Trade rumor/report: Ryan Gomes and Luke Babbitt from Minnesota to Portland for Martell Webster. Good move for the Wolves (if it’s true) who could use a shooter, but between Webster, Wes Johnson and Corey Brewer, that’s a lot of small forwards. http://dimemag.com/2010/06/2010-nba-draft-live-blog/#more-47552 didnt see it anywhere, lock if posted.
I thought this was a confirmed trade, but maybe it wasn't. http://www.nba.com/2010/news/06/24/blazers.wolves.trade/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2
i guess it makes sense, but i think the team benifiting the most is the t-wolves. they get a good shooter and nice size on him.
I've already talked about this ad nauseum but this is a great trade for Minnesota. Webster is a proven commodity. Babbitt has bust written on his forehead. Flynn Webster Johnson Love Jefferson Not a completely awful starting lineup. And yes, I have no idea why Al Jeff and Love can't co-exist. Have Love play the high post and Jefferson low post. Makes sense to me.
This is an official trade. Adam Silver even announced it. Flynn / Sessions Brewer / Ellington Johnson / Webster / Hayward Jefferson / Love Milicic / Hollins Eh.
They co-exist on offence but both are defensive liabilities. Also IMHO Babbitt might be a bust but he'll thrive in Portland due to Brandon Roy and LMA getting all the attention. More importantly they didn't have to get Babbitt, they could have taken another guy if they thought Babbitt was going to be a bust. They certainly shouldn't have traded the pick for Webster. I'm going on record that the Blazers won this one.
The aspect of this trade that I am most interested in is what Portland plans to do with Ryan Gomes. Gomes's contract is only PARTIALLY guaranteed. After the extensions for Roy and Aldridge and the new contract for Camby kick in next week, the Blazers will be at or near the luxury tax. While Paul Allen has typically not shied away from paying the tax, the team could potentially save a bunch of money by waiving Gomes before July 1. If Ryan is on the free agent market this summer, and depending on how our depth is depleted in a major sign-and-trade, I wouldn't mind the Rockets looking long and hard at Gomes with a portion of the MLE.
What does Gomes gives for a portion of the MLE that Mike Harris won't for the vet min? He's a solid piece but I'd rather just throw away the entire MLE at a single player. We're stacked at both the Pf and SF position anyway.
He's a great trading piece for POR. They can take back about $6mil of salary for him, but he will cost the team he is traded to only $1 mil to waive. AKA, about $5mil in instant savings. All this has to be done before 6/30, though.