Chris Sheridan

  (2:00 PM)

Good afternoon from New York, where I witnessed the worst home loss in Knicks history yesterday afternoon. Sadly, none of the local tabloid writers, searching for the right words to describe this new low, were able to meet my challenge of getting the word "Anucha" into their copy. Lots to chat about, including the Amare Stoudemire situation in Phoenix. After speaking to a few key sources, I'd say it's 60-40 he gets traded before the deadline. Off we go ...

Bryan (Xenia, OH)

Please tell me the Suns won't trade Amare for Z just to get under the LT... I can't imagine the fans reactions to that...or Nash's for that matter.

Chris Sheridan

  (2:25 PM)

Here's the thing when talking about proposed Suns trades: They've shown that they'll take pennies on the diollar for their assets, so no one is going to initially offer them much more than cap relief and either a low first-round pick or a borderline youngster. If it's a Cavs deal, I'd expect Phoenix to get little more than Ilgauskas (who they'd presumably buy out, Jawad Williams and whatever filler is needed to made the salaries match (Cleve can sign-and-trade Wally Szczerbiak and/or Lorenzen Wright.) Remember, the Suns are the same team that gave away two unprotected first-round picks just to get Kurt Thomas' $8 million off their payroll a few years back. The second of those No. 1 picks goes to the Thunder this year, by the way.

Chris Sheridan

  (2:25 PM)

That, my friends, was a 20-minute software glitch. Took two computer restarts, but I am back -- and I will stay late.

Bruce (Miami, FL)

Chris, with the rumor mill kicking up regarding Bosh and Amare (and Boozer still out there), are you hearing anything involving Miami putting together a package involving Beasley?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:29 PM)

I have heard that Miami is among the teams with the greatest desire to land stoudemire before the deadline, because it would give them two max-level players heading into next summer, plus they'd have another $7-8 million in cap space left over -- even more if they can move Daequan Cook. But I see the Heat trying to hang onto Beasley, offering Jermaine O'Neal's expiring contract and little else of relative value. Like I said in my previous answer, when dealing with the Suns, you really can't lowball them enough. You'll recall they traded Shaq for nothing, nada, zip, zilch of value (other than a bigger stack of Benjamins in Bob Sarver's bank account).

john (la)

what are chances bull trade hinrich to lakers for basically nothing. wouldn't he fit perfectly into lakers pg (defened 1's,shoot 3s). what are liklyhood of this happing

Chris Sheridan

  (2:33 PM)

The Lakers are going to try to get the best value they can when they deal Adam Morrison's expiring contract, and Hinrich might seem like a perfect fit. But as devil's advocate I would argue that maybe they like Jordan Farmar better (especially at his relatively inexpensive price). They did, after all, have Farmar on the court at the end of the game in Toronto yesterday when D.Fish would normally be out there. (It also should be noted that Farmar took the shot on a key late possession from an angle behind the backboard and missed.)

Jesse (Houston)

What's TMAC's destination?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:37 PM)

All indications are that the process continues to move slowly. I still think it'll come down to the Knicks or the Bulls, unless an Iguodala offer is truly going to be put on the table by Houston. and if the talent the Bulls and Knicks are offering is relatively equal, I give the Knicks the edge because they can offer more financial relief in the form of Cuttino Mobley's expiring and insurance-paid contract, which is $3-plus million more than Jerome james' similar deal. Plus, James Dolan would be much more willing than Jerry Reinsdorf to throw $3 million in cash into the deal. Also, the Knicks could take back Brian Cook (expiring $3.5 million) and get Houston under the tax, which would mean another $4-plus million going into Les Alexander's wallet because the Rockets would then get a share of the revenues from the taxpaying teams.

jim (ca)

Can you tell the Thunder to trade Jeff Green to The Wolves for Kevin Love.

Chris Sheridan

  (2:38 PM)

Both teams love both of those players too much to make that deal, however much sense it might make. And from OKC's standpoint, at this moment you do not want to mess with a good thing.

Dennis (Denver CO)

Do you see any team right now in the West that can beat the Lakers? What would the Nuggets need to do to make it happen?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:40 PM)

Not in a seven-game series, no. I think the Nuggets could use another offensive-minded player (which is why they were in the Stephen Jackson sweepstakes earlier this year), and the George Karl-JR Smith feud certainly isn't helping a reserve corps that was depleted in the offseason when Linas Kleiza (shooter) and Dahntay Jones (defender) were not replaced.

Mark (Cleveland)

Does this recent Amare for Z, Hickson, and picks rumor have a legitimate shot of happening and if so, would Shaq and Amare get along? Also, there is an article on Hoopsworld regarding Lebron James and possibly tipping his hand with regards to free agency (essentially saying that if Cavs land a big time PF, he would sign and extention before next year). Have you heard anything regarding this?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:42 PM)

Cleveland has a legitimate shot of getting him, and he could fit as the starting 4 (instead of Hickson) and the backup 5 (instead of Z).

Isaac (NYC)

Do you think Wilson Chandler and Jordan Hill would be enough to convince David Kahn to part with the rights to Ricky Rubio? Also, do you think the Knicks would give up that much?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:45 PM)

I think the Knicks MIGHT part with one or the other, Hill moreso than chandler, but not both. Ricky isn't going anywhere next summer anyway. He does not even have a buyout option in his Barcelona contract next summer. That clause kicks in in the summer of 2011, and as I've written before, I don't expect him to come to the NBA until 2012 because that extra year of waiting would mean he would not have to sign under the rookie salary scale.

