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martin
Posts: 76310
Alba Posts: 108
Joined: 7/24/2001
Member: #2
USA
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Are the Knicks courting more trouble?
The love-hate relationship between the Knicks and Latrell Sprewell swung back toward the Barry White side of the fence Tuesday just one day after Knicks president Scott Layden suspended Spree from the team.
Layden said he's ready to forgive Spree and said he "absolutely" believed that Spree would play for the Knicks this season. Coach Don Chaney concurred.
"It's not that management wants him out," Chaney told the New York Times. "We're all together in this. We all want him back so we can win some games. We realize that with him out, it hurts our chances to win. So the coaches, the players and the management want him back. To me, it's not a personal thing. Rules were broken, he was fined and we'll go from there. It's not personal at all."
Chaney is hoping for a quick return.
"The only thing I'm concerned about with Latrell is his speedy return," Chaney told the N.Y. Daily News. "My only interest is getting him on the court as soon as we can. I welcome him back. I want him back. If it lingers on it becomes old news. I want the team together. That's my main concern and I hope it happens soon."
Layden and Chaney better think of something fast. Spree's teammates remain firmly on his side and are getting restless. "I'm shocked," Kurt Thomas said of the suspension. "I'm really shocked. I'm in a state of dilemma right now. This is a soap opera around here."
Spree's agent, Bob Gist, isn't so sure that the chasm between Spree and the Knicks can be bridged.
"The wounds are getting larger and the prospect of reconciliation seems to be dying," Gist told the New York Post. "If there's no prospect of reconciliation, we should talk about the next step."
Of course, the next step is a trade and the rumors continued to swirl around Big D. Would the Mavs approve a Nick Van Exel-for-Spree trade? Mavs owner Mark Cuban told the Post on Monday that the team wasn't against Spree, but wanted to keep Van Exel. "It has not been discussed but we have no anti-Spree sentiment. We are very happy with Nick and think he is very valuable to what we are trying to do."
Cuban could be playing hardball. The Mavs need Spree more than they need Van Exel. While the swap would basically amount to the Knicks swapping one headache for another one, at least Van Exel plays a position that the Knicks need help with.
The team really needs an infusion of youth, but will have a hard time finding it with Spree. Instead, the best the Knicks can hope for is a cheaper, quieter migraine. Several team executives floated other potential suitors for the Knicks Monday.
One GM told Insider that the Knicks were still trying to work out a deal with the Timberwolves that would land them Wally Szczerbiak. According to the GM, the Knicks were willing to dangle this year's No. 1 pick along with Spree for Wally, Marc Jackson and Anthony Peeler. Another scenario, according to a team executive, had the Suns offering Penny Hardaway and Alton Ford.
More realistically, the Knicks are stuck with Spree and Spree is stuck with the Knicks. It's a marriage made in hell, but given the behavior over the past month, a fitting reward for both parties.
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Id do the deal. Szerbiak is a legitamate stud. But it has to be top 5 lotto protected. The Fizer deal was a 1 for 1 exception for Fizer straight up. Knicks wanted a straight up deal for Swift also. Knicks wont include picks unless its a standout player. I wouldnt do the Penny deal even if Spree choked Chaney.
10/23/2002 1:37 PM