The latest from the best beat-writer in the NBA? The Cavaliers have made their list, checked it twice, and now sit in a holding pattern to see who will blink first. According to Brian Windhorst, the Cavaliers wish-list(see below) hasn't changed for the last 72 hours, except for one surprising addition -
1. Amare Stoudemire - The Suns' PF is still the Cavaliers #1 target. The deal has offered and Danny Ferry is simply waiting for Steve Kerr to decide whether or not it is enough. The Suns, wanting to get the best deal possible, are likely to take the waiting game all the way to the deadline.
Their first choice is believed to be to trade for the Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire, a deal they have been working on in earnest since last week. Their offer is centered around Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson, but would likely include at least one more player and a draft pick.
Despite being prodded by the Cavs, however, the Suns seem willing to wait. League executives report that the extra time is for the Miami Heat to put together a more competitive package. The Heat, who have been courting Stoudemire for as long as the Cavs, are believed to be looking for a third team to help them pull it off.
The Cavs' deal, in conjunction with a potential money-saving buyout of Ilgauskas' contract, could put the Suns under the luxury tax. That is a move that could save Phoenix is excess of $10 million this season.
According to th report, the Suns are waiting, and hoping the Miami Heat can bring more to the table, meaning, a deal that would allow Phoenix to dump Jason Richardson as well.
2. Antawn Jamison - It was reported earlier tonight that the Cavaliers had made progress with the Washington Wizards in regards to Jamison. The twist is that scenario was the Cavaliers reluctance to include J.J. Hickson in any deal for Jamison since age(33) and money($33 million over next 2 years) is a huge factor.
Though James has voiced his desire for Stoudemire, he's been supportive of the team's attempts to land Jamison for the last month, sources said. There are factions within the organization that prefer acquiring Jamison -- who is 33 and has two seasons and $27 million left on his contract -- over Stoudemire.
While the Cavs have been willing to part with Hickson, their prized developing forward, for Stoudemire, sources said they do not feel that way about trading for Jamison. Because of the amount of money left on Jamison's deal, they are not as willing to give up as much.
The Wizards, who are headed for new ownership, have already begun a process to rebuild and clear salary. Moving Jamison for an expiring contract like Ilgauskas would accelerate that mission dramatically. According to a source, Jamison has requested to be traded and the Wizards are believed to want to accommodate him.
The Celtics are after Jamison too, but would need to make another move - like finding a sucker to take on Rasheed Wallace - to make that happen.
3. Corey Maggette - This option is a bit of a surprise to all of us. A Ilgauskas-for-Maggette swap is reportedly out there, with the Bay-Area media reporting the Cavaliers want Golden State's 1st Round Pick included in the deal, something the Warriors are not inclined to do. While Maggette plays the same position is LeBron James, at least on paper, James moves around the floor, playing PG, SG and even PF at times. That means it could easily work, and Maggette is a scoring machine.
The team is believed to be attracted to his scoring ability, as he's averaging 20.8 points and shooting 52 percent this season. However, he's owned more than $30 million over the next three seasons
That's the latest. I will say I am a bit surprised that Delonte West's name isn't being tossed around more often in some of these deals. West has a very friendly contract, made better by the fact it is partially guaranteed next season.