The Golden State Warriors are in serious discussions with the New Orleans Hornets to acquire Baron Davis before Thursday's 3 p.m. trading deadline, league sources told ESPN.com.
The Warriors have the expiring contract of Dale Davis to build a package around, but it's believed that other players from both teams would be involved -- as well as future draft considerations going to the Hornets -- to convince New Orleans to part with its former All-Star guard.
What's clear is that the Hornets are moving away from their recent belief that it would be better to trade Davis in the summertime. The Hornets originally planned to hold off on moving Davis until he returned from injury and built up some renewed trade value. It is now more likely than not, sources said, that the 25-year-old is moved before Thursday's deadline.
Davis, who returned to the Hornets' lineup Wednesday in a home loss to Seattle, appeared in only 17 of New Orleans' first 53 games because of back, heel and ankle ailments.
The former UCLA star would relish a move to his home state, according to sources, where Davis would be paired with Jason Richardson in a potentially high-scoring backcourt.
Davis returned to practice Monday and told ESPN.com after the workout that last week's criticism from coach Byron Scott about the speed of his recovery from an ankle injury made him feel unwanted by the Hornets.
Baron Davis (left) has made noise about wanting out of New Orleans, and he might get his wish.
Yet Davis insisted he wouldn't personally push for a deal before the deadline and that he'll have no problems playing for Scott if there's no deal. That's even though, according to Davis, the two didn't speak at Monday's workout.
"I think it is getting to a point to where I just don't feel like I'm wanted (by New Orleans)," Davis told ESPN.com on Monday night. "I have a great relationship with my teammates, but at certain times I do feel that way -- I'm not going to lie. But I'm here to play basketball, and play as hard as I can. Once I'm 100 percent and back on the court, Byron will coach and I'll respect him as my coach. I'm going to listen to my coach like I've always done."
Davis' name has been mentioned in trade speculation since the summer, when his agent, Todd Ramasar, suggested Davis was disappointed by the Hornets' quiet offseason and might seek a trade elsewhere.
Davis left the Hornets for Los Angeles earlier this month to rehabilitate the heel and ankle while the club was away on a West Coast trip. Just before the All-Star break, with Davis scheduled to rejoin the team on Feb. 11, Davis suggested he might benefit from more rehab time in L.A. to improve his lateral movement. Scott angrily sent word to Davis to stay in his hometown.
"I wasn't happy and I didn't want to hear any more, so I said, 'Let him stay in L.A. and do whatever he's doing,' " Scott said. "There was no reason for him to be here, honestly, the way guys are connecting right now."
Jamal Mashburn, who might never play again because of ongoing knee trouble, faced similar criticism from the Hornets last season for rehabbing at home near Miami instead of in New Orleans with the Hornets. Davis, though, said he would have returned to the team if he had been summoned back and came away "shocked" by Scott's contention that the 11-43 Hornets -- 9-14 since Jan. 7 -- might not need him around now.
"I was just shocked because it was a (knock) on my character," Davis said. "I've always been a person to play hurt. I've played hurt in the playoffs. So I was a little upset at first, but at the same time, that's his opinion.
"I came back (Monday) because I'm getting closer to playing, so I felt it's good to be back with my team and let them see my progress, even though nobody called and asked me about it. I am on the right path. Everything is getting stronger. But I'm not going to rush back for anybody if I feel like I'm not ready."
In spite of the injuries, Davis said he weighs about 215 pounds, roughly 10 pounds below his listed weight. The feeling among some general managers around the league is that the Hornets have grown increasingly open to trading Davis because of the progress of recent pickup Dan Dickau.
"My main thing right now is just getting back out on that court and showing people I'm still one of the best players in this league," said Davis, who has $63 million over four seasons left on his contract after this season.
The NBA trading deadline is hours away, and the Hornets are apparently playing "Let's Make A Deal."
Hornets owner George Shinn said Wednesday night that "we're trying to do some things to improve our club. Just stay with us."
