ESPN NBA Insider - 12/13/04

[삭(MVP지노빌리)]

너무 길다...-_-;;;

Monday, December 13, 2004

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

The Good, the Bad, the Upside
Insider's Chad Ford rounds up the state of the NBA every Monday, looking at The Good and The Bad and offering a little dose of optimism in The Upside.

The Bad
# The Hornets are considering a fire sale. Big mistake.
# What's wrong with Detroit's D? Look at the team's O.
# Can Kobe put the drama aside and just play ball?

The Upside
# Trading Kwame Brown might help him and the Wizards.
# Allan Houston to Toronto? Sorry. Not gonna happen.
# Are the 76ers showcasing Samuel Dalembert?
Divisions in the NBA are pretty meaningless unless they're used to show just how wrong we were about the league this fall. Before the season, we said the Southeast Division was the weakest in the NBA. Six weeks into the season, the three top teams in the East – the Heat, Magic and Wizards – all play there.

We also said the Southwest Division would be the best in the NBA. Statistically, it's the worst in the West.

Overall, the best division in the league is the Northwest. The worst? The Atlantic. The disparity? The five teams in the Northwest have a combined 60 wins. The five teams in the Atlantic have 40.

So it should come as no surprise that the top team in the Good and Upside categories this week, the Heat and Wizards, come from the Southeast. And the leader of the Bad, the Hornets, comes from the Southwest.

The Good

Miami Heat: The conventional wisdom coming into the season was that Shaquille O'Neal would give the Heat a shot at being the best team in the East.

Who would've thought it would be a combo of Dwyane Wade and some pitiful competition that would actually get them there?

The Heat have won four straight despite Shaq contining to have just a so-so season. Not only are his numbers down across the board (17.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg in his last five) but he ranks behind Wade, Christian Laettner, Udonis Haslem and Damon Jones on the team's plus/minus chart.

Still, it's tough to measure two things about the Heat's searing start. First, when you look at their opponents of late, maybe the Heat should be doing better than 15-7. They've played the Bulls, Raptors, Bucks, Grizzlies and Jazz in December, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Nuggets in Denver.

Second, Shaq's presence has opened things up tremendously for everyone else. Wade and Damon Jones have been the biggest recipients. Jones is shooting an impressive 46 percent from 3 and ranks first in the league in 3-pointers made. Wade doesn't really shoot 3s, but he's shooting 52 percent from the field this year – up from 46 percent last season. That improved field-goal percentage is primarily coming from jumpers.


Eddie Jones
Guard
Miami Heat
Profile


2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
22 10.0 4.5 2.8 .335 .789
However, one guy hasn't seen the same halo effect that Jones and Wade have. Eddie Jones has been awful. He's shooting just 30 percent from 3, down from 37 percent last year and 41 percent in 2002-03. Overall he's shooting just 34 percent from the field and seems out of synch.

That's why the Heat have been flirting with the idea of trading Jones to the Raptors for Jalen Rose.

Rose isn't much of a cure-all (he's shooting just 33 percent from 3 and 40 percent from the field) but the Heat believe he may be a better fit in the team's new offense. Rose is two years younger than Jones, is a better passer and can still take over a game in ways that Jones no longer can.

With that said, head coach Stan Van Gundy has concerns. Jones is a better defender and a better teammate. Everywhere Rose has gone, his popularity has quickly wilted.


Jalen Rose
Guard
Toronto Raptors
Profile


2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
22 15.0 3.4 2.3 .410 .911
As far as bad contracts go, both are awful. Jones and Rose both make more than $13 million per season and both have two years left on their contracts after this season. But with the Raptors desperate to start shaking up their terrible chemistry, a 33-year-old Jones would be a godsend at this point.

Trading Rose to the Heat also would greatly open up the Raptors' options in trading Vince Carter. With Rose out of the picture, Toronto will have more suitors for Carter. Several teams that are interested in Vince have backed out because of an insistence that Rose be included in the deal. The Raptors could use the Heat as part of a three-way trade sending Rose to Miami and moving Jones and Carter off a separate teams. This would be an acceptable solution to a team like Portland, which has balked at accepting Rose's contract.

Phoenix Suns: Every week it's a different Sun making the news. That's how it is when your team has the best record in the league (17-3), leads the league in scoring at 109 ppg and is blowing out teams by an impressive 11.4 ppg.


Joe Johnson
Guard
Phoenix Suns
Profile


2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
20 15.6 4.4 3.1 .447 .788
Week 2 we raved about Steve Nash. Week 3 it was Amare Stoudemire. Week 4 we couldn't get enough of Shawn Marion. Last week the love went to Quentin Richardson.

This week, Joe Johnson stepped to the forefront. Johnson averaged 18 ppg, 4 apg and shot an amazing 72 percent from behind the arc (13-for-17 from 3) in the Suns' four wins. For the season he's shooting 54 percent from downtown. Only Fred Hoiberg is shooting better, and he's taken only half as many 3s.

New Jersey Nets: How much did Richard Jefferson miss Jason Kidd? The Nets' second-best player was off to a decent start without Kidd, but look what he's doing since Kidd returned.

Jefferson is averaging 24.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 5 apg while shooting 52 percent from the field. Before Kidd returned, Jefferson was shooting just 41 percent from the field and averaging five turnovers per game.

The Nets are 3-1 since Kidd came back and have very winnable games against the Knicks, Raptors and Hornets in the next week.

"Let's put things in perspective," head coach Lawrence Frank told the N.Y. Daily News. "He's had two or three practices, and he's played in a couple of games. This is his preseason. But the guy's such a high-level guy, for him to step in as he has, he's as good as it gets."

Sacramento Kings: It looks like that window that is supposed to keep closing on the Kings remains stubbornly open. Through Sunday's games, the Kings look like a clone of last year's squad, statistically.

They are averaging virtually identical numbers in points per game, points allowed per game, rebounds per game, assists per game and field goal percentage.

And ... it's the usual suspects getting it done. We've already talked about Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby. After a pretty slow start to the season, Brad Miller has been the latest King to come alive. Over his last five he's averaging 19 ppg, 10.6 rpg and 4.4 apg on 51 percent shooting from the field. The team is 4-1 during that stretch.

Seattle SuperSonics: As long as the Sonics don't have to play the Celtics, they look like they own the NBA right now. The Sonics scored impressive road wins against both the Spurs and Mavericks this week before getting walloped, for a second straight time, by the Celtics.

What do the Celtics know that the rest of the league doesn't? Doc Rivers has played small ball against the Sonics both times.

"We match up well with them," Paul Pierce told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "They have guys that are versatile and can play a lot of positions, and I think we are the same thing."

The Celtics also have good perimeter defenders who have harassed the Sonics into poor shooting nights. The Sonics shot just 32 percent from the field and 19 percent from 3 during Saturday's loss.

Still, head coach Nate McMillan doesn't seem concerned that the rest of the league will start playing them the same way the Celtics do.

"I don't think so," McMillan said. "All teams can't do this. All teams can't put those types of players out there."

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies are 4-2 since head coach Mike Fratello took over. While the team's offense has slipped a bit, the defense has been dramatically better. In the Grizzlies first 16 games, the team allowed 95.4 points on 44 percent shooting. Since Fratello took over, opponents are averaging 86.5 ppg on 41 percent shooting.


Earl Watson
Guard
Memphis Grizzlies
Profile


2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
22 9.2 1.8 5.5 .432 .710
But don't give Fratello all the credit just yet. It has helped tremendously that Fratello has had two of the team's top defenders, James Posey and Stromile Swift, healthy for that stretch. Both were injured for significant periods during the team's 5-11 start.

The team also is getting a boost from point guard Earl Watson, who's seen heavy minutes at the point since Jason Williams went down with an injury. Though not as offensively gifted as Williams, Watson is a much better perimeter defender and more heady offensive player. His numbers – 14.8 ppg, 8 apg, 2.2 spg on 48 percent shooting – dwarf what Williams had been doing.

Look for Watson to keep starting even after Williams returns. His defensive upside combined with his pass-first mindset are a better fit in Fratello's system. It could be just a matter of time now before Williams is sent packing.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

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Ask NBA Insider Chad Ford!

Welcome to The Show! On Thursday, ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford will drop by to take your questions.

Ford writes the daily NBA Insider column for ESPN Insider. He also in a frequent contributer to ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine and makes weekly apperances on ESPN Radio and ESPNEWS.

Send your questions now and join Chad in The Show at noon ET on Thursday!

SportsNation Chad Ford: Hey everyone, I'm here. It might be a little slow today. I broke my finger playing hoops last night and the typing is a little slow. Let's roll

Gaius (Toronto, ONT): Are the Sonics for real, especially after winning in S.A. last night?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I'm going to have to concede that they're not a fluke. Not after the teams they've beat. Just don't ask me how they're doing it. Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and ... ??? Amazing.

