2006-07 NBA General News Thread

#1

AI is going to be traded - but where?

Posted Tuesday December 12

The Allen Iverson sweepstakes reportedly were nearing a conclusion Tuesday, but where the All-Star will end up is still anybody's guess.

Boston? Minnesota? Denver? Indiana?

All have been mentioned as possible (and logical) destinations for Iverson.

Meanwhile, the rumor mill Monday was cranking out nearly as many new scenarios as Iverson has tattoos.

The hottest involved the Bobcats, who have enough room under the salary cap to absorb Iverson's $17.2 million salary without having to send back another big-money player in return. Charlotte needs a marquee player to put bodies in the seats, and new team co-owner Michael Jordan has always admired the little guard. The Bobcats and Sixers reportedly were close to a deal Monday, but Iverson nixed it because he doesn't want to play for the lowly Bobcats.

Why Iverson would have any say in the matter is a mystery, given that he is the one who requested a trade. We apparently won't know until the deal is completed, since Sixers GM Billy King is not returning phone calls.

At any rate, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers also were in the Iverson mix as of Monday. The Warriors reportedly are dangling Jason Richardson (who has missed the last four games with a sore knee), as well as Adonal Foyle. The Clippers have Corey Maggette and perhaps could include Shaun Livingston. As one Eastern Conference executive said Monday, "[Clippers owner Donald Sterling] likes superstars."

Meanwhile, the Bulls reportedly have no interest in Iverson despite an erroneous report that they would offer a package involving Ben Gordon, Michael Sweetney and a draft pick. "I know we're not a team that's in there talking about it," coach Scott Skiles told the Chicago Sun-Times. "I haven't given it a whole lot of thought. Wherever he ends up, he ends up."

One Western Conference executive I spoke with Monday predicted Iverson would end up with the Nuggets. "They could offer Andre Miller, a draft pick and an expiring contract in Joe Smith," he said. "Plus, it enables [King] to trade him out of the conference."

All we know for sure is that it won't be easy to trade Iverson, even if he is one of the game's biggest stars and box-office attractions.

For one, Iverson is 31. That's a relatively advanced age for a point guard, especially one who is 6 feet and has been fearlessly driving to the hoop and getting banged around like a pinball the past 10 years.

Moreover, Iverson still has two years and $40 million remaining on his contract after this season. It means any team taking him now has to be willing to risk that he won't slow down and become a salary-cap albatross in 2008 and '09.

Obviously, the biggest obstacle King faces is that everybody knows his predicament. Like the Ron Artest situation a year ago, Iverson's fractured relationship with the Sixers has been made public.

"His back is against the wall, so to speak, because people know he has to move him," says one Eastern Conference executive who wished to remain anonymous. "It makes things a whole lot tougher."

Like the Pacers (Artest) and Raptors (Vince Carter) in recent years, the Sixers are in a bind. They know they have to move Iverson, but they don't want to just give him away. Meanwhile, some teams are circling like sharks to try to take advantage of Philadelphia's predicament.

"It makes it tougher, but it's not insurmountable," says former Magic GM John Gabriel, now a scout with the Trail Blazers. "There's always a partner out there. As long as you play your cards right, you can get a deal done."

One big question is whether the Sixers should wait it out, perhaps until the trade deadline, in an effort to extract a better deal. That's what Pacers boss Donnie Walsh did a year ago with Artest, and he wound up getting Peja Stojakovic from the Kings.

Still, others point out that waiting presents its own risks. A potential trade partner might decide to go in a different direction in the meantime. Also, the distraction of daily trade rumors could have an ill effect in the locker room. The flip side to Walsh's patience a year ago was that the Pacers players and coaches had to deal with daily questions about Artest and where he might be headed. After awhile, forward Jermaine O'Neal came out and admitted it was becoming a distraction because some players kept hearing their names mentioned in possible trades.

The Sixers, who are still not that far out of the race in the woeful Atlantic Division, have to weigh the present. They probably feel they can perhaps make a run at one of the final playoff spots in the East.

"You don't want it to go on very long," Gabriel says. "A situation like this can absolutely take over your team, regardless of how well it might be playing. ... You don't want the trade deadline working against you either. There are only so many expiring contracts out there. You don't want other guys to make deals for those."

