Via Chris Broussard (ESPN-NY):

With trade speculation swirling around him, Chris Paul said Wednesday that he’s open to a trade if the New Orleans Hornets aren’t committed to winning championships.

“My first choice is to be in New Orleans,” Paul said in a telephone interview from London. “I just want to make sure we’re committed to winning. If we’re not committed to winning and trying to get better so we can contend with the Lakers, the Celtics and all these other top teams, then I’m open to being traded.”

Reports that clubs have been making offers for Paul surfaced earlier this week. Hornets general manager Jeff Bower denied that the club was shopping its three-time All-Star point guard, but admitted to having dialogue with other teams concerning “all of our players.” New Hornets coach Monty Williams said he expects Paul to remain in New Orleans.

But around the league, speculation remains that the Hornets may move Paul. With owner George Shinn’s proposed sale to Gary Chouest being delayed for financial reasons, opposing executives believe New Orleans may have to trade Paul and the $50 million owed to him over the next three seasons.

“If George Shinn can’t sell the team, I think Chris Paul will be traded,” an executive from an Eastern Conference team said. “Shinn’s strapped for money. He’s going to have to move him.” (more…)

Just days before the deadline, it appears from an outsiders’ perspective that the Wizards might be the most drastically changed team come next week.  Based on reports of a mega-deal with Dallas that would send two good pieces in Brendan Haywood and more importantly Caron Butler to Dallas for Josh Howard and Drew Gooden, as well as reports that the Cavs are still hot after Mr. Jamison,  I think it is fair to say that the Wizards are looking to blow it up and start fresh.

Quite frankly, I do not blame that organization for doing this.  Their potential at their peak was of an above average team, well above the likes of the Eastern Conference bottom feeders, but still well below the likes of the power houses in Orlando, Cleveland, and Boston.  Two summers ago, the organization dug its own grave, giving out major deals to Jamison and Gilbert Arenas.  Now, it appears that they are trying to dig themselves out depending on whether or not they trade Butler and Jamison, and depending on how they handle Arenas.

I have said for a while that the Wizards were a prime candidate to make trades.  They have veteran talent.  They have expiring contracts.  They have young pieces.  And most importantly, they seem unable to get out of their own way.  I envisioned two scenarios that could have faced this team. Either they would have had the chance to make some noise in the middle of the Eastern Conference and would trade for veteran help (I thought this would happen before the season started), or they would collapse as they did last year and be able to deal away their desirable talent.  The latter is seemingly the case.

Whether their fans realize this or not, the Wizards are making the right decision to start over.  Much like the Knicks, but to a much lesser extent, the Wizards need to clear salary and need to create flexibility.  Sometimes in the NBA, teams have one or two shots to win big.  The Wizards’ chance has since passed.

The Wizards will be perhaps the most interesting team come February 18.

**Regarding the Amare to the Cavs rumor, I simply cannot see it.  I believe that there is legit interest, but I cannot believe that the Cavs would have the best offer.  Trading for Jamison, who has a ton of money coming his way, is one thing.  Trading for a super-star with a possible expiring deal is another.  Unless a third team actually gets involved (that is the rumor), I just do not see Amare to the Cavs happening.

I am not a gambler, but I know a big risk when I see one. With rumors swirling around that the Knicks might be willing to offer Wilson Chandler for the Wizards’ #5 overall selection, I figured that I would chime in before anything comes to a head. The Knicks have to acquire young talent. It is fair to say that. But in dealing away Wilson Chandler, Donnie Walsh would be dealing away a young player for the sake of bringing in just one other young player. It is not surprising to see the Wizards be so willing to move out of the fifth spot. After all, this draft is not necessarily the cream of the crop when it comes to drafts. The Wizards want to win now, and to do so, they need productive players that can contribute immediately. With the Cavs coming off a Cinderella season, the Magic potentially losing Hedo Turkoglu, and the Celtics getting older, the Wizards see an opening in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks were the 4^th best team in the East. Get my drift?