Blake (Vermillion, SD): Will Malone be wearing a San Antonio uniform after the new year?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I think so, he's narrowed it down to the Spurs, T'Wolves and Heat. I think the Spurs are the frontrunners now that Kobe has kicked The Mailman to the curb.

scott, atlanta, ga: As a longtime Laker fan, Kobe perception as a teammate is killing us. Do you think we will be able to attract needed free agents in the future?

SportsNation Chad Ford: It's a real problem. He has a rep around the league as being difficult to play with. Losing Karl Malone isn't really the issue, he doesn't have much left. The problem is recruiting free agents in the future. What top flight free agent is really going to want to come to L.A. and put up with Kobe?

Kevin (Charlotte): Don't you think that Karl Malone is over reacting to what Kobe said? Kobe did have very valid points to what he said.

SportsNation Chad Ford: Yes, Karl has a history of overreacting to everything. The bigger point here is not whether the Lakers need Malone, it's why Kobe, not Mitch Kupchak, is delivering that message. I don't think Malone would have helped the Lakers. But, the way it was handled hurt the Lakers rep as a free agent friendly destination.

Brian (Englewood, NJ): On ESPN radio in New York there are reports that the Knicks and Raptors are talking about a trade involving Alan Houston and Vince Carter. I know you wrote Carter is off the block right now but what about this one?

SportsNation Chad Ford: The Raptors definitely want to trade Carter, but they won't take back bad contracts just to move him. The Knicks have nothing but bad contracts to offer in return. I don't see it happening. I think Portland and New Orleans have the best shot at landing Carter.

Jay (Mpls, MN): If New Jersey trades Jason Kidd, when does it happen?

SportsNation Chad Ford: As soon as Kidd proves that he's healthy and that he is going to stay that way, I anticipate that a trade will happen sometime in early January, once Kidd has a few weeks to get his legs underneath him.

nick las vegas, nv: Who are really in the best shape to land J-kidd through a trade?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I think the Timberwolves and the Mavericks have the most to offer the Nets in return. I also believe that the Warriors could put together an enticing package for Kidd. The Nuggets are the dark horse, but they'd have to gut their team to get him.

Chip (Alexandria, VA): How good are the Wizards and will they make the playoffs? I think last night was a good test for them, and they hung with the Nuggets. How much will Kwame Brown need to contribute in order for them to be successful? Thanks Chad!

SportsNation Chad Ford: The Wizards look like a playoff team to me, but I'm not sure what that means in the east. They've beat the teams they should beat, but haven't beaten anyone good. Kwame is the X factor. If he starts playing better, the Wizards could be very tough.

Chris (Los Angeles): What's the inside scoop on whether the arbitrator will rule to reduce the Pacer suspensions and whether the NBA will accept that, if so? Thanks.

SportsNation Chad Ford: I think that the arbitrator will rule today that he has jurisdiction to hear the case and I think he will reduce the suspensions for all of the players involved. Of course, the league will appeal this in federal court, and I think they have a good case. It may be weeks before we actually know how this is all going to turn out.

Chad (Madison, WI): Hey Chad, please show me some love, since we have the last name. The Suns and Sonics are superb, but in the end come March, I still think it comes down to the Wolves and the Spurs? Could you back me up on this?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I agree. The Spurs have the right balance of offense and defense and a superstar in Tim Duncan. The TWolves have one of the best starting fives in the league. I think their experience will help them rise to the top ... but don't count out the Suns. I think they are going to continue to route teams.

Carlos / São Paulo: Hi Chad, How do you see the late play of Tyson Chandler??? I'd trade Curry instead of him...

SportsNation Chad Ford: He's looked great. He has the potential to be one of the best rebounders in the game, as long as he stays healthy. I agree that the Bulls should trade Curry first, but I also think that it might be wise to move Chandler now while his trade value is so high. The Bulls need to do something to get rid of the curse there and moving Curry and Chandler seem like the only viable options.

Joe (Davis, Ca): Chad, you have been talking a lot about trades involving the Warrior's small forwards, but you never said which you think they should keep. So who do take in your pick up game? Dunleavy or Pietrus?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I've been saying for two years that Mike DUnleavy was Chris Mullin's favorite player on the Warriors. But, my sources are telling me that Mullin is looking to trade Dunleavy in an effort to free up more time for Mickael Pietrus. Pietrus is a better defender and has just as much upside on offense.

Mike V (Concord,CA): With the race for ROY being close between Okafor and Howard, would you give it to Okafor based on the teammates he has around him?

SportsNation Chad Ford: Okafor is better right now. Both players have shown a lot of talent rebounding and blocking shots. But surprisingly, Okafor has been much better offensively. I think both players are going to be All-Stars down the road.

Collin (Franklin, MA): Chad, what's up with Pierce? Is it possible we see him moved out of Celtics green?

SportsNation Chad Ford: I don't think so. He's been unhappy, but his agent told me yesterday that he's unhappy with the way the team is playing, not the team itself. Pierce wants to stay in Boston and I'm told the Celtics don't want to trade him.

Michael Overman (Orlando, FL): Do the Orlando Magic have a chance at making a difference in the playoffs?

SportsNation Chad Ford: Yes, I think that the Pistons and Pacers are still the two best teams in the east, but after that, I think that the Magic and Heat are right there. The Heat have an incredible starting five and a deep bench. It wouldn't surprise me if they went all the way to the eastern conference finals.

kit -mpls: After watching last nite beating by the twolves, How good is Eddie Griffen? And when will he be in the starting line up? Seems to me, Eddie excels most when playing with KG.

SportsNation Chad Ford: Eddie Griffen has always had the potential to be a superstar. Many scouts believed that he should have been the No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft. The question with Eddie has always been his head. He seems to have gotten his life under control and now, is blossoming as a player. If he keeps it up, the Wolves could be the team to beat in the west. He's that good.

SportsNation Chad Ford: Thanks everybody. Talk to you again next week!

SportsNation The ShowGirl: Thanks Chad! Up next is Mel Kiper Jr. Who will be joining us at 1 ET. Hang tight.

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Thursday, December 9, 2004

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

Chad Ford's Chat Wrap with SportsNation on Thursday

What were the Lakers thinking this summer when they let Kobe Bryant dictate whom the team acquired in the offseason?

Everyone knows they were desperate to re-sign Bryant, but once you give up that type of power to a player, he isn't giving it back.

Since making his free agent power play this summer, Kobe already has helped exile Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton and Derek Fisher. Kareem Rush was given away last week for two second-round picks.

Tuesday, Bryant nailed the door shut on a Karl Malone return to the Lakers.

In a radio interview, Bryant said he didn't think Malone was coming back, then criticized the Mailman for leaving the team up in the air.

"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear.

"It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."

“ I get the feeling that everyone there is pretty miserable. I know [my client] wants out and he claims others do too. It's hard enough to have a coach on you all the time, but then when a player is doing it, too, it's just too much. ”
— An agent of an unhappy teammate of Kobe Bryant's
Oh, the hypocrisy. Wasn't it Bryant who held his impending free agency over the heads of the entire organization last year? Wasn't everyone looking over their shoulders wondering if Bryant was going to bolt to the Clippers? Maybe Malone isn't the player the Lakers need right now, but Bryant shouldn't be the one making that decision or delivering the message.

But that's not the worst of it.

What left Bryant's mouth after that speaks volumes about whose team this really is.

"They are here giving me 110 percent," Bryant said of his teammates.

Really? The Lakers are playing for Kobe now?

That wasn't a slip of the tongue. Two player agents who represent players on the Lakers and one league source told Insider that Bryant was ruling the Lakers with an iron fist, getting in players' faces and acting as if he owned the team. According to one agent, Bryant even threatened to trade his client if he didn't do things The Kobe Way.

"I get the feeling that everyone there is pretty miserable," one agent told Insider. "I know [my client] wants out, and he claims others do too. It's hard enough to have a coach on you all the time, but then when a player is doing it, too, it's just too much."

The Lakers need to be careful. Word is spreading quickly around the league that while Bryant is an awesome player, he's a terrible teammate. When the Lakers finally have some cap room to go out and lure free agents, what top-tier player is going to want to play there?

The Lakers responded to the whole Malone mess by stating that Bryant wasn't "speaking on behalf of the Lakers management or organization."

Bryant has a $136 million contract that says otherwise.

Where will the Mail be delivered next?

Malone claims he's close to 100 percent and wants to play again this season. Where might that be? A source close to Malone told Insider on Wednesday that the Spurs, Timberwolves and Heat are the three teams Malone has narrowed it down to.

