•Knicks might be part of Kidd deal

THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: September 16, 2004)

The Nets' interest in trading Jason Kidd has moved the Knicks closer to exchanging Kurt Thomas for Wally Szczerbiak, according to several NBA sources.

In a three-way scenario shaped by the Minnesota Timberwolves' desire to land Kidd, the Knicks would send Thomas to the Nets and end up with Minnesota's Szczerbiak and New Jersey's Aaron Williams. The Nets also would land the Timberwolves' Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson as compensation for shipping out Kidd, who is coming off knee surgery and has $90 million left on the $103 million contract he signed last summer.

Isiah Thomas has little love for Kurt Thomas' game and has coveted Szczerbiak, a Long Island native who has long expressed his desire to play for his hometown team. But even though the pure-shooting Szczerbiak would give the Knicks insurance against Allan Houston's knee problems, Minnesota is the team driving this potential deal.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has charged his GM, Kevin McHale, to acquire Kidd, according to an NBA executive involved in the talks, and the Nets' All-Star point guard has told management he would accept a trade to Minnesota. With Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles jettisoned in the purge ordered by new owner Bruce Ratner, and with the Nets staring at a series of bleak lame-duck seasons in the Meadowlands before moving to Brooklyn, Kidd wants out in the worst way.

"But is anyone willing to take him and the $90 million after knee surgery?" said one NBA executive with knowledge of the talks. "I wouldn't buy a racehorse that couldn't run, even if it was the greatest racehorse of all time."

Minnesota apparently believes a Kidd-Kevin Garnett-Latrell Sprewell combination would win a Western Conference race left wide open by the dismantling of the Lakers. The Timberwolves talked to the Trail Blazers about acquiring Shareef Abdur-Rahim, whom McHale could've traded to the Nets for Kidd (Abdur-Rahim and Nets coach Lawrence Frank have a good relationship stemming from their time together in Vancouver). Portland also talked directly to the Nets about a Kidd-for-Abdur-Rahim exchange, with the Nets inquiring about the Blazers' No. 1 pick, Brooklyn high school star Sebastian Telfair.

But the Blazers aren't sure Kidd would guarantee them a top playoff seed in the West, and right now don't want to pay $180 million (including luxury-tax charges) to find out. That leaves Minnesota to pick up the ball and search for willing trade partners who can make something work with the Nets.

To take on Szczerbiak and Williams, the Knicks would have to rid themselves of another salary in addition to Thomas'. Isiah Thomas is hoping against hope to convince someone to take Moochie Norris or Shandon Anderson off his hands.

"This deal is within the realm of possibility," confirmed an official familiar with Isiah Thomas' thinking. "But when you have this many players and contracts involved, so many things can change."


Note: The Nets waived veteran guard Lucious Harris, one of Kidd's closest friends on the team, but his departure was long anticipated. Harris is believed to have accepted a $1 million buyout of the remaining $2.6 million on his contract.

I wouldn't mind the Knicks getting Wally and Aaron Williams, but this trade doesn't make a lot of sense. Unless the goal is to get the best player possible for Kurt...

Would Zeke turn around and trade Wally for Reef?

Posted by jazz74:

yeah, i agree also. why would we have four ( really five if you count penny) sg on our roster with three that are all-star potential? if we get wallyworld where would it leave houston, crawford or even tim thomas for that matter? we need a center and if ervin johnson was part of the deal then it makes some sense but right now it looks dumb.

It's one of those deals that's so odd, I could actually see it happen. I just took a quick look at all the salaries involved and they seem to add up.

I would be excited if Zeke were able to upgrade Wally into someone like Reef or maybe someone else, but the team would be crazy unbalanced for a bit...

Marbs/Jamal
Jamal/Hou
Wally/TT
TT/Sweets/Jerome
Nazr/Aaron/Baker

It'd be fast....

maybe Isiah is planning on trading TT or Penny & something else for Reef?

C - Baker / Nazr / Williams
PF - Rahim / Sweetney / JYD
SF - Szerbiak / Penny or TT
SG - Houston / Crawford
PG - Marbury / Bremer
IR - Ariza / Sundov / Moochie or Shandon

[Edited by - TMS on 09/16/2004 09:36:53]

Wally wouldnt be such a bad pickup,we can always use another shooter but its his constantly being on the IL that makes you think twice.KT has been pretty reliable even with his injuries.We already have one often injured shooter but if he is healthy than Im for it.

if there is any credence to this, it may be so that they move TT to PF like someone mentioned. Otherwise it makes little sense. we have TT H20 Crawford Hardaway-- why would we need wally? We certainly get the better player which is nice--as long as he's not hurt--but where is the fit? If we do move TT to PF we are as soft as a baby butt

TT needs to rebound like he never has before. Maybe thats what the kick boxing thing is all about?

If that is the plan, to platoon Sweets and TT at the PF, that could work.

Penny should not get off the bench.

say no to Zo

the way i see it is. the more guards we have the least chance there is that we will ever see Shandon again


it would be genius. a little too good to be true

[Edited by - gunsnewing on 09/16/2004 11:12:49]

tis a pure numbers game. not enough minutes to go around for marbury, h20, crawford, tim, and wally at the 1/2/3 positions. all of them need AT LEAST 25 mins a night and some need over 30. we'll become dallas east with all these scorers and no type of defense. now, this deal only makes sense if there's another follow up.

Isiah will keep dealing until he has dealt the knicks into a corner and they have no where to go, and then he will leave the franchise.

This trade Sucks! And is similiar to Isiah almost dealing for Malik Rose. He doesn't think with his head sometimes, and he does questionable things like signing Brewer, and Sundov.

If this deal goes through the Knicks have become the worst defensive team in the league

NO D: Houston, Wally, they have been first team their entire career, Crawford, TT

Some D: Stef, Penny, Naz

This deal needs to die