Trades can be made until 2 p.m. CST today. There were indications Wednesday that New Orleans was attempting to clear the contract of injured forward Jamal Mashburn off their books to create more room under the salary cap for the offseason.
The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be the prime candidate for a swap.
Philadelphia can offer the expiring $13 million contract of injured forward Glenn Robinson in exchange for Mashburn's remaining contract of $9.3 million this season and $10 million next. To make the deal work under the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, the traded players' salaries have to match within 15 percent.
That means the Hornets would have to package another player in the deal, likely forward Rodney Rogers, who earns about $2.6 million this season.
If the deal is reached, the Hornets would gain an extra $10 million in cap room next season. The Sixers would gain Rogers and the Hornets would get Robinson, who has missed most of this season because of injured ankles.
It's possible Robinson might not play for the Hornets, who would be responsible for just a small portion of his $13 million salary. New Orleans only has to pay 20 percent of Mashburn's contract this season because the other 80 is covered by an insurance policy.
Mashburn (bone bruise) likely will retire when his contract expires. The Sixers would also only be responsible for 20 percent of Mashburn's 2005-06 salary.
Hornets general manager Allan Bristow would only say Wednesday he's fielding calls.
"Believe it or not," said Bristow, who has already made three trades this season, "being an ex-player and ex-coach, I dislike trades. I know that might be hard to comprehend. But trades, from a player's and coaching standpoint, are very unsettling situations.
"I wish the trade deadline would come and go and we could get on with it. There's a lot more to this business than just the trade deadline."
Bristow was not at Wednesday night's game, instead working the telephones at his home.
The decision by injured guard Baron Davis to play Wednesday night against the Seattle SuperSonics re-opens the possibility that Davis could be moving.
Had he stuck to his earlier comment Wednesday that he'd be out another two weeks, Davis' waning marketability would have plummeted even further.
But by playing for the first time since injuring his right Achilles tendon Jan.16 in a game at Toronto, Davis proved to skeptics that he is healthy enough to play or be traded.
There were rumors out of the Bay Area that the Golden State Warriors might be interested in swapping the expiring contract of 13-year center Dale Davis ($10.06 million) and third-year forward Mike Dunleavy, who earns $3.5 million, to the Hornets for Davis. There is also a possibility it would be Dale Davis and point guard Speedy Claxton, who earns $3.3 million this season.
Earlier this season, Davis had been linked to possible deals with the Los Angeles Clippers, which would put him in his hometown, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
February 24, 2005 -- The plot clots: Today we find out who's all talk and who's serious about rehabbing their roster. When the NBA's trading deadline expires at 3 p.m. (ET) Michael Redd, Baron Davis, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Donyell Marshall will know for sure how coveted they really are.
The above players are the most prominent names in on-going relocation discussions. Drawing the most attention is Redd, the Bucks' rising free agent. The Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Rockets and Blazers have all shown intense interest, but unless Denver decides to deal Nene even up, Portland appears to have made the most intriguing salary cap relief offer, reveals a Western Conference source:
Free agent-to-be Shareef and a first-rounder for Redd and Keith Van Horn, under contract for one more ($15.694 million) season.
The injury-prone, attitude- and weight-challenged Davis also has attracted all sorts of attention despite owning $63M in guarantees over the next four seasons. Toronto, Philadelphia and Atlanta have been linked as sincere suitors, but, according to a Warriors infiltrator, Golden State phoned in a late, thought-provoking bid of Mike Dunleavy and free agent-in-waiting Dale Davis.
Marshall's 3-point shooting/rebounding/free agent status makes him exceedingly desirable. There's no telling where he'll wind up (Philly, New Orleans, Chicago, Indiana, Miami, Portland, New York), but it's a foregone conclusion he's played his last game with the Raptors.
twolvezfanfoever wrote:Imagine if Mashburn was healthy
Sixers could be a contender to win the East
I dont know how AI would deal with sharin
cuz him,c-webb,and mash could score 20 ppg easily
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