Is Vince off the block?

Vince Carter
An Achilles injury might hinder the Raptors' efforts to trade Vince Carter.
An injury to Vince Carter's Achilles might send his trade value into a freefall.

Carter strained his left Achilles' tendon Wednesday in the first minute of the second half in Toronto's game against the Pistons.

The injury highlights a growing concern among GMs that Carter isn't healthy enough to justify a trade. Several teams sent advance scouts to watch Carter play the past week, and at least two teams were concerned enough about his health that their trade interest immediately waned.

"He's got some serious tendinitis going on right now," one GM said. "Our scout came back and said that he's not going to be able to play like the old Vince Carter, so what's the point?"

GM Rob Babcock was in no mood to talk about it after the game.

"In a situation like this, we're concerned about a player's health," Babcock told the Toronto Star after the game. "The last thing you think about is the trade stuff."

The Truth about Pierce?

Paul Pierce is the latest star player to run into tough times with his team and his coach. Pierce has looked unhappy for weeks and lost it recently when head coach Doc Rivers pulled him out of a game.

Gary Payton added a few logs to the fire on Wednesday when he criticized how Pierce plays the game.

"He needs to make some changes, but it's been like four years that he's been taking those type of shots and stuff like that," Payton said in the Boston Herald. "Now he has to understand that that's got to go. He's getting a little deeper into his career – he's more than seven years deep – and those shots are not going to make it for you.

Gary Payton, Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce (right) and Gary Payton's relationship might take a turn after the Glove's comments.
"You can be the man here scoring 20 or 30 points, but you're not going to win basketball games, you know what I'm saying? He's going to learn. I think he's going to have to learn the hard way. It's going to take somebody like myself to keep talking to him, but he'll get the picture.

"I know he doesn't feel good after these games. I know he doesn't. So he's going to look at it and he's going to figure out what's going on."

All of that negativity has spawned a number of trade rumors. However, don't put too much stock in them.

Celtics sources say they have no interest in trading Pierce – Payton will be long gone before Pierce is, they claim. And Pierce's agent, Jeff Schwartz, told Insider on Wednesday that Pierce wants to stay in Boston.

"He's happy in Boston," Schwartz said. "He wants to stay there. There is some frustration because Paul doesn't like to lose, but he thinks things are starting to turn around in Boston."

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

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Friday, December 10, 2004

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

The college basketball season is finally underway. Have you seen your collegiate senior lately? NBA scouts are looking for quality in that class, but so far the search is coming up empty.

"It's not going to be as ugly as last year," one veteran NBA scout said. "But that's not saying much. Last year was the worst senior class in the history of the draft."

Since high school stud Kevin Garnett broke the college barrier in 1995 and declared for the NBA draft directly from high school, the number of college seniors in the first round has dwindled at an alarming rate. In 1995, there were 20 seniors taken in the first round, six in the lottery. In 1998, the number dipped to 14 seniors, with five in the lottery, and the slide continued each year thereafter:

# 1999: 13 first-round seniors; only four in the lottery.
# 2000: 11 first-round seniors; only three in the lottery.
# 2001: Four first-round seniors; only one – Shane Battier – in the lottery.
# 2002: Eight first-round seniors; only one – Melvin Ely – in the lottery.
# 2003: Nine first-round seniors; only three in the lottery.

The 2004 draft was among the worst ever for collegiate seniors. Just four – Rafael Araujo, Luke Jackson, Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen – were taken in the first round.

It couldn't get any worse, could it?

In a perfect world, college seniors all would be driving Pintos, scrounging for lunch money in the cushions of their dorm-room sofas and strutting around campus, ready to lead their teams to the coveted Big Dance before picking up a diploma and waiting to see which NBA team might pick them.

In the real world, the talented high school class of 2001 has all but defected to the NBA. Can you imagine a draft that had Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Emeka Okafor, T.J. Ford, Devin Harris, Ben Gordon, Mo Williams, Josh Childress, Kirk Snyder, David Harrison and Delonte West playing the roles of savvy four-year veterans?

While some try to claim college seniors are losing in what is becoming an increasingly brutal war of expectations and fortune-telling, something more simple and more insidious appears to be taking place.

"The NBA has been strip-mining the college game for years," one scout said last season. "It's finally coming back to haunt us. The only guys worth taking in the lottery any more are the young ones. The older players that are left usually don't have enough talent to contribute in a meaningful way. Experience is a great, but if you're not going to be able to come in and average 18 a night, then I'm going with the kid who could turn into Kobe or KG down the road."

He's got a point. Of the top 20 scorers and top 10 rebounders in the NBA, only one, Tim Duncan, played four years in college.

A senior of a different ilk dominates the categories – the high school senior. Five of the top 10 scorers in the NBA right now never played a minute of college ball.

Luckily for seniors this year, scouts are reporting that this may be the worst high school class since 1996. They also feel this year's college senior class is one of the stronger ones in recent memory. Several scouts identified nearly a dozen seniors with a shot at the first round this year.

Here's a quick look at 10 seniors the scouts will be watching this season.

Ronny Turiaf
One scout says Gonzaga's Turiaf is "one of the worst-finishing bigs I've ever seen."
Ronny Turiaf, PF, Gonzaga
The facts: 6-foot-10, 245 pounds; 23.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg on 61 percent shooting
The skinny: Gonzaga's import from France has turned himself into one of the most lethal low-post scorers in college basketball. He's one of the most talented big men in the game with his back to the basket. He possesses excellent footwork and several different go-to moves off the block. He plays very physical and gets to the foul line better than just about any other college big man. Once he's there, he shoots 81 percent. The aggressiveness also has a downside. Turiaf is constantly getting fouls quickly, which limits his effectiveness (and minutes) for the rest of the game. Scouts like Turiaf, though none believe he'll be a star at the next level. Why? According to one scout, "He's one of the worst-finishing bigs I've ever seen." Look for Turiaf to be a mid-to-late first-round pick in 2005.

Joey Graham, SF, Oklahoma State
The facts: 6-7, 220; 17.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg,n 59 percent shooting
The skinny: Graham may be the best player in the Big 12. When he gets going, get out of his way. Graham has the body of a power forward and the speed and dunking acumen of two guard. His game starts with his back to the basket, but in the past year it slowly has moved all the way out to the 3-point line. He'll settle in the middle as a small forward in the pros. We know he can dunk, but what else can he do? His rebounding and shot-blocking need work. So does the jumper. He still needs to show the ability to do more off the dribble, and some scouts have questions about his work ethic. Still, he has the body, athleticism and size to make a great wing. An endorsement from Michael Jordan after Graham's impressive stint as a counselor in his summer camp doesn't hurt either. If he continues to play well, he'll go anywhere from the mid-to-late first round.

Danny Granger, F, New Mexico
The facts: 6-8, 220; 18.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.8 spg 55 percent shooting
The skinny: Granger is a versatile big man with long arms and a sweet shooting stroke. He's shooting 50 percent from 3-point range and grabbing nearly 10 rebounds a game. That isn't easy to do. Granger is also known as a superb defender who can guard both forwards and guards. He has a real fiery streak in him that scouts love. "He reminds me a little of Joe Johnson," one scout told Insider. "He can guard four positions and play four positions on offense. I think he'll primarily be a three, but he can also play two and even a little one." Granger may be one of the most underrated prospects in the country. Look for him to take a Kirk Snyder-like leap on draft boards as the year progresses and more scouts see his game. Right now, he's on the first-round bubble, but expect his stock to rise as high as the mid first round when more scouts take a look.

Hakim Warrick
Warrick has improved by leaps and bounds.
Hakim Warrick, SF/PF, Syracuse
The facts: 6-9, 208; 19 ppg, 9.5 rpg on 58 percent shooting
The skinny: Warrick is an incredible athlete who jumps like he's on a trampoline. He improved in almost every aspect of his game this year. He added a nice mid-range jumper. He put on some weight and found ways to score down low. He's very quick, posing match-up problems at both small forward and power forward. He gets to the line a lot. Despite the fact he had a great junior season at Syracuse, his stock is slipping. Why? No one is sure exactly what position he would play in the NBA. He doesn't have the perimeter or ball-handling skills to really be a three. He doesn't have the strength or low-post moves to excel at the four. Scouts wonder if he's the second coming of Darius Miles, an athletic big man without a go-to skill. Some scouts think he could be a very good four, because of his length and quickness. They believe he'll get stronger and be just fine in the post once he gets on an NBA strength training regimen. Only a few of them see him having a future at the three. He could go anywhere between the mid first round to the early second. Warrick will be very hard to project, because he's really an "eye of the beholder" type kid. Normally athletes like him make it in the game unless they have no feel. But then again, he could be the second coming of Marcus Haislip. Someone like Isiah Thomas will love him. Someone like Larry Bird probably won't. He could go anywhere between mid first round and the early second round.

