NBA Rumors: Marion Wants a Trade



Arizona Republic: "Shawn Marion trade talk is one thing. A Marion trade request is quite another. Marion is fed up with another summer of the Suns considering to trade him. Marion is irked that the team is not willing to talk about a contract extension. After eight years in Phoenix, Marion wants to leave the Suns and has let the team know in recent weeks. "I'm tired of hearing my name in trades," Marion said by phone from his Chicago home Tuesday night. "I love my fans in Phoenix but I think it's time for me to move on."

East Valley Tribune: "Tired of constant trade rumors and knowing that the Suns have no intention of offering him a contract extension beyond the 2008-09 season, forward Shawn Marion is ready to leave the only NBA organization he has known. Marion surfaced from his summer-long media blackout Tuesday, telling SportingNews.com that he wants out of Phoenix. He said he would welcome a rumored trade to the Los Angeles Lakers that would send forwards Lamar Odom and Brian Cook to Phoenix so that he could join forces with Kobe Bryant and leave the team that eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers from the playoffs the last two seasons. "I wanted to retire a Phoenix Sun," Marion told SportingNews.com. "That would be nice … But sometimes it comes to the point where you just have to take that step and move on. It’s like a bad marriage. It doesn’t matter who’s right or wrong, both people should just move on."

Sporting News: "According to a league source, the Los Angeles Lakers and Suns have been in discussions about a deal -- a blockbuster deal -- that would send the four-time All-Star to Los Angeles to play alongside Kobe Bryant. The Suns would get forward Lamar Odom and perhaps some salary-cap filler in return. The main obstacle appears to be Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who needs to OK the deal. Asked to handicap the likelihood of the deal going through, the source said, "50-50."

East Valley Tribune: "NBA sources confirmed to the Tribune that Marion has made it clear to the Suns over the summer that he either wanted a three-year contract extension — with an asking price in the neighborhood of $60 million — or he wanted to be traded. And when Phoenix management let him know that the extension wasn’t coming, the demands changed to simply wanting out. SportingNews.com quoted a source who said the likelihood of the deal was “50-50” and that Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss has not signed off on the deal. But NBA sources told the Tribune Tuesday night that any such deal is still in the talking stages — even if Marion is already championing the idea."

HOOPSWORLD: "At this point it's difficult to gauge whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers are seriously considering such a move. Ultimately it won't catapult them to the elite of the conference. They would still have movable pieces like Kwame Brown and Jordan Farmar to try and send out for additional help. Chris Webber is still a free agent who might be able to help at the four in Odom's absence. If it all doesn't pan out as well as hoped, Marion gives the Los Angeles Lakers additional financial flexibility. While Marion may not be appreciably better than Odom, if they both remain true to their histories at least the Los Angeles Lakers would get a full season out of their eight-figure forward."

East Valley Tribune: "With Boris Diaw due to arrive from France Tuesday night, Marion is the only Phoenix player not in town to take part in voluntary workouts. And with Suns media day set for Monday, there is every chance Marion will still be a Sun and still under contract at that point. If that’s the case, Marion said he will be at US Airways Center — still unhappy, but on time. "I am a professional,” he said. “I will be where I’m supposed to be."

Moscow Times: "CSKA Moscow said it would happily sign Andrei Kirilenko after the Utah Jazz forward revealed in an interview that he wanted to walk away from his $63 million NBA contract to play professionally in Russia. The president of the CSKA basketball team told Sport Express over the weekend that although Kirilenko's situation with the Jazz was complicated and any move would be subject to the NBA's approval, the door was wide open."

Deseret Morning News: "Andrei Kirilenko has at least one Utah Jazz teammate who isn't upset by his recent trade demands. Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who calls himself "a very good friend" of Kirilenko's, has shown his support for both his disgruntled fellow European star and the Jazz organization. "I believe that people have to respect (Kirilenko's) opinion that the Utah system no longer is a good fit for him," Okur said on his official Web site."

