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NBA Insider from ESPN.com

Hope this will be informative...enjoy guys...
 
Jaims



Bulls to give up their Brand name?

Could Jerry Krause be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to grab another top lottery pick in the NBA draft? Chicago Tribune columnist Sam Smith is reporting that the Bulls are considering trading power forward Elton Brand to the LA Clippers for the second pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. With that pick the Bulls would select either big manKwame Brown or forward Tyson Chandler.

According to Smith, the Bulls would also keep their fourth pick and use it on either high schooler Eddy Curry or Seton Hall's Eddie Griffin, depending on who is still available.

Three weeks ago, Insider reported that Krause was ready to give up on the Bulls rebuilding project and trade their No. 4 pick, Brand, Marcus Fizer and anyone else on his roster for two or three top flight free-agents. Sacramento's Chris Webber and New York's Allan Houston were at the top of his list.

However, after dangling the No. 4 pick and Bulls center Brad Miller in trade discussions the last two weeks, Krause has come up empty. If the Sleuth has decided to begin rebuilding with youth again, Bulls fans could be in for a few more years of lottery living.

If the Bulls are seriously talking to the Clippers, expect them to demand either Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson or, preferably, Darius Miles in addition to the No. 2 pick.

The trade would make more sense for the Clippers, who have enough youth and athleticism but need a hard working power forward to clean the glass and provide a low post offensive threat.

Riley hotter for Marbury

Pat Riley continues to shuffle the deck, looking for the perfect point guard to lead the Heat.

After a failed attempt to land Seattle's Gary Payton, Riley has set his sights on Nets point guard Stephon Marbury, the Miami Herald reports today.

According to the Herald, a deal for Marbury probably would involve a third team and require Miami to part with Brian Grant or Eddie Jones, plus additional players.

Riley has been leaning against re-signing free-agent Tim Hardaway and had actually offered Grant in a trade for Payton. The Sonics, for the moment, are refusing to part with Payton unless Vin Baker is part of the trade as well.

That would be too rich for Riley's blood. Payton's demand for a contract extension only complicates the deal for Miami. Marbury on the other hand is younger, is locked into a long-term deal and could provide the same spark that Hardaway once gave the team.

Marbury is still a base year compensation player. Any potential deal would have to wait until July 1st, when he loses that designation.

Peep Show: The Herald is also reporting that the Heat probably will not try to get into the first round of the draft, "We are not aggressively trying with great angst to get into the first round," GM Randy Pfund said. . .The Heat are considering bringing last year's second round pick, Ernest Brown, back for summer league play . . . According to the Sun Sentinel, the Heat plan on picking up the second year option on rookie Eddie House.
 
Hawks sweet on Kwame Brown

Hawks GM Pete Babcock and coach Lon Kruger had pretty much made up their minds. With plenty of young blood, including last year's lottery pick, DerMarr Johnson, on their squad they wanted to avoid adding another rookie to an already bulging roster.

The Hawks were on record as loving Duke senior Shane Battier. His incredible workout, when he broke the team's "Superman" record (a player jumps and dunks until he drops), seemed to secure Battier's place at No. 3 in the draft.

That was, however, until high school forward Kwame Brown worked out for the Hawks. A league source told Insider that Brown put on such an incredible display of athleticism and basketball fundamentals that Babcock walked away from the workout swearing he would not pass on Brown if he is still available when the Hawks draft.

The source told Insider that Brown not only aced the workout, he aced the Hawks' psychological test. "He's a very smart kid," an Eastern Conference GM told Insider. "He may be the most NBA-ready high school player to come along since Kevin Garnett. If I had the No. 1 pick, I'd grab him."

There hasn't been much buzz with the Wizards and Brown yet, but the same source told Insider that the Clippers were leaning toward taking Brown over high school center Eddy Curry. The source told Insider that Curry hasn't been especially impressive in workouts nor has he done well on psychological tests.

If the Clippers do grab Brown, then expect the Hawks to stick with Battier. "Kwame is the only one giving them second thoughts about Shane," the league source said. "No one else is really on the Hawks' radar screen at the moment."

Nets heart beating for Battier

Though Shane Battier is unlikely to be around when the New Jersey Nets draft at No. 7, that hasn't stopped Nets president Rod Thorn from coveting the Duke forward.