Julius Hodge, SG/SF, North Carolina State
The facts: 6-6, 191; 18.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 5.7 apg on 57 percent shooting
The skinny: Don't let his wiry frame fool you. Hodge is a great, tough athlete who can be absolutely fearless taking the ball to the hole. His passing skills are above average, leading some scouts to believe he could make the transition to the point. He's shooting an impressive 57 percent from the field this season and has a knack for drawing fouls. His perimeter shot, turnovers and defense are the biggest question marks. Scouts just aren't sure what position he plays in the pros. Hodge can play some one, but it's not his natural position. He's not really a two, because of his lack of a 3-point shot. He could be a three, but is he big enough? Scouts feel he could go anywhere between the mid first round and the early second. He reminds me of Josh Howard a little bit – another talented ACC player of the year, who didn't quite fit a mold and slipped in the draft. We all know how Howard turned out. There's a chance Hodge could do the same.

Ryan Gomes, SF/PF, Providence
The facts: 6-7, 240; 18.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg on 49 percent shooting
The skinny: Gomes was one of the most-improved players in the country last season. He has all the skills to play in the post and added a nice perimeter game to his repertoire last season. This year, he's taking his jump shot a step further and is now draining 3s at a 40-percent clip. He has good athleticism and great strength at both positions, but position is the biggest issue with Gomes. He's a bit of 'tweener. Scouts feel he's too small to excel in the pros at his natural position, the four. While his perimeter game has improved to the point you can start thinking about him as a three, scouts wonder whether he has the quickness to guard threes in the league. There's some buzz on Gomes, but only as a late-first-round pick. The more scouts watch him; the more they seem to like him. If he continues to prove he can make the transition to the three, it might be enough to convince NBA teams his upside is worth the risk.

Wayne Simien, PF, Kansas
The facts: 6-8, 255; 17.8 ppg, 13 rpg on 51 percent shooting
The skinny: He's a blue-collar bruiser with a solid NBA body and plenty of strength and toughness. Simien is an outstanding rebounder, especially on the offensive glass. He has developed a nice baseline jumper, shows soft hands and is quicker than his bulky frame would suggest. He also has impressive leaping ability for a player his size. He's a very good free-throw shooter for a big man. He has a real motor and toughness. But is he big enough to play the four? Scouts feel he's closer to 6-foot-7, which will raise a lot of concerns. He doesn't have long arms either, which can be a problem. He has great touch from 10 feet out, but no touch around the basket. He's not a good shot blocker, which is a surprise considering his leaping ability. Scouts also claim he has bad hands. Durability is also an issue – he has missed a lot of games the past few years with injuries, although he's been relatively injury-free for the past 18 months. Simien is a bubble first rounder right now.

Jawad Williams, SF/PF, North Carolina
The facts: 6-9, 220; 16.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg on 61 percent shooting
The skinny: Williams has a sweet stroke and pretty good ball-handling skills for a 6-9 kid. He's much more comfortable on the perimeter than he is on the block, but he started to work on that by adding 21 pounds to his wiry frame. Scouts claim he has looked much more aggressive around the basket this year. Scouts see him as a likely second-rounder right now.

Lawrence Roberts, PF, Mississippi State
The facts: 6-8, 235; 14.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg on 37 percent shooting
The skinny: Roberts was one of the most improved players in the country last season. He is a big-time rebounder on both the offensive and defensive boards. He's a pretty good athlete who can run the floor and has good strength for the position. Scouts worry a little bit about his size and his perimeter skills. He's off to a poor start this season, which isn't helping. Most scouts believe he's a second-round pick.

Luther Head, PG, Illinois
The facts: 6-3, 175; 15.9 ppg, 5.3 apg on 50 percent shooting
The skinny: Head always has been considered the third wheel in Illinois behind guards Deron Williams and Dee Brown. However, head coach Bruce Weber believes Head is the best guard on his team. "Luther has been maybe our best guard, and people don't even realize it," Weber said last week. Head, a senior from Chicago, has been great for the Illini this season. He's a great athlete with excellent floor vision and legit 3-point range. Scouts have been traditionally a little down on Head because of his inability to shoot off the dribble, but he seems to have worked on that over the summer and is getting serious interest from scouts. He's a bubble first-rounder who could make his way in if he can prove he can play the point full time in the pros.

The best of the rest: B.J. Elder, G, Georgia Tech; Channing Frye, PF/C, Arizona; Chris Thomas, PG, Notre Dame; Luke Schenscher, C, Georgia Tech; David Lee, PF, Florida; Taylor Coppenrath, F, Vermont; Matt Nelson, C, Colorado State; Travis Diener, PG, Marquette; Dijon Thompson, G/F, UCLA; Alan Anderson, G, Michigan State; John Lucas, PG, Oklahoma State; Rawle Marshall, SG, Oakland (MI).

Draft Cards

# A plethora of NBA scouts and GMs were in St. Louis on Thursday to watch one of the biggest high school tournaments of the year – the KMOX Shootout. Last year, the Shootout was the coming out party for Shaun Livingston, who went on to become the fourth player taken in the 2004 draft.

This year, the highlight was a matchup between two players who have a legit shot at the first round – Gerald Green and Andray Blatche.

Green is a 6-8 swingman playing at Gulf Shores Academy in Houston. He was the MVP of the ABCD camp this summer and is currently the highest-ranked high school player on Insider's boards.

Green has drawn comparisons to a young Tracy McGrady. He's very athletic, with a 41-inch vertical. He also possesses great range on his jump shot, can create his own shot off the dribble and is an excellent ballhandler. Scouts claim he's one of the fastest players in the draft despite the fact that he's 6-8. He's averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists this season.

Blatche is a fifth-year senior forward playing at South Kent Academy in Connecticut. Blatche, who stands 6-11, can play both the three and the four. Scouts say he's a poor man's KG – a finesse big man who likes to face the basket on offense but crash the boards on the defensive end. Through nine games, Blatche is averaging 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks.

Both players have their weaknesses. Green needs to put more muscle on his wiry frame. Scouts also claim he's very immature and struggles in the classroom. Blatche, despite his size, has become enamored with his perimeter game. Scouts say he spends too much time shooting 3-pointers and not enough time in the paint.

In their showdown Thursday night, both players were good, though Blatche's team ultimately defeated Green's 80-76 in three overtimes. Blatche finished with 24 points and 22 rebounds. He made six of 14 shots from the field and 11 of 14 from the line. However, he also had 11 turnovers.

"I like Andray, but his game really needs to mature," one NBA scout who attended the game told Insider. "I just wish he went inside more. I know he's trying to show us that he's versatile, but he also needs to show us that he's smart enough to take advantage of his size in the paint."

Green finished with 29 points. He, too, seemed to be obsessed with impressing scouts.

"He really settled for a lot of jumpers when I thought he could have taken the ball to the hole a little more," the scout told Insider.

Today, Green is projected as a late-lottery to mid-first-round pick. Blatche is a bubble first-rounder.

# Kansas shooting guard J.R. Giddens has watched his NBA draft stock take a hit the past several weeks. He's off to a slow start for the Jayhawks, averaging just 10 ppg. Several NBA scouts already have traveled to Lawrence to watch him practice and play, and they haven't been impressed.

"He's a great athlete," one NBA scout said. "And he can really knock down the 3-point shot. But he has absolutely no in-between game. If he's not dunking or launching a 3, he can't score."

Said another scout. "He only looks like a player when he's open. He doesn't know how to clear space. I also have no faith that he can stay healthy."

While there's still plenty of time for Giddens to turn things around, we're going to be downgrading his stock in favor of another swingman on whom everyone seems to be high again ...

# Texas A&M's Antoine Wright seems to have rebounded from a horrific sophomore season. Wright, a lanky 6-7 junior swingman, looked like he was a lock for the lottery after an amazing freshman season for the Aggies. However, last season his numbers dropped across the board as he shot just 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point arc.

This year Wright seems to have regained his shooting stroke and his confidence. He's averaging 17.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg on 60 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point arc. If he can continue to play like that, scouts claim he's talented enough to be a lottery pick.

# Scouts on an Adriatic scouting trip were very impressed with 6-8 Croatian guard Marko Tomas. He played at the Chicago pre-draft camp last year, but his production was limited because of an ankle injury. This season the 19-year-old is averaging 18.4 ppg and 3.1 apg (which is great for Europe) for Zagreb. Scouts love his aggressiveness, athleticism and size in the backcourt.

