I'm with you, Toddie. Keeping Cato because we need him now is short-sighted. There is an opportunity to move him and get no trash in return. Moving Mooch for Ward with the expiring contract is sweet. That's two overweighted contracts gone. In a perfect world, I'd also try to get draft picks, and get rid of KT. Mobley for Spree is an example of how we can't get enough for the Cat in trade. I'd move Cat for someone better, but there aren't a lot of betters out there that we can get. I obviously think the older headcase Spree is not an improvement. However, IF we free up some money as Toddie suggests - perhaps Cat is the sweetener to free up an Elton Brand in sign-and-trade. Or even a Lamar Odom. I wouldn't mind him on the wing passing to Ming. Maybe we can get him and keep Cat - if so, great. Odom is the sort of passing player we need. I could handle Francis, Mobely, Odom, Taylor, Ming - with Griffin, Rice, Hawkins, Tito and a Kurt Thomas type banger, on the bench - How 'bout you? There are a number of other quality FAs next season.
MManal, I like Griff and Cuttino but if the Clipper's were willing to do a trade I would not bat an eyelid myself. Many will say that Griff will be a super star one day.......Well this may be true but will he ever be as good as KG??? Even if this were the case I would trade KG for Brand. Brand is a monster. I don't want for any trades to happen at this time, but I would do this if it were possible. Yao and Brand on the front line. Still would have issues of KT and Mooch
How tall is Brand, really? At one point during the game I remember him and KT standing next to each other (trash talking or something... they were smiling) and thinking that they looked very similar in height. Could that be possible? Probably just the camera angle. I've always thought Chicago brain-dead for that trade.
1) I woudnt want a point guard who averaged less points and assists last year than the one we have, plus one who is 3 years older and makes even more ($1 mil) than Moochie does. 2) Why would we want Doleac? The "slow footed-space taking-no talent having-corn fed-mid west farm boy looking-whiter than Wonder bread-jump shooting 7 footer-slower than Thomas Hamilton-end of the bench filling-Jack Haley" role is already taken on this team. ----------------------> 3) Cato is very valuable as a back-up center and while his contract is rather large, he can still serve a purpose until Yao overcomes his foul prone tendencies. 4) I would rather have a Chicago #1 pick in the coming years than the NY pick. Summary: We would be trading a good backup center (which are hard to come by), a serviceable backup point guard (argue all you want, but just like Moochie can lose games ...he can win them too) and what looks to be, at worst, a mid-first rounder for someone who will be playing with Instanbul Technics University of the Bulgarian League by 2004 (Ward), someone who would become best friends with Collier and above all else, Yao practive fodder, and a 1st rounder which will not necessarily be better than the one we already have. Sounds to me like we are giving up a lot for so little.
the best trade would be to send Taylor/Moochie in a 3-way with Knicks/Clippers/Rockets and we get Brand,Knicks get Taylor and the clipps get 4.5 mill and New Yorks trash and we find a way get Damon Jones.
I'm not one to advocate any sort of trades this early into the season. However, Francis and Mobley play way too many minutes between them. They both average right about 42 minutes per game. That tells me that even Rudy does not trust the play of Moochie anymore. With that in mind I've been thinking about a crazy trade all day long. We have incredible front court depth (Cato, Ming, Griffin, Maurice, KT, Rice, Morris, Nachbar and even Collier to some extent). Most of those players are capable of playing more then one position. Our backcourt depth is incredibly thin. Moochie wont shoot and right now Hawkins is not a good shooter either. Call me crazy, but I wish the Rockets were looking real hard at Damon Stoudamire. I know he has had character problems the last couple of years. But then again, it just might be that crazy ass team. Damon might be having his worst year, but the dude can still play. His career averages are I believe: 15ppg and 7apg. He shoots close to 42% from the field and 35% from the 3pt line. Our defense would suffer a little bit with Cato departing, but Maurice would not be bad as a backup center. Stoudamire can sub in for Francis or Cuttino at most times. When subbing for Francis he would be the pg and Cuttino the shooting guard. When subbing for Cuttino, Francis would be moved to the 2 guard and Damon would be the pg. And I believe everyone knows Damon is very very good at finding the open man and running a break. It should not be that hard to convince Portland to give up one of their thugs. And with Damon hanging around class guys like Steve, Cuttino, Ming, Griffin and Rudy, I believe he would put his trouble past behind him. Ming/Maurice Griffin/KT Rice/Nachbar/Morris Cuttino/Hawkins Francis/Stoudamire