So that's the situation facing King on Tuesday as he gets set to pull the trigger.

One Internet betting site had the T'wolves and Pacers listed as the favorites to acquire Iverson, at 2:1 odds. The Celtics were listed at 3:1 and the Nuggets at 5:1.

Then again, that was as of Monday. By Tuesday everything had changed.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/w ... index.html

#2

One of NBA's 50 Greatest Dies

Paul Arizin, an early pioneer of the jump shot who led the Philadelphia Warriors to the 1956 NBA championship and was chosen one of the 50 greatest NBA players, died Tuesday night at his home in suburban Philadelphia. He was 78.

A Hall of Famer who was cut from his high school team, Arizin died in his sleep, according to a statement from Villanova University, where Arizin had an outstanding college career.

Despite losing two years in his prime to the Korean War, "Pitchin' Paul" forged a sensational pro career on the strength of his jump shot, a recent evolution of the game. Arizin perfected the style playing on slippery gym floors and averaged 22.8 points in his 10-year career. He was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame in 1978.

Drafted out of Villanova by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1950, he led the league in scoring in his second season before serving two years in Korea with the Marines. He returned to lead the Warriors to the NBA championship in 1956, scoring almost 29 points per game in the playoffs.

Born in South Philadelphia, Arizin was cut from his La Salle High School team but played in church and independent leagues. He entered Villanova to study chemistry and played in informal leagues before Coach Al Severance offered him a scholarship.

Arizin made an impact with the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring as a sophomore and into the NCAA tournament the next year. As a senior, he averaged 25.3 points and was selected the college player of the year by The Sporting News.

By his second season in the NBA, Arizin captured the scoring title by averaging 25.4 points. He also averaged 11.3 rebounds while leading the Warriors to the playoffs.

At 34, Arizin retired in 1962 when the Warriors moved to San Francisco. He played three seasons with the Camden Bullets of the Eastern Basketball League.

Arizin is survived by his wife, Maureen, four sons, a daughter and 14 grandchildren.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/b ... index.html

#3

Fight Breaks Out at Nuggets/Knicks Game - 10 Players Ejected

The NBA has another ugly scene to recover from. This one involved its leading scorer and happened in its most famous arena.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony and the other nine players on the court at the time were ejected for fighting during a wild brawl between the Nuggets and Knicks, triggered in part by a New York team that felt it was being shown up on its home floor.

Multiple players, including Anthony, threw punches, and New York's Nate Robinson and Denver's J.R. Smith -- fouled hard by Mardy Collins on the play that started the brawl -- flew into the first row of the crowd while fighting during the NBA's scariest scene since Indiana players fought with Detroit fans in 2004.

According to the Knicks, the whole thing happened because the Nuggets still had their starters on the floor with 1:15 left and a 19-point lead. Denver won 123-100.

"They just wanted to embarrass us," Robinson said. "It was a slap in the face to us. As a team, as a franchise, we weren't going to let that happen. A clean, hard foul happened and after that it went down from there."

The foul wasn't clean at all. Collins grabbed Smith around the neck as he was going in for a breakaway layup. Anthony and Robinson quickly jumped in, and the melee went from one end of the court all the way to the other.

Anthony threw a punch at Collins, and now awaits what will surely be strong punishment from a league still trying to repair its image after the melee in Auburn Hills, Mich.

"Something's going to happen, but we shall see and wait," Anthony said. "I don't really want to comment on that right now."

The NBA didn't, either. Spokesman Tim Frank said the league would "review the incident in its entirety. Until then, it would not be appropriate to comment."

But the players can expect a harsh penalty with the brawl happening at Madison Square Garden, right in the hometown of NBA headquarters.

"I feel bad for the league, I feel bad for the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Very poor display of respecting basketball and respecting the game in the best place in the world to play basketball."

There had previously been some bad blood between Karl and Knicks coach Isiah Thomas over the handling of the Larry Brown firing. Karl and Brown are close friends.

But Karl wouldn't talk about why he had his starters on the floor late in a blowout, in the closing minutes of a back-to-back that closed a five-game road trip.