Tomas has been playing point for point for Zagreb this year because of injuries and he has excelled there. Tomas played point until he was 15, but a growth spurt moved him to the two. But scouts say he has the potential to be an NBA point – at least part of the time.

"He reminds me of Marquis Daniels a little bit," one scout told Insider. "He's one of these guys who's a little bit unassuming, but when he gets on the court, man that kid can do it all. To me, he's the real international sleeper in this draft."

The Croatian media are already calling him the next Drazen Petrovic. That's totally unfair. But at 19, Tomas certainly has been impressive. The scouts Insider talked to this week claim he's a likely top-20 pick in the upcoming draft.

# A number of NBA scouts have been traveling to Serbia lately to check in on KK Reflex. The team is playing two important prospects, Nemanja Aleksandrov and Mile Ilic. However, scouts have walked away from Reflex's game impressed by a virtually-unknown forward – 22-year-old Milan Majstorovic. The 6-9 small forward is getting big minutes for his team and recently dropped in 18 points on Olimpija in front of a host of scouts.

"People always forget about these draft-eligible international players," one scout told Insider. "If they haven't been on the radar as teenagers, they tend to slip through the cracks. This kid has size, talent and most importantly, experience. He's still very inconsistent, but I think he's helping himself much more than Aleksandrov or Ilic are right now. Those guys need to play, but right now their playing time is very sporadic."

Scouts are projecting Majstorovic as a possible second-rounder right now.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

--------------------------

Monday, December 13 Updated 9:08 AM EST

Rumor Central

Time for Wizards to trade Kwame?

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Kwame Brown
Kwame Brown
Wizards
Sonics
Raptors
Knicks
Hawks Dec. 13 - Kwame Brown has been a complete non-factor in the Wizards hot start. After missing the start of the season with an injury, he's averaging just 6 ppg and 1.6 rpg.

After a promising third season, Brown is struggling to get with the program. He got in head coach Eddie Jordan's dog house this week when he refused to enter a game after a timeout. That led to a two-game suspension, along with the promise his name would immediately find its way back on the trading block.

The prospects of getting Brown in a trade have other GMs drooling. He's a 7-foot, 270-pound, 22-year-old athletic big man who is slowly becoming a center.

The Sonics, Raptors, Knicks and Hawks have shown interest ESPN Insider Chad Ford reports. If the Wizards could land a top-flight small forward and defensive minded big in return, it seems like it would be the perfect opportunity to cash in and make a run in the East.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Raptors
Heat?
Knicks?
Trail Blazers?
Dec. 13 - Shaq's presence has opened things up tremendously for everyone on the Heat.

However, one guy hasn't seen the same halo effect that Jones and Wade have. Eddie Jones has been awful. He's shooting just 30 percent from 3, down from 37 percent last year and 41 percent in 2002-03. Overall he's shooting just 34 percent from the field and seems out of synch.

That's why the Heat have been flirting with the idea of trading Jones to the Raptors for Jalen Rose ESPN Insider Chad Ford reports.

Rose isn't much of a cure-all (he's shooting just 33 percent from 3 and 40 percent from the field) but the Heat believe he may be a better fit in the team's new offense. Rose is two years younger than Jones, is a better passer and can still take over a game in ways that Jones no longer can.

With that said, head coach Stan Van Gundy has concerns. Jones is a better defender and a better teammate. Everywhere Rose has gone, his popularity has quickly wilted.

As far as bad contracts go, both are awful. Jones and Rose both make more than $13 million per season and both have two years left on their contracts after this season. But with the Raptors desperate to start shaking up their terrible chemistry, a 33-year-old Jones would be a godsend at this point.

Trading Rose to the Heat also would greatly open up the Raptors' options in trading Vince Carter. With Rose out of the picture, Toronto will have more suitors for Carter. Several teams that are interested in Vince have backed out because of an insistence that Rose be included in the deal. The Raptors could use the Heat as part of a three-way trade sending Rose to Miami and moving Jones and Carter off a separate teams. This would be an acceptable solution to a team like Portland, which has balked at accepting Rose's contract.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Allan Houston
Allan Houston
Knicks
Raptors?
Hornets?
Dec. 11 - Houston made his regular-season debut Friday against the Wizards. But will the shooting guard soon be wearing the Raptors' colors as part of a possible trade involving Vince Carter?

The Bergen Record reports Houston, who had not played since suffering a thigh injury March 26 against the Raptors, might be part of the latest package the Knicks are offering to get Carter. Houston, Tim Thomas and one-time Raptor Jerome Williams would be sent to Toronto and Carter, Jalen Rose and other players would be sent to the Knicks.

The Knicks say Houston has not been discussed in Carter trade talks. The Record also reports the reeling Hornets might be interested in Houston.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jamaal Magloire
Jamaal Magloire
Hornets
Raptors Dec. 13 - Right now the Hornets are as active as any team in the NBA trying to make a deal. They've spoken with the Raptors about a trade that would send Jamaal Magloire and Jamal Mashburn to Toronto for Vince Carter, ESPN Insider Chad Ford reports. It would be a mistake.

The question they need to ask themselves is whether they're better off letting things slide for a year. As strong as the West is, the Hornets have virtually played themselves out of the playoffs already. Adding a few veterans could bring more wins or sell more tickets ? but it won't help the long-term well being of the franchise.

Aren't they better off keeping Magloire and Davis and trying to develop Smith? All three are young enough and have enough upside to make up a nice core in New Orleans. Add in a very high lottery pick next year, and the Hornets would have some upside down the road.

Instead, the Hornets need to strongly consider moving P.J. Brown to a veteran team. If they can get back a solid draft pick or a young prospect, they should do it. Short term, the Hornets are going to be bad for a while. But as long as the team doesn't lose focus on the long-term, it could come out of this all right.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Nazr Mohammed
Nazr Mohammed
Knicks
Raptors?
Bulls?
Dec. 11 - In 10 of his first 20 games this season, Mohammed has recorded double-figure rebounds.

Newsday reports that Mohammed's trade value has risen in wake of those showings, and a rebounding-poor team such as the Raptors might be interested.

Mohammed's name had been linked to Eddy Curry trade rumors with the Bulls. But if the Knicks' interest in Vince Carter has not waned, Newsday figures the Raptors might want to include Mohammed's name in trade talks. "

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Glenn Robinson
Glenn Robinson
Sixers
Hornets?
Dec. 11 - Coach Jim O'Brien says he does not "anticipate seeing (Robinson) at all" in his lineup whenever Robinson recovers from "two bad ankles and a bad elbow", the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Robinson reportedly declined to start a game against the Heat on Nov. 21, citing his injuries, O'Brien said. Charles Tucker, The Big Dog's agent, said his client is getting healthy but is not certain when he will be healthy enough to play.

In November, Insider reported talks between the Sixers and Hornets could be resurrected now that Robinson has reiterated his dissatisfaction with remaining in Philadelphia as a reserve. He also has indicated he won't take less than the full $12 million he is owed in a buyout. "I think being a 20-point scorer for 11 years, I think that's good enough," said Robinson, a two-time All-Star."If somebody's interested, then so be it. I just wish somebody would make their mind up."

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning
Nets
Heat? Dec. 11 - Team owner Bruce Ratner claims he would rather not trade Mourning and Jason Kidd, two veterans who want out of New Jersey, the New York Daily News reported.

Mourning, in the midst of a comeback from a kidney transplant, did not play in the Dec. 11 game against the Hornets, citing pain on the right side of his body. He says his new kidney is not the problem, the New York Post reports. When Mourning returns to the lineup, coach Lawrence Frank says he might have to reduce Mourning's minutes; he's averaging 10.4 points, 7.1 reboundsand 25.4 minutes per game.

On Dec. 4, the Post reported the Nets talked to the Heat about trading Mourning for center Michael Doleac and forward Malik Allen. The Heat want no part of the deal because they do not want to pay the $17.6 million Mourning, who is in the midst of a comeback from a kidney transplant, is owed over the next three seasons.

In November, Mourning reportedly asked the Nets to pay him $14 million to buy out his contract and allow him to become a free agent. The Nets balked. Instead, they reportedly insisted Mourning take $6 million in a buyout. He refused, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.

WHO WHAT THE SKINNY
Karl Malone
Karl Malone
Lakers
Knicks?
Spurs?
Timberwolves?
Heat?
Retirement? Dec. 10 - Isiah Thomas called Malone's agent Wednesday to see if the Mailman, who has vowed not to play with Kobe Bryant again, might want to join the Knicks.

Dwight Manley, Malone's agent, told the New York Times that the prospect that his client might join the Knicks "would be a long shot." The Times reports that Malone, a 41-year-old free agent recovering from knee surgery and contemplating retirement, might be intrigued by the Knicks if they could somehow land Vince Carter or another player of that caliber.

