KNICK NOTES
OAKLAND – Latrell Sprewell wouldn’t mind being on Gary Payton’s team right now. There was just one team Sprewell would’ve wanted to be dealt to – his hometown Milwaukee Bucks, especially with Payton on board.
Even after Thursday’s NBA trading deadline, because of an inaccurate bombshell sports network report that sent Milwaukee radio stations into a frenzy, Sprewell thought he may wind up there.
The TV report said the Payton-to-the-Bucks trade was being held up because the Knicks filed for a deadline extension as the final component of the deal, with Sprewell heading to his hometown for Sam Cassell.
It was a ridiculous report because GM Scott Layden had held his post-deadline news conference to say the Knicks stood pat and he already was on the Upper East Side watching his daughter play in a basketball game.
Still, Sprewell, out west with the team, wasn’t sure if he’d be playing last night for the Knicks against Golden State. Nobody from the Knicks called Sprewell to tell him not only wasn’t the report true, but the teams never discussed a trade for Cassell. (The Knicks have been interested in Tim Thomas.)
“I was waiting around to see what happened,” Sprewell said. “I had thought it was over. I didn’t know what was going on.”
Sprewell believes the Bucks can now compete for the Eastern Conference title.
“It’s a great move,” Sprewell said. “He can help that team. Each guy [Cassell and Payton] can play some 2. [Payton’s] very capable of playing the 2 guard. They both can handle the ball. They haven’t hurt themselves.”
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Asked if Payton will stay in Milwaukee, with his contract up this summer, Sprewell said, “A lot of it depends on his relationship with [coach] George [Karl]. He’s a guy Gary wouldn’t mind playing for, and it depends on how much success they have.”
Payton has shown no inkling for wanting to play in New York, so it’s unlikely Layden will be able to convince him to go for a sign-and-trade.