Nuggets Deal Mcds To Phoenix
Unwilling to make Antonio McDyess a $100 million man, the Denver Nuggets traded the disgruntled forward to Phoenix on Wednesday for a host of draft picks in a three-way deal that also sent guards Wesley Person and Tony Dumas from the Suns to Cleveland.
The Nuggets, coming off the second-worst season in franchise history at 21-61, receive three first-round and two second-round picks plus cash. McDyess, the No. 2 pick in the 1995 draft who is entering the final year of his contract, was seeking a six-year deal worth more than $100 million.
“Antonio wasn’t the franchise player we were looking at for $100 million,” Nuggets vice president Allan Bristow said. “If we felt he warranted that kind of money and was the big piece to the puzzle, we would have gone in a different direction.”
The Suns, who must pay guard Kevin Johnson about $8 million for one more season and also signed free agents Clifford Robinson and Tom Chambers, have time to figure out a way to pay McDyess.
Garnett, Wolves come to terms
Kevin Garnett agreed to terms Wednesday night on what could be the richest contract in professional sports history, a six-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly worth as much as $123 million.
Garnett, the charismatic, sky’s-the-limit forward who jumped from high school to the NBA two years ago and helped rescue one of the league’s worst franchises, agreed to the contract extension just four hours before a midnight deadline.
Terms were not immediately available, but reports indicated the Wolves and Garnett spent Wednesday ironing out details of a deal worth as much as $123 million.
Ex-Cougar goes to Vancouver
The Vancouver Grizzlies signed free-agent forwards Mark Hendrickson and David Booth, center Alan Ogg and guard Litterial Green.
The 6-foot-9 Hendrickson, a Washington State University product, averaged 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 29 games as a rookie with Philadelphia last year. Green, a 6-1 guard, averaged 3.2 points in 45 games with Detroit in 1996-97 - his third NBA season.
Booth, 6-7, played in France last season. The 7-2 Ogg, formerly of Miami, spent the year in China.
Smith’s career in doubt
San Antonio Spurs forward Charles Smith will miss training camp and may have to retire because of continued knee problems.
Smith appeared in just 19 games during the 1996-97 season due to osteoarthritis in his right knee, a degenerative condition in which bones in the knee joint rub against each other.
Knicks land journeyman
The New York Knicks signed free agent swingman Pete Myers, who has played for seven teams in his eight NBA seasons.
Myers, 34, has averaged 4.9 points and 2.2 assists in 368 career games with the Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets.