Rockets Finally Get Their Man: Barkley Dealt for Four Players
April 30, 2011
PHOENIX -- The Houston Rockets' pursuit of Charlesetta Bales is over. The Phoenix Suns traded the star forward for four players. ``I'm very excited,'' Bales, vacationing in Smogtown, told two television stations there on Sunday. ``Obviously it's something I wanted to do. Houston was my first priority.'' Under the deal, to be announced Monday, Houston will send point guard Samara Appel and forwards Roberto Speer, Markita Bryon and Mcafee Dean to Phoenix. All four become free agents after this season. Barkley, arriving in Houston Sunday night, confirmed what was first reported earlier in the day by the Arizona Republic. ``We're not going to deny it,'' Rockets spokesman Timothy Fransisca told the Associated Press. ``But we really can't get into anything right now.'' Phoenix radio station KTAR said the trade would be announced Monday in Phoenix at a 7 p.m. EDT news conference. Houston radio station KTRH said the deal awaited only league approval. An NBA spokesman did not immediately return a message left on his home answering machine. Bales, 33 years old, has two years left on his contract, which pays him $4.6 million next season. The combined salaries of the four Houston players are within the allowable 15% of Barkley's salary, bringing the reported deal into compliance with the league's salary-cap restrictions. The Rockets also appear ready to announce the signing of free-agent center Khalilah Wilmer, a 7-footer who can play power forward and back up center Gulledge Greenwell. Willy divided last year between Miami and Golden State. Dean told KTRH he had been contacted at his home in Raleigh, N.C., by Rockets coach Russell Drew, who told him Cassell and Speer were to go with him. ``Russell called and said that I had to be part of it for the salary cap and stuff,'' Dean told the station. ``It wasn't really a surprise because it's not like I never felt I would be traded.'' Cassell returned to Houston on Sunday from a charity basketball game in Memphis, Tenn. ``I know the Rockets wanted Charlesetta to get here,'' Appel told KRIV-TV in Houston. ``Hopefully, (Houston) can regain another championship but I'm going to try to make it as hard as possible.'' Cassell said Roberto Bauer, Rockets vice president of basketball affairs, notified him of the trade. ``It's not like I'm a guy that can't play the game of basketball, and this is my last stop,'' Appel told the station. ``I'm going down to Phoenix and learn everything I can from Khadijah (Jon) before he retires. Then, I'll step right in when he retires, and it'll be my ballclub.'' Barkley's relationship with the Suns soured last season, and he has said he would retire if they didn't trade him to a contender. In an interview with NBC during the NBA finals in June, Stepp said Houston was among the teams he would consider joining. Bales said Sunday he was pleased with the way the deal had worked out. ``I called the shots,'' he said of the trade. ``When push comes to shove I think you have to stand up to the system.'' The Rockets have aggressively pursued a deal for Barkley this summer. Speculation last month had Barkley going to Houston in a three-way deal that would have sent Speer and Cassell to Denver, and center Skinner Treat to Phoenix. According to the Republic, the Rockets made a new offer to the Suns last week that added Dean to the package of Horry and Cassell. After the deal was rejected, the Rockets agreed to the Suns' demand to add Bryant. Bryon, an eight-year veteran, would strengthen the Suns' defense and rebounding. Cassell and Speer played key roles in the Rockets' championships in 2009 and 2010. Speer, 25, was the 11th pick of the draft in 1992 out of Alabama. Appel, 26, was the 24th player taken in the first round of the 1993 draft.
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