If that is really what the Blazers wanted, I would think that they would have already made that offer, wouldn't you? So, apparently the Kicks turned them down, or they don't want an expiring deal, one of the two.
Not sure if this was posted anywhere. http://archives.seattletimes.nwsour...isplay?slug=roy24&date=20060624&query=houston
Well, the problem runs deeper than salary. The Trailblazers are trying desperately to clean up their image and reclaim their fan base (that has all but deserted the Jailblazers). Mo Taylor, even for a season, does not resolve that issue. He's been suspended how many times for failing drug tests? The only way that would make sense is if they were ready and willing to buy him out as soon as he got there. They can't have Mo Taylor suit up for them if they're serious about changing their image - and they seem to be serious about it. The Knicks are probably one of the very few teams that would consider trading an expiring contract for Darius Miles. His stock is low. His potential hasn't amounted to much at all and his attitude would leave most to believe it never will. Tim Thomas is probably among the biggest under-achievers in the league and he's never had a reputation half as the one Darius Miles has earned for himself. The problem with the Knicks being one of the few teams that would consider it - How many high character guys do the Knicks have? Not many. They have a whole lot of egos and head cases. I think the Blazers are probably in the worst place in the league right now. Randolph and Miles are going to be very difficult to move without giving up some or all of their VERY few remaining valuable assets - for instance, the #4 pick.
But even the Knicks would have to be thinking about the $40 million they potentially owe LB unless Stern bails them out and how to pay for that. Mo's expiring contract helps them there. I know they are loaded but even Dolan is going to try to be somewhat fiscally responsible especially after that debacle. Plus the Knicks may be thinking about their roster being overloaded at the 2,3 and also the fact that you bring an influence like Miles into a lockerroom that is already goofed up with guys like Marbury and they might be able to see that it might ignite another nuclear bomb.
I'm really excited guys. You have to understand that without the injuries, our team was one of the contenders in the west. To be able to draft as high as no. 4 and add some younger legs, even if it's Miles, is outstanding and just gives us a better lineup for the upcoming season. I bet San Antonio and Dallas are pissed at how active our team is in this year's draft. We'll get #4, Miles, #32 and possibly Mike James as our backup point. At no. 4 I'll be happy to get Roy, Stache or Gay and try to pickup a big body at #32.
honestly if tyrus thomas went to any other school would we even have a stromile swift comparison? i'm not saying he's the next amare, but if stoudamire went to lsu for one year instead of coming straight out of high school, his highlight clips wouldn't look all that different from thomas' and further back swift's. motor and heart is something you can't judge on tape and what i've read seems to indicate this guy has a strong passion for the game. yeah he comes off as an ******* too. come to think of it, so does amare, and maybe this team needs some mean bastards. he's not #1 on my draft board but there's a reason why teams at the top of the draft are looking at him. don't forget he's only freakin 19 as well.
True, but with that said... If Thomas was 6'10" 245 like Amare instead of 6'8" 217 and didn't try to make arguments for himself that he's really suited for SF in the NBA, I'd be interested. All things considered, he doesn't hit me as a guy that's worth the risk of hoping he has fire in his belly.
#4+Miles <-> #8+Howard ????? can Miles play PF ??? a starting 5 Alston/Roy/McGrady/Miles/Yao would look great imo
Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm pulling a couple of thoughts together from all the discussions on this board, and all the rumors that have been flying around. I think I might be on to something...here's what I'm thinking... First of all, assume that the Rockets do the Miles trade (Miles/#4 for Howard/#8). The Hornets have been rumored to want Shelden Williams, but the Hawks have been rumored to have given him a promise at #5. If the Rockets drafted Shelden for the Hornets at #4, they could turn around and give the rights to New Orleans for the #12 and J.R. Smith, who they've been looking to dump. New Orleans would still have #15 so giving up the #12 wouldn't be such a big deal in my mind. Ok, back to the draft for our Rockets. It's pretty safe that at least one of the following players is going to be there at #12 and the Rockets would take their pick depending on who they like most... Brewer Carney Redick Of course they'd still have the #32, as well as the MLE to throw at a free agent. So if they play their cards right, this could be the lineup... PG: Rafer Alston | Mikes James (MLE) | Luther Head SG: Tracy McGrady | (#12 Pick: Brewer, Redick, or Carney) SF: Darius Miles | J.R. Smith | Ryan Bowen PF: Stromile Swift | #32 Pick? | Chuck Hayes C:: Yao Ming | Dikembe Mutombo They also have a 1.6 mil trade exception and a 4.2 mil trade exception, although CD just said that the chances of using them in the summer are pretty slim. More likely to hold on to them and utilize them at the trade deadline. So...what do you think? Personally, if that happened and everybody played at least decent, I think I might crap my pants out of sheer elation. The roster gets a crazy overhaul of youth, athleticism, and versatility, and best of all, I don't even think it's that far fetched of an idea!