Wilson Chandler, love him, hate him, or fall in between, is a productive player. Forget about the nonsense that he would not be a good player in a more traditional system. Chandler has game. He showed it under Isaiah two years ago. Last year, he was near the top of the sophomore class. As an inconsistent 21 year old, Chandler was essentially a 15 ppg and 5 rpg SF that was arguably the team’s best defender. Playing the 2, 3, or 4, Chandler was also arguably the most versatile player on the team. Right now, Chandler is a starter on a mediocre team, and perhaps the 6^th man on a championship caliber team. He is that good now, and he has the potential to be a very, VERY special player. If he was in this year’s draft (he is younger than many of the 1^st round prospects), Wilson would be a lock for the lottery, and perhaps a lock for the top 10.

So why the rumors about trading him for a player that has never played one second in the NBA? Plenty of great college players have floundered in the NBA, while many decent college players have emerged as studs in the pros. Why again are we thinking about dealing him for an unknown? The answer is simple. To be a champion, Donne Walsh might think that he has to gamble a little bit. In all likelihood, Walsh will not mess around with his 2010 plan. So that leaves him with the ability to make good draft picks and acquire underrated talent with the MLE. Walsh might be tempted to gamble away one of his most valuable chips in order to reap a bigger bounty. While Chandler has all-star potential, Walsh might want to find a kid that has all-pro potential. The Knicks need star power. Aside from the Pistons a few years ago who has multiple all-star type players, most championship teams have a mega-star. Look at this year’s Final Four. The Lakers have Kobe. The Nuggets have Melo. The Magic have Howard. The Cavs have the King. Wilson Chandler will not be one of those players. No matter how effective he has been and how much potential he has shown in his first two years as a pro. Tyreke Evans, Steph Curry, and Ricky Rubio all have that potential as pros. They all have the potential to put the Knicks on the map again. They all have the potential to be a league icon. They might not be. In fact, the odds are heavily against all three being all-pro players. Very heavily. But that would be the hope if Donnie Walsh was to trade one of only beacons of light leading the Knicks through their darkened tunnel. In trading Wilson, Donnie would hope to throw dynamite into that tunnel and to blow it out of existence.

So does Donnie go all in and gamble away Wilson Chandler for the right to draft a college player (or Rubio)? That is an extremely tough call. If Walsh could ensure a crack at Rubio, then I would probably do that. Otherwise, I would have to think long and hard about it.

History has shown that it is easier to find a player like Wilson Chandler than it is to find an elite PG. If the Knicks deal away Chandler, they will still have Al Harrington and Danilo Gallinari to man the position. If Harrington is in the long term plans, then this trade makes more sense to me. Also, come next summer, we all know that Donnie will target LeBron James, who just so happens to play the same position as Wilson Chandler. Again, that is a major gamble. Also, one of my favorites, Ron Artest is a free agent and might be lured to the idea of playing for his favorite team, even if it means playing for the MLE. There are potential replacements for Wilson Chandler.

Solution: I am not opposed to dealing away Chandler. Not in the least. I love how hard he plays, but he is inconsistent. But is dealing him for the 5^th pick getting equal value? Would including him in a deal for, perhaps, Amare Stoudemire make more sense? The Wizards rejected the idea of trading Caron Butler for Amare, and if Butler is the ceiling for Amare’s trade value, then the Knicks might be able to work something out for the star PF. The best bet for the Knicks would be to try and find a way to buy a pick before Thursday. If they can somehow acquire a mid-first round pick, they can use that to sweeten the Larry Hughes for Thomas, #5, and James pot. That is easier said than done, but that scenario could work. Or would adding Duhon / Jeffries to the mix better our offer? I am not sure. This rumor has the potential to get very interesting. But if Chandler can be moved for a bona fide star, then I am not sure that the #5 pick is worth Chandler.

Dealing Wilson Chandler for a draft pick has major boom or bust potential.
Walsh has been around this league and this game to understand that it does not matter where a player gets drafted in the draft. It matters if that player can actually play.If the 5th overall pick can play better than Wilson, then go for it. If not, then do not. It is as simple as that. I’ll trust Donnie on this one.

I almost feel bad about writing about this, but I have seen the T Mac rumor from various outlets, including Frank Isola, Alan Hahn, and Jonathan Givony.  I wrote about this topic about a month ago.  My stance has not changed since then.

