Great thread, HP. In light of Wang's difficulties (interesting timing, huh?), maybe we throw up the white flag if we win #1 or #2 and are able to draft Ming: give it to Stern, errr, I mean NY, and demand their #7 and their unprotected pick next year. I could go for that.
Teams that would want Wagner- *CLIPPERS*- If Wagner is the best player on the board, those Odom for our pick calls that a lot want could turn into reality. Or perhaps Wagner/#15 for 8 and 12, allowing us to take either Butler or Tsiki at 8, and then go big at 12. Denver- They need a scorer in the backcourt...they pick ahead of us though, so unless we get #3, unlikely. James Posey would be a decent fit for us at SF. Memphis-Local college star. Draws fans. Would they part with Battier, plus maybe our obligation? Williams-Wagner-Gasol-Swift-Wright with Dickerson off the bench and their own pick is the start of a VERY good team. Cleveland-Wagner is the perfect fit for Miller's backcourt mate. What would they give to move up to make sure no one else takes Wagner. New York-He grew up in the Northeast. Would they convert him to PG? Miami-They need a youth infusion. Not much they could give us, outside of their pick, plus a future pick. Indiana-Miller is getting old. Wagner and Tinsley would allow them to be set in the backcourt for the next decade. What would they trade? Artest/#14? Would they trade Bender since they'd have Harrington and Artest ready to play? No question about it, #5 or #6 places us firmly in the middle of an interesting game, and we'll have plenty of options to trade, if we so desire.
Hp, great provocative post. A really good idea. I would like to revisit these after the lottery is done and we see how the workouts go. I have my eyes on Curtis, Woods and Nicko. If our pick is #6 or #7, then I want Curtis; if it is #5 or higher then we can consider trading but if Nicko and or Woods are turning out to be the real deal, then we may want to keep them. A mock I did today had Wagner dropping. If Haislip slips into the top 15, we are going to have a great #15.
I would think that the deeper and broader the draft, the less leverage you have in extract a real good deal in trading down. For instance with Indiana, who has access to Rush and other, why would they die for Wagner. In this draft there are going to be many first rounders who end up in the second round.
Barring any wayward ping-pong balls, I'd make a deal with the Clippers for their #8 & 12 in exchange for our #5. While I'd be willling to give the #12 to the Grizzlies this year, I think I read somewhere that we have to offer a pick to the Grizzlies a week or two prior to the draft (whereas you know a hypothetical trade of the #5 for the #8 and 12 wouldn't happen until draft night). Of course I also read earler that we could satisfy our Grizzlies obligation with our 15th pick this year.....so much for believing what you read. Thus, we would have to work some magic to get the #5 for #8 and 12 (given to Grizzlies) to work out or we could end up with three top 15 picks this year. Rudy would have a cow having to put three rookies on the team this year. I'd also suggest that in addition to wanting Wagner, I wouldn't be suprised if the Clippers might want to trade up for Wilcox. With Elton Brand, the Clippers can afford to give Wilcox time to develop. Further, I think the Clippers need to get meaner and nastier on interior defense and Wilcox would help there. Finally, I think Wilcox would be awesome running the fast-break with all those Clipper Guards and Small Forwards. I'd also do a deal with Phoenix for Joe Johnson & their #9 in exchange for our #5. JJ has a great assist to turnover ratio, and I'd like to see him on our side of the ball next year. Just like Eddie Griffin, I think JJ hit the rookie wall this season, but I think he would be a good fit for this team.
Trading down would be a good idea if we could get 2 great players instead of one for example Y.Ming+ 15 pick+ K.Thomas for C.Butler and M.Hilario .
1. No. 2. Yes. I'm afraid if we don't get rid of our Grizzly obligation this year, we well regret it next year. 3. No. 4. Yes. I'd trade next year's pick for Washington's next year pick.
If the Rockets have the first or second pick its trade-down time. Those two picks are so valuable, I think a lot can be gotten in return. If the Rockets get the third pick I'm kind of torn. If they get it I think they should take Dunleavy, unless someone makes a good offer to trade down. The Rockets would just have to weight the options. If the Rockets have the fifth or sixth or seventh pick and Dunleavy is still available...take him. If Dunleavy's gone try to trade down. My #1 option would be LA Clippers 8th and 12th pick. I think this is a possibility, because I can't imagine the Clippers wanting two more lottery picks on their team who are going to be asking for huge contracts in three seasons. The 8th and 12th pick will allow us to get a good small forward: Woods, Butler, or Tskitishvili. And a good big man prospect: Wilcox, Hilario, Stoudamire, Borchardt or Marcus.
DC, Clipper have no motivation to trade up. I have ran at least ten scenarios and the two players that Clippers end up with in each are better than anyone player they could be trading up for. On a side note, my biggest headache with the clippers is that they are hunting, somewhat, our # 15 pick. In fact Bucks and Clippers want the same people we want for the #15 pick.
Yeah, but the team is already severley overloaded with talented guys who are going to be demanding huge contracts when the times come. Its not good for a team to have all its players competing for money. If they were smart, it to seems to me like the Clippers would trade up and get the one guy they really wanted, than add two more "second choices" to their already overloaded roster.
For all those who suggested trying to get Joe Johnson from the Suns, I don't really get it. I can understand why we were high on him before the season, but I think he did more than hit the rookie wall about a third of the way through the season. He basically had the rookie wall collapse on top of him. Did he even score more than 10 points during any game after the All-Star break? I never could understand why the Suns benched Penny for him.
<i>For all those who suggested trying to get Joe Johnson from the Suns, I don't really get it. I can understand why we were high on him before the season, but I think he did more than hit the rookie wall about a third of the way through the season. He basically had the rookie wall collapse on top of him. Did he even score more than 10 points during any game after the All-Star break? I never could understand why the Suns benched Penny for him. </i> I personally don't have any interest in acquiring Johnson, since I feel he's a 2 not a 3, but he did have 13 double figure scoring games after being traded to Phoenix.