Boston Herald: "This is the first year I’ve come in with expectations put on us," Pierce said. 'In all my nine years in the league, not much has been expected of us.” Pierce, who was prepared to ask for a trade before the deals for Allen and Garnett dramatically altered the look and capability of the team, admitted he was among those who wondered whether Danny Ainge’s plan finally was going to bear fruit. Pierce already expects to score less. "Obviously, you have to make sacrifices in this situation," he said. Instead, Pierce envisions himself becoming a better defender. He always has referred to himself as an underrated defensive player, with a few in the audience not always taking his claim seriously. This is his opportunity - after years of carrying the offensive burden - to prove it. "We’ve been working out for two weeks now, coming in every morning," Pierce said of a dutiful group that includes Garnett and Allen."

Houston Chronicle: "Talking about winning the NBA title before they've even played together may be a stretch, but Pierce is hoping the six-day training camp and two games in Europe will give the Celtics some cohesiveness before the regular season starts Oct. 30. "Just try to find a foundation, but also chemistry," Pierce said. "Get a feel for one another on and off the court." The Celtics, who have won only three playoff series in Pierce's nine years with the team, will face the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 6 in Rome, and play the Minnesota Timberwolves four days later in London. Garnett, a former MVP and 10-time All-Star, went to the Celtics from the Timberwolves in a 7-for-1 deal — the NBA's biggest trade for one player. "Probably going to be a lot of emotion," said Pierce, thinking of his former teammates now playing in Minnesota."

Philadelphia Inquirer: "This, then, is Phase Two of the three-phase post-Iverson plan devised by president/general manager Billy King. Phase Three comes next summer, when the lottery-locked Sixers see the contracts of Webber, Aaron McKie, Kevin Ollie and Greg Buckner come off the salary cap, when they could have as much as $14-$16 million available to pursue free agents. The figure remains fluid, depending on when - please don't say "if" - they re-sign Andre Iguodala, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract. They have until Oct. 31 to get it done, or wait until the summer, when they still will have a right of first refusal against any offer that might come from elsewhere ... "Signing [Iguodala] has been our No. 1 goal. I promised I wouldn't try and do it in the media, so all I'll say is, we're talking."

Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "The team's youth movement -- eight players are 25 years old or younger -- makes veterans Trenton Hassell, Juwan Howard, Ricky Davis, Mark Blount and Marko Jaric potential trade candidates, either by the Nov. 2 season opener against Denver or the February trading deadline. Wolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale said he talked to other teams all summer about deals that would further transform his team, but called September "a slow, slow, slow month" while potential trading partners discuss options with other teams and contemplate the $67 million-plus salary cap. "We have three or four deals that are just laying around," McHale said."

HOOPSWORLD: "It’s still possible that Miami makes a big move before the start of the season and if one is to be made it will likely involve Jason Williams, the projected starting point guard who also happens to be the team’s biggest bargaining chip thanks to his expiring $8.9 million contract. Even if he stays, Parker, Hardaway and Chris Quinn should still get their chances, as Williams has averaged more than 16 missed games over the last four years."

HOOPSWORLD: "But while the promising rookies will help their teammates, they will also steal their playing time. The Hawks were already stacked with young, talented post players and now Horford makes the competition minutes that much tougher. The rookie can jump right into the starting lineup and will give big men Zaza Pachulia, Shelden Williams and Lorenzen Wright a run for their minutes. Josh Smith has earned his keep, but the others could be on the chopping block."

New York Daily News: "If Vince Carter feels lighter on his feet this season, it won't be because he's carrying any less of a load on his shoulders than he did last season. That was when he was playing with the knowledge that he would opt out of his contract and become a free agent over the summer. Carter insists that he didn't put any extra pressure on himself just because millions of dollars were on the line. He signed a new four-year deal worth about $62 million just days after he became a free agent. The contract includes a team option for a fifth year. Carter said he didn't let his contract situation creep into his mind while he played."