Thomas said he even told Anthony that he never should have been in the game at the time.

"I just said to him, 'You know, you're up 20, you're up 19 with a minute and half to go, you and (Marcus) Camby really shouldn't be in the game right now," Thomas said. "We had surrendered, those guys shouldn't even be in the game at that point in time."

After the hard foul by Collins, Smith got up and jawed with Collins and Robinson jumped in to yell at Smith -- who had thrown down a reverse dunk on a fast break minutes earlier.

"They were having their way with us," Thomas said. "I think J.R. Smith had just made one dunk when he reversed and spun in the air. And I think Mardy didn't want our home crowd to see that again. So he fouled him."

Anthony rushed in and pushed Robinson in the neck, triggering the roughest moment, when Robinson and Smith went flying into the stands while fighting with each other. Anthony then threw his punch at Collins, then backed away toward the center of the court.

New York's Jared Jeffries ran from the baseline toward Anthony, but was tackled by a Denver player. The brawl stretched to the other end of the court toward the Nuggets' bench before coaches and security finally pulled Smith away and restored order.

Smith appeared to have a red mark along the left side of his cheek and was yelling as he was escorted back to the locker room, unsure why Collins fouled him as hard as he did.

"I don't even know," Smith said. "That's the first time I ever seen the dude."

Camby, Andre Miller, Eduardo Najera, Smith and Anthony were the Nuggets who were ejected; Channing Frye, David Lee, Collins, Robinson and Jeffries were the Knicks who were kicked out.

"Clearly this isn't how we or the NBA wants to be perceived," Thomas said. "It should have been a foul and the guy takes two free throws and maybe some words, but it shouldn't have escalated. This isn't even a rivalry."

Highlights of the fight were on in NBA locker rooms around the league, and players stopped buttoning their shirts or paused mid-sentence during interviews to see what happened.

"Obviously, it's unfortunate. You never want to see that. It just doesn't belong in the NBA," said Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, who saw clips of the brawl shortly after the Mavericks had won in New Orleans. "Hopefully we can all forget about it as soon as we can."

With each team forced to put five new players on the floor, Denver finished up the win and ended a two-game losing streak. Camby had 24 points and nine rebounds, and Miller added 12 points and 10 assists.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=261216018

#4

Allen Iverson Traded to Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have reached an agreement in principle with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Allen Iverson, according to NBA front-office sources.

The trade, some two weeks after Iverson demanded a trade in Philly, would send Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two 2007 first-round picks to the Sixers for Iverson and perhaps another minimum-salaried player or two. It was expected to be completed later Tuesday, barring any snags, and sent to the league for approval.

The Sixers scheduled a 5:30 p.m. (EST) news conference on Tuesday, while the Nuggets planned to meet the press at 6 p.m. (EST).

The Sixers had been hoping to take back only expiring contracts in any Iverson deal, unless they were receiving a top-flight young player like Minnesota's Randy Foye or Shaun Livingston of the Los Angeles Clippers.

But with Philly and Denver struggling to find a third team to join in to make the deal more financially enticing for the Sixers, they decided to end an auction that began in earnest when Iverson's demand to be traded was confirmed by Sixers chairman Ed Snider on Dec. 8.

This deal will bring Philly a former league assist leader in Miller, Smith's expiring salary of nearly $7 million and those two first-round picks in June -- projected to be in the 20s -- to go with their own lottery pick. Miller is averaging 13 points and 9.1 assists per game -- third-best in the NBA -- while Smith, an 11-year veteran, has played little this season, averaging only 13.5 minutes and 5.1 points per game.

Anthony and Iverson are currently the top two scorers in the league at 31.6 and 31.2 points per game, respectively. No two teammates have ever finished a season with both having averages over 30 points per game. Only twice have teammates finished 1-2 in the league scoring race, and the last time that happened was with the Nuggets. In the 1982-83 season, Alex English and Kiki Vandeweghe were 1-2. The 1954-55 Warriors had Neil Johnston at No. 1 and Paul Arizin at 2.

Miller, who led the NBA in assists with 10.9 per game for Cleveland in 2001-02, makes $8.7 million this season and has $19.2 million left on his contract over the following two seasons.

