31 Responses to “Harrington, Nelson deny trade story”

1. 

   Tim's source (oracle hot dog vendor) October 28th, 2008 at 2:46 pm

   Im not lying!, I heard what i heard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. 

   Jon October 28th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

   figures.

   Kawakami: a tool in both the literal and figurative sense.

3. 

   steele October 28th, 2008 at 3:02 pm

   haha, tim’s source, oracle hot dog vendor..

4. 

   moto October 28th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

   starting a rumor through non-attributable sources and a blog would hardly be a new trick in agent Fegan’s book.
   Harrington could have discussed things with his agent earlier in the summer, made peace with Nelson, and then didn’t change the parameters for Fegan–they both have plenty of other things occupying them. Anything Fegan does along these lines still maintains Harrington’s plausible deniability, and who’s to say he really knew what Fegan’s operatives were up to ?

5. 

   CL October 28th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

   Geoff,

   Thank you for correcting another Tim Kawakami blunder. Tim still thinks he can still hum a few bars and fake it without anybody noticing he is lacking in factual accuracy. Without your prompt alternative reporting, TK’s story about Harrington’s trade me demands would be treated as fact and would likely be the lead story at most basketball news publications tomorrow morning. That kind of distraction is the last thing the Warriors need heading into their season opener with the Hornets tomorrow night.

6. 

   dubs wise October 28th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

   It’s already the leading story on one NBA news website:

   http://realgm.com/

7. 

   Geoff Lepper October 28th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

   Let me say something in at least partial defense of Tim, which moto has already touched on:

   Don Nelson said just this afternoon that we in the media can’t trust a thing he says, and though he was laughing as he said it, it has the added bonus of being true.

   I tend to put more stock in Al’s denial because I have not yet caught him in an out-and-out lie as a Warrior, and he flatly denied having asked out of Oakland.

   But until someone creates a cellphone with a built-in lie detector, the best I can do is go to the principals involved and ask them for comment, then print it here. Which I have done.

   I’m pretty certain Tim’s going to have a response later tonight.

8. 

   Jon October 28th, 2008 at 5:53 pm

   Kawakami is also been the self-annointed fan behind the “Rowell Mullin Fued”

   He posted the story on Rowell’s “veto” of the Baron Deal - fans then were outraged (why?) at losing their point guard because a “suit” decided to be cheap.

   It was not until 48minutes.net revealed that Rowell was merely insisting on nonguaranteed money in the event that Baron was…well, Bad Baron at the end of his deal.

   Kawakami might just be reporting what he’s told, but he’s certainly not above (below?) spinning the facts to serve an agenda.

9. 

   Rafael Palmero October 28th, 2008 at 7:47 pm

   Mark my words (wagging index finger at everybody) Tim has never ever lied. The reference to Tim on this blog is absolutely false!

   signed,

   Raffy

10. 

    Know It From Inside October 28th, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    Just to let you know, I’m on the inside of the Harrington camp and Al does want to be traded. Don asked if he made Al a tri-captain if he would just chill. This is all so Al can get what he want more of guraranteed to him and that is “playing time”!!!!

11. 

    CL October 28th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    Know It From Inside,

    Don Nelson will give Al all the PT he can handle if Harrington can produce. If Al can’t produce while he is on the floor then he should opt out at the end of the season and sign with any other team he wants. Brandon Wright and Anthony Randolph are both anxiously waiting in the wings for their chance if Al can’t deliver the goods. The NBA doesn’t exist just to make Al Harrington happy. The NBA is a put out or get out business and as a 10 year player this should not be news to Al Harrington. But apparently there are some people who think the grass is a lot greener on the next hill.

12. 

    Scott October 28th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    Kawakami has an update confirmed by a league source that Harrington and Fagan sat down with Mullin and asked to be traded on Monday. So either this is not true . . . or he lied to you Lepper. Maybe you could talk to the same league source??

13. 

    norm October 28th, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    So who’s lying here?

14. 

    norm October 28th, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    C’mon Lep-dizzle tell us whats really goin on..

15. 

    Jon October 28th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    Possible variations:

    Al is lying- he demanded a trade to Mullin’s face.

    Source is lying- nobody’s demanded anything

    Al is not lying, but Fegan talked to mullin. Plausible deniability.

    Al demanded a trade at some other time, but the story broke now for whatever reason.

    No one demanded anything, but because the story was printed, everyone reacted and effectively kicked off trade talk in front offices.

16. 

    Geoff Lepper October 28th, 2008 at 10:56 pm

    Scott, norm: I don’t know who Kawakami’s sources are, so I really can’t give you a decent opinion on who’s lying, although it’s clear someone is.

    If it’s Al, then I really don’t understand what he’s thinking — if he had a sit-down with Mullin on Tuesday, he had to know it was going to come out and that his flat denial would be ridiculed.

    Jon: That’s a solid list, although don’t forget more devious possibilities such as “Warriors planted story to kick up interest in Al because he’s the only piece they have that can net a starting-caliber PG in return.”

17. 

    CL October 28th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    Geoff,

    If the Warriors planted the story to kick up interest in Al:

    a) the Warriors are probably only going to be offered undesirable point guards like Tinsley and/or players with lengthy contracts with high dollar commitments like Kirk Hinrich or worse (i.e. Knicks)

    b) TK was an unwitting pawn for Al or did he collaborate with Mullin to plant the Harrington story?

    c) when it rains it really pours on the Warriors

18. 

    Bob October 28th, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    TimK updated his post. He said…

    “In the parsed terms of the NBA, Harrington didn’t specifically lie to Lepper because, as I understand it, Lepper talked to Harrington in the mid-day and the formal request, with Harrington and Fegan meeting with Mullin, came in the late afternoon/evening. So at the exact moment of Lepper’s questioning, Harrington could truthfully say that he hadn’t officially asked to be traded”

19. 

