Mavericks Closing in on Deal for Marion

The Dallas Mavericks are close to acquiring forward Shawn Marion from the Toronto Raptors in a sign-and-trade deal after recruiting the Memphis Grizzlies to help complete a three-team transaction, according to ESPN.com.

The trade will also send Jerry Stackhouse to the Grizzlies, with sources saying that a trade call with the league office to formalize the deal is set for Thursday, meaning all sides have agreed in principle.

Marion is poised to receive a five-year, $40 million deal from the Mavericks, and Stackhouse will be bought out by the Grizzlies with cash furnished by Dallas for $2 million by Aug. 10. Toronto will receive undisclosed draft considerations and/or cash.

Toronto is only interested in taking back draft considerations and/or cash in the deal to avoid problems with signing Hedo Turkoglu later this week. During negotiations with Marion on a four-year contract believed to be worth $36 million last week, Toronto managed to convince Turkoglu to come to Canada for a five-year deal worth over $50 million instead of signing with the Portland Trail Blazers, who had received a verbal commitment from the veteran.

Dallas is looking to add Marion at a favorable price, a contract starting higher than the mid-level exception. Marion earned $17.8 million last season and was traded for the second straight February when Miami sent him to Toronto in a swap for Jermaine O'Neal.

Dallas is hoping that the combination of Marion, Orlando restricted free agent Marcin Gortat, and the re-signing of Jason Kidd will  improve team depth and flexibility. Orlando retains the right to match any offer sheet to Gortat, but the Magic are widely expected to let him go to the Mavs.

McDyess Heading to San Antonio

The San Antonio Spurs landed free agent Antonio McDyess on Wednesday, ESPN.com reports.

The sought-after 34-year-old power forward reached a deal with the Spurs and is expected to sign a three-year, $15 million deal later this week.

McDyess spent the last five seasons with Detroit, which also lost Rasheed Wallace on Wednesday to the Boston Celtics. The Spurs were also previously interested in Wallace, and they recently traded for Milwaukee swingman Richard Jefferson in a four-player deal that pushed San Antonio into the luxury tax.

McDyess averaged 9.6 points and 9.8 rebounds (the third highest total of his career) in his 14th NBA season. The second overall pick in the 1995 draft, McDyess spent six years in Denver along with stops in Phoenix and New York. He is hoping to win his first NBA title with the veteran Spurs.

Celtics Add Rasheed Wallace

ESPN.com reports that free-agent Rasheed Wallace will sign a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics at the midlevel exception.

The 6-foot-11, 34-year-old power forward was pursued by the Spurs, Magic, and Mavericks before choosing the Celtics. Wallace will be 35 in September, and joining a championship-caliber team was a priority this offseason.

Wallace adds frontcourt depth and outside shooting ability to the Celtics, who did not extend a qualifying offer to power forward Leon Powe, and may lose restricted free agent forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis to another team if he’s offered a contract which Boston can’t match.

Both Boston papers are also reporting that the Celtics may be interested in signing small forward Grant Hill, who averaged 12 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns last season.