Malone, angered by remarks Bryant made that indicated Bryant felt the Lakers might be fine without the Mailman, reportedly is being courted by the Spurs, Timberwolves and Heat.

Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett said he would welcome Malone as a teammate. "I definitely respect him. From what I hear, he's the ultimate winner," Garnett said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Learning our system and sacrificing is what we do here. As long as it didn't conflict with that, who wouldn't want the Mailman on this team?"

Malone told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that he was "a couple of weeks, max" from being able to play. Malone told the Lakers originally he would only play for them if he opted for a 20th NBA season.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Raptors
Blazers?
Knicks?
Sixers? Dec. 10 - According to the New York Post, the Raptors have swatted every Knicks' trade proposal for Vince Carter. The Knicks would have to include guard Jamal Crawford in order to get Raptors' GM Rob Babcock to budge, the newspaper reports, citing two unidentified league sources. According to the New York Times, Crawford and Stephon Marbury are considered untouchables by the Knicks.

An injury to Carter's Achilles might send his trade value into a freefall, Insider Chad Ford reports. Carter strained his left Achilles' tendon Wednesday in the first minute of the second half in Toronto's game against the Pistons.

The injury highlights a growing concern among GMs that Carter isn't healthy enough to justify a trade. Several teams sent advance scouts to watch Carter play the past week, and at least two teams were concerned enough about his health that their trade interest immediately waned.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Eddie House
Eddie House


Heat
Warriors
Rockets
Bucks Dec. 10 - House wants to play somewhere soon, but his options seem to be dwindling. The Houston Chronicle reports that while the Rockets are interested in House, they are overstocked at point guard and might not make the former Bobcat an offer.

The Nuggets were interested but apparently don't have the minutes to spare him, so they ended their flirtation.

House, recently waived by the Bobcats because of their acquisition of Kareem Rush from the Lakers, has feelers from the Warriors, Heat, Rockets and Bucks, agent Mark Bartelstein told the Denver Post.

The Post reports the Nuggets might try to sign one of two former employees, either Anthony Goldwire or Doug Overton, to fill the void in the backcourt created by Voshon Lenard's season-ending Achilles injury.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Celtics
Sonics?
Warriors?
Dec. 8 - The Dec. 8 Boston Herald reports Payton is unhappy just 17 games into his first season with the Celtics -- and that's one reason why he believes this will be his only season as a Celtic.

"It probably is my only year here," Payton said, just after the Herald recently quoted agent Aaron Goodwin saying that his client was open to re-signing with the Celtics if the team improves. Payton reluctantly agreed to report to the C's after Lakers re-signed him and then surprised him with a trade last summer.

Payton, 36, was upset after the Celtics lost to the Warriors in his hometown of Oakland. He told the Herald: "In my career now, I think I need to be on more of a veteran type of team and get some more wins. But don't take that to mean I don't want to be here right now. I want to do everything I can here to help this team as long as I'm here."

In November, Payton told the Seattle Times he would like to finish his playing career as a member of the SuperSonics, the team that traded him to the Bucks in Feb. 2003 rather than re-sign him to a long-term extension.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Damon Stoudamire
Damon Stoudamire
Blazers
Raptors?
Dec. 8 - Stoudamire began his NBA career in Toronto, where he became the NBA's 1996 Rookie Of The Year. He played for the Raptors until he was traded to the Blazers in Feb. 1998 in a five-player deal that also featured Kenny Anderson.

Stoudamire told the Oregonian newspaper that he's not keen on returning to the Raptors as part of a rumored three-team deal that somehow would involve the Raptors' unhappy Vince Carter. Whatever the case, Stoudamire -- a free agent next summer -- says of Toronto: "I don't really see myself going back there. You don't go back to the same place twice, unless you're at the end (of your career)."

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Nets
Timberwolves?
Mavericks?
Nuggets?
Warriors?
Spurs?
Lakers?
Blazers? Dec. 8 - Kidd still prefers a trade to staying with the Nets, but if the Nets trade him to Portland, the All-Star guard will not report to the Trail Blazers, a source close to Kidd told ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

Although such a move would almost certainly result in a suspension without pay, the source indicated that Kidd is hoping his stand will discourage the Nets from trading the 31-year-old somewhere he doesn't want to go. Kidd's wish list includes the Timberwolves, the Nuggets, the Mavericks, the Spurs and the Lakers.

Kidd made his season debut Dec. 6 in the Nets' victory over the Raptors. fter sitting out the season's first 16 games recovering from left knee surgery, Kidd had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes with the Nets restricting his playing time.

Sources tell ESPN Insider Chad Ford that chances are still very strong Kidd will be traded in the next month.

WHO WHAT THE SKINNY
Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry
Bulls
Warriors
Grizzlies Dec. 7 - A source in Chicago told ESPN Insider Chad Ford the Warriors have been doing extensive background checks on Bulls center Eddy Curry.

The same sources told Insider over the weekend that the Warriors were trying to work out a three-way trade for Curry that would send Mike Dunleavy Jr. to the Clippers and Chris Wilcox and Bobby Simmons to the Bulls.

However, a Clippers source told Insider on Tuesday that they have "no interest" in trading for Dunleavy.

That could be a serious speed bump, however, in the Warriors' attempts to trade for Curry. The Warriors could do a straight up trade for Curry sending Mickael Pietrus and either Calbert Cheaney or rookie Andris Biedrins to Chicago in return. However, the Warriors would prefer to keep Pietrus and trade Dunleavy instead, according to a source close to the team.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Nene
Nene
Nuggets
Suns
Bucks
Warriors
Bulls Dec. 6 - The Nuggets have two bargaining chips that could potentially land them a star at shooting guard. Nene and Nikoloz Tskitishvili both have seen their roles dramatically diminished with the signing of Kenyon Martin. Nene especially has tremendous trade value because of his size, athleticism and age.

While GM Kiki Vandeweghe still maintains he doesn't want to move Nene, he might not have a choice. But the Brazilian native is miserable, according to sources, and wants a new home. Where could he land? ESPN Insider Chad Ford has some "educated guesses":

If the Suns are willing to part with either Quentin Richardson or Joe Johnson, something might work out. The Nuggets could swap Nene, Skita and Lenard to the Suns for Q, Maciej Lampe and Cabarkapa. Or they could swap just Nene and Skita for Johnson, Lampe and Cabarkapa.

The Bucks are falling apart, and it looks like Michael Redd, an unrestricted free agent after the season, will bolt. With Jason Richardson now locked up long-term, would a swap of Mickael Pietrus and Ansu Sesay for Nene work for the Nuggets?

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Blazers
Raptors?
Sixers?
Nets?
Bulls? Dec. 6 - Blazers players are complaining that things are getting too clogged up in the middle with both Zach Randolph and Shareef Abdur-Rahim planting themselves in the paint. That may be partly why Theo Ratliff is off to such a terrible start and also why trade talks for Abdur-Rahim continue in earnest, ESPN Insider Chad Ford reports.

The Blazers have talked with the Raptors, Nets, Timberwolves and Bulls about a possible trade for Abdur-Rahim.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jason Williams
Jason Williams
Grizzlies
??? Dec. 6 - Earl Watson played 30 minutes in head coach Mike Fratello's second game, scoring 12 points and handing out 12 assists while starter Jason Williams sat on the bench nursing a sore ankle.

While Williams' injury is legit, sources tell ESPN Insider Chad Ford that Fratello and Jerry West would prefer to trade Williams and hand the starting job to Watson, who had a nice run last year as the starter while Williams was hurt. While he might not have Williams' talent, he comes with much less attitude – a quality that's in high demand in Memphis these days.

Expect West to try to package Williams and Bonzi Wells in the coming days in his ongoing effort to find a big man who can score in the middle.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Michael Redd
Michael Redd
Bucks
Cavs? Dec. 1 - The Bucks are off to a disappointing 4-8 start, but Michael Redd continues to improve. He's averaging career highs of 23.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 3 apg. He's also shooting a career-high 44 percent from three-point range this season.

The bad news is Redd will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and one league told ESPN Insider Chad Ford that Redd's seriously considering bolting to Cleveland to play with LeBron James. The Cavs are in desperate need of a three-point shooter, and Redd, who was born in Columbus and played college ball at Ohio State, is itching to return.

The Cavs should have the money to pay him. Assuming they can get Zydrunas Ilgauskas to re-up for a reasonable amount, they should have enough cash under the cap to offer Redd the max. The way he's played the past two seasons, that's what he's worth – especially to a team like the Cavs, who desperately want to show LeBron they'll do whatever it takes to make the team a contender.

