KNICK NOTES
LOS ANGELES – The buzz around the league is every team is looking to slash future payroll to ensure either a reduced luxury tax or a payroll below the tax threshold.
The Knicks, after years of spending wildly, fall into the latter category. But the Blazers, whom they face tonight, are perhaps the one team that doesn’t fear the tax, due to billionaire owner Paul Allen.
Their deep roster and willingness to add payroll is one reason the Blazers were one of the prime candidates to make a trade by Thursday’s deadline.
One league official said the Blazers have a lot of valuable pieces they could throw into a trade – not just to make it work under the cap, but because their roster legitimately goes 11 deep, with Damon Stoudamire being the 11th player. Portland desperately wants to trade Stoudamire, but he’s out of the rotation and his contract makes him difficult to move.
The Knicks have made several calls to the Blazers, but no specific offers have been exchanged. The Blazers have some interest in Latrell Sprewell, so talks could heat up by Thursday. GM Scott Layden loves Portland’s big men, including Dale Davis, whom he has tried to acquire for years, and Arvydas Sabonis, whom he tried to sign over the summer. Rasheed Wallace is probably unattainable and small forward Ruben Patterson could be a risk.
The Blazers were the hottest team in the league entering the All-Star break but have dropped two of three since. “I think our whole team is out of sync,” Scottie Pippen said.
*
Don Chaney’s father, the Rev. Joe Chaney, and most of his five siblings still live in the LA suburb of Long Beach. Chaney moved there from Louisiana in the first grade. In a story in yesterday’s Long Beach Star Telegram, Chaney referred to the harsh treatment he received last season from some in the New York media: “It’s tough in New York, the center of everything. There’s a ton of media and newspapers and they have to write something that gets people to buy what they’re writing. I full understand the job they do.” Indeed, his rough treatment in some segments had nothing to do with a contract extension after his 20-43 record.