If Houston will take Mobley and Hughes for McGrady, I would do it only it that is the best way to use Mobley’s contract.  If Walsh cannot find a better use for it, then I would gladly ship him and Hughes for McGrady.  Mobley obviously cannot help us on the court.  That would make it essentially a swap of Hughes and McGrady.  Even with McGrady missing the beginning of the season, his upside is potentially worth the wait.  He can potentially help this team much more than Hughes.

Otherwise, stay far, far away from McGrady, unless of course the Rockets would be interested in Curry.

Yeah, I did not think so either.

Hopefully this is the last time we have to write about this topic.

Yesterday, Alan Hahn wrote about the Knicks inquiring to move up for a shot at UConn center Hasheem Thabeet. Recently, Marc Berman wrote about Donnie Walsh’s infatuation with the center. Even today, Berman wrote a blurb in his article about the possibility of moving up to select Thabeet.

This blog appears to be drastically split on Thabeet. Some would love to see Thabeet in blue and orange. Others, such as Tommy, would steer clear of him at all costs. Consider me somewhere in the middle.

The Knicks do not have the assets to move up in this draft to take Thabeet. The Knicks’ best assets include Cuttino Mobley’s contract and Wilson Chandler. Oh, that is not including the 8th pick. Is Thabeet worth trading up for? Of course Walsh can have a trick up his sleeve to get a higher pick, but that is not for sure.

Thabeet will be a good shot-blocker in my opinion. His offensive game is suspect, but as with any young kid, there is always room for growth. Thabeet also is not a lumbering big man. He can run the floor well and he can keep up on the fast break.  He could help this team a lot. But will he help this team more than Curry, Flynn, or Holiday? Will he help the team more than DeRozan or Evans? Perhaps he might, but I am not sure.

There is no denying where Thabeet’s buzz is coming from in this draft. The next best center in the draft is Ohio State’s BJ Mullens (who works out today for the Knicks). Mullens, who floundered in his first and only year at Ohio State, is not even projected to go in the lottery. Would Thabeet be a top 3 pick if Cole Aldrich or Greg Monroe declared this year? Probably not. As the only true center, Thabeet has a lot of leverage this year.

If the Knicks stay at 8 and Thabeet falls to them, I would be shocked if Walsh passed on him. At 8, without giving up other consideration, Thabeet has stronger value to the Knicks. But if Walsh trades up to the second spot and David Stern does not announce Ricky Rubio’s name, the Garden crowd might charge the stage like a scene out of ‘Braveheart’. However, if Thabeet does not go in the top 3 (which is highly unlikely), there is a shot that he could fall to #8. Sacramento has two recent lottery picks as it’s starting front-court. Washington is a possibility. Minnesota has Love and Jefferson. Golden State has Biedrins and would probably rather take Jordan Hill than Thabeet. That leaves the Knicks at 8. Again, Thabeet will likely not slip beyond OKC at #3, but it is possible.

Drafting Thabeet would look more appealing to many Knick fans if Walsh was able to acquire another draft pick to use on a player like Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, or another PG that might slip down the draft board. But just like trading up for Thabeet, Walsh has yet to acquire that later pick. He will not do so until either very close to the draft or during the draft. Decisions will be made quickly on draft night. As is this site on this topic, I am torn on Thabeet. Part of me wants to see much more out of this kid. Part of me wants to see all-star center potential from him. But in many games that I watched, he was a dominant shot-blocker and not much else. Foul trouble and a lacking offensive repertoire let my hopes down a bit.

First off, the comments in the last couple of days have been great regarding the trading season. Good stuff.

Someone brought up ESPN.com’s Chris Sheridan in an earlier comment. If you have not read it, then do it now (or after you finish reading my post). Sheridan, who I am convinced is a Knick fan, talks about Commissioner Stern’s “bomb” that the payroll will not increase in two years. Sheridan points out that even without resigning Lee and Nate, the Knicks still might not be able to sign two free agents to max deals in 2010. Essentially, Sheridan points out that Curry’s contract might be the absolute killer (nothing new there).

