No way Orlando trades Armstrong and Miller. Whos starting point guard Troy Hudson. Plus we dont need Cato's big ass contract, we are making a run at Duncan in 2003. This deal makes no sense at all for Orlando. Nice try I'd rather have Garrity playin center then Cato
First move would be to start Curry and put Miller back to the bench - not that Miller is playing badly, he's doing great, but I'd want Curry to know that he's my starter and I think the opportunity of playing alongside Oak might teach him a thing or two. Tyson Chandler would go. I'd be attempting to trade him for someone good - preferably a young vet (28+) - maybe make a package to send to Portland in exchange for Bonzi and Dale Davis. Both of those guys would make a big difference, they could start and adding Davis would mean that Oak could go! Plus Davis brings a good work ethic to teach the rest of the team. I'd envision trading Chandler + Oakley for Davis + Wells (+ filler - Boumtje Boumtje or Brunson or something). Next would be a point - I don't like Crawford as a starter there - so I'd extend Anthony (on less money) and make Crawford a 2 and project him to start there in time. Mercer is expendable and I'd send him to a team that needs some scoring help in exchange for preferably a first round pick. I think that would leave me with; PF Davis SF Robinson C Curry SG Wells PG Anthony C Miller Sg Crawford Sf Artest Sg/Sf Hassell Pf Fizer Pg Guyton PG would need to be addressed in next years draft, and Jason Williams would be the target - the trades proposed wouldn't be done until just before the deadline (by which time we'd only have 4 wins on the board) - hopefully the new lineup wouldn't win too many games before the draft, at which time we pick up JWill and slot him in at PG - either that or swing the pick for a GOOD PG - but doubtful that many teams would be willing to deal, so Williams would be the target. With the Pick received for Mercer I'd be looking for a PF to backup Davis, preferably one who could hit a 14-18 footer. I'd think that'd give me a solid team which has scoring coming through Curry and Wells, a good worker in Dale Davis and solid bakcups for each position. The Bench would provide some scoring with Crawford and Fizer coming in to score and some defensive minded players as the situation demanded.
1. While the danger of "spoiling" the kids is real, I think that there's no substitute for NBA game time for developing players. I don't think you're sending them the message that "they're so good, they don't have to work hard." Why? Because they will be losing by 30+ on a regular basis. If getting your ass kicked routinely doesn't motivate them with Oakley breathing fire behind them... nothing will. 2. I like Swopa's suggestion of hiring a large staff for training purposes. 3. You've got to get another legit scorer on that team. I think that for the offense to function at all, and develop any sense of rhythm, they need a go-to guy. Personally, I'd look into trading for MIKE MILLER. You could probably get him for Brad Miller and Artest or something and maybe a future protected pick, since he's sort of redundant on that team anyway, and the Magic desperately need defense. B. Miller looks pretty decent, too. That gives you a starting lineup for the future of: C Eddie Curry PF Tyson Chandler SF Mike Miller SG Ron Mercer PG Jamal Crawford Potentially, every single one of those players projects to above average on the NBA talent scale. Unfortunately, I don't see a single "superstar" there. It's possible that Curry or Chandler will become that way... I just don't see it. Curry doesn't have the ball skills to be a Hakeem and he doesn't have the sheer size and monstrous athleticism to be a Shaq. So, what to do? Sit and wait like a spider. The Bulls have good, tradeable commodities not listed there. Fizer's been a disappointment, but coupled with a HIGH lottery pick, I think he could attract a LOT of interest from a franchise not-to-attached to their star. Hell, if Stevie Franchise threatened to bolt and didn't sign an extension, I bet the Rockets would take that package.
Stupid thread title by the way ....... But .... .... interestingly topic. Most people start to build a team with key players or key positions filled with the best player available for that position. That is the folly (er .. Foley?). In fact, when building a team you start with a game plan (duh,of course) and fill your slots with complementary players that talent-wise and performance-wise (two vastly different commodities) can best blend together. The blending ingredients are: 1. Competent distributors of the ball with astute, hand-savvy receivers of the ball. 2. Scorers who can penetrate and threaten, with shooters that will sink a shot from almost anywhere. 3. Defenders that are generally fluid in motion on defense yet can stop and disturb a D-set in a heartbeat. 4. Stringy long-armed forwards for expanding the court and bulky forwards to clog up the middle. 5. Rookies and veterans. Both must be coachable. To draft or trade for anything otherwise is a waste of time and sets your plan back years. 6. Coaching and ancillary training staffs that recognize their team strengths and have workable solutions for their team weaknesses. 7. A head coach that can pull of this together and is a fierce competitive floor general come game time. With respect to the above (briefly): 1. Eric Snow, Emmanuel Davis, Jason Terry, Mike Bibby, (of course the ubiquitous John Stockton too) 2. Nick Van Exel, A.I., Francis or Cuttino, Vince Carter, Kobe, Miller (pick one) 3. Not many out there in this category. Kobe Bryant, PJ Brown, Antawn Jamison, Christie, Jason Kidd (who is not a great defender but he makes you get rid of the ball quicker than you wish or forces mistakes) 4. Add any premiere forward with the likes of Mc Grady or Brand and add a big beef specimen like Oakley or Davis (or the ubiquitous Shaq-Dog). 5. Speaks for itself. Note: Anyone who would trade a premiere forward (Brand) for an untried rookie(Chandler) has already lost the point. But drafting a rookie (Griffin) to blend with a veteran (Hakeem) {or even Richardson with Jamison in Oakland or Hunter with Bo/Patrick in Orlando} seems like a superlative step forward. 6. Sticking a new coach, into a situation where he not only does not know the pro game, but doesn’t know - he does not know the game - is as stupid as it gets. Compounding this of course is the simple fact that these very same coaches get to select their entire staff. Rookie or inexperienced coaches hiring rookie or inexperienced coaches to coach rookie or inexperienced players …. Is mind-boggling. In contrast, coaches with years of experience (like Nelson, Brown, Jackson and Tomjanovich) surround themselves with a staff that is well-rounded but very astute in at least one particular area of the game AND excel in that aspect. They are chosen not for their performances but by their experience and development of that method. Note: Jim Boylen is a perfect example: he started in the tape room running copies to the support staff. Then he’s editing tapes. Then breaking down upcoming opponent’s tapes. Then spotlighting the “game within the game” for individual players. Then isolating game strategies and presenting his strategy with taped examples at team meetings. Then practicing with the team to demonstrate set postures or positions. Then just as progressively, being elevated to team Assistant Coach with those specific duties and the EXPEREINCE to coach them. 7. The head coach is the pivot of all of this. The guy who gets it all to gel together. The massager of egos, the yeah-naysayer for the finance department, the front man for the media, and most importantly the guy who sets the tone for everyone else. The buck stops on his front door. Not the manager (eh,Krause, making some deals that Tim wanted to kill you for?), not the owner (eh, you think Mark Cuban built that team,or did Don Nelson?) and not the players (with the bizarre exception of the Washington Wiz). What Would I do? 1. Implode. Sell off everything unnecessary. There is a lot of unnecessary in Chicago. You are looking for developing a “personality” for the team. Keep the longterm talent but resell them on winning in the longrun. Unload the shortterm filler unless they are needed to prop up the longterm player. 2. Start by hiring a knowledgeable coaching staff. Chuck Daley is gone, but PJ Carlisimo is available. Hill and Harris are still around. Bill Berry is a better “methods” coach than about fifty percent of the pro coaches out there right now. Brown is a master at this game. Karl, if he would shut his mouth and stop using it to damage the good, would be a prospect. Forget all these high profile NCAA wizbangs with expensive suits. Forget all those ex-pro athletic “superstars”. Get a teaching coach, a focused, experienced guy who knows in what the direction the end of the tunnel is. 3. Get an owner and a general manger who will do their jobs and shut up. That is ….respectively, provide the money to do what is necessary, and manage the franchise (including player moves) with the coaches game plan in mind. Now if I could just win that lottery ………
