Knicks to Trade Ewing to Seattle?

N E W  Y O R K, Aug. 21 -- New York Knicks All-Star Patrick Ewing is in the middle of a major four-team trade involving at least 12 players and two draft picks, sources confirmed to ESPN.com today.

According to the report, the 38-year-old center — who has been voted one of the top 50 basketball players of the century — would be sent to Seattle in exchange for the SuperSonics’ Vin Baker and small forward Glen Rice from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Although Ewing has been troubled by several injuries the past several years, he is still considered a productive player, and remains one of the league’s top centers. He has been a member of the Knicks throughout his entire 15-year career, producing perennial play-off berths, and two trips to the NBA finals He is entering the final year of a four-year, $60 million contract and wants an extension for at least two more seasons. He has said he plans to play for three more years.

Lakers, Pistons Also Involved

The Los Angeles Lakers would also send center Travis Knight in a sign-and-trade agreement to the Knicks, with Los Angeles receiving center Chris Dudley in return. Plus, the Lakers also would receive forward Christian Laettner from the Pistons.

Detroit, attempting to clear room under its salary cap, would take on a number of role players, including Vernon Maxwell, Lazaro Borrell, Greg Foster and Vladimir Stepania from Seattle, and John Celestand and Tyronn Lue from the Lakers, and David Wingate from the Knicks.

The Pistons also would receive a pair of first-round draft picks (one each from the Lakers and Knicks) and cash from New York.

New York TV station WABC reports that the deal is not official yet because the NBA still has to go over the transactions and make sure everything fits within the salary cap.

Baker, 28, a 6-11, 250-pound power forward, is due to make $10 millionnext season — meaning other players would have to be included in adeal to make it work under NBA salary cap guidelines. Ewing’ssalary for the upcoming season will be $14 million. According to the Daily News this weekend, Knicks general manager Scott Layden approached Ewing’s agent, David Falk, and asked for a list of teams to which Ewing, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, would accept a trade. Ewing submitted a list of eight teams to which he will accept a trade, and a deal with the Seattle SuperSonics for Vin Baker has been discussed, the New York paper reported.