It's apparent, though, that the Sixers decided it was better to absorb Miller's contract now -- along with the opportunity to have three first-round selections in what scouts are calling the deepest draft in years -- as opposed to dragging out the Iverson saga further.

Iverson has been in exile for the past 11 days, languishing on the Sixers' inactive list while still accruing his per-game earnings of $156,218.

Iverson, 31, has a career 28.1 ppg scoring average in 11 NBA seasons, all in Philadelphia. He led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, but the team has seen little playoff success since.

He was Rookie of the year in 1997 and MVP in 2001. He has led the NBA in scoring four times, most recently in 2005, finishing in the league's top three every year since 1999, and twice led the league in steals.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2702501

#5

Melo Won't Appeal Suspension

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony has decided not to appeal his 15-game suspension.

Bill Duffy, who heads the firm that represents Anthony, said Thursday morning that the league's leading scorer decided he "doesn't want to be a further distraction" by appealing the lengthy ban handed down by NBA commissioner David Stern after last Saturday night's brawl at Madison Square Garden.

"It's Melo's wish to just keep the focus on basketball," Duffy told ESPN.com. "In his words, he's just going to take [the suspension] and keep the focus on keeping himself ready."

League rules enable players to appeal any league suspension longer than 12 games to an independent arbitrator. Because the Nuggets' home game Wednesday was snowed out, Anthony still has to sit out 14 more games, meaning Anthony is likely restricted to practicing alongside new teammate Allen Iverson until Denver hosts Memphis on Jan. 22, unless the Phoenix game is rescheduled between now and then.

Nuggets swingman J.R. Smith, according to the Denver Post, has formally appealed his 10-game suspension. Appeals for suspensions spanning 12 games or less, however, are heard by Stern himself, giving Smith little hope that his penalty will be reduced.

"Melo's first mind is to say: 'Hey, that's the punishment and I'm willing to take it. Let's move on,' " Andrews said. "If you go back into the history of people of punching people, no one's got 15 games. So if you look at precedent, yeah, it's excessive. If you look at the situation in the post-Detroit Era, I could see why it happened. That doesn't mean you've got to like [the suspension]."

Anthony was contrite Tuesday when he discussed the suspension with Denver reporters for the first time.

"I think it's embarrassing," Anthony said. "I was doing good out there. For a situation like that to happen in the heat of the moment ... [you're] doing so good one second and then the next second you're back down to the bottom. I've got to live with it. I live and learn from my mistakes."

Smith has said he feels responsible for Anthony's suspension. New York's Mardy Collins chopped down a driving Smith late in the Nuggets' 123-100 victory, leading to a scuffle between Smith and New York's Nate Robinson that dropped both players into a baseline section of fans and culminating with Anthony punching Collins. Robinson and Collins were hit with suspensions of 10 and six games.

"I feel embarrassed for myself, my team [and] Carmelo especially, because I think I really put him in a situation where he has to miss 15 games," Smith said. "Most of all, I'm upset about my family. I know they're embarrassed from my incident. They were sitting in the front row [at the game]. I wish it never happened."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2704934

#6

Grizzlies Fire Fratello

The Memphis Grizzlies fired coach Mike Fratello on Thursday after a 6-24 start.

The Grizzlies' all-time winningest coach, Fratello had a 95-83 record and had guided Memphis to consecutive playoff appearances.

He started the season without All-Star center Pau Gasol, who broke his foot this summer in the world championships and missed the first 22 games.

"Unfortunately, this season has been one of disarray starting this past summer," Fratello said in a statement.

Jerry West, Grizzlies president of basketball operations, announced the move, calling Fratello a great coach and friend.

"We just felt it was time to make a change and move in a different direction based on our record and future goals. We wish Mike the best in his future endeavors," West said in a statement.

Fratello replaced Hubie Brown on Dec. 2, 2004. He took the Grizzlies to the playoffs but was swept in the first round in 2005 and 2006.

The Grizzlies did not announce a new head coach, and said they would look for an interim head coach immediately.

The Commercial Appeal newspaper reported on its Web site that Tony Barone Sr., the team's director of player personnel, was asked to take over. Club officials were mulling other options while waiting for his decision, the paper said.

