Hit with $437,500 worth of fines and a 20-day banishment from the team that ended Wednesday, Latrell Sprewell cannot feel like a wanted man around Knick-land despite his return to the gang.
And while he continues therapy on his right pinkie to get back range of motion, he admits trade talk won’t die, especially when he’s back in the lineup, possibly in less than two weeks.
The Blazers, whose owner Paul Allen has no budget, and Knicks have already exchanged names in a possible Sprewell blockbuster, with 6-7 small forward Ruben Patterson coming up as a potential Sprewell replacement.
Patterson gives the Knicks more size at the “3” and he’s an athletic scorer and decent defender. Problem is, he has major offcourt issues.
Portland power forward Dale Davis has always attracted Layden’s interest, too, for two years. Naturally, the Blazers have shopped point guard Damon Stoudamire for months and Derek Anderson has been mentioned. Talks with the Blazers could get serious once Sprewell’s healthy.
Maverick owner Mark Cuban continues to deny he’d be willing to part with Nick Van Exel in a Sprewell exchange, saying yesterday, “It’s not something we would look at doing.”
However, Cuban is notorious for saying he’s not interested, then turning around and making an offer.
“There will always be other GMs wondering if I’m available,” said Sprewell.
The demand for Sprewell has never been lower as a Knick, coming off a broken pinkie and broken relationship with team management. He has filed three appeals against the Knicks – two Thursday night that included a previously undisclosed $50,000 fine.
Asked about obscene amount of fines, Sprewell said before the Knicks-Nets’ exhibition finale last night, “That wasn’t my biggest concern. My biggest concern was not being allowed to be around the guys. [But] I don’t think there’s anyway I don’t get some of that money back.”
Layden cannot continue to feud publicly with Sprewell, lest he seem desperate the franchise wants to trade him.
As long as Layden is not expecting a slew of riches in return, he can be dealt. Layden, who passed on claiming Lee Nailon with the $4.5M injury exception, can use this new asset in making a multi-player deal that normally wouldn’t meet salary-cap mathematics.
Sprewell’s contract, which pays him $12.375M a year and lasts another three years, is burdensome. But high-payroll teams such as the Blazers and Mavericks usually ignore those issues.
“Those teams deal in a world of their own,” one team executive said. “All other teams you talk to are focusing on [getting under the] luxury tax.”
“If there’s anything hurting trading him, it’s the max contact he’s got,” said another league GM. “If it wasn’t for the max contact, he’d be easier to move.”
Layden loves Minnesota’s Wally Szczerbiak and Wally loves New York, but GM Kevin McHale is already on record saying he’d never trade for Sprewell. A three-team deal would be needed.
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With Chris Childs suspended and overweight, the Nets signed last year’s backup PG, Anthony Johnson, recently cut by Cleveland.
“An old-new face,” coach Byron Scott said.