Salary Cap, Labor Deal Halt Dealing

The NBA trading deadline is Feb. 22, but trade talk has been muted, in part because of the new labor agreement and harder salary cap.

Teams now are more anxious to try to drop salaries and get under the cap to sign free agents, as the Knicks did last week with Charles Smith, putting them $8 million under for next season, and the Cavaliers earlier this season in dumping John Williams. For the most part, teams are reluctant to make deals to take on large contracts.

But there are some possibilities. The Trail Blazers are talking to the Timberwolves about a Rod Strickland-for-Isaiah Rider deal, and the Rockets and Celtics about Kenny Smith for Dee Brown. The Heat is considering dealing Kevin Willis, the Warriors are thinking about trading Tim Hardaway and Rony Seikaly, and the Knicks are looking to move John Starks and perhaps Charles Oakley, who has a $10 million balloon payment due soon.

Also, the Mavericks are said to have cooled on dealing Jim Jackson after the Nets rejected a deal for Shawn Bradley.

“Half the league is going to be free agents at the end of the season,” said the Mavericks’ Jason Kidd. “There are a lot of big men who are free agents. That’s what we’re looking for, a couple of big men. If we get them now, there’s no telling if they’ll come back .”

First-round jitters

Seattle’s George Karl, with consecutive first-round eliminations, is worrying already about that dreaded first round.

“Three years ago when we went to the Western finals, every first-round series went five games,” Karl said. “Two years ago we got upset by the eighth seed. Last year we got upset and Utah got upset in the first round. This year we could play Phoenix in the first round. We’re hoping they don’t get that eighth spot. They had a bad start; now they’re scaring everybody. Utah and San Antonio might meet in the first round. The first round in the West is going to have fantastic matchups. And with Magic back with the Lakers, how dangerous are they? They’re scary.”

Hog or hero?

Ever wonder why the Bulls’ triangle offense didn’t work for Tex Winter when he was the Rockets’ coach in 1971?

“Because Elvin Hayes was quintessentially the most selfish hog in the history of basketball,” said Rockets broadcaster Mike Newlin, a guard on the Hayes teams.

Tip-ins

The Pistons, whom the Bulls visit Thursday night, put Joe Dumars back in the starting lineup for overmatched point guard Lindsey Hunter. Said coach Doug Collins: “Hopefully, Lindsey will relax now. Maybe he won’t put so much pressure on himself. Or feel pressure from me. He hasn’t been smiling, but hopefully he’ll start.” … Portland coach P.J. Carlesimo is expected to be bounced after the season, with either Seattle’s George Karl or Trail Blazers executive Jim Paxson taking over… . Asked if the acquisition of Charles Smith makes the Spurs a serious contender, the Suns’ Charles Barkley said: “No. I’ve said it’s Seattle and Houston. And we can beat anybody if everyone is healthy. But that’s a big if.”