The Grizzlies scheduled a news conference for Friday morning.

Fratello ranked 19th on the NBA's career wins list and 21st in games coached when he joined the Grizzlies. On March 4, 2005, he became the 19th coach to win 600 games.

Memphis had lost 11 of 16 to start the 2004-05 season but finished Fratello's first season with 45 victories. He couldn't repeat that success this year.

"I am sorry I have not been able to find a way up to this point to turn things around, and I understand why a change needs to be made," Fratello said. "Things will get better with both an abundance of home games coming up and the eventual return of Lawrence Roberts and Kyle Lowry from their injuries."

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2710622

#7

Pat Riley Taking Leave of Absence from Heat

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley will take a leave of absence to have surgery on his right knee and hip.

The Chicago Tribune first reported that Riley would take a leave from the team, which plays the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday before embarking on a six-game Western road trip. A team spokesperson confirmed the leave of absence to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

According to ESPN's Hank Goldberg, Riley will have surgery on his right knee and hip and plans to return to the bench. The team was expected to hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The Tribune reported that Riley informed the team of the decision on Wednesday morning.

Assistant Ron Rothstein will coach the team in his absence.

Riley spoke earlier in the week about the knee pain.

"I've got floating chips," he told the Sun-Sentinel. "I've got three or four things that have been floating in there for years. If I get it done, it'll be a day. There's just going to scope it and flush it out.

"I had an MRI the other day. It showed all these loose parts in there," Riley told the newspaper. "Lately it's been locking up and staying there."

The Heat, who have been without center Shaquille O'Neal, are off to a 13-17 start and out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

Riley returned to the bench in December 2005, replacing Stan Van Gundy and postponing a scheduled surgery for hip replacement. In September, Riley said he didn't expect to need the operation this season.

His condition apparently worsened in recent weeks. He often walks with a limp and has been on medication for the hip.

Riley has said he gets plenty of mail about how to handle the hip problem, including one package where someone sent him an artificial hip and explained how it works. Last fall he described his exercise regimen as "not intolerable."

Last season's title run was vindication for Riley, who made sweeping roster changes in 2005. The championship was Riley's seventh, and his fifth as a head coach.

Riley has a career record of 1,164-606.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2718720

#8

Jason Kidd Files for Divorce From 'Abusive' Wife

New Jersey Nets star Jason Kidd filed for divorce from his wife of 10 years Tuesday, accusing her of "extreme cruelty" throughout their marriage.

In the dissolution papers, filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County, Kidd accuses Joumana Kidd of physically and mentally abusing him, threatening to make false domestic violence complaints against him to police and of interfering with his relationship with his children.

"The defendant's extreme and unwarranted jealousy and rage has left the plaintiff concerned about her emotional stability," the papers say.

The divorce filing came less than a day after the 33-year-old NBA player filed a domestic violence complaint seeking a temporary restraining order against his wife.

"Jason Kidd filed for divorce from his wife today on the grounds of extreme cruelty over a long period of time," Kidd's attorney, Madeline Marzano-Lesnevich, said in a statement Tuesday. "As this is an extremely difficult personal matter, I ask that the privacy of the Kidd family be respected."

The complaint, however, attempts to paint a detailed portrait of Joumana Kidd as a vitriolic, jealous and paranoid wife prone to public outbursts and threats, including during a recent Nets game.

According to the complaint, Joumana Kidd used the couple's 8-year-old son on Dec. 27 to sneak into the Nets locker room and rummage through Jason Kidd's locker to find his cell phone. After looking up the names and numbers on it, the complaint said she left her son to behind as she went upstairs to take a front row seat, where she shouted insults at Kidd throughout the game.

The papers accuse Joumana Kidd of kicking, hitting, punching and throwing household objects at her husband as she became "increasingly controlling and manipulative" in the last few years of their union.

According to Kidd, his wife had tracking devices installed on his cars and computers and has harassed his trainer, friends and family.

The Kidds were married in 1997 and live in Saddle River. They were involved in a domestic violence matter six years ago when he was playing for the Phoenix Suns.

In that incident, Jason Kidd was arrested in January 2001 after his wife told police he hit her during an argument over their son, Trey Jason (T.J.), who was 2 at the time. Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger management training.