Like I've said, I'm not a Miles fan. I think his best role will be as a defender off the bench. If we don't land a versatile Brewer type, then obviously Miles' role would have to be bigger. As for paying him all that money but sitting him, why not? We've sat spoon, and mo before. In fact if we land Miles, I'm pretty much expecting him to butt heads with Van Gundy and land in the doghouse.
m_cable, I would like your opinion on the scenario I posted just above your last post. For the sake of argument, assume that Miles can contribute at least a decent amount. If he doesn't start, obviously we slide J.R. Smith to SG (or Brewer/Carney could start) and leave Tracy at SF like he now. Even if Miles is nothing, we still have options...flexibility.
I second that! I have less than zero interest in trading Howard for Miles (even straight up). Miles is an underachieving head case who can't shoot. NO THANK YOU!!!
I'm not really wild about the idea of trading up and then trading back down. I think value can get distorted when you go in two different directions like that. Also if Shelden is Nola/OKC's target then it could be very risky. Since he's not really worth a #4 pick and isn't someone I'd be willing to trade up for, Shelden himself isn't a good pick for us in that situation. So that means that if the player we want (Brewer or Redick or whoever), doesn't fall to 12, then we don't really have the option to nix the entire deal and keep the guy we drafted without losing a ton of value in the shuffle. Also, I would not deal the #4 for anything less than the #12, 15, and Smith. Supposedly that's what they offered the Bobcats, so I wouldn't go for less then that for one spot lower. As for the end scenario, getting the 12, 15 and smith wouldn't be so bad. We could take Simmons/Johnson/Sene with one pick and Redick/Carney/Brewer with the other one. But if we do end up getting the #4, I'd probably just be inclined to keep it and take the best prospect that we can get our hands on. If I was making the decision, I'd probably go for Roy or Gay, but I can see where the appeal for Thomas comes from.
Portland fans are pitching a fit. They say there is no way this deal goes down or the only way it goes down is if Paul Allen is planning to sell the team and the new owners move it out of town. Can't say I blame them. I would think that we are going to have to give up more than #8 for #4. Juwan for Darius is really a wash.
Good points. I hadn't really thought about getting stuck with Shelden, although I'd rather have him over Thomas anyway. I was also thinking maybe J.R./12/15, but it seemed like NO/Ok wouldn't bite. Now that I know that's what they offered for #3, I obviously have a different perspective. I would LOVE to get one of the top guys at #4 (except Thomas) and just roll with that pick, but this team has so many holes to fill that the J.R./12/15 trade start looking really awesome when you think of the possibilities. Of course, possibility is the operative word in everything related to the draft, so who knows what we'd be able to actually get at those picks. Oh well...only 5 more days of overloading my brain with draft crap. I actually had a freaking DREAM about the draft last night. I think I need help.
Look, realistically we need to be about 8 to 9 deep. You get any deeper than that and those players 10 through 14 aren't going to get a whole lot of minutes. If we were able to trade for Miles with just Juwan and then we got Roy with the pick and then we signed Mike James that would give us a rotation of McGrady Yao Swift Miles Rafer James Roy Head as your top 8. Not to mention Deke and Hayes, especially should be getting good backup minutes, Deke maybe 5-10 mpg depending on matchups, and Hayes 15-20 mpg. Plus hopefully a 8-10 rotation player with the #32 pick. Not to mention Deke and Hayes for spot minutes. That's 11 guys, not counting Bowen, and we can probably bring back Frahm and somebody else for league minimum. That's a deep team with good shooting and defense. Realistically, I can't see Portland doing that deal as it stands. I think we are going to have to give them Luther, throw in next year's first and take one of their lower first round choices of their hands in exchange for our #32 or something like that. If we actually got away with Darius and #4 for just Juwan and #8, it is highway robbery. But all the same, we should still be plenty deep if we get a top 6 pick and add it to #32 and Mike James. You don't need to be 12 deep like Phoenix. Phoenix is just setting themselves up for chemistry problems because of players not getting playing time. You need 2 or 3 vets at the end of the bench that have a skill and are just happy to be there like Frahm. And we haven't even discussed the trade exceptions yet.
With all the things that happened between McMillan and Miles, I'm not suprised they are desperate to get rid of Miles. It's the same situation like Starbury/Brown in NY, one of them had to leave.
you have to do this trade if portland wants it. as i understand it (from draftexpress) portland approached us offering miles, #30, #31 for Jho and #8. we countered by asking for the #4 pick with the rest of the details unknown to draftexpress. this deal could easily fall through in discussions. the two sides may never reach an agreement. however, if roy falls to #6, i believe we have a deal inplace with mini to send them #8 and luther. we just have to hope that he falls there. i don't see toronto taking him, i don't see atlanta taking him, but chicago, charlotte, and portland scare me.
Just a couple of Darius Miles videos to fuel the fire... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUWf7UIS-xs&search=Darius Miles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIrKx950hSo&search=Darius Miles (Very low resolution, but you can still tell what's happening...most of the time)
