| | By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
Talks of any potential mega-trade between New York and Seattle involving Patrick Ewing and Vin Baker have ended and the deal appeared dead Thursday.
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"It's just human nature that any trade is tough," said SuperSonics general manager Wally Walker, "but that's part of the business."
Walker will try to forget that business Friday when he starts a European vacation, making it even more difficult to salvage any part of what once was a four-team, 13-player deal that was agreed upon in principle by all parties concerned Monday.
"We worked really hard to get this deal done, it was just really hard with four teams," Walker said. "We tried to regroup, but it was very difficult."
No further talks between the Knicks and Sonics were planned, both sides said.
While Ewing and Baker were the headliners in the deal, both teams wanted a supporting cast, and that's where the breakdown surfaced. The Knicks wanted to get their hands on Glen Rice of the Lakers and the Sonics wanted Maurice Taylor of the Clippers, but chances of either team landing either of those players now appear very limited.
"I would never say never, but part of making this deal was us getting a young player like Mo Taylor, and that doesn't look like it's going to happen now," Walker said.
Houston and Seattle were competing to land Taylor, and the Rockets have scheduled conference call with Taylor and his agent on Friday.
If no part of the Ewing-Baker trade happens, then the Sonics and Knicks will be busy trying to soothe bruised egos.
"We're still feeling the after-effects of not getting the big deal done," Walker said.
"I left a message with him," Walker said of trying to get in touch with Baker.
"If it's not going to happen, then Vin and the Sonics have to
discuss the situation," said Aaron Goodwin, Baker's agent. "I've always
said if it doesn't happen by Wednesday, then it's not going to happen. Vin
has been a real professional about it. He's extremely disappointed that he's
on the trading block, but he's a professional. If it doesn't go through, then
a mending of the fences has to begin with the Sonics."
Goodwin said Baker was en route to Hawaii on Thursday to prepare for the Olympics.
"Vin's not running around worried about where he's going, he's preparing for
the Olympics," Goodwin said.
Wednesday, talks stalled with the Knicks' demand for Seattle starter Horace Grant in addition to Baker for Ewing.
The Knicks wanted Grant and then were planning to sign him and trade him to the Lakers for Rice.
Walker didn't want to give up two starters for the 38-year-old Ewing, who has only one year remaining on his contract.
David Falk, the agent for Ewing, Rice and Taylor, had tried to broker the deal, but the Sonics were adamant they weren't going to give up Grant to a divisional rival.
Since the four-team trade fell through, the Sonics wanted to trade Baker,
plus two players -- possibly Vernon Maxwell, Greg Foster and/or Vladimir
Stepania -- for Ewing.
The reason the trade can't be straight Baker for Ewing is that there
is more than a 15 percent gap in their contracts. That's why the Sonics
would have to toss in a few players to make up the difference.
Meanwhile, Rice remains a Laker until Falk can find him a new home. The
Lakers covet a power forward and wanted Christian Laettner in the four-team
trade with Detroit. The Lakers would have gladly taken Grant.
Since the four-team trade fell through Monday, Dallas has continued to pursue Laettner. League sources said a deal is imminent between Dallas and Detroit with Laettner and Terry Mills going to Dallas in exchange for Cedric Ceballos, John Wallace, Eric Murdock and cash.
Sources told ESPN.com that this three-for-two deal or another in some form is expected to be completed as early as Aug. 28, when Wallace and Murdock are eligible to be traded. The league has a rule that players cannot be traded twice within 60 days. Wallace and Murdock were involved in separate draft-day trades.
Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com. | |
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