If Curry’s contract cannot be moved, then so be it. LeBron James is the key to that off-season. Two big free agents would be great, but LeBron is the absolute key. Would I be completely against signing James in 2010 and then signing another superstar in 2011 when Curry and Jeffries come off the books? I have not looked at the free agents available that off-season, but I am sure that there has to be someone who can be had. Why deal Lee, and to a lesser extent Nate, if there is no guarantee that we will be able to sign two big free agents in 2010?

Also, another commenter (KnicksFanInPlano) led me to a link from the Sacramento Bee that talked about interest from the Knicks for either Miller and/or John Salmons . via the Bee:

“The interest in the center remains lukewarm leaguewide, but sources said he remains on New York’s radar. The Knicks have indicated that they are interested in Miller or swingman John Salmons, with the potential players coming to Sacramento including Malik Rose ($7.6 million expiring contract), Nate Robinson ($2 million expiring contract) and Jerome James ($6.2 million this season, player option for $6.6 million next). New York also is believed to have told the Kings it has no intention of trading exiled guard Stephon Marbury and his $20.8 million expiring contract.”

First of all, how can we not deal Marbury if we can get a legit starter for him that will not ruin our long-term plan? Plenty of people will say that the Knicks should simply let the contract expire and open up a roster space for next year. As far as I am concerned, that would be the only reason not to deal Marbury. If the Knicks would like to add another young player to the mix, then they might be better off with the open roster spot. As of right now, the Knicks should have 4 open roster spaces for next year in Marbury, Rose, Roberson, and Mobley.  If Jerome James retires, that is five.

I truly believe that Dolan has to be a spender in this market.  It is not my money, but I trust that Donnie knows what he is doing and that he can turn Dolan’s money into value.  If the Knicks can get Bobby Jackson and Miller for Marbury, that has to be done!

As far as John Salmons goes, I think that he can be a real player in the D’Antoni system.  He reminds me a bit of Raja Bell.  However, there have been reports about Salmons’ poor attitude.  That attitude might have to do with his uncertain future, or it might simply be that he is a troublemaker.  I have never met him, so I cannot tell you that.  I can, however, attest to his talent.  He is a good scoring two guard that has a good all-around game.  His salary extends into 2010, but at a fairly low rate.  If Walsh can somehow ship Jeffries in that deal, I would make it happen.  Chad Ford said today in his chat that the Knicks insist on the Kings taking on Jeffries and the Kings want Nate Robinson.  To me, the question becomes whether or not you would deal John Salmons for Nate Robinson?  If so, then throw Jeffries and Mikki Moore into the equation and get the deal done.

Tommy wrote over a week ago that there was a rumor involving Earl Watson and Malik Rose.  Well, HoopsWorld.com is saying that the Thunder are aggressively pushing Watson and his $6.6 million obligation for next year.  According to HoopsWorld,

Multiple NBA sources have confirmed to HOOPSWORLD that the Thunder are aggressively shopping Earl Waston and are willing to part with a first round pick in the process.

As I have written before, I am a strong believer in acquiring assets such as draft picks because you never know when they will either turn into a premier player or be a valuable trade chip.  It is no secret that the Knicks need a backup point guard and a starting shooting guard.  To acquire a 1st rounder in either this upcoming draft or in 2010, I would strongly consider using Malik’s expiring deal in order to take on Watson.  The Thunder have 5 first round picks over the next two years, in large part because of the Kurt Thomas trade in which the Sonics received Thomas and 2 first round picks from the Suns in exchange for a conditional 2nd round pick.

Perhaps the Knicks can deal Malik and Anthony Roberson for Watson and Damien Wilkins while receiving two first rounders (one this summer and one in 2010) and sending a 2010 second rounder.  That would clear close to $10 million more off the Thunder’s books for this summer’s free agent class.  Couple a potential #1 pick (Blake Griffin) with a big free agent acquisition or trade (perhaps a premier shooting guard such as Michael Redd if he is on the block), and the Thunder will explode, much like the Hornets did a couple of years ago.

For the Knicks, they can receive stop gap guards to play for the next year and a half and receive draft picks to replenish the young talent on the team.  Rebuilding teams build through young talent.  In this case, Watson and Wilkins have the ability to provide the depth and back court help to make a playoff push this year and next.  Both of their contracts come off the books before the summer of 2010.

