Penny Hardaway, Stoudamire Focus of Mega-Trade Talks
Penny Hardaway and Damon Stoudamire were the centerpieces of a blockbuster three- or four-team trade being discussed Wednesday.
The principal teams in the talks are the New Jersey Nets, who would receive Hardaway; the Orlando Magic, who would get Stoudamire, Walt Williams and others, and the Toronto Raptors, who would receive Sam Cassell and another player from the Nets.
The biggest holdup of some kind of trade was Orlando’s decision on whether to keep Stoudamire or immediately trade him. Orlando was discussing sending Stoudamire and others to the Trail Blazers for several players, according to several NBA sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The inclusion of Hardaway was a stunning development, although his name surfaced in the league rumor mill in early December. Hardaway, who was to sit out Wednesday night’s game in Minnesota because of a strained calf, said before the game he expected to end up with another team by today.
Hardaway has a clause in his contract allowing him to become a free agent after the 1998-99 season, and Orlando’s management may have become convinced that he would be looking to leave at that time. However, Hardaway insisted Wednesday he wants to play his entire career in Orlando.
“The Magic [was] looking for me to give them a commitment that I wanted to be in Orlando for the rest of my career,” Hardaway said. “I gave them that . . . and all of a sudden it seems like my word isn’t good enough to stay with the Magic. So it seems like the trade rumors have started even more.”
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-12-sp-18475-story.html
