NEW YORK, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- With the NBA trade deadline
fast approaching, Nick Van Exel remains a member of the Denver
Nuggets -- and could be with them for a while.
Van Exel, who twice this season has asked the Nuggets to trade
him, reportedly has changed his mind and now is unwilling to
waive the last two years of his contract, valued at $26.5
million, in order to facilitate a deal.
Tony Dutt, Van Exel's agent, told ESPN that his client would not
waive the last two years of a seven-year, $77 million deal Van
Exel signed prior to the 1999-2000 season.
With concerns about bulging payrolls and the luxury tax, teams
are reluctant to take on players with long, escalating
contracts. Van Exel is scheduled to make $12.8 million in
2004-05 and $13.7 million in 2005-06.
Teams have until 6 p.m. EST on Thursday to finalize trades.
Van Exel, 30, is averaging 21.4 points and 8.1 assists in 45
games this season, his ninth in the NBA. He has a penchant for
making clutch shots but also for shooting too much and sulking.
Van Exel asked for a trade privately in training camp and
publicly in December. Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe
has tried to accommodate him and told the Rocky Mountain News
that he has a deal on the table -- if Van Exel waives the last
two years of his deal.
That deal could be with Boston. There are reports that the
Celtics have offered guard Kenny Anderson and rookie swingman
Joe Johnson in a package for Van Exel. But the Boston Herald
reported that the Celtics would not make the deal unless Van
Exel waived the final two years of his contract.
With the combination of luxury tax implications and salary cap
rules, it is unlikely that any team will engineer a deal as big
as the one Tuesday between the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls.
The Pacers sent swingman Jalen Rose -- their leading scorer --
to the Bulls for center Brad Miller, forward Ron Artest and
guard Ron Mercer -- Chicago's three leading scorers -- as part
of a seven-player deal.
In addition to Rose, the Bulls also received veteran point guard
Travis Best, rookie guard Norman Richardson and a conditional
second-round pick. The Pacers also received guard Kevin Ollie.
Rose is in the second year of a seven-year, $93 million deal. He
is averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists but was
unhappy with reduced playing time with Indiana.
The 6-8 swingman instantly becomes the best player on the Bulls,
who again have the league's worst record at 12-40.
The acquisition of the 7-foot Miller allows the Pacers to play
All-Star Jermaine O'Neal at his natural power forward position.
Artest, one of the best defenders in the NBA, should move into
Rose's small forward slot, and Mercer should spell Reggie Miller
at shooting guard.
The Pacers (26-27) are battling for a playoff spot with rookie
point guard Jamaal Tinsley, whose production has dropped of
late. Rose and Best were Indiana's reserve point guards.
Another player who has asked for a trade but may not get it is
center Marc Jackson of the Golden State Warriors.
The 6-10 Jackson was on track to be Rookie of the Year before
getting hurt last season. He signed a six-year, $24 million
offer sheet with Houston, which Golden State matched.
Jackson has been anchored to the bench for most of the season
while the Warriors have tried to deal him. He has veto power
over any trade until October and gave the Warriors a list of
three teams -- Memphis, Orlando and Indiana -- to which he would
like to be dealt.
Last month, Jackson expanded that list to include Phoenix. When
a deal with the Suns fell through, he blasted the Warriors and
was suspended for two games by the team. He since has added
four more teams to his list.
Other prominent names that have arisen in rumors include Utah's
Karl Malone, Dallas' Michael Finley, New York's Latrell
Sprewell, Denver's Raef LaFrentz and Portland's Damon Stoudamire
and Bonzi Wells.
A handful of teams are looking for help. Both Milwaukee and
Minnesota would like to add backup point guards. New York would
like to add size while unloading some long-term contracts.
Orlando would like to add a rebounding forward.
The biggest deal at the last two deadlines has been swung by the
Philadelphia 76ers. In 2000, they acquired forward Toni Kukoc
as part of a three-team deal. Last year, they moved Kukoc in a
deal that netted All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo, a move that
vaulted them into the NBA Finals.
The 76ers (26-26) are struggling this season but have several
players with nagging injuries and do not seem to have much to
offer in terms of trades without breaking up their nucleus.