Thoughts?

There have been many rumors floating around regarding a deal involving the Bobcats, Mavericks, and Thunder. Well, today the Mavs and Cats agreed to a deal that will send C DeSagana Diop to Charlotte in return for G Matt Carroll and C Ryan Hollins.

In a recent post, I discredited the idea that the Mavs would be able to get G Ray Felton in a deal while only giving up Diop and Stackhouse. Apparently the Cats did not like that idea either.

This deal seems fair for both sides. The Mavs need another shooting guard and Larry Brown has been looking for a center to add to his rotation pretty much all season. I also like Ryan Hollins. I have thought for a while that he could be a nice asset on the Knicks.

I guess that the Eddy Curry to the Cats rumors will cease. However, the Mavericks may be in the market for a center. There have been rumors that they were looking for one, but with Diop’s departure, that desire might increase. A Curry for Stackhouse and either Brandon Bass or Gerald Green deal would work. The Mavs have been rumored to have Bass on the block, but I am unsure to the extent that they would be looking to move him.

Recent reports have also claimed that the Mavs have been actively shopping Josh Howard. A Curry for Howard deal would work under the cap, but Donnie Nelson would be OUT OF HIS MIND to ship Howard in a deal for Curry. I would sign for Stackhouse and Bass in a heartbeat though. Bass is a good active player that plays bigger than his size. Stackhouse would be the starting two in NY and is a veteran player.

Update 1:10

TKB confirms the ESPN report that Crawford for Harrington has been sent to the league.

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Update 1:00-

If the ESPN report is true, the Crawford-Harrington swap may be a separate deal entirely.

Stay tuned…

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…Andrew Smith writes….

Update: 12:30 – Andrew Marchand of ESPN Radio is reporting that ESPN’s Marc Stein is confirming a 1-for-1 deal of Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington. Marchand reports that a GM in the league does not believe that the Clippers are involved.

Take this with a grain of salt for now… Stein is reliable, but this is just what was reported on 1050 ESPN Radio. More to come…..

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Update: 12:08- Just heard that Marco Belinelli and Malik Rose are getting tossed in the mix. This is getting crazy…..

Stay tuned…

Daily News and SNY’s Frankie “Ice” Isola on the case….

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Update 12:00 High noon and still no announcement, but we’ve talked to several people close to the situation at it seems that Crawford feels he is a goner. It appears at the very least that Crawford will go for Harrington if said 3-way falls through. I can’t believe the Warriors would want Rose for Harrington.

Also, if the Clips land Randolph look for them to move Chris Kaman at some point, maybe to the Bobcats for Gerald Wallace.

Stay Tuned…

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Update 11:15- ESPN RealGM Trade Checker is useful.

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Update 10:38- The players involved in a possible 3-way are Zach Randolph, Mardy Collins and Jamal Crawford and are rumored to be getting Mobley, Harrington and Tim Thomas.

The deal is rumored to be done by noon eastern, yet we just can’t seem to add everything up if the Knicks are giving up 23 million (roughly) with Crawford, Randolph and Collins and are getting back $24 million, where is the money from GS coming?

Stay Tuned.

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TKB has learned through sources that the hold up to the trade may be that a third team is getting involved, we’re hearing the Clippers, in the Harrington deal, hence why it hasn’t been made official yet.

Details are sketchy but this could have major salary cap implications for the Knicks.

Still no word if that team doesn’t get involved whether it’s Crawford or Rose.

Stay tuned

A source close to the Nets has told theknicksblog that the team is so down on Sean Williams that it wouldn’t take much to land the athletic forward.

It has been a crazy few weeks for Williams, who has fallen out of favor with Nets management. At first Williams wanted to re-sign with the Nets, but after seeing coach Lawrence Frank favor rookies Ryan Anderson and Brook Lopez, Williams has been relegated to the bench. Now he wants out.

“It wouldn’t take much at all,” the source told us. ” They (the Nets) need help in the backcourt and wouldn’t mind taking back (Mardy) Collins to rid themselves of Williams.”

