I agreed with most everything you said, then I read this. You're kidding right? He has shown himself to be the biggest bust in college basketball right now. Him and Jones were supposed to anchor the Duke team while the freshman got used to playing on such a high level. Jones kept his end of the deal, Duhon has MAJORLY flopped. Besides, there is no way Duhon goes in the first round. Unless he seriously improves his game next year. I would take Jones tho, he is built, plays hard and plays smart.
I'm thinking getting Brand is very unlikely. That being said, why not get Kurt Thomas? He can hold down the pf spot for a few years while Griffin still grows. Plus Thomas is a good defender and rebounder and a damn hard worker. Maddox, Collier, Moochie, Hawkins, Taylor and Nachbar are tradeable commodities. The Knicks need to add some size up front and undoubtedly they would want Cato with a passion for his rebounding, size, and defense. Cato, to me, is untouchable though. Taylor seems to be coming into his own again, and I'd loathe giving him up, but Thomas brings d and rebounding to the pf spot, as well as the ability to score. If we offered up Collier, Taylor, Moochie, and another? (Hawkins or more likely Nachbar), up for Thomas and Harrington or other? (they probly wouldn't give up two of there big guys...) Collier has a good shot and can rebound. He could help out the Knicks at center, and Taylor would definitely be a step up for them at pf, a legitimate scoring threat. He could take some pressure off of Houston and Sprewell, and bringing in moochie, who looks to pass first usually, the knicks could have a young true pg. Nachbar could help the Knicks up front as well and become a scoring threat, again taking pressure off their backcourt, or if its Hawkins he'd bring some great D to there sg/sf positions, and the Knicks need some D. Having Thomas on the rox would help the frountcourt a lot. Plus we'd finally have a legitimate starting pf and a ... uh... veteran? Plus Thomas could probly teach Griffin a few things about being more freakin' aggressive. Whoever we else we get in the trade will probly be a bench warmer though. Harrington is a good player, but I'd much rather have Griffin and Thomas manning the pf spot full time. If we got Sprewell however, he could be a good addition to the sg/sf spot, a player who can shoot threes really well. I doubt salaries would work out though. What do ya'll think about getting Thomas if Brand can't be gotten?
This little nugget is from ESPN Insider today. #### Gentry: We can't win with this group Someone had to say it. Unfortunately, it was the guy who likely will be kicked to the curb along with all eight of the Clippers' underachieving players. Coach Alvin Gentry ripped into his team after yet another disappointing loss Wednesday night. The Clippers stink. And it isn't going to get any better. Gentry sat all five starters in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's loss, turning the game over to Quentin Richardson, Keyon Dooling, Eric Piatkowski and rookies Melvin Ely and Chris Wilcox. Those are the guys who are going to get more and more time," Gentry told the L.A. Times. "I thought those guys played and competed until the end of the game. I don't know what's what, but we have to get guys on the floor who are going to compete." Gentry feels his players have given up on team basketball in order to pursue personal agendas to increase their value on the free-agent market this summer. "Well, I would say we have now," Gentry said. "Obviously, we've shown we can't win with this group [of starters]. The only thing left is to try the other guys." Genty's wrath has known no limits, but the focus of his frustration has centered on promising young point guard Andre Miller. After putting up all-star-caliber numbers in Cleveland last season, he has just been awful since the New Year. After averaging an impressive 17.9 ppg and 8 apg on 43 percent shooting in Novemeber, Miller slipped to 12.1 ppg and 6.1 apg on 31 percent shooting in January. Miller's ineffectivness, combined with the strong play of rookie Marko Jaric and third-year guard Dooling, continues to fuel speculation that Miller could be gone by the Feb. 20 trade deadline. Is Miller injured? Is he still grieving over the death of his stepfather? Gentry doesn't have a clue. "As far as I know, he's OK." Asked about Miller's mental state in the wake of the death of his stepfather last month, Gentry told the Times, "I don't know. The guy doesn't talk about it to me. I don't know anything that's going on with the guy." ##### Gentry says he can't win with the guys he has? Is the time NOW to swoop in and try to get Brand? The Clipper starters' stock have to be at an all time low, if not for league wide perception, at least low in the Clippers perception. NOW is the time to try to pry away some of their players! If the Rockets can get Brand and add them to a core of Francis and Yao they will be set! Chris
I was wondering if we could get Wilcox from the Clippers. He's gonna be a solid player in the future. Who would we have to give up for him? I'd give up Moochie or Hawkins or Nachbar or Maddox, or a combo of these four (that is if we can't get Brand or Thomas). We don't seem to have any playing time Hawkins, and he could really be a good addition to the Clippers for his d. The Clips really do need a pg too. They seem to be shopping Miller, and the only other pg they have is Keyon Dooling. Maddox could give them a pretty good defensive pass first pg, but no way they'd want to take such an inexperienced pg under their wing right now. Moochie could really help them out, he can score and he tallies up a good amount of assists for the pt he gets. To me Wilcox is a better prospect than Nachbar is, so I can bear parting with Nachbar for Wilcox. Don't think the Clippers would want him though.
No future sf? Posey, TMo, and either Hawkins or Nachbar could hold down the sf spot.......? Posey and TMo are our future sf's.
Back in 2000, I wanted the Rockets to consider signing Kurt Thomas. Obviously, it didn't happen but he still might be a good fit. He's tough (God knows the Rockets need some toughness at the PF spot) and is a good (not great) rebounder. He even blocks some shots (about 1.5/game this season). The only problems I see are (1) his age - he's already 30 and probably won't improve any and (2) he's foul-prone at 4.5/game (9 foul-outs this year already). As tough as he might be, he won't do us any good if he's sitting on the bench. Still, if the Rockets can unload Moochie or (preferably) MoT for Kurt, I might also be willing to give up Cato. Although our team might not be a whole better talent-wise, I think Kurt Thomas' consistency at the PF spot might help the Rockets as a team. I really think EG is barely ready for the NBA, let alone a starting spot. And Mo's deficiency on the boards will hurt the Rockets in the playoffs. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd trust Rudy T's opinion on this trade.
Clips feel they have two PGs AFTER they off load 'dre (Jaric). Wilcox? Why would Sterling off load a guy he has locked in 'cheep' for the rest of his rook contract? If there is a Clip deal it will be their coming FAs for salary control. Even LAC can figure that out. Wouldn't it be a shame if someone figured a way to spirit Brand and/or Odom into Rox PJs!
Yeah, he is getting on in years, but he's still pretty effective. Plus he'd be around long enough until griffin breaks out hopefully. But I think he's foul prone largely because he's playing the center position where he gets outsized a lot. But yes, it would be nice to have Thomas's consistency instead of the inconsistency of Taylor and Griffin.
But aren't we already busy developing EG? How could we develop EG and Wilcox at the same time? And add Mo Taylor into the mix as well.
Yeah, I agree that the Clips wouldn't want to give up Wilcox, but after the offload Miller, they have Jaric and Dooling. Dooling has not bee impressive, putting up dismal to mediocre like numbers and Jaric is a rookie. Mooch is more experienced and puts up better numbers than Dooling. So he could either backup the pg spot depending on how Jaric turns out, or he could start until Jaric starts really heating up. I think if offered some good talent that could really really help the clips, Sterling might give up Wilcox, but I don't think we would be able to give them what they want.
Wilcox would probly be mostly a bench warmer if we get him (he's basically on the bench on the Clippers anyways). MoT I'm kinda apprehensive about, and I'm thinking he may not be the future of the rox in the years to come (but there's a good chance I'm wrong). And EG... well I'm hoping he'll turn out to be what we all hope for but in case he doesn't... Wilcox is basically just a prospect for two to three years from now. It'd be nice if both Griffin and Wilcox turned out well, we'd have championship years out the wazoo.
Why would the Clips give up Wilcox???????? No way, teams usually don't trade top 10 picks (except for R. White) until they determine that the pick was a mistake. DREAMCASTING!!! for the infatuated fan of youth.