Besides 8-year-old T.J., the Kidds have 4-year-old twin daughters, Miah and Jazelle.

Despite the numerous accusations by Kidd in the complaint, he did not ask for sole custody of the children.

"It is in the best interest that the parties share physical and legal custody of the children," the complaint said.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2725524

#9

76ers Close to Finalizing Chris Webber Buyout

The next time Chris Webber suits up for an NBA game, it likely won't be as a 76er.

Webber appears on his way out of Philadelphia as the team prepares to finalize details of a contract buyout that, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, could be completed as soon as Wednesday.

The reported deal would provide the 76ers with some salary cap and luxury tax relief and comes on the heels of the trade that sent guard Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets for Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two first-round picks. Webber was expected to travel with the Sixers for Wednesday night's game in New York.

Webber, who turns 34 in March, is listed on the team's salary cap at $20.7 million this season and $22.3 million in 2007-08.

While Webber reportedly has confirmed the buyout talk, coach Maurice Cheeks said the player has continued to go about his business in a positive way.

"Chris has been as professional as he can be around the players helping the young guys, trying to teach them certain things," Cheeks said Tuesday.

Tuesday night, Webber sat out Philadelphia's 98-89 loss to Detroit officially with foot and ankle injuries, the 10th game he's missed in the last 13. He is a free agent after this season and would be required to give back less than $5 million to the Sixers in a buyout, a source told the Daily News.

The 76ers (9-25) have the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

Webber was acquired by the Sixers from Sacramento in February 2005 as part of a six-player deal. He has been derailed by right ankle and foot injuries this season, appearing in only 18 of 34 games. He is averaging 11.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 30.2 minutes and had career averages of 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds entering this season.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2726276

#10

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Nuggets Trade Boykins to Bucks

The Denver Nuggets need some breathing space from luxury-tax territory. The Milwaukee Bucks need backcourt scoring to counter their injury crisis.

That's why the teams combined on a trade featuring Earl Boykins on Thursday.

Now 10 games into the Allen Iverson Era, Denver has agreed to send Boykins, little-used guard Julius Hodge and cash to the Bucks for guard Steve Blake.

The surging Boykins has scored 20 points or more in eight of his 10 games alongside Iverson, but his shots and minutes were certain to dwindle when Carmelo Anthony returns from suspension on Jan. 22. Denver couldn't resist the opportunity to trade him now given that Boykins will soon be its odd man out and more so because this move ensures that the Nuggets will not be paying luxury tax at season's end.

The Nuggets, sources say, had hoped to keep Boykins for a few more games while Anthony completes his 15-game ban. But they had to make the trade immediately because Milwaukee's $4.3 million injury exception created by Bobby Simmons' season-ending ankle and foot surgeries -- its only mechanism for taking back Boykins' contract in this exchange -- expires Friday.

Blake averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 assists in 33 games for the Bucks this season.

"We're getting a classic point guard," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien told The Associated Press. "He's an outstanding shooter and solid floor leader."

Boykins' arrival will be a welcome boost to the Bucks, who have lost leading scorers Michael Redd (knee) and Mo Williams (shoulder) to injuries in the past week. Redd is expected to miss at least a month, with Williams sidelined two to three weeks. Charlie Villanueva (shoulder) is also out indefinitely and Simmons didn't play a single game this season before it was determined that he'd need two operations.

The Bucks are hoping Boykins' scoring can help keep them in the playoff hunt until Redd and Williams return. The 5-foot-5 dynamo makes $2.95 million this season and is scheduled to earn $3 million next season but has the right to decline his player option and become a free agent July 1.

Milwaukee, sources said, also managed to extract an estimated $700,000 from the Nuggets to pay the remainder of Hodge's $1.2 million salary.

Blake, meanwhile, will get an opportunity to win some back-up minutes in Denver's backcourt, with the Nuggets admittedly looking for pass-first facilitators who can play with Iverson, Anthony and swingman J.R. Smith. The Nuggets also created a $2.95 million trade exception through this transaction because, with Blake being swapped for Hodge, Denver sent out more salary than it received in the trade. The trade exception is good for one year.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2727760