With the way the Cavs have been playing lately, you've got to believe a player like Redd would put them among the elite in the East.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
P.J. Brown
P.J. Brown
Hornets
Raptors?
Dec. 4 - The Raptors are desperate for rebounding. While trading Vince Carter for the best possible return package is a priority, the Raptors also want to address this pressing need with or without a Carter deal.

According to the Toronto Star, one player the Raptors might focus on is 6-foot-11 Brown. He has three years, $24 million remaining on his contract. Brown, 35, has averaged at least eight rebounds per game the four seasons previous to this one.

The Hornets might be interested in a package including Raptors forward Morris Peterson, whom they pursued when he was a free agent last summer. Donyell Marshall is another possibility, the Star reports.

WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jon Barry
Jon Barry
Hawks
Nuggets? Dec. 3 - With shooting guard Voshon Lenard out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, the Nuggets have been desperate for outside shooting to replace him.

They have additional salary cap room to obtain a shooter, the Denver Post reported. The NBA will grant the Nuggets a $1.625 million disabled players exception; the Nuggets might use that money – half of Lenard's $3.25 million salary for this season – to trade for a shooter.

The Nuggets' shopping list is limited to players who earn in the vicinity of 50-percent of Lenard's salary. Among players in that salary range who have outside touch is former Nugget Jon Barry, who left the team to sign with the Hawks as a free agent.

Barry, who reportedly earns $1.8 million this season as a Hawk, and other players who signed contracts in the offseason are not eligible to be traded until Dec. 15. The Post reports that the Timberwolves' Fred Hoiberg ($1.6 million), the Suns' Casey Jacobsen ($1.08 million) and the Lakers' Kareem Rush ($1.16 million) might also be on the Nuggets' shopping list.

---------------------------

Unmatched

By Brian and Andy Kamenetzky
Comment on this article


Phoenix says it's playing small ball. Seems like no one told Amare Stoudemire.

When coach Mike D'Antoni decided to start Joe Johnson (6'7") at guard and Quentin Richardson (6'6") at forward, it pushed the 6'10", 245-pound Stoudemire to the middle. Word around the league was that the third-year player would be overmatched.

It didn't take long to see who was overmatched. Through November, Stoudemire was top 20 in five statistical categories. He was even the league's top scorer for a few days, becoming the Suns' first frontcourt player since Charles Barkley in 1996 to go for 30 in four consecutive games. "The adjustment has been fairly easy," Stoudemire says. "In the beginning I was concerned about giving up size. But it seems like we have the advantage because our quickness makes up for that." The big men who have to guard Stoudemire may not want to believe they're at a disadvantage, but the tapes do not lie. "It's the guys guarding him who look like they're out of position," D'Antoni says.

Stoudemire is, as Johnson says, "a beast," and has been since jumping straight from high school in 2002. Clearly, that first ROY season was the base, not the ceiling. The 22-year-old has only gotten better, riding a combination of speed, strength and hops.

D'Antoni calls him "one of the strongest guys in the league, and maybe the quickest at his position." No wonder few big men can keep up with him on the break, and those who can, can't stop him in the paint. With an improved midrange jumper, Stoudemire is quickly becoming unstoppable from 15 feet and in.

"He puts a lot of pressure on the defense, because he can't be covered," says PG Steve Nash, whose return to the Suns has ensured Stoudemire will get to show off his talents to best advantage. For November, of Stoudemire's first 123 field goals, 40 were dunks. Nash, not surprisingly, was tops in the NBA in assists.

That said, let's hold off on the MVP crowning for a bit longer. The Suns have fattened up their record on the league's worst. They opened the season against Atlanta, and have already played New Orleans and Chicago twice. "We'll talk again when Amare has to guard Shaq or Yao," says D'Antoni.

Stoudemire seems utterly unfazed by any of the impending rep-making matchups. "I'm having a blast," he says. And that's why the Suns have taken off.

This article appears in the Dec. 20 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

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Chris Crossed

By Ric Bucher
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It's not important that you believe in God, but be grateful Chris Kaman does.

If he didn't? Well, imagine a wiry, attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disordered, 7-foot, 265-pound man fascinated by guns and knives and driving ultrafast, trying to navigate the idle time/disposable cash/array of temptations obstacle course laid out for NBA players. In LA -- or Sin City, as Kaman calls it -- of all places.

The question is posed to the posse Kaman shuttles from Michigan to his five-bedroom house in Redondo Beach to insure that question will never have to be answered. They're all sitting on the sweeping staircase just inside the front door of his crib, a cascade of rolling eyes, shaking heads and nervous laughter. "He might be dead," says his 18-year-old sister, Jessica. "I'm serious."

Worse, he might not be the only one.

"The first time we met, he was standing in the doorway with a knife," whispers Ben Chamberlain, friend and full-time housekeeper. "Chris was like 9. I was 13, but I was afraid of him."

Kaman overhears this and yells, "Are you guys telling about how I tried to stab Ben?"

Ben: "I didn't say that!"

Kaman: "Yeah, but I did try to stab you!"

Christopher Zane Kaman is both feared and beloved, a one-man reality show pitting good vs. evil. Good is winning, but evil gets in just enough licks to make it interesting. Kaman prefers to keep this part of his life private, because he doesn't want to come off as holier than thou, which might discourage you from becoming a true believer.

Not that he has time to proselytize.

That would require slowing down, and even as he has been nursing a sprained left ankle that has discolored his leg halfway up his shin and halfway down his foot, he hasn't stopped moving. The injury limited his court time to four games in November, preventing Kaman from fully enjoying the Clippers' 9-6 start. That doesn't sound like much, but hey, this is a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 1997.

* * *

AFTER A while, there's a honk on the street, and Kaman dashes (bum ankle and all) to the door to find Jessica in the truck he bought her. He notices an unfamiliar car behind hers. "Are you bringing boys over to my house?" he yells. Before she can answer, Kaman adds, "I'm telling Dad!"

A minute later, he's retrieving a basketball at the request of a photographer. "Whatever you do, don't dribble it!" he warns. Someone asks why, which in Kaman's ear sounds like "Show me."

"Watch," he says, bouncing the ball in the narrow foyer at the bottom of the stairs. Tank, his rottweiler, bursts out of the bedroom and leaps at the ball, jaws snapping. Kaman's eyes are wide as he keeps a shoulder-high dribble going to coax more frantic leaps from the 60-pound canine. "He'll start growling in a second," he says.

But when it's Kaman's turn to ponder where he'd be without his faith, he spins away as if from a defender on the block. "It's not a valid question," he says. "I've never had to worry about that. That's negative."

What seems like an innocent inquiry may not be for Kaman, who has reason to be careful about what he lets into his head. The middle child of Leroy and Pam Kaman's three kids was found to have severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder at 2, which explains why he could never shake the impulse to do or say whatever came to mind. Most of it was relatively harmless. At 4, he locked out the babysitter and fried up a dish of potato chips and ketchup while she tried to get back in. As a teen, he booby-trapped the entire backyard with fishing line. When his parents didn't know where he was, they'd look up at the neighborhood rooftops. Chris liked to sit and tear off shingles.

"I didn't think of myself as dangerous," he says. "I always felt my thoughts were harmless, but I look back now and think I was crazy." His older brother Mike, who also had symptoms of ADHD, takes part of the blame. "He'd do anything we dared him to," he says.

Kaman's antics didn't go over well at Tri-unity Christian, the small private school in Grand Rapids, Mich., he attended from kindergarten through high school. If he wasn't being forced to sit next to the teacher, he was being sent to the principal's office. Mark Keeler, one of Tri-unity's basketball coaches, practically had to hold down Kaman in the huddle. "He'd go back out on the court, and I'd know he hadn't heard a word," Keeler says.

Kaman, 22, grew to 7feet by the end of his junior year. But Ritalin had killed his appetite, leaving him Manute Bol-thin. Kaman was always the tallest man on the court, and yet Tri-unity won its two Class D state titles before and after his tenure. "I got frustrated with him a lot," Keeler says. "Most plays for him had to be a lob."

A late-night talk with his brother in his junior year prompted Kaman to think about his future. Mike, then a children's pastor at Gaylord (Mich.) Community Church, sensed Chris needed direction. "He was getting in trouble because he couldn't sit still," Mike says. "Working with hyperactive and ADD kids, I know that's their biggest problem. If you overcome that, they're like guided missiles. They chase their dreams with all the passion in the world."

Kaman's dream, as far away as it seemed, was the NBA. So he began to channel his excess energy toward improving his game. He gave up his meds for his senior year so he could begin to bulk up. Still, only two unflashy local programs recruited him, Division III Hope College and eventual winner Central Michigan.

