Denver is sending Menk Bateer, Don Reid, and a pick to the Pistons for Rodney White! YES! This trade means that Denver is NOT going to let Cleveland win tank fest 2003 without a fight! Denver is committed to upholding the standard for NBA futility, and their fans should be proud of the organization's commitment to losing...well, at least this year...I should get NBA league pass just to watch Nuggets and Cavs games this season and see how bad they can be... 8-74, baby! I can feel it... http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0930/1439410.html
Nugzfan is in for a loooooonnnnnngggggg season. Remind me to avoid all Cavs and Nuggets games on League Pass this year.
Unlike the Cavs though we have an exciting future. We gave up nothing for the 9th pick in the draft two years ago. He has talent, he just needs to work on it. I have faith in him. Add Skita and Nene to the mix, and we have a fun core to cheer for. Besides, these guys are all likable, unlike last year's squad with Nick the Prick. And hey, we're bringing back the rainbow jerseys a few times this season!
It's all scouting and opinion at this point. I see Bateer becoming a better player than he was in Denver. But White could also show up. It certainly doesn't help Denver in the short-term...we can agree on that. I do think they have some itneresting things going on there, though, with their rookies.
Absolutely agree. At the Worlds, Bateer got 25 points in 23 minutes versus Germany (against a decent Patrick Femerling and sometimes Dirk). With Yao in early foul trouble, Bateer became China's only low post option and netted 19 points in 34 minutes against the EC laden US team (Davis, Wallace, O'Neal). I won't comment now on the Nuggs, but I said this before about the Pistons - Clifford Robinson, Zeljko Rebrecca and now Menge Bateer give Detroit three decent centers all with different games in a conference lacking in quality centers.
Denver could very well be a great team in about four years. The fans'll have lotsa pain until then. I'm curious to see how good Tskiti will become. Unfortunately for us, probably pretty good. As far as who wins Tank-a-Thon 2003, Cleveland might still pull off a sorry-a$$ trade, you never know. I still see them as leaders in the obvious "We-Want-LeBron-James" sweepstakes. I did enjoy it when Lamond Murray got traded for the afterthought player named Michael "Yogi" Stewart (no offense to Mr. Stewart; who wouldn't want $4,000,000 per year to do nothing? talk about hitting the lottery!) Murray stated to the media (paraphrase), "It's obvious what they're doing, they want that kid (James) so bad they're tanking the season." Words to that effect.
I agree with you there, although you still have to wonder why they pulled the trigger on the Stackhouse/Hamilton trade. This may actually work out in their favor in the long-run, but in a generally not too dominant Eastern Conference that changes from top to bottom every year, you have to wonder why the Pistons would give up the familiarity/chemsitry, etc of last year? Keep Stackhouse, add Bateer, they'd be serious Eastern Conference contenders this year. As is, they MAY be, but you have to see how Hamilton fits in, and I'm sure that is probably what may be on some of the other players minds up there.
I saw it in a thread a little while back. I don't know if it was official, but they had a pic. Here's a link. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41640&highlight=Denver+jersey Hehe...you can tell how I searched for it. BTW, I think you have to copy the pics URL into you address bar to see it. Or it may not be there anymore. I didn't check it out.
Actually, the jersey I posted in the thread linked isn't the throwback. That's a new jersey that I hope the Nugs end up going to next season (we are changing).
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200210/01/eng20021001_104243.shtml NBA Spurs Likely to Sign Chinese Center Bateer The San Antonio Spurs also has showed interest in a trade involving Chinese center Menk Bateer, Bateer's Chinese agent Xia Song said Tuesday in Beijing.
Having Bateer on the Spurs gives them greater depth in the frontcourt.Robinson may develop backpain or get tired during the season and Willis is also slowing down some.