The Knicks obviously have their own back court issues, what with the Stephon Marbury saga in full swing, but they desperately need shot-blocking and athletic help up front, and Williams fits that bill. He would be a bit of a risk what with the attitude issues, but with the Knicks liking what they’ve seen from Anthony Roberson, a Collins-for-Williams swap does make sense for both teams.

To give you an idea of just how far Williams has fallen out of favor, sources told TKB a few months ago the bounty would be Nate Robinson.

Collins has earned rotation minutes with Marbury being inactive, and would help the Nets’ back court issues, short term.

It seems the Nets and Williams are headed for a divorce, and a reserve guard and maybe a second rounder would be all it takes to add an athletic shot-blocker up front. Williams ability to change shots, rebound and get out on the fast break would be a welcomed addition to the tandem of David Lee and Zach Randolph, in D’Antoni’s system.

Seems logical that the Knicks should jump at the chance to alleviate that. Through three games the Knicks are averaging 0.3 blocks per game, dead-last in the NBA

Steven A. Smith of ESPN (he’s baaack!) is reporting on ESPN that the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons are close to a deal that would send Allen Iverson to the Motor City in exchange for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

Stay tuned…

Update: Just finished reading Tim Kawakami’s blog out from the Bay Area, you’d remember Tim, he’s the guy that got attacked by a Raiders Exec after breaking the story of Lane Kiffin’s firing two weeks before it happened.

Anyway, TK doesn’t think the Warriors have any use for Curry unless the deal were to expand, then he noted a name that caught my attention.

“…Short summary: Things can change drastically and maybe already have, but unless the Warriors get another team more intrigued (Chicago, Cleveland, Lakers or Charlotte?) by dangling one of their young players that Nelson doesn’t like (Wright, Marco Belinelli or Marcus Williams)… then, as far as I can tell, they might have to wrangle something in a tough trade environment…”

I noticed Belinelli was a DNP last night, he’d fit in perfectly with D’Antoni and Danilo Gallinari, so maybe a Curry/ Nate swap for Marco and Harrington could work.

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That sound you hear is the trade winds a blowin’, so we’ll run with it for now.

As I said before, I think Curry could fit well with Golden State along side Andres Biedrins, a shot-blocking, rebounding force.  I’ve long-considered Curry to be a 4, and if he has help he can be effective.

I’m not even sure a Curry and Collins for Harrington deal gets it done, although wouldn’t it be nice to call Ewing Jr’s agent and have an open roster spot?

With that said, kudos to TKB gym rat Greg who sent me a Nate and Curry for Al Harrington and Marcus Williams deal. This is an interesting one on plenty of levels.

First off, the team is not married to Nate, as seen by refusing to extend him. So does it make sense to use him as a chip to unload Curry’s deal and get back Harrington?

Maybe.

Remember, the Knicks tried moving David Lee on draft night, and sources told TKB that Lee killed the deal because he wouldn’t sign there long term. Does Nate use the same leverage?

Well, with Monta Ellis on the shelf for a while, the team needs guard help and Nate would be a great option for Nellie who would love to get rid of two malcontents unhappy players. I know Williams has issues, but to put up with him for a year and save the $30-35 million that Nate should get, the deal seems to make sense.

Nate is from the Northwest, he’d start and get paid, so why would he object?

I like Nate (we share the same middle name), but it’s possible that the moves by Donnie to keep Anthony Roberson, and not trade Zach Randolph could have been to monitor the Harrington situation the whole time. It may not be the most popular move with the fans,  but it makes financial sense and we’ve seen Walsh go that route before. Plus he loves Harrington.

This could get interesting.

ESPN’s Chris Sheridan is reporting there have been discussions of a possible deal that would bring Al Harrington to NY in exchange for Eddy Curry.

He notes, however, that the Warriors are asking for a package including David Lee.

“…The Knicks are one of several teams that have contacted the Golden State Warriors about disgruntled forward Al Harrington, though the Warriors are said to be more interested in a package built around David Lee (16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists against the Heat).

