.e. Europeans not coming immediately over and/or younger collegians who still need some time in the NBDL. To the Sonics FO, 2nd round picks are golden free-looks at the future with little downside.

Plus, it leaves something on the shelf should Lewis, Collison, Ridnour, and/or Swift leave as their contracts come up for renewal in the next few years.

Anonymous said...

I think they should be able to, if you give them about 10 games to get to used to each other.

So you can start that clock, in about 10 games and see what the winning % comes out as.

Ridnour/Watson

Allen/Wilkins

Lewis/Wilkins

Wilcox/Collison

Swift/Petro

9 man rotation?

Anonymous said...

Sure looks like a 9-man rotation for the time being. Maybe Gelabale next year can make the team as an athletic SF and Wilkins can play more 2-guard? Or they draft an athletic SG that can play some defense? Might make for a really interesting team next year. I know I will pay a lot more attention down the stretch this year to see how these guys mesh. Particularly Wilcox.

Oh, and on the theme of crazy trades, I think the Sonics should package Rich King, Steve Sheffler, Gerald Paddio and Vincent Askew for Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. What do you think??