Ewing Trade Rumored Again
N E W Y O R K, Sept. 9, 2000 -- A three-way mega trade thought to be dead —involving Patrick Ewing, Glen Rice and Horace Grant — is reportedly stillalive.
The scenario calls for Patrick Ewing to go from the New YorkKnicks to the Seattle SuperSonics, Glen Rice from the Los AngelesLakers to the Knicks, and Grant from the Sonics to the Lakers.
Four newspapers in three cities — The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Seattle Times and Post-Intelligencer — are reporting the deal today, citing unidentified NBA officials.
The Sonics and Lakers are described as ready to close the deal,and waiting for the Knicks to sign off on it.
No Confirmation
Ewing, Rice and Grant were the key players, but as many as fiveothers could be involved to make the trade fit salary-caprequirements.
The New York Times says the Knicks and the Lakers possibly couldswap backup centers Chris Dudley and Travis Knight.
The Seattle Times says that for salary-cap purposes, the Sonicswould have to ship off such role players as Greg Foster, VladimirStepania and Vernon Maxwell.
Neither Scott Layden, the Knicks’general manager, nor coach Jeff Van Gundy could be reached forcomment yesterday, according to The New York Times. Efforts to reach the Knicks today were unsuccessful.
The Los Angeles Times reached Lakers general manager MitchKupchak in Hawaii, but he declined comment.
Sonics general manager Wally Walker told Grant on Friday a tradewas possible, without giving him details.
Grant told the Seatte Times, “If I go to L.A., theymight as well fit us for another ring.”
Trade Had Collapsed Last Month
The trade started off last month as a four-team, 13-player dealthat would have been the largest in NBA history. But it fell apartwhen the Detroit Pistons backed out.
Ewing also was headed to Seattle in that trade. The Knicks inreturn, would have received Vin Baker from the Sonics, along withRice and Knight from Los Angeles. The Lakers would have acquiredDudley and Detroit’s Christian Laettner.
The Pistons pulled out because of fan backlash and because theDallas Mavericks offered Cedric Ceballos for Laettner on the daythe deal was supposed to be completed. Dallas and Detroit completedthat trade two weeks ago.
Ewing was said to have become extremely upset at media and fancriticism; it had become known that he was being used as trade bait. Several leagueofficials say he’s adamant about not returning to New York for his16th season.
Just days after the four-team trade collapsed, Layden said theKnicks would continue to try to trade Ewing. He said Ewing and hisagent, David Falk, had helped orchestrate the possible trade andthey would remain involved in future talks.
The Knicks were said to be intent on getting Rice, who also is aFalk client. The Lakers were said to be insisting on a powerforward in return.
Ewing will make $14 million dollars this season, his lastunder contract. He turned 38 last month. Rice and Grant are 35.