"He's a tremendous player. I don't know that I would pass him up. I doubt if he'll get to us," Thorn told the New York Post.

Battier hasn't even worked out for the Nets (he's limited his workouts to the top 6 teams) but that doesn't mean he wouldn't mind landing in New Jersey. "We don't want anybody to conclude that Shane has worked out in places behind New Jersey," agent Lon Babby said. "We have cut [visits] off at six. If Shane were to last [and be drafted by] New Jersey, he would be delighted to play in the New York-New Jersey area."

The Nets are focusing on drafting a big man, such as high schooler DeSagana Diop or Charlotte's Rodney White, but if Michigan State's Jason Richardson falls, he might be too good to pass up as well.

"I'm not discounting us drafting a player like Jason Richardson," Thorn said. "When you look at Jason Richardson, I think you're looking at a player you know, defensively, can play today and be effective."

Draft Talk

Kwame Brown wasn't the only player to have an impressive workout with the Hawks. Insider has learned that DePaul's Steven Hunter came in and destroyed Eddy Curry and Loren Woods last week. . . Senegal big man DeSagana Diop had his first workout with the Hawks this week. Despite having been working out for only 3 and 1/2 weeks due to a broken foot, Diop impressed the Hawks with his size and athleticism, Insider learned. Diop shattered the Hawks' "Superman" record (previously broken by Shane Battier and then Loren Woods) by doing an astounding 93 reps. . .Why are teams beginning to shy away from Michigan State's Jason Richardson? Despite his athleticism, several teams in the lottery refuse to deal with his agent, Dan Fegan. Depending on how the top five picks shake out, Richardson could slip all the way to Cleveland at No. 8. Fegan advised Richardson to cancel a workout in Detroit who drafts nine. Richardson is still a lock for the lottery, but another Fegan client, Cincinnati's Kenny Satterfield is really paying the price. The Utah Jazz are high on Satterfield and would consider taking him with their 24th pick, were it not for Fegan. The Jazz have already been through two acrimonious negotiations with Fegan (Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley) and don't want to go through the process again.

Draft Workouts

Wizards: Wizards worked out Arizona' Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson, Arkansas' Joe Johnson and Cal's Sean Lampley yesterday. Today the Wizards will workout Duke's Shane Battier, DePaul's Bobby Simmons and Yugoslavia's Vladimir Radmanovic.

Celtics: The Celtics worked out Indiana's Kirk Haston yesterday. However most of the buzz still surrounded the high octane workouts of Arkansas' Joe Johnson, Arizona's Richard Jefferson, as and USC's Jeff Trepagnier. The Celtics bring in Notre Dame's Troy Murphy and Syracuse's Damone Brown. Stanford twins Jarron and Jason Collins, DePaul's Steven Hunter and Yugoslav forward Ratko Varda are also due in this week.

Pistons: Villanova's Michael Bradley, Notre Dame's Troy Murphy, Michigan State's Andre Hutson and Yugoslavia's Vladimir Radmanovic worked out for the Pistons yesterday. The Pistons also plan to workout North Carolina's Brendan Haywood and Arizona's Loren Woods on Wednesday. This will be Haywood's second workout with the Pistons.

Hornets: Charlotte worked out Michigan State's Zach Randolph yesterday. He?s going to be good," Hornets Coach Paul Silas said of Randolph. "He knows his way around the basket and can shoot the basketball. He reminds of a small Bob Lanier, with his feathery touch around the rim." They bring in NC State's Damien Wilkens (who coach Silas has advised to go back to school) and Maryland's Terrence Morris today.

Raptors: The Raptors will work out USC's Jeff Trepagnier and Arizona's Gilbert Arenas today. Tomorrow Canadian Jerome Robinson, Southern Idaho's Ben Eze, Arizona's Richard Jefferson and Xavier's Reggie Butler. Thursday Ohio State's Ken Johnson, UNC's Brendan Haywood; Okaloosa-Walton C.C.'s Kedrick Brown and DePaul's Bobby Simmons are in. Friday Iowa State's Jamaal Tinsley, Cincinnati's Ken Satterfield of Cincinnati, UNC"s Joe Forte and France's Tony Parker workout for the Raptors.