FantasySharks.com

Timberwolves after Tyrus Thomas

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

As the Chicago Bulls prepare to trade forward Tyrus Thomas before Thursday’s deadline, the franchise’s front office has suggested to prospective bidders that they have a solid offer of a middling first-round pick and expiring contracts, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets made bids for Thomas over the weekend, league sources said. The Nuggets have actively searched for a big man in recent weeks, working to pry younger (DeAndre Jordan) and older ones (Antonio McDyess and Ben Wallace) without success.

After losing out on Caron Butler to the Mavericks, Houston has gotten serious with bids for Thomas and Washington’s Antawn Jamison, sources said.

Nevertheless, here are two developments to watch with Thomas: Several league executives suggested the Minnesota Timberwolves could be a sleeper for him. Minnesota general manager David Kahn has been researching Thomas and has plenty of assets – three 2010 first-round picks, multiple second-rounders and a host of expiring contracts – to make it happen.

Agent expects Suns to trade Stoudemire

PHOENIX (AP)—The agent for Amare Stoudemire says he expects the All-Star power forward to be traded by Thursday’s deadline, with Cleveland and Miami the most likely destinations.

Happy Walters told The Associated Press that it would make no sense for the Phoenix Suns not to trade Stoudemire only to see him walk away as a free agent at the end of the season.

Walters said Stoudemire believes Phoenix’s game Wednesday night at Dallas will be his last for the Suns.

“It’s going to be emotional,” Walters said. “… He really does love the team and he knows he’s playing with one of the best point guards ever.”

Suns general manager Steve Kerr declined to comment on the situation. Kerr never has said the team definitely would trade Stoudemire, only that he is listening to offers.

Stoudemire, who has played all eight of his NBA seasons with the Suns, has one year left on his contract but can opt out after this season. If he decides not to opt out, he would earn $17.7 million next season.

The Suns still have several options if they decide not to make a deal now and Kerr has said in the past that no deal would be made unless it made sense for Phoenix.

Stoudemire also could decide not to opt out of the contract and take the $17.7 million, becoming a free agent after one more season with Phoenix. No team probably would match that figure in any long-term deal.

Finally, the Suns could decide to keep the team together for this season regardless of what Stoudemire decides to do.

Entering Wednesday night’s play, Phoenix (32-22) was tied with Oklahoma City for fifth in the Western Conference but was only 3 1/2 games from falling out of the playoffs in the tight race. The Suns had won six of seven overall and five in a row on the road.

Despite the agent’s claims of how much Stoudemire loves the Suns, the forward seemed ready to leave in comments he made before Phoenix’s 109-95 victory at Memphis on Tuesday night.

“A lot of teams are interested in me,” Stoudemire told The Arizona Republic. “It’s really great to know you’re wanted and that teams really respect your professionalism and style of play and feel that you can help their play.”

Stoudemire had 21 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday night’s win.

Walters said there had been no contract talks with Phoenix since last weekend.

“We’re not that far apart,” he said, “but I think they’ve decided to go in another direction.”

The Cavaliers covet Stoudemire as the final piece to make them NBA champions. The move also would show LeBron James(notes), a free agent after this season, that the team is serious about remaining a contender.

Miami could mount a drive for the playoffs with Stoudemire playing alongside Dwyane Wade(notes), also a free agent after this season. The Heat might be able to persuade Wade to stay with the team that would rebuild around him and Stoudemire. Philadelphia also has been mentioned as a possible destination, but Walters said he hadn’t heard anything about that scenario in recent days.

Walters said he wouldn’t expect any contract talks with Stoudemire’s new team until it’s determined how well he fits in.

The trade deadline is 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.

Bulls leave Salmons at hotel as deadline closes


NEW YORK (AP)—John Salmons missed the Bulls’ game at New York on Wednesday night, with coach Vinny Del Negro saying he was told to leave the guard at the team hotel.

That would seem to indicate Chicago was close to trading Salmons, with the league’s deadline coming Thursday afternoon.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” Del Negro said before the game. “I just got a call he’s not going to play. He’s going to be at the hotel and then I’ll find out more after the game just like everybody else.”

Salmons is scheduled to make $5.8 million next season if he doesn’t opt out of his contract. The Bulls have been hoping to clear salary to become major players in free agency during the summer.

The Bulls and Knicks both have been linked to Tracy McGrady(notes), who the Houston Rockets have been exploring a trade for.

The Knicks were without Nate Robinson(notes), who they said has flulike symptoms and also missed Tuesday’s game in Chicago. Media reports said New York was close to trading the backup guard to the Boston Celtics.

The team didn’t expect any trade involving Robinson to become official Wednesday night.

