NBA : Trade Rumors Denied

A blockbuster trade possibly involving the Seattle SuperSonics and Boston Celtics has the National Basketball Association buzzing with rumors.

The Sacramento Kings could join the show, making a bid for Seattle’s Nate McMillan or Boston’s Brian Shaw, two point guards.

In the most likely scenario, the Celtics would send Shaw and center Robert Parish to Seattle for McMillan and forwards Xavier McDaniel and Michael Cage.

The Kings could trade draft picks for McMillan or Shaw.

Officials from the teams declined to confirm the possibility of a trade. But several agents said the clubs are continuing to talk.

“I haven’t heard a good enough deal for us yet,” said Jerry Reynolds, the Kings’ player personnel director. “We might have to sit down next week at the league meetings and talk face to face to get something done.”

Representatives from all 27 teams will gather next Friday in Boca Raton, Fla., for the league’s annual summer convention.

Speculation about a SuperSonics-Celtics deal has raged for months, beginning soon after Seattle hired K.C. Jones as coach. Jones coached the Celtics for five seasons ending in 1988.

Many NBA followers assumed Jones would be eager to acquire experienced and familiar talent for Seattle’s young players.

Several general managers and agents said they were certain Seattle and Boston would make a deal before the June 27 NBA draft. When a trade failed to materialize, the trade speculators went into hibernation until this week.

From the Kings’ perspective, McMillan would be an ideal acquisition. Despite an unprecedented number of moves this summer, the Kings have left themselves vulnerable at point guard.

Five of the Kings who handled the ball last season -- Danny Ainge, Vinny Del Negro, Rodney McCray, Kenny Smith and Sedric Toney -- have been traded, waived or lost without compensation to Europe.

The Kings used the 14th pick of the draft on Texas guard Travis Mays. But Mays is a shooting guard. The Kings don’t know whether he can fill the demanding and specialized role of an NBA point guard.

And Mays hasn’t signed a contract. He can’t practice until he signs.

“We’re having amicable conversations with the Kings, but I’m not saying an agreement is imminent,” said David Falk, Mays’ agent. “It takes two to tango.”

He added, “We feel very confident about our understanding of the market. We were ready to sign the day after the draft. We still think it’s important to get Travis signed as soon as possible.”

If Mays fails to sign before training camp begins Oct. 5 or proves ineffective at point guard, the Kings must rely on veteran Rory Sparrow, acquired from Miami in a draft-day trade.

Sparrow is a competent journeyman who has played for five teams in 10 seasons. But at 32, he can make only limited contributions to the young club.

With Mays unproven and Sparrow past his prime, the Kings are critically weak at point guard, which in recent years has surpassed center as the most important of NBA positions.

“There’s no question we could use help there,” Reynolds said.

McMillan, 26, has spent four seasons with the SuperSonics since leaving North Carolina State. He started 69 games last season and averaged 6.4 points.

Shaw’s background is more complex. After ending a successful rookie season with the Celtics in 1989, Shaw, 24, decided to play in Italy.

Discouraged by his European experience, Shaw said he was eager to return to the NBA.

But a series of contract disputes involving Shaw, the Celtics and the Italian team, Il Messaggero Roma, have left other clubs wary of the former University of California, Santa Barbara, star.

McMillan became expendable when the SuperSonics drafted Oregon State’s Gary Payton. Also, Seattle plans to use Shawn Kemp at power forward and center, making Cage a likely prospect for trade.

The Celtics would need a guard to replace Shaw, plus a center to replace Parish, who turned 37 last week.

Earlier this summer Parish dismissed trade rumors about himself. He said Boston couldn’t afford to open the season with former King Joe Kleine starting at center.