Newark Star Ledger: "The Nets are in for an unprecedented challenge if they're going to remain the best team in the division for 2007-08. "I know the division is tough, which makes it fun," said Carter, whose team opens camp Monday morning. "Now whoever wins it has to earn it. Every night now is like playoff-caliber basketball. If you want to go to the playoffs, the deeper you go, the tougher it gets. And that's definitely preparation for that." "We still have to be us," Carter said. "We still have to play our game, and defend, and make shots and make plays...We have more bodies, we have guys who can really produce and help us. Hopefully we can go in complete and make things happen."

Orange County Register: "Los Angeles Lakers center Chris Mihm said he expects Kobe Bryant to attend training camp next week in Honolulu. "I don't anticipate any problems," Mihm said to those attending the Register's Insiders event at the newspaper's Hoiles Auditorium on Tuesday evening. "(I) fully anticipate Kobe to come." Mihm, who missed all of last season after injuring his right ankle late in 2005, also said he might play a different position this season. "There's been talk maybe I'll play a little power forward this year," Mihm said. "It's going to be interesting to see; I don't know how that's going to play on."

Philadelphia Inquirer: "All the Sixers really have to offer is the promise they showed down the stretch of a season that began in misery (5-18), became clogged in controversy (the contentious situation with Iverson, the subsequent buyout of Chris Webber) and ended with a dogged, determined group playing conventional basketball for the first time as pros, insistent on proving they had credibility as players and teammates ... "We will surprise some people. There was a year people said we took a step back because we didn't make any changes and we went to the Finals. There have been years we were picked as a lock playoff team and we didn't make it. One thing I've learned is, you can't get caught up in acquiring 'name players.' It's about building a team."

Detroit Free Press: "Former NCAA and NBA champion Corliss Williamson will announce his retirement from the NBA during a 1:30 p.m. press conference at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in Little Rock on Wednesday. Williamson, 33, played for the Pistons from 2000-2004. In the 2001-02 season, he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man and eventually was a member of the Pistons’ 2003-04 NBA Championship team. Williamson is set to become an assistant coach at Arkansas Baptist College, the school’s athletic director said Tuesday."

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "Veteran forward Samaki Walker signed a free-agent contract with the Bucks today. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Walker has played for six other National Basketball Association teams during a 10-year career, and he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers' title-winning team in 2001-'02. Walker was the ninth overall pick of the Dallas Mavericks in the 1996 draft, after playing two seasons at Louisville."

Seattle Times: "Paul Westhead took a week to bask in the celebration that followed the Phoenix Mercury's WNBA championship. Now the innovative offensive whiz, who is the only coach to win NBA and WNBA titles, appears ready to return to the league where he won a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980. The "Guru of Go" will meet with general manager Sam Presti and coach P.J. Carlesimo about an opening on the Sonics' coaching staff."

Sacramento Bee: "For more than 30 years, local officials have seriously considered, then ultimately rejected, building a sports arena at the state fairgrounds on Exposition Boulevard. This week, the National Basketball Association is hoping to buck that trend -- saying the time is right for Cal Expo. Previous searches for the ideal arena location concluded that traffic issues at Cal Expo were too problematic, or that sorting through a land transfer with the state was too daunting -- or that the city would be better served having the arena downtown. Sometimes, the timing just wasn't right."

Riverside Press-Enterprise: "There was criticism from Kobe Bryant directed at Andrew Bynum, and constant trade rumors involving the Los Angeles Lakers' young center. Andrew Bynum had to endure stinging words and the disfavor of those among the Los Angeles Lakers faithful who wanted him sent packing. He had his coaching staff, team management and teammates to appease. For many, especially for a teenager, trying to please so many could be a burden. But Andrew Bynum said he kept his focus on working to improve. His approach was to delve into the positives and not worry about the negatives."

See more at www.hoopsworld.com