Farhan (Birmingham)

So Josh Howard is almost certain to be moved by the deadline and has an almost-11 million dollar expiring contract. Mavs have recently been linked to Kevin Martin, Iggy, and Butler. What do you see the Mavs doing?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:49 PM)

The Mavs are trying to determine whether it behooves them to move Josh before the deadline or to hang onto him until after July 1, when he will become an unrestricted free agent (provided the mavs decline his team option) and can be used in a sign-and-trade deal (I wrote about this for today's Daily Dime. Plz go check it out). One problem here is that Josh hasn;t contributed much of anything since returning from injury a month into the season, so his value is down. That complicates matters.

Mike (Boston)

if the Lakers don't go for Hinrich, what are the chances they throw together a little package for TJ ford? Or would Larry Legend not help them out?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:49 PM)

Nobody wants TJ Ford. The Pacers have been trying to trade him for two years.

Adam (East Lansing, MI)

Any possibility of an Amare for Hamilton/Kwame Brown Swap? Phoenix gets a SG who can score and get open without the ball and Detroit gets a big man to solidify their frontcourt.

Chris Sheridan

  (2:52 PM)

Detroit is definitely looking for a scoring big man, and Amare is a perfect fit. But ... putting Rip in that deal gives the Suns a glut at 2-guard (where Goran Dragic slid over nicely Saturday in replacing the injured Jason Richardson). I'd imagine Tayshaun Prince is a more likely "value" guy to be moved if the Pistons and suns to an amare deal, but again, Prince's value is as low as it has ever been in his career, which doesn't exactly make it easier for Joe Dumars to pull off that deal.

Brandon (Wisconsin)

Do you think the signing of Jerry Stackhouse was a good move for the Bucks? And what do the Bucks have to do to become a contender before i die?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:56 PM)

It's a nice band-aid move, and it increases their chances of being a playoff team. I'd expect he will replace Charlie Bell in the starting 5 before too long. That said, they still seem like first-round fodder, and it'll take a year or two more of progression for Bogut and Jennings before you can start using "contender" and "Bucks" in the same sentence.

Ben (DC)

Will the Wizards get more than expirings for Jamison and Butler? Will they even get that?

Chris Sheridan

  (2:59 PM)

Absolutely they would. They aren't giving those guys away for nothing. and i nobody is offering value by the deadline, they'll wait until draft time to make their moves. By then, they'll also know what kind of a sentence Gilbert Arenas receives in D.C., and that'll impact whether they are able to void his contract or must try to trade him. If you want to know who I think are the most likely Wizards to be traded by Feb. 18, I'd say andray Blatche and Mike James.

Michael (Los Angeles)

After that 20 minute delay I think you owe me a Warriors question. What do you expect the Warriors to do before the trade deadline? Who is the biggest trade asset for them?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:01 PM)

When gremlins strike, they can strike hard, Michael. On the Warriors, I can say this with 99.9 percent certainty: They are not going to get Amare Stoudemire, because he will not commit to signing an extension with them. So scratch them off Amare's potential destination list.

Josh Schmidt (MA)

With the open roster spot, you see the Boston Celtics doing any moves such in a trade or signing a veteran?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:04 PM)

I see them patiently waiting to see who gets bought out between the end of the trading deadline and March 1, then going after the best of that bunch. Buyout candidates who might fit; Keyon Dooling, T.J. Ford, Mark Blount, Tony Battie, Jarvis Hayes, Trenton Hassell.

Skylar (Phoenix)

How long is the Gilbert Arenas suspension going to last?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:06 PM)

My original guestimate prediction was 30 days, and I'm sticking with it. We could know Wednesday, but commissioner David Stern could, in theory, choose to simply lift the indefinite suspension, reinstate Arenas, then say he'll announce the definitive suspension number after Arenas is sentenced by Judge Morin in D.C. I'll also predict that Crittenton gets a longer suspension than Gilbert.

Jake (Charlotte)

Will the Warriors try to trade Ellis to free up shots for Curry?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:07 PM)

Not with Ellis' ankle acting up like it is now. That ankle was pretty badly damaged in that moped accident.

John (Seattle)

Why would Crittenton get a longer suspension than Gilbert?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:09 PM)

For loading a round in his weapon, if that is actually true.

David (D.C.)

30 days or 30 games? Do you think the amount of time that Gilbert misses during that span will count towards the total number of games that Stern chooses to suspend him for?

Chris Sheridan

  (3:09 PM)

30 games, and the ones he has already missed will count toward that total.

David (Toronto)

After Bosh stated he is "encouraged" by what he sees and Toronto's ability to pick up the defensive play and going 12-5 in their last 17 with wins over San Antonio Dallas, and the Lakers...where do you see this team going in the rest of the second half? Keep in mind that management (BC) has said that if the circumstance were right he would have the support of ownership to make a move to get this team over the hump come trade deadline.

Chris Sheridan

  (3:11 PM)

The braintrust in Toronto knew it would take at least a half-season to get all the new pieces comfortable with one another, so now it's a matter of whether they can keep operating at the level they've been playing at. If they can, I see them keeping Bosh past the trade deadline and taking their best shot in the postseason.

Chris Sheridan

  (3:12 PM)

Gotta run folks. Almost 2,000 questions in the queue today, sorry I couldn't get to more. We shall chat again next Monday. Hasta luego.