Monta Ellis to miss third game with sprained knee


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)—The Golden State Warriors say star guard Monta Ellis will miss his third straight game with a sprained left knee.

Ellis was examined on Tuesday in Alabama by Dr. James Andrews, who confirmed the original diagnosis of a mild left knee sprain. Ellis originally hurt the knee on Feb. 8 against Dallas.

The team says he will not play Wednesday night against Sacramento and will be day to day after that.

Ellis is sixth in the NBA in scoring at 26.2 points per game. The Warriors have the third-worst record in the league.

Cavs strike deal for Wizards’ Jamison

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached agreement on a six-player, three-team trade that lands them former All-Star forward Antawn Jamison, league sources with knowledge of the talks told Yahoo! Sports.

The Cavaliers are sending center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a first-round pick and the draft rights to Emil Preldzic to the Wizards. The Wizards also will receive Brian Skinner and Al Thornton from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavaliers will get point guard Sebastian Telfair from the Clippers. The Wizards will send Drew Gooden to the Clippers.

The Clippers will buy out Gooden, a league source said.

The Cavaliers’ decision to acquire Jamison came a day after talks between the teams intensified and shortly after the Phoenix Suns informed Cleveland its offer for Amar’e Stoudemire – Ilgauskas, J.J. Hickson, Danny Green and a first-round pick – wasn’t good enough.

One source with knowledge of the Suns’ talks said none of Phoenix’s trade options looked close – and that the Suns have not ruled out keeping Stoudemire past Thursday’s deadline.

The source said the Miami Heat also haven’t come close to putting together an enticing offer for Stoudemire.

Phoenix “might still do [a trade],” the source said, “but if there is one, it won’t be done until the 11th hour.”

Robinson deal up in air

The Boston Celtics remain in deep talks with the New York Knicks in hopes of acquiring Nate Robinson, but no deal is expected to be finalized until Thursday, league sources with knowledge of the negotiations told Yahoo! Sports.

The Celtics now appear to be the only team interested in acquiring Robinson, and the Knicks are intent on moving him. But the guard’s base-year status – in addition to the $1 million bonus he’ll be owed for reaching the playoffs with Boston – has complicated a possible deal. Sources say the Knicks are seeking only expiring contracts for Robinson and aren’t demanding a first-round draft pick.

In addition, the Knicks might need to send another player with an expiring contract, in addition to Robinson, to make the deal work. The Celtics would likely waive the other player. Possible Celtics who could be involved in the deal include guard Eddie House, forward Brian Scalabrine, guard Tony Allen, swingman J.R. Giddens and swingman Bill Walker.

As Yahoo! Sports reported on Jan. 15, the Celtics have expressed interest in Robinson ever since his agent asked the Knicks to trade the three-time dunk champion. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni benched Robinson for almost the entire month of December.

If the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets work out an agreement for Tracy McGrady, Knicks rookie Jordan Hill expects to be in the deal, a source close to him said. The Knicks have made it clear they’ll be willing to include Hill if it helps them move Jared Jeffries’ contract.

Trading Hill and Jeffries would clear more than $9 million in salary-cap space, allowing the Knicks to possibly sign two max-level free agents this summer.

Amar’e Stoudemire(notes) and the Phoenix Suns are no longer discussing a contract extension, and the All-Star forward was privately telling friends that he believes he’s playing his last game in a Suns uniform on Wednesday night in Dallas, sources said.

As Yahoo! Sports reported, agent Happy Walters and Suns general manager Steve Kerr exchanged contract offers over the weekend but were far apart in talks, sources said. Those privy to the conversations among Suns ownership, management and Walters say they no longer include scenarios where Stoudemire isn’t traded prior to Thursday’s deadline.

Stoudemire can opt out of the $17.7 million on his 2010-11 contract; unless the Suns trade him, they could end up getting nothing for him.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are still working to put together a package for Stoudemire, although a source familiar with Pat Riley’s most recent offer says it doesn’t include Michael Beasley(notes). Miami failed in its attempt to enlist the Charlotte Bobcats as a partner to take on Udonis Haslem(notes) in a three-team trade.

The Heat could be willing to take on Jason Richardson’s(notes) contract, which has one year worth $14.4 million left after this season, for the chance to land Stoudemire to play alongside Dwyane Wade(notes).

Bucks’ interest in Murphy waning?

The Milwaukee Bucks have shuffled their roster for several different offers for Indiana Pacers forward Troy Murphy(notes), but a big stumbling block for a deal has been the Pacers’ reluctance to take on guard Charlie Bell(notes), who is due $7.8 million over the next two seasons.

The impasse has some team officials skeptical that talks will be revived.

