ESPN Insider - Chad Ford thinks highly of Moochie - What did we not see?

More trades coming for Suns and Knicks?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Tuesday, January 6
Updated: January 6
9:33 AM ET


Stunned.

That's the only way to describe my reaction when sources told Insider on Monday morning that the Suns had sent Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski to the Knicks for Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, the draft rights to Milos Vujanic, two first-rounders, including an unprotected Knicks' first this year, and cash.

The trade meant many things that were essentially inconceivable two weeks ago.


Within a space of two weeks, Isiah Thomas found a way to trade two players who were thought to be virtually untradeable -- Clarence Weatherspoon and Howard Eisley -- and a number of spare parts -- Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe -- and somehow parleyed them into the all-star point guard who Knicks fans had been clamoring for the last few years and one of the better backup point guards in the league in Moochie Norris.

Within a span of roughly 100 games, the Suns have gone from the popular 2002 preseason pick to be the worst team in the West, ascended to the title of best young up-and-coming team in the league when they pushed the World Champion Spurs to the brink in the first round of the playoffs and then descended back to where we all thought that we would be in October of 2002 -- at the bottom of the well in the West.

In a league where things like the luxury tax, salary cap and long-term financial obligations really matter, the Knicks agreed to send out roughly $16.8 million in guaranteed contracts while agreeing to take on roughly $123 million in salaries from two players. When Suns GM Bryan Colangelo calls those numbers "staggering" he's not kidding. I did a quick search through trades over the past five years and could not find a trade even close to that $100 plus million disparity.
That also means that the Suns are on the verge of one of the biggest cap-clearing jobs in NBA history. Before Monday's trade, their payroll stood at around $66 million this year and was projected to fall at around $58 million in 2004. Currently their cap number is number is $61 million (once they dump Charlie Ward), and in the summer of 2004 their cap number could be as low as $36 million. Add in the cash that the Knicks threw in and the Suns netted roughly $10 million extra from the trade this season, and slashed another $22 million from payroll next year.


Knicks GM Isiah Thomas wants to make more moves, but he's running out of trade bait.

Say what you will about Isiah Thomas, but he did more in two weeks than Scott Layden was able to get done in two-plus years. The difference? Sources claim that Layden had numerous offers on the table, but was paralyzed with fear about ever pulling the trigger. He felt his leash was short and he couldn't afford to make another big mistake via trade. He also was under pressure from owner James Dolan to start cutting costs, which would've made a deal like the one Thomas pulled off impossible.
Thomas feels no such pressure. James Dolan empowered him to go out and remake the team in his image, at whatever the cost. Thomas hasn't hesitated. Whatever you think about the huge amount of salaries the Knicks swallowed ($92.8 million in guaranteed salaries in '04-05; $83.98 million in guaranteed salaries in '05-06) or the fact that Thomas mortgaged the future to make this trade, there's no question that Thomas has made this team much more talented -- on paper anyway.


With that said, Isiah better be right. Having an owner with unlimited funds is both a blessing and a curse. Only two other owners in the league, Mark Cuban and Paul Allen, probably had the wherewithal to pull the trigger on a trade like this. The ability to transcend the salary cap obviously creates jealousy among other GMs. But Thomas is quickly painting himself into a corner. He was able to make the trade he did because he had two players (McDyess and Ward) with expiring contracts.
Now that the trade is complete, the Knicks' flexibility has virtually vanished. Word is that Thomas wants to give Kurt Thomas an extension, meaning that Michael Doleac, Frank Williams, Michael Sweetney, Othella Harrington and Cezary Trybanski are the only guys left who could be trade bait to a team looking to reduce its payroll. Combined they're due $8.8 million this year and $7.8 million next season. If Thomas tries to package them in a deal to get another big-time player (and the word is that's exactly what he's trying to do) virtually every player on his team will be locked into long-term deals. If this team fails to jel or compete for an championship, Thomas' wiggle room is gone and he'll be stuck, much like Layden was the past few seasons, with very few options.


The Suns better hope that Kobe loves the desert. As I wrote on Monday, the Suns, with a little more maneuvering, should be able to make a strong push for Bryant next summer when he hits free agency. Before the move, Kobe could talk about leaving the Lakers all he wanted, but where were the viable alternatives?
The Clippers? They have a nice core with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette, but if Kobe really wanted to flee the limelight, changing locker rooms in the Staples Center probably doesn't get it done. The Jazz? They have the cash, but somehow I don't think they'd have the stomach to bring in Kobe, even if he is acquitted of all charges. The Nuggets? Again, Kiki would love to have him, but it's a bit of PR nightmare considering Kobe's legal problems all stem from Colorado. The Spurs? They're not close to having enough cap room to pursue him. Kobe would have to take a $10 million a year pay cut to play for any team over the cap.

That leaves the Suns as, in my mind at least, the best alternative to the Lakers if Kobe decides to bolt. If he doesn't come to Phoenix, the other free-agent options out there aren't nearly as attractive. The Suns made this move with the thinking that they now had the flexibility to make a move or two to put them in contention for an NBA title. If they can't land a player of Kobe's caliber, however, I'm not sure that a core of Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion and a number of nice role players will be enough to get them there anytime soon.


The Suns are quickly catching up to the Mavericks and Pistons as the NBA's premiere embassy for international players. With Zarko Carbaraka, Leandrinho Barbosa and Maciej Lampe in the fold, Milos Vujanic on the way and Italian coach Mike D'Antoni at the helm, expect the Suns to start resembling the Mavs and Kings offensively.
By the way, having D'Antoni as the coach of the Suns certainly doesn't hurt the team's chances of landing Kobe. Rumor has it that Kobe wears the No. 8 in honor of D'Antoni, who was a superstar in Italy when Kobe lived there as a kid. Said D'Antoni several weeks ago. "I don't know," D'Antoni told the Sacramento Bee. "It sounds good. It's a great story. Kobe grew up there. We were killing people (on the basketball floor), killing his dad. We had a lot of fun. I've known Kobe forever. ... Maybe if he ever goes with a retro jersey from Italy, I can get some royalties."