The more I think about that trade...the less sense it makes. I really think it has the potential to explode back on them. I know it looks great...gives them added depth etc etc and IN THEORY makes Portland damm near unstoppable. HOWEVER...think of the people side of things here. Dale Davis is a guy who has busted his ass for a long time to get recognition. He finally becomes an all star last season...and finally gets to the Finals, where he played exceptionally well. (He carried Indiana's front line in the Knick series) Now...does anyone think this is a guy whose going to say "Sure, I'll be happy coming off the bench and playing 10 minutes some nights. Sure, I'll be happy playing mainly as a back up center. Sure, I don't mind that this trade will drop me from being an eastern conference all sat to a guy who can just put 6 fouls on Shaq in the West" Think about it, where is the minutes???? They are just NOT there. Wallace and Kemp will take it all up at PF. I know Kemp will play some Center also, but that still won't leave much time. Also, if Kemp comes back to top form...wouldn't you be crazy NOT to leave him in the game as long as possible. Same with Wallace. In top form, Wallace and Kemp should be playing 35-40 minutes each. Dale Davis has been VERY quiet about the trade so far. I haven't seen one quote. It's well known he didn't have Portland on his 'list' of preferred trade options. Brian Grant LOVED Portland and is a great team guy...and even he left because he was unhappy at the back up role. I just can't see Dale Davis accepting it... Look for this one to explode soon. ------------------
I'm not so sure about that. Seems to me Sabonis is going to have an increasingly diminished role as time goes by, and they're probably banking that he's going to run into some injury trouble eventually, so that's where Davis' minutes will come from. Also I wouldn't be surprised if Sheed gets some time at the 3. A frontcourt of Davis, Kemp, and Sheed sounds unbelievable. I think Pip and Steve Smith will be the ones peeved about pt. What I don't understand is Indiana. They have NO bulk inside anymore. Sure O'Neal is long and athletic, but they're only banger left is Croshere. ------------------
Detlef Schrempf will be 38 and Arvydas Sabonis will be 37 during the season. Detlef avg's 21 m/g and Sabonis 25m/g. This is the final year on both of their contracts and I do not see either of the two fitting into the Blazers' future plans. I would believe that some of the minutes will come from here. I suppose at some point we will see Kemp 5, Davis 4, 'Sheed 3 and Pippen 2 on the floor but this is strictly a power lineup with NO 3 pt punch. It seems risky, but if this current experiment doesn't work, they will have 2 fewer contracts (worth about $11m) and some big name players as trade bait next summer. Looking at the woeful crop of FA's for next summer, they will probably generate alot of trade talks. If it works, it's hard to whine about playing time when your popping champagne. ------------------ GATER
Both of your posts make a lot of sense and have swung my thinking a bit. Particualry that Sabonis will go soon. Davis has at least 4 more years left, so it does give them security there for a longer term. Also, as Gater said, the Free Agent crop next year (minus Webber and Finley) is the worst I have ever seen. There's no one at all who you'd want. Trading looks to be the ONLY option to improve. Having said that, Kemp...Pippen and Stoudamire etc all are nearly untradeable due to their contracts...so Portland looks stuck with this nucleus for a while. One thing however, anyone else notice how quiet Davis has been? I checked a Blazer board and they were commenting that there has not been ONE quote from him about the trade. ------------------
ScreamingRocketJet, You dont know what Dale Davis is about so dont look at him in that fashion. Dale davis is about winning and he will SACRIFICE playing time for a ring. The pacers were robbed last year and he knows it and everyone one else who has basketball knowledge knows it. the only reason he does not speak up about is because he does not wanna get fined, Got it! ------------------