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McHale Denies Kidd TradeKevin McHale, vice president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves, said there is nothing to a story carried this week in the Journal News of Westchester, N.Y. It reported that the Wolves are involved in a three-team trade and could wind up with Jason Kidd of the Nets and Kurt Thomas of the Knicks in exchange for Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson. The story said the Knicks would send Thomas to the Nets and end up with Szczerbiak and New Jersey's Aaron Williams. The Knicks would also wind up with the Wolves' Cassell and Johnson. Kidd, coming off knee surgery, has $90 million left on a $103 million contract he signed last summer. However, while McHale wouldn't confirm it, other NBA sources report that the Wolves did have a strong interest in a deal for Kidd, but the Nets had no interest in dealing him. Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Rumor: Kidd to TWolves; Knicks Involved?'The Nets' interest in trading Jason Kidd has moved the Knicks closer to exchanging Kurt Thomas for Wally Szczerbiak, according to several NBA sources.' In this scenario; the Knicks wouls send Kurt Thomas to the Nets and receive Wally Szczerbiak and Aaron Williams. The Nets would get Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson with Thomas. The Timberwolves are the team trying to get this done. Isiah Thomas also wouldn't mind having Wally Szczerbiak. 'Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has charged his GM, Kevin McHale, to acquire Kidd, according to an NBA executive involved in the talks, and the Nets' All-Star point guard has told management he would accept a trade to Minnesota. With Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles jettisoned in the purge ordered by new owner Bruce Ratner, and with the Nets staring at a series of bleak lame-duck seasons in the Meadowlands before moving to Brooklyn, Kidd wants out in the worst way.' "But is anyone willing to take him and the $90 million after knee surgery?" said one NBA executive with knowledge of the talks. "I wouldn't buy a racehorse that couldn't run, even if it was the greatest racehorse of all time." 'To take on Szczerbiak and Williams, the Knicks would have to rid themselves of another salary in addition to Thomas'. Isiah Thomas is hoping against hope to convince someone to take Moochie Norris or Shandon Anderson off his hands.' New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Sprewell and Szczerbiak Being Discussed in Kidd TradeThe Portland Trail Blazers aren't the only team discussing a Jason Kidd trade, as the Minnesota Timberwolves have thrown their chips at Rod Thorn. Latrell Sprewell and Wally Szczerbiak would be included in the package for Kidd. While Kidd, 31, desperately wants out of the dismantling Nets, he's determined to find his way to a championship contender. For that reason alone, the chance to unite with Kevin Garnett makes the Timberwolves a far more attractive destination than Portland. The Blazers and Nets have held discussions about a Kidd for Abdur-Rahim trade, but "nothing is near imminent," one source familiar with the negotiations said. Other teams Kidd would want to play for are Dallas, the Lakers, San Antonio and Sacramento. Thorn has long been intrigued with the Blazers' No. 1 draft pick in 2004, Coney Island high school star Sebastian Telfair, and ownership would love to have him in a Nets' uniform once the team moves to a new downtown arena in Brooklyn. Nevertheless, sources said, the Blazers are reluctant to trade Telfair, believing the most appealing scenario would be to let the teenage point guard learn as an understudy to Kidd. "This has to make sense for us," Thorn said. "Jason would like to play for a team considered a contender to win a championship. If you look at our needs, they're at power forward, and if Jason doesn't play for us, at point guard." Sprewell and Szczerbiak are small forwards, positions that don't address Thorn's desire to bring back replacements for power forward Martin and Kidd. Still, Sprewell and Szczerbiak could be important pieces of a package, if a third team could be lured into the conversations. "If Jason was a free agent right now, would anybody out there give him $90 million?" one Western Conference official asked Wednesday. "The luxury tax in the fifth year of his deal at $20 million a season is going to be a killer for a capped-out team." Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Timberwolves Sep 2004 Archive
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