Celts to acquire Jamison and Butler?

**BTB** · 02-12-2010, 03:27 PM

Re: Celts to acquire Jamison and Butler?

Someone on Realgm made a point that the league probably asked the teams to put this to rest until after the All Star break. Too much smoke for there not to be fire, and makes too much sense for both teams.

**OSUFan_88** · 02-12-2010, 03:41 PM

Re: Celts to acquire Jamison and Butler?

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba...ory?id=4909238

Sources: Haywood enters fray of talks
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By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
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DALLAS -- Long-running trade talks between the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards have taken a fresh twist now that the teams have discussed the prospect of packaging center Brendan Haywood to Dallas in the same deal with Wizards forward Caron Butler, according to sources close to the discussions.

Talks between the teams had stalled in the past week, partly because of Washington's insistence that the Mavericks take guard DeShawn Stevenson in any Butler deal, but the potential for acquiring two front-line players -- since Butler and Haywood would immediately become key rotation players for the Mavs -- has renewed Dallas' interest.

Sources said that such a deal, which is still in the discussion phase, would send Josh Howard and a handful of cap-friendly contracts to the Wizards and holds appeal for both sides.

It would enable Washington to truly launch its rebuilding efforts, realize significant financial relief in the midst of a disastrous season and achieve those aims without giving up forward Antawn Jamison, which is the Wizards' preference.

The possible acquisitions of Butler and Haywood, meanwhile, would be a welcome spark for the sputtering Mavericks, with Butler moving into the spot vacated by the out-of-favor Howard and Haywood arriving as another rim-protecting defensive anchor in the wake of a knee injury that has compromised the effectiveness of Mavs center Erick Dampier.

Acquiring Haywood and having the chance to re-sign him this summer would likely fill the void Dallas thought it filled last summer, when the Mavs signed Orlando center Marcin Gortat to a lucrative offer sheet, only for the Magic to unexpectedly match the offer to the restricted free agent.

Yet there are undeniable impediments to a Washington-Dallas deal. The Wizards, according to sources, would still rather make the smaller deal with Dallas reported by ESPN.com on Feb. 5: Butler and Stevenson for Howard and a small expiring contract such as James Singleton or Quinton Ross.

One source said that the Wizards, who continue to talk trades with the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and other teams, are reluctant to part with Haywood as the deal is currently structured.

In the latest proposals exchanged by the teams, Dallas would send Howard (whose $11.8 million salary next season is a team option) to Washington and also surrender backup center Drew Gooden, along with multiple low-salaried players such as Tim Thomas, Singleton and Ross.

Washington would inevitably want prized Mavericks rookie Rodrigue Beaubois added to the deal, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban said earlier this week that his young point guard is "pretty much untouchable" as Thursday's trade deadline approaches. It is not known whether Washington would accept Mavericks guard J.J. Barea instead.

Speaking to a group of reporters Thursday, Cuban said: "We kind of know the parameters [under] which we would make a deal. If somebody meets our parameters, we'll pull the trigger. But if not, we're not going to do it. I don't see us doing something just to do something because that'll kill our flexibility this summer. But in the event that there's somebody that really upgrades our talent and really makes our team better, then maybe we'll do it."

The Rockets have also been discussing deals for the Wizards for some time and have maintained an interest in Butler and Haywood in a deal featuring Tracy McGrady's $22.5 million expiring contract.

As with the Dallas talks, though, Washington has continued to seek more than mere payroll relief from Houston. The Rockets have balked at including any of the players in their long-term plans -- such as Shane Battier, Carl Landry, Luis Scola or Kyle Lowry -- just as the Mavericks say they won't surrender Beaubois.

The Wizards have likewise repeatedly insisted that Cleveland include young power forward J.J. Hickson in a trade for Jamison, which has dissuaded the Cavs from following through on their longstanding Jamison interest.

Yahoo! Sports reported Friday that the Wizards and Boston Celtics are discussing a trade that would send Butler and Jamison to the Celtics for a package headlined by Ray Allen's $19.7 million expiring contract. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has subsequently denied such talks, telling The Boston Globe "there is no truth" to the notion of swapping Allen for two players who could dramatically reshape the look of the Celtics.

Although one source warned Friday that it would be a mistake "to sleep on that one," another source close to the situation insisted to ESPN.com that a Boston-Washington swap looks "very doubtful" because of the considerable long-term expense Boston would be taking on -- for players who play the same positions as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett -- and because of Washington's reluctance to part with Jamison.

"I have no control over trade rumors," Allen said via his Twitter feed. "Let's just focus on being positive. I am a Celtic. Green all day."

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.