Hey kidrock8... My bad. I just took another look at some of your recent posts and I obviously had you mixed up with someone else. You're a smart, thoughtful poster and I obviously lost sight of that with the recent wave of ridiculous reactionaries, who seem to have briefly (in your case) made me one of them. I get the deal about the potential suspension and of course I'm concerned about it. My reaction was to all the silly people out there calling Mo T and Odom drug addicts with character issues, just because they smoke. Again, apologies. I'd edit my earlier post if I didn't find that practice to be lame.
Not a big deal... I will admit that I don't want Odom for the reason that his next suspension could be a long one.... It's his choice to smoke weed, but when it affects the team, then I don't like it.
What did Roy Tarpley get busted for? I know that he had so many failed drug tests, that he eventually got kicked out. I don't think there's anyway that the NBA would continue to give Odom the "maximum" 5-game suspension for a 3rd time offender. The NBA has become so image-conscious that I wouldn't be surprised if the NBA levied a 15 game suspension. The only reason why they wouldn't, is that a big chunk of the NBA smokes pot...
Well here's a crispartner post explaining the CBA rules on mar1juana suspensions... http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31654&highlight=drug+suspension Wasn't Tarpley a cokehead?
I for one am not worried at all about Odom smoking weed. After all didn't Oakley say that half the league smokes it? I would be worried if he had a coke problem though because look at what can happen to people who do coke. (ex. Gooden and Strawberry). If he had a bad attitude I would also be worried, but he doesn't. My only concern is for his health, and if the Rockets staff thinks he is healthy enough to have a long career then they should trade for him. Although they thought Rice was healthy so I don't put too much faith into their medical team. With career stats of 16.3 pts, 7.5 rbs, and 4.9 asts for a young player are just too good to pass up. I would trade our 5th pick for him.
I think the actual results from the Charles Oakley study yielded a finding that 70% of NBA players smoked pot. I have not seen his study, however, to form an opinion regarding how scientific it was.
Should the Clips trade with the Rockets? Isn't there a rumor that the Cavs may entertain an Andre Miller trade? How about Odom\Clips#1 for Miller? Clips get big-time, local boy PG. Cavs get young versatile swingman, lotto pick. And think if they get Wagner or Williams. Just hope the Rocks' score big in the lotto and get what they want (Ming). Not enough to put them in the playoffs, but hey, at least they'll get a brief moment of happiness.
If the draft positions stay as they currently are, then there's a good chance that Dejuan Wagner could drop to us at #5. The Clippers have reportedly indicated that they'd be willing to trade Odom & their picks (if I remember correctly) for the right to draft either JW or Wagner. I believe everyone would agree that Ming & JW will be the first two picks. If everything I'm hearing about him is true, then Qyntel Woods could be the third or fourth pick. Every year, at least one player comes out of nowhere & jumps into the top few picks. If that mysterious player jumps into the top 4 this year, then Wagner would most probably drop to the 5th spot. If we assume the team that drafts JW is unwilling to trade him, then that means the Clippers would come knocking on our door for Wagner. If this scenario were to play out, then I would make this offer to the Clippers: Houston sends Moochie/KT/#5 pick/#14 pick to the Clippers. The Clippers send Odom/Dooling/#8 pick(Atlanta's)/#12 pick to Houston. The Clippers would get an experienced starting/backup (when Wagner is ready to take over) PG, a great backup for Brand at PF, the PG that they want in Wagner, & the #14 pick to draft depth or trade for a veteran. Houston gets our SF in Odom, a promising, young backup PG, & could either combine the #8 & #12 picks to move up in the draft or trade away for a starting center. Some centers that might be available for some combination of the two lottery picks & matching salaries are, Brad Miller, Magloire, Kwame Brown, Keon Clark, Nazr Mohammed, Mihm, Diop, Dalembert, LaFrentz, Marc Jackson, & Curry (if Chicago gets Ming) to name a few. If we do it right, we might be able to dump Rice or Cato as well. It's a shame that the lottery drawing isn't until May 19th.
I don't know if that would quite work. KT would have to be amenable to re-signing with the Clips, or they lose him for nothing...and the Clips already have a myriad of contract problems to deal with. We probably need to unload Rice (good luck!) before seriously thinking of bringing in Odom. Trade Rice and the #6(?) for a signed-and-traded Rashard (as long as he doesn't take the max). Use KT and/or the #14 to get a decent center. Something like that.
The way Sterling is about resigning his own players, they might like the flexibility that KT's contract would give them. Even if they don't resign him, they'll still have his rights for the next two years & could trade him, if he refuses to resign. They'd have Moochie locked in for several years & would be able to grab their future starting PG. If we made the trade with the Clippers & received the #8 & #12 picks, we most probably would be able to move Rice with the two picks for a veteran center & fillers.