    Carl October 28th, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    or maybe it has to do with Nellie’s contract extension? Was I the only one thinking that this was going to be Nellie’s last season with the Warriors?? I thought after he signed the last contract, he made it semi-clear he only wanted to stay around one more year. And then when he won the arbitration against Cuban and came into that dough, I thought that would cement his leaving — maybe even before the season was over. Perhaps Al was thinking the same thing? Then when the Warriors turned around and gave him Nellie a two-year deal (and at this rate, who knows how many more after that), Al figured the hell with it, he’ll be around forever and decided he wanted out of Dodge now.

20. 

    Jon October 28th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    Geoff,

    Over on rumorpress.net, which proclaims itself the “#1 source for Bulls rumors” (or something like that), the Bulls apparently put in a call shortly after news broke. The discussions centered around Hinrich for Harrington, with the Warriors interested in Thabo Seflosha (a little concerning, given we have 3 swingmen signed for the near future in Azubuike, Jack, and Maggette, plus a 4th SG in Belinelli).

    Since this is news coming from the Bulls side of things I don’t know if you can confirm, deny, or add anything to this rumor.

    I’d have to say that that based on Hinrich’s larger contract (one more guaranteed year) and down year last year, his value is right on par with Harrington’s in a straight up deal. With Gooden and Nocioni, Al does not fulfill any need on the Bulls, however, but Hinrich clearly fulfills a need for the Warriors.

    At just a shade under $9M annually, Hinrich at pre ‘07-’08 levels is quite solid value, and he’s well below 30. A good passer, very good defender, and range out to 3 point range (not to mention successful playoff experience), Hinrich would be a good fit. Were we to make a straight swap I think we’d be doing well- if we squeeze any positive value on top (Thabo, or in a dream world, Noah), we’re getting a steal.

21. 

    Jon October 28th, 2008 at 11:45 pm

    More from Kawakami:

    His explanation is that at the time of your interview (midday-ish), Al had not met with Mullin yet.

    It was only this evening that Al and agent Fegan met with Mullin to demand a trade, prompted by Nellie’s recent extension.

    Which begs the question…

    If Al hadn’t demanded a trade yet when Geoff spoke to him, then where did the original story (which is the reason, afterall, Geoff went to Al) come from?

    There’s some screwy cause and effect timing here.

22. 

    LF75 October 29th, 2008 at 12:20 am

    Yahoo confirmed Kawakami’s story.

23. 

    Jon October 29th, 2008 at 12:38 am

    You know what’s annoying? Not providing a link.

    Bad habits from realgm.

24. 

    howl October 29th, 2008 at 12:58 am

    marcus thompson also confirmed Timmay’s blog entry.

    it’ll be interesting to see if any of the fans who’ve bashed Timmay go back to his site and apologize for mocking his sources…. i’m guessing that the figure will be 0.

25. 

    Geoff Lepper October 29th, 2008 at 1:53 am

    Jon: Tim’s original story went up at 1 p.m., and that prompted me to talk to Al around 2. Clearly they met with Mullin after that.

26. 

    Jon October 29th, 2008 at 2:28 am

    Marcus Thompson’s blog updated again, this time the whole thing is out in the open.

    Al himself now says he’s demanded trades before and wants to leave still.

    Quite poor timing for this to get dramatic.

    Mullin should have really taken care of this in the summer…

27. 

    starburst October 29th, 2008 at 5:42 am

    Geoff, check Janny Hu’s blog. Al changed his tune in a hurry. Now spilling his guts about why he wants to be traded, in great detail.

28. 

    Al Harrington Wants To Be Traded « nbaroundtable October 29th, 2008 at 7:03 am

    [...] Pingback at the bottom of Kawakami’s aricle to a piece on 48minutes.net, claims that the report is erroneous and that Harrington has not asked for a trade. “I haven’t [...]

29. 

    spambait11 October 29th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    This site and author are both lame. Shut it down. The only thing Al Harrington was surprised about was how stupid the author is to believe him. Lepper’s quote: “I tend to put more stock in Al’s denial because I have not yet caught him in an out-and-out lie as a Warrior, and he flatly denied having asked out of Oakland.” You, sir, are too naive. Get off the NBA reporting circuit.

30. 

    Joe.Sez October 30th, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    Half the NBA wants to be traded. Someone call a whambulance.

31. 

    trollificus November 6th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    lol @ freakin’ tards.

    Let’s see…when confronted with a situation like this:

    “Two reporters said things that are inconsistent!”

    Your first conclusion should not be

    “One or the other must be lying.”

    There are many more likely possibilities:
    a) one or another source is lying, or, more likely, not fully informed (or misinformed).

    b) the front office is lying, or has misunderstood something.
    .
    c) the player is lying, or telling the “truth” with qualifiers: “I haven’t asked to be traded YET.” or, “I, personally, have not said, directly and specifically, to the coach, that I wanted to be traded.”

    d) miscommunication. No one is lying. Someone actually believes something was said that wasn’t meant, or the. truth is not black-and-white , i.e.: “kind of” asked for a trade, or “implied” wanting a trade, or “mentioned playing for another team”

    …and finally, the possibility a MILLION time more likely than either reporter lying, and the one all idiot blog commenters seem to forget:
    f) THE F*CKING AGENT IS LYING. (true: Harrington never, himself, flat-out asked for a trade. also true: Fegan did.)

    Since it’s Fegan, this is the most likely the source of any confusion.

    You dumbasses getting on Kawakami for “lying” are just. plain. stupid. Next time you hear something you don’t understand, or that seems inconsistent, just accept your own confusion. Don’t try to figure it out based on incomplete information and inadequate cognitive skills.

    loosers.