Prediction: If Minny doesn't trade for AI, then KG is gone. Minnesota can do this deal if they get creative and it will appeal to Philly more than Denver's deal. Philly wants expirings, young talent, and picks. If AI goes to Denver for some combination of expirings and a couple picks, then Minny is definitely sending the signal that they are not really willing to build around KG and KG will figure it out. Here's the deal. The assetts that Minny can trade for value or expirings would be Foye, Davis, and Mike James. Foye, Philly wants him. They would gladly take his contract. Now, you've got to turn Davis and Mike James into expiring contracts. I say these two because Davis has a year and a half left on his deal and James is a legit player that other teams would want. Troy Hudson and Marco Jaric could be moved but teams aren't going to be willing to give up cap space for their long term deals. So, Davis and Mike James. 1. Ricky Davis should be traded to Dallas for Croshere's expiring contract. Croshere's contract is simply trade bait for Dallas. Even if they don't sign any of their free agents, they are still over the cap, so cap space does nothing for them. And Stackhouse is a free agent after this year. Ricky Davis has one year left after this year. Davis would be insurance for them in case Stackhouse left or they decided they didn't want to pay him. At the same time, Davis is an expiring next year, so he will be trade bait then if he doesn't fit in. 2. Mike James has value. Somebody would pop expiring contracts for him. Heck, Denver may even want him if they can't get Iverson. Personally, I'd like to see Sura give it up and help us be a facilitator to send expirings to Philly here. We get MJ. We give up Sura's deal and either Bonzi or a young player like Novak and our first rounder in 2007. Philly winds up with Foye, probably Novak, our first round pick and Minny's first round pick, and expirings. Dallas trades Croshere for Davis. Nice, clean and simple for them. Minny trades Davis, Mike James, Randy Foye, Bracey Wright, and their #1 for Iverson. And Garnett gets his running mate. Bracey Wright has to be pedaled to somebody to meet the 25% rule. Minny could probably get Dallas to take him with Davis if they included a 2nd round pick to Dallas. Minny would effectively be over the cap. Big deal. They go get a MLE player next year to team with Garnett, Iverson, McCants, Blount, Hassell, Craig Smith, and Jaric, and you have a very nice 8 man rotation there that is a definite playoff team and could be a contender. And everybody gets what they want. I would think Philly would prefer this deal much more than just basically the cap space and the 2 picks from Denver. They are getting Foye, possibly Novak, and Houston and Minny's picks versus Denver and Dallas' picks. Of course, I'm dreaming in this scenario of Mike James coming back to the Rox. And I didn't take into account the James' trade kicker. That may require Padgett to be sent out with Sura instead of Novak or possibly both if Philly wants Novak. But the trade for James is still doable with other teams with expirings or salary cap space. Toronto is trying to facilitate a deal that would give them another player using their available $2 mill cap space. And they do have Mo Pete's expiring deal to use for trade bait also. There are several ways to move James for expirings and possibly picks. Heck, Philly may even be interested in taking him back along with Foye themselves. But if Philly wants expirings and picks, Minny can turn Davis and James into expirings and picks. To me, it's very clear. If Minny doesn't make the trade for AI, then they are telling Garnett they aren't going to get him a superstar sidekick and it is time for Garnett to demand out of there. It's just not going to happen for him. BTW, I actually kinda hope Denver gets him. It will screw up their salary cap and they are stuck with him and Melo for long time. Just don't see how they are going to peddle Nene's money pit contract off for expirings. Any team would be foolish to take on that deal. They will probably have to send out Smith and Andre Miller's expiring deals plus the 2 picks to get the deal done.
