Not taking the fifth, but perhaps some other Wizardry at handFollowing up on that Knicks-Wizards rumor involving the fifth overall pick:
There have been recent conversations between the teams about players, mainly ones the Wizards are interested in on the Knicks roster. But what may come as a surprise is that Wilson Chandler doesn't appear to be the main ingredient here. In fact, from multiple sources with knowledge of the Wizards' strategizing, they're the ones who have inquired about two former Wiz players, Larry Hughes and Jared Jeffries.
The Knicks are all ears.
Washington tried to trade for Hughes (for Mike James and Etan Thomas) during the past season, when he was still with Chicago and they asked about Jeffries before the trade deadline. Both were key members of the 2004-05 Washington team that reached the second round of the playoffs. Hughes and Gilbert Arenas were a strong backcourt and some within the Wizards braintrust feel they missed Jeffries more than they thought they would after he took that mid-level exception offer sheet from Isiah Thomas in 2006. The Wizards feel they have a small window of opportunity with their core of Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison and want to build a strong supporting cast of veterans to make a run.
The Knicks wouldn't mind shedding Hughes' contract, though it has one year left with a team-high $13.6M pricetag. They could consider th at same James/Thomas scenario because both players are also in expiring deals. James ($6.4M) is a shooter (and a Long Islander) whom the Knicks could use and the 6-10 Thomas ($7.3M) provides size, grit and rebounding depth in the frontcourt.
Jeffries, of course, is the big one to move, with $6.4M next season and a critical $6.8M against the salary cap in 2010-11. The Knicks almost moved him to the Kings at the trade deadline and, according to a source, recently were close to something with the Toronto Raptors that fell through when the Raps turned it down.
And, aware that the Wizards aren't that excited about anything they see at No. 5, the Knicks too the opportunity ask about the pick. It may have been suggested that Chandler is the only young asset the team could offer in return that may interest Ernie Grunfeld for the pick, but it was not something the Knicks offered. At this point, it doesn't appear to be anything more than a speculative scenario.
But that five-spot is valuable to the Knicks because, presumably, they would snatch Stephen Curry there before anyone else gets their grubby hands on him. But we're starting to get skeptical here, mainly because of Curry's quick about-face when it comes to workouts. Initially, after his workout with the Knicks, Curry's father said his son was shutting it down. Then within a day it was decided that he will, in fact, participate in more workouts.
Why the sudden change of mind? Did he not get the guarantee from the Knicks he had hoped to get? Perhaps without a guarantee at No. 8, Curry didn't want to give up potential opportunity -- and money -- from interested teams in the top five. So off to Sacramento he went this weekend.
