The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 21. Until that date hits, teams are rapidly trying to figure out ways to improve the roster or the salary cap. Every player in the league becomes rumored to be on trading block, whether it is true or not. It becomes difficult to separate the fact from fiction and the serious trades from the initial discussions.
Coaches are trying to figure out what players they can easily let go or what combination of players will get them the most value. It is a frustrating time for everyone involved. Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl decided the process had become too difficult and he needed to let off steam. What better way to have a little fun during the process than to make up a fake trade rumor to get the media into frenzy.
Karl admitted to once time having a contest with coaching pals to see who could get the craziest rumor into the paper first.
"We make up some trade that never was purposed in 100 years and suddenly it's on ESPN," Karl said.
While Karl claims to no longer be in the business of pulling pranks on the media, he swears he has not pulled a rumor in 7 to 8 years.
Karl has been the head coach of the Nuggets since around 2005 when the alleged fake rumor took place. Players on the roster at that time were Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Andre Miller and Kenyon Martin. It is anyone's guess who the fake rumor could have been about.
Karl says he feels bad from players around this time. The NBA is a business and at times, the feelings of the players are thrown out as quickly as an over-priced contract. It makes it ironic however that it was Karl then claiming to toss out a fake rumor just to get in the papers. Certainly a fake rumor can only make the player's lives tougher because they now have to deal with media and fan speculation.
In 2013, every possible trade rumor and situation is immediately talked about in the media. In an age of trying to get information released the quickest, a small rumor turns into a big one in an instant. A fake rumor only fuels the fire.
It is worth noting that Karl was an ESPN commentator for NBA broadcasts prior to becoming head coach of the Nuggets.