For all the misery created by its bad wiring, Kaman's brain also offered a tantalizing gift that blossomed in college: ambidexterity. Bowling, batting or shooting 20-foot jumpers, Kaman can do it with either hand. "As far as athletic ability, he is truly a balanced individual," says Clippers assistant Kim Hughes. In three years, Kaman turned that ability into lottery status. After averaging 10.7 ppg over his first two seasons, Kaman doubled that in his junior year, putting up 22.4 a night. The breakout swayed the Clippers to make Kaman the sixth pick of the 2003 draft. Then again, they almost didn't stick around long enough to notice him. The first time GM Elgin Baylor went to see Kaman play, he nearly left the gym before the tip-off. Baylor was turned off by Kaman's bouncy, splay-footed gait. "I couldn't believe he was a good basketball player," he says. "With that goofy walk, you'd never know he could run the floor the way he does."

Being viewed as too moralistic can be as problematic for an NBA hopeful as a checkered past. In Kaman's case, some teams thought twice about choosing the big man because they were concerned about whether he'd fit in an NBA locker room. But the Clippers have had no issues with their teammate. For Kaman, on the other hand, the NBA life is a daily issue. "I try to live the way the Bible tells me," he says. "I like my teammates as people, I just can't see myself doing what they do. The hardest part is staying positive when people are talking about the wrong stuff, stuff I don't need to hear. Bad company robs good spirit. Who do you hang out with, what do you do?"

That's no concern in the confines of his home, which is why Kaman rarely strays from it. His strategy for keeping bad influences at bay is to limit his exposure to them, and to engage in nothing that allows him to think beyond the task at hand.

So the LA nightlife is off-limits. He doesn't go out to eat, to avoid the possibility of being tempted by a pretty waitress. For Kaman, looking is sinning.

His live-in, three-man Christian posse from Grand Rapids helps Kaman remain true to The Word. He met all of them at Tri-unity Christian or at his church, the nondenominational Resurrection Life. Chamberlain, who on this particular day is sporting a post-9/11 "Michigan Is Praying for New York" T-shirt, runs the show. Jeremy Scully, having earned a degree from a culinary school in Pittsburgh, is the chef. Ben's younger brother, Caleb, Kaman's best friend since grade school, is the electronics whiz. These guys, right down to the pet rottweiler, are their own version of HBO's Entourage (a show none of them has seen) ... well, without the naked models, casual sex, Jell-O shots and spontaneous trips to Vegas. Basically, they're looking to be saved, not laid.

"We don't leave the house unless we have to," Ben says. "And Chris hates to be home alone."

Jeremy: "Don't say that. People will think we're house rats."

Ben: "We are!"

* * *

THE LEGACY of faith in a higher power runs deep in the Kaman clan. A great-great-grandfather started Michigan's First Assembly of God Church. Legend has it that a great-aunt was raised from certain smallpox death as a baby by family prayer. Chris' mom prayed with her three children every night as they grew up.

Ben sends two or three Bible verses a day to his buddy's BlackBerry, but that's not what keeps Kaman on the straight-and-narrow. His posse knows that is accomplished only by keeping their big friend active. The ankle sprain made this a more complicated challenge. Halo 2, acquired the minute it was available, worked for a bit. But after 40 hours of almost nonstop play, Kaman had mastered it. So the men of the house raised the stakes, concocting a real-life version of the game.

After turning out the lights and opening the sliding glass doors, they grab air guns and plastic BBs, don masks and split into two-man assault teams. Late-night screams have prompted neighbors to complain about "the noisy parties."

"As if we'd ever have one of those," Scully says.

Left adrift in Grand Rapids last summer, Chris and Mike decided to build the tree fort they'd always dreamed of as kids. There they were at 4 a.m., dropping 14-foot poles on the 25-acre spread Kaman bought for his folks. In three weeks they had a house on stilts, complete with sliding-glass door and electricity. Next summer's plan is to enter a car on Michigan's demolition derby circuit. It won't be the '72 black Chevelle with the engine Kaman boosted to 700 horsepower.

The Redondo Beach house bears the brunt of his perpetual motion these days. When Kaman decided he needed a 700-pound safe to store his knife collection, he installed it himself. But lugging it on a dolly up the outside marble staircase did a number on the steps. Then, shortly after hearing Kaman begin to cut a hole in a closet wall, Ben heard spraying water just seconds before Kaman sprinted past him in search of the shut-off valve.

The BBs have done damage as well. Small divots pock the walls and every picture. The one of Ali standing over Sonny Liston at the top of the stairs wears the scars of a particularly heavy ambush. Kaman is inspecting one divot when his eye is drawn to a red mark about six feet up the wall. "I think that's from my shoe," he says. "He's levelheaded in choices of morality," Mike says. "He's just crazy when it comes to fun."

Know who Elton Brand is reminded of when he thinks of Kaman? "Ron Artest, my teammate in AAU," he says. "It might not be the right timing to say that, but it's true. They're nice guys who walk to the beat of their own drum. Chris' faith is just part of the package. He gets some slap about it in the locker room, especially about not chasing girls, but I definitely respect him for it."

His faith is an issue for no one besides Kaman. Marko Jaric, a renowned playboy who tools around in a $240,000 Aston Martin, considers him a friend. The last thing Kaman wants is for people to think he believes he's superior. That would be un-Christianlike. And you won't find a cross hanging from his neck or him giving thanks to Jesus in interviews. He used to wear WWJD wristbands, but he turned them inside out, and he stopped wearing them because they kept breaking or getting ripped off in games.

"If I say, 'Jesus Christ!' he'll punch me," says Hughes. "But then he'll turn around and use the F-word in front of a woman. He's a paradox."

Kaman shakes his shaggy head. "My mouth is my biggest problem," he says. "Sometimes I don't control what I say. Thing is, I don't really consider myself a religious person. I just want to be a good person who loves God. The main reason is, when life is over, where do you go? I want my soul to go to a good place where I can live forever."

For now, he's content to live in the hills above LA, cloaked by his posse. On his bedroom wall, facing his four-poster bed, hangs a framed photo of a lighthouse surrounded by stormy ocean, a massive wave poised to swallow its base. A tiny figure, the lighthouse keeper, stands in the hollow of all that water seemingly unaware of his impending doom. Kaman studies the picture for a moment, then picks up a car magazine.

"Ahh," he says. "Home."

This article appears in the Dec. 20 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

Thursday, December 9, 2004

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

Chad Ford's Chat Wrap with SportsNation on Thursday

What were the Lakers thinking this summer when they let Kobe Bryant dictate whom the team acquired in the offseason?

Everyone knows they were desperate to re-sign Bryant, but once you give up that type of power to a player, he isn't giving it back.

Since making his free agent power play this summer, Kobe already has helped exile Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton and Derek Fisher. Kareem Rush was given away last week for two second-round picks.

Tuesday, Bryant nailed the door shut on a Karl Malone return to the Lakers.

In a radio interview, Bryant said he didn't think Malone was coming back, then criticized the Mailman for leaving the team up in the air.

"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear.

"It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."

“ I get the feeling that everyone there is pretty miserable. I know [my client] wants out and he claims others do too. It's hard enough to have a coach on you all the time, but then when a player is doing it, too, it's just too much. ”
— An agent of an unhappy teammate of Kobe Bryant's
Oh, the hypocrisy. Wasn't it Bryant who held his impending free agency over the heads of the entire organization last year? Wasn't everyone looking over their shoulders wondering if Bryant was going to bolt to the Clippers? Maybe Malone isn't the player the Lakers need right now, but Bryant shouldn't be the one making that decision or delivering the message.

But that's not the worst of it.

What left Bryant's mouth after that speaks volumes about whose team this really is.

"They are here giving me 110 percent," Bryant said of his teammates.

Really? The Lakers are playing for Kobe now?

That wasn't a slip of the tongue. Two player agents who represent players on the Lakers and one league source told Insider that Bryant was ruling the Lakers with an iron fist, getting in players' faces and acting as if he owned the team. According to one agent, Bryant even threatened to trade his client if he didn't do things The Kobe Way.

"I get the feeling that everyone there is pretty miserable," one agent told Insider. "I know [my client] wants out, and he claims others do too. It's hard enough to have a coach on you all the time, but then when a player is doing it, too, it's just too much."

The Lakers need to be careful. Word is spreading quickly around the league that while Bryant is an awesome player, he's a terrible teammate. When the Lakers finally have some cap room to go out and lure free agents, what top-tier player is going to want to play there?

The Lakers responded to the whole Malone mess by stating that Bryant wasn't "speaking on behalf of the Lakers management or organization."

Bryant has a $136 million contract that says otherwise.