From Poison Pete in today’s NY Post :
The guy the Kings prefer to kiss off is Chris Webber, who’s close to averaging a triple-double over the last two weeks or so. On one good defensively exploitable leg! And, by all accounts, he’s a pain in the posterior on and off the court, who’s owed $50 million over the next two seasons. So much for the franchise looking forward, so to speak, to its future.
In a concerted effort to dip below the salary cap next season, New Orleans is this space’s nominee to make the most noise before the deadline. Bad back and bad contract ($63M over next four seasons) notwithstanding, Baron Davis is almost guaranteed to go, along some with lesser lights.
I presume it’s no surprise to learn the Raptors are offering to provide asylum for the puffy point guard ($12.3M), a squatter for all but 17 games. Sources say Sam Mitchell’s pet antagonist Rafer Alston ($3.5M), Lamond Murray ($4.8M) and Donyell Marshall ($5.8M; currently, perhaps, the most desirable rising free agent) may want to start getting their Cajun groove on.
Of course, Babcock may want to ask himself: “Hmm, if Davis is unhappy and unhealthy [his people swear to me he doesn’t need back surgery] playing for a Bourbon Street Walker, why would anything change in Toronto?”
Were Davis able to join Vince Carter and Chris Bosh at the hip, now we’re chatting up a sparkling new outlook. As it stands . . .
The glitch to the above scenario, as I understand it, is the 76ers, who, by the way, would love to plant Davis alongside Allen Iverson; the Hawks also are said to be interested in his perishable goods.
Before the Hornets send Davis on his miserable way, they’re determined to relocate Jamal Mashburn ($9.3M, $10M), whose retirement will become official at year’s end (insurance will assume 80 percent of next season’s salary) and Rodney Rogers ($2.7M) for Glenn Robinson ($12.07M).