Murphy, 29, has been on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ list of targets, but the Cavs remain focused on deals for Phoenix’s Amar’e Stoudemire or the Washington Wizards’ Antawn Jamison(notes). Murphy will make nearly $12 million next season, and getting him off the books will give the Pacers some flexibility in free agency.

The Bucks also had interest in New York’s Al Harrington(notes) but would prefer Murphy to play alongside center Andrew Bogut(notes). Murphy is averaging 14 points for the Pacers, who are destined for another lottery season.

The Charlotte Bobcats sound like they would prefer to hold onto guard D.J. Augustin(notes) through the deadline. At the least, Augustin provides some level of security if Raymond Felton(notes) leaves the Bobcats as a free agent this summer.

Clippers prepping for big offseason?

By Mark J. Miller

Baron DavisThe Los Angeles Clippers sent guard Sebastian Telfair(notes) to the Cleveland Cavaliers and forward Al Thornton(notes) to the Washington Wizards yesterday and are likely finished trading. But the team's moves will apparently leave it with a lot of salary-cap room to work with this summer, according to Los Angeles Times.

When all contracts expire this summer, the Clippers will be left with Baron Davis(notes), Chris Kaman(notes), Blake Griffin(notes), Eric Gordon(notes) and DeAndre Jordan(notes). That adds up to a payroll of less than $35 million, chump change in the NBA.

There are a slew of big-name free agents available this summer and, while it seems extremely unlikely that LeBron James(notes) or Chris Bosh(notes) will join the Clips, there are a lot of strong second-tier players who would be happy to take the money and live in Southern California.

"All I can say to you is we have a lot of cap space and we will use the flexibility in the best way we can help our team," said GM Mike Dunleavy to the paper.

Allen staying in Boston, Knicks' Robinson joining him

By Mark J. Miller

Ray AllenThere have been a slew of rumors in recent weeks that the Boston Celtics would send Ray Allen(notes) and his expiring contract packing in exchange for such folks as Rip Hamilton, Monta Ellis(notes), Kevin Martin(notes), Andre Iguodala(notes), and Jason Richardson(notes). But now it's looking like he'll be staying in Beantown, according to Yahoo! Sports Marc J. Spears and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Allen is apparently hoping he doesn't have to pack his bags by 3 p.m. Eastern today when the trade deadline arrives. It appears that the team has pretty fully explored what it could get for Allen and doesn't love its choices so he'll be staying.

A trade for the New York Knicks' Nate Robinson(notes) seems imminent, though. The Celts will apparently send Eddie House(notes) and J.R. Giddens(notes) to New York for Robinson, who never quite endeared himself to Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni.

Mavs want Wizards' new guy Ilguaskas

By Mark J. Miller

Getty ImagesCenter Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) might as well not even unpack his bags. He just got moved from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Washington Wizards as part of the Antawn Jamison(notes) deal and it now appears that he could be moving along from D.C. pretty soon.

ESPN is reporting that Ilgauskas could be headed to the Dallas Mavericks to be an insurance piece in case Erick Dampier(notes) doesn't ever heal up. The word is that Ilgauskas could get a contract buyout from the Wizards.

While trading frenzy was occurring in the NBA yesterday, Dampier was going under the knife to fix a dislocation of the middle finger of his right hand (which is making it difficult for Dampier to drive his car, let alone play basketball, no doubt).

"He'll be out for a while," coach Rick Carlisle said. "I'm just not sure exactly how long." Because of that, the Mavs are looking for a big man and the current hopes are pinned on Ilgauskas.

Stoudemire staying in Phoenix

By Mark J. Miller

Amar'e StoudemireWith the Cleveland Cavaliers grabbing Antawn Jamison(notes) from the Washington Wizards, one major player for the Phoenix Suns' Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) disappeared from the action and now it's looking like the forward that everybody seemed to covet may actually end up staying in Arizona, according to FanHouse.

Stoudemire said after last night's game that he talked with Suns owner Robert Sarver and gets the feeling he will be staying in Phoenix past 3 p.m. Eastern trade deadline today.

"I feel good. But either way I was going to feel all right," Stoudemire said.

The Miami Heat is still interested in getting Stoudemire but the money seems to be on the forward staying in Phoenix. There's no telling if this means he'll not opt out of his contract this summer and play for Phoenix for one more year or not.

Craig Smith started Tuesday night against Portland, finishing with seven points (3-of-4 FG, 1-of-2 FT), six rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Recommendation: Smith and DeAndre Jordan will be counted on to fill the void left by the Marcus Camby trade, though Jordan seems like the higher-upside fantasy play. Jordan didn't start Tuesday, but finished with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double. Don't completely count Smith out, however, as he could provide decent help for your field goal percentage and scoring if he gets the better end of the playing time split with Jordan.
(Rotowire.com)