Ideal (yet realistic) Offseason

OK, here it is. My ideal draft (and a few moves to help make it happen)

First, of course, the lotto gods look favorably on us and we come out #1.

So of course, if you have read any of my other posts, you know that we then grab Ming.

Still got #14. Draft is going on and going about as expected in the #1-5, but when we hit 6, some of the HSers and the big guys start to turn some heads. Butler and Jeffries are both there when we hit #9. I offer Miami Moochie Norris and #14 for #9 and pick up Caron Butler (I could live with Jeffries, but would much rather Butler). Wow. Now I have filled both my major holes with high ceiling guys and it cost me Mooch and a little luck.

Now, I got one pick left in the 2nd round. What do I do with it? I'm hoping for one of these guys to fall to me, in order Dan Dickau, Steve Logan, Marcus Taylor, Jiri Welsch, Juan Dixon,Casey Jacobson. Since it's my dream and I am playing for the championship in two years, Dickau is my guy to replace the Afro. Fairly apropo.

Now, that leaves me with a roster of
PG Francis, Dickau
SG Mobley, Torres
SF Butler, Rice, Morris
PF Griffin, Taylor, Thomas
C Ming, Cato

Collier, Langhii and Brown are still hanging around on the IR and Willis has joined the team as a coach. Ideally, I'd like to move Thomas for a bit strongly presence, but with Rice and Taylor both coming back from injury, I keep him around until I am sure both are fully recovered. But if the right deal for a defensive presense came along, I would have no qualms moving Thomas, Collier and Langhii for a strong defender, maybe at the center position.

Wanna go small? Let's run with Dickau, Francis, Mobley, Butler and Griffin. Wanna go big? Try Francis, Butler, Griffin, Cato and Ming on for size. But as a general rule 2 years down the road, my starting five would be Francis, Mobley, Butler, Griffin and Ming. And I think those guys could mesh and the strengths complement each other well enough that everyone could be happy and we could contend for championships.

 

For a team like miami that needs a point guard, why wouldn't Moochie and #14 get you #9? Especially if Moochie is deemed better than the point guards available and the guys they are looking at would likely be available later. I'd be willing to do KT (less salary to offset, far better player) but thought that Moochie would fit Miami and their needs better. That and I liked the PG options possibly available in the 2nd round better than the SF/PF/C options, which is why I'd rather keep KT. Moochie is imminently far more replaceable in my mind.

I don't know how draft pick trades work to know what we would have to take back in salary. Obviously, I didn't take that into consideration at all, making it more difficult. But it could be worked out.

And to answer your other question, I don't see Collier/Langhi as having any trade value except as throw ins to the right team. Hey, we were able to trade Bryce Drew, weren't we?

As someone else mentioned, getting the #1 pick is a pretty small possibility, but I think if we move up one more lotto shot, we have almost a 10% chance. And we might not need to be #1, might just need top 3 for ming as williams and wagner might go before him.

Does anyone know? Could we trade KT and a draft pick for a draft pick without having to take anything else back?

 

Rimbaud,

I didn't trade Thomas. I traded Norris. I would trade Thomas for a power post presence as I mentioned after the lineup, but I don't know who that would be just yet.

And the lineup is for 2 or 3 years down the road when we are challenging for a championship, not next year. Next year, I would be starting Francis, Mobley, Rice, Griffin, Cato or Francis, Mobley, Rice, Taylor, Ming. I'd ease Butler in for sure and would try to ease Ming in. Although, I might just throw Griffin and Ming out there and let them block every shot that goes up within 10 ft of the rim.

In fact, depending on how his salary lays out, I might start KT next year and trade him later in the season after continuing to improve his trade value.

Besides, all I need to do next year is make the playoffs. Beyond that, I don't care how I do, so the idea of inconsistency doesn't bother me much. The goal is a deep run the following year and the start of a championship dynasty in 04-05.

But then, I like to think big.

 

Rimbaud,

Sorry about the mistake. You are absolutely correct, I am evil. To be more evil, I edited the original post to correct it so now everyone will wonder what the heck you are talking about.

Thanks for catching me.