2008 Trading Bonanza. The Sequel ?

Four monts go by so quickly. I gain nothing looking back and trying to explain my non existening fan base what the hell I've been doing during the NBA Season. I have been watching. I know what's going on but I'm sure y'all also know what is happening so let's call it a day , a'right?

I've finally been compelled to blog thanks to the tons and tons of trade rumors out there. So I'm killing some time arranging some trades that should happen (Using ESPN's Trade Machine or RealGM's Trade Checker. Keep this in mind and weight in this trades the economic scenario we are living in. Small market teams like Hornets or Milwaukee might be force to surrender some key players just because there's not enough money to pay the luxury tax. This is a reality. It certainly sucks for a team like New Orleans to give away Tyson Chandler for some scrub and a draft pick but this are the times that even the deep pockets ain't so deep no more (Yeah, the rest of us who don't even have pockets we are just fucked)

The Amar'e Saga

Apparently Amar'e is going nowhere. If something happens in the next couple of days this is the trade I'd like see happening. Amare to Toronto, Bosh to Chicago, a nice little package to Phoenix.
Why would Colangelo do this? I know is far fetched but somewhere down the line Colangelo will have to trade Bosh. This way he's getting a player ready for primetime, not just a kid with some upside and a hustle swing player in Nocioni, that might prove to be better suited for Toronto than Shawn Marion (cheaper too). Phoenix is geting more than 12 million dollars coming off the book next season and Chicago is getting the franchise big guy to pair with Rose.
Chances of happening? 0.2%





The Blazers

Kevin Pritchard is looking at Caron Butler, Richard Jefferson and Gerald Wallace. I do think he's going to end up with one of those guys.

Washington might be shaving salaries just as a consecuence of their record. I don't see them moving Butler but I see Jamison in different colors next weekend. More on him later.

Milwaukee is going nowhere this season or next or the next one after that. If you ask me Michael Redd is not a franchise player but right now he's injured and untradable. As the big australian is untouchable the only valuable piece here is Jefferson. So he'll be sacrificied for the all mighty dollar. The Bucks get LaFrentz's contract and a couple of young guns. Next year they can trade Redd and I promise you the Buck will be in a better place
Chances of happening? 30%

Larry Brown likes Gerald Wallace. He does. But again economics might get in the way and I assure you they prefer keeping Okafor than Wallace. That's the only reason why I see something like this happening. This way the Bobcats get rid of Felton in the process and get in return cap space (aka LaFrentz' expiring contract), Sergio Rodriguez and the likeable sweet shooting Martell Webster. Throw some draft picks here and there and they are done. Take this as a straight up salary dumping move
Chances of happening? 14%


And Chris Paul is pick and rolling with...

Another crisis related move. Add one of the 800 draft picks Sam Presti has collected and we have a cute little trade. You know I hold Wilcox in high regard. He works hard, great rebounder, good guy. A little undersized and he might collide with West in the court but the Hornets would save more then 11 million dollars this offseason. And Chandler gets a fresh start ...again...
Chances of happening? 49%



Dead Wizards

They might no be dead (Basketball wise they are) but they are too expensive to be this bad. Arenas is...Arenas. Whatever that means. So their tradeable assets are Jamison and Butler. Butler is younger and that is why he's the guy staying and Jamison is the one packing his stuff. A pretty much straight up Jamison for Artest deal might be the right path for both teams and players. Houston gets a reliable 4 and Washington get a half season trial on Artest ( why everybody gets and "Artest trial" You all know that he can snap after more han 4 months, right?). Not sure the Rockets are going to give up on their own "big three" just yet but they might realize that this guys are not delivering no championship.
Chances of happening? 8%

NBA: Where stupid trades happens

I suppose to analized this and come out with an intersting and smart reason of the Shaquille O'neal trade I dont get it. I don't catch Kerr's drift

A'right, the Suns need some attitude and muscle to compete with the rest of the west. I agree that their run and gun show is not bringing no titles as they have been sent fishing by better defensive teams in the playoffs but in order to fix this you don't trade your most versatile player and second best defensive weapon for a 35 year old injured center. No. No. No. You trade Marcus Banks for Jaamal Magloire or any of the Seattle centers. Something smart.

The Suns are expecting that Diaw replaces Marion and that Shaq rejunates himself and be the diference maker agains San Antonio, Dallas and New Orleans. I really don't see that happening. This is Diaw's second bad year. This is Shaq's second bad year. I really don't get it. Worst case scenario the Phoenix Suns are going to get outrun by the rest of West with the exception of San Antonio and Houston. Best case scenario, Shaq is going to be a monster thanks to Steve Nash and the attention that Amare draws and the missmatches. I say the first has the better odds.

Phoenix needed to do some trade, Nash have been complaining about team chemistry for awhile now but this wasn't the trade to make. Not Marion at least not for Shaq

I don't get it


Ps: My condolescence. It's a shame

The Matrix and AK47

Ahhh… trade request, there’s nothing better to break a dull September than a millionaire professional crying for a trade. Andrei Kirilenko and Shawn Marion have gone public with their desires to change teams before the start of this upcoming season

You all know my stand of this type of request, but I can understand until certain point that a player wants out of a loosing team or a poor management situation. I can understand Jermaine O’neal, I can understand Kobe Bryant. But guys like Kirilenko and Marion whose teams have become contenders and the last three Western Conference finals have featured either of those teams. These are great teams, great organizations filled with a lot of leadership, players would kill small children and kittens to have a chance to play for teams like these.

Why are the looking to get out you may ask? Let's start with Kirilenko

Big money is obviously good, but I am prepared to make less. The size of my salary doesn't mean that much for me. The main thing is to play with a spark.

This ESPN article also reads:

He said he doesn't want to be a "robot" in Sloan's system. He longs to play in Europe, where he can be the man. Except he isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Unfortunately for him, neither is Sloan.

Look, Andrei, I know that the basketball level at Europe it’s great and everything. But if you want to be a MVP or a cornerstone from some franchise in the NBA, you better start working on you offensive game and develop some leadership qualities. And you need to play at that level for some 100 games, not just an short tournament but an entire NBA season with a deep playoff run included. Now go, become that player and then you can enjoy that spark with some other team.

What about Shawn “The Matrix” Marion? Dude you are playing with the best point guard in the business and a top three center. You are in the verge of a championship. You are earning like $16 million this year. You are a four time All Star. And yet, stuff like this crosses you mind:

His delicate psyche is never far from the coaching staff's collective mind. On the one hand, Marion is outwardly confident, cocky even, buying into that wonderful nickname, Matrix, given to him by TNT commentator Kenny Smith early in Marion's rookie year. The special-effects-driven movie was hot then, and "Matrix" was perfect for a player with an uncanny ability to suddenly materialize in the middle of a play (Marion seems to come from nowhere when he makes a steal, grabs a rebound or makes a quick cut to the basket) and leap from a standing start as if he's on a trampoline.

Sometimes Marion refers to himself as the Matrix, as if he has bought into the idea that he is a superhero who defies normal physical laws. His teammates call him "Trix."

On the other hand, Marion lives in a perpetual state of fear that he is being overlooked, underrespected, ignored, dissed, persecuted, singled out, patronized, whatever."

Number one, go see a shrink. Pronto. Number two, learn to dribble the ball. Number three, think Shawn, just think. The Suns championship is bound to happen, maybe this year maybe next but it will happen, unless Nash gets kidnapped or Gregg Popovich steals Mike Miller, Gerald Wallace and Dwight Howard. Just take the money for this two years, let Steve do his thing and give all of you that ring and then, ride to the sunset and go play for some other team. Trust me.