One source told ESPN.com that Golden State’s best offers were coming from two Western Conference rivals, but that management would prefer to ship him to the East. A straight up Curry-for-Harrington deal would appear to fill needs for both clubs, although Golden State would be taking on an extra year of salary and making a risky investment in a player viewed by many around the league as too undriven emotionally to ever be an impact player on a contending team…”

You know how we feel about Harrington. Yes, he’s moody but he’s the prototype inside-outside D’Antoni big man. That said, I don’t think Curry gets it done straight up, but stranger things have happened.

Curry, who two years ago was a force on the blocks, would fit a great need, as would the addition of say, Mardy Collins.

The Warriors will ask for a ton, but trades like this have happened where disgruntled players get moved in a change of scenery type deal. Like the saying goes “timing is everything.” But, before anyone gets too excited, there are several factors to keep in mind.

Obviously, the Donnie Walsh/Harrington connection, and the New York connection between Walsh and Chris Mullin. But remember, Don Nelson didn’t exactly enjoy his brief stay here (35-24 in 95-96), so you can bet a deal will be difficult to swing if he has any say. Nellie does love big guys and Curry teamed with Andres Biedrins would be an interesting and possibly very effective tandem. Curry would allow Nelson to bring the talented Brandan Wright along slowly.

The question becomes how long can the Warriors take Harrington’s demands, and how willing are they to eat Curry’s final year?

Again, it may take adding, say, Nate Robinson (the Warriors would have to add a player to make it work) so you have to ask yourself, how badly do you wish to bring in a talented, yet moody, big man who would add great cap relief, in addition to unloading Curry?

For what it’s worth nothing is going on today with the Randolph talks in terms of getting closer to finalizing a deal, that much is obvious. But when Walsh told the Times’ Howard Beck that the deal has been discussed but is dormant, TKB believes this was a smoke screen to give him some time to deliberate whether or not to include the first round pick, which we broke the other day. Make no mistake that 1st rounder is the hitch at this point in time.

My main man SteveoStarks at nykfp.com (or as I like to call it “The Genesis”) got me laughing about the smoke screen reference and how it makes him think of the old video game “Spy Hunter.”

Whether Walsh has played that game ever, we don’t know, but “Spy Hunter” or Hold em like our boy Hahn pointed out today, Walsh is playing the game, and playing it well, believe it or not.

Stay tuned.

Geoff Calkins, a collegue of Ron Tillery at the Memphis Commercial Appeal, throws fire on the idea of bringing Randolph to Memphis, thanks to hearing about a heated exchange Z-Bo had with then-rookie Brandon Roy.

“Two years ago, late in Brandon Roy’s rookie year, the Portland Trail Blazers lost yet another game. Zach Randolph went on a rant in the locker room afterward, calling out teammates, pointing fingers, telling other players they weren’t pulling their weight.

Roy told Randolph to sit down and shut up. The next day, he went to see Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard and told him to get rid of Randolph.

The Knicks’ chubby Zach Randolph eschews defense, disrupts locker rooms and has a rap sheet longer than his shorts. So guess which snake-bit franchise is considering trading for him?

“We can’t win with this guy,” said Roy, in so many words.

Pritchard dealt Randolph to Isiah Thomas’s New York Knicks that offseason. Now the Knicks are trying to find a sucker to help them rectify Thomas’s mistake.

Enter the Memphis Grizzlies. You knew that was coming, right?

If there’s a dumb move out there to be made, chances are your local NBA team will find a way to get involved.

Sure enough, the entire NBA universe is reporting that the Grizzlies and Knicks have talked about a swap that would bring Randolph to Memphis in exchange for Marko Jaric and Darko Milicic.

Sources close to the negotiations say that the deal can’t go through until Knicks president Donnie Walsh and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni stop high-fiving each other long enough to complete the paperwork.

Or maybe the Knicks do not want to appear too eager. Although, why wouldn’t they be eager to get rid of a fat, shoot-first power forward who destroys locker rooms, disdains defense, regularly shows up in police reports and will make $48 million over the next three years?

So the Knicks called the Grizzlies. Because what other team were they going to call?

The Clippers already said “no.” The Knicks knew they couldn’t foist a guy like Randolph off on a credible franchise…

Again, I stand by Sports Illustrated and say the Knicks said no to the Clips, but that’s besides the point. Are Mike D’ and Walsh, like Borat, are sharing in high 5s ?