ESPN reports "Houston might swoop in and sign Taylor" due to near-failed deal

Sonics balk at Knicks' demand of Grant





By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

The New York Knicks' demand for Seattle starter Horace Grant in addition to Vin Baker for Patrick Ewing has essentially killed a proposed trade between the two teams, sources told ESPN.com Wednesday night.

The Knicks wanted Grant and then were planning to sign him and trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Glen Rice.

Sources said SuperSonics general manager Wally Walker and Knicks GM Scott Layden agreed to talk again Thursday. But sources said the Sonics don't expect the Baker-for-Ewing swap to be done until the Knicks give up on trying to get Rice as part of the deal.

Sources said Walker won't give up two starters for the 38-year-old Ewing, who has only one year remaining on his contract.

Walker is leaving for a family vacation in Italy on Friday and isn't expected to work on the deal while he's gone. The impasse might allow Houston to swoop in and sign Los Angeles Clippers free agent forward Maurice Taylor this week.

The Rockets have had dialogue with Taylor each day, hoping the Ewing-for-Baker swap would fall through. The Sonics have a scheduled teleconference with Taylor on Thursday.

David Falk, the agent for Ewing, Rice and Taylor, had tried to broker the deal, but the Sonics were adamant they weren't going to give up Grant to a divisional rival.

Sources said the Sonics would still do a Baker-for-Ewing swap if the Knicks agree to a two-team deal. Sources said the original deal between the teams didn't involve Detroit or the Lakers, the other two teams in the four-team, 13-player blockbuster trade that nearly was completed Monday. The Pistons pulled out of the deal late Monday night after the four teams had agreed on it in principle and conducted the required conference call with the NBA office.

Since the four-team trade fell through, the Sonics wanted to trade Baker, plus two players -- possibly Vernon Maxwell, Greg Foster and/or Vladimir Stepania -- for Ewing.

The reason the trade can't be straight Baker for Ewing is that there is more than a 15 percent gap in their contracts. That's why the Sonics would have to toss in a few players to make up the difference.

If Baker and Ewing stay in their respective cities, both teams would have to repair wounded egos with Baker, Ewing and their fans.

"If it's not going to happen, then Vin and the Sonics have to discuss the situation," said Aaron Goodwin, Baker's agent. "I've always said if it doesn't happen by Wednesday, then it's not going to happen. Vin has been a real professional about it. He's extremely disappointed that he's on the trading block, but he's a professional. If it doesn't go through, then a mending of the fences has to begin with the Sonics."

Goodwin said Baker is en route to Hawaii to prepare for the Olympics.

"Vin's not running around worried about where he's going, he's preparing for the Olympics," Goodwin said.

Meanwhile, Rice remains a Laker until Falk can find him a new home. The Lakers covet a power forward and wanted Christian Laettner in the four-team trade with Detroit. The Lakers would have gladly taken Horace Grant.

Since the four-team trade fell through Monday, Dallas has continued to pursue Laettner and league sources said a deal is imminent between Dallas and Detroit with Laettner going to Dallas in exchange for Cedric Ceballos, John Wallace, and Eric Murdock. Sources tell ESPN.com that this three-for-one deal or another in some form is expected to be completed within a week..


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