I wonder what Lewis is worth on the market? (MoT???) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/157438_locke21.asp SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/157438_locke21.asp Locked on Sports: Lewis, Radmanovic too similar to justify both Wednesday, January 21, 2004 By DAVID LOCKE SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER Vladimir Radmanovic as a power forward was worth a try. It was a good effort to hide from the reality that Rashard Lewis and Radmanovic are redundant. However, after half an NBA season, it is clear a lineup with Lewis as your small forward and Radmanovic as your power forward is actually a lineup of two small forwards. That's a lineup that isn't going to cut it. They are too similar as players. They are similar physically (both are 6-foot-10, though Radmanovic is 20 pounds heavier) and in their style of games. They are players you would love to keep. However, the NBA is about acquiring pieces that complete a puzzle. These two pieces fit into the same hole. With the trade deadline less than a month away and the Sonics floundering around .500, it is time for team president Wally Walker and general manager Rick Sund to make the next tough decision confronting the Sonics organization. Who do you keep: Lewis or Radmanovic? Until a month ago, this was like deciding between chocolate cake and broccoli. Lewis had his 50-point outburst in Japan. Whispers around the league included an All-Star game for Lewis. However, by the end of Ray Allen's injury hiatus, it had become abundantly clear Lewis' game isn't ready to carry a team. Whenever he faced one of the league's top defenders, his game was muted. That was understandable and acceptable. It is part of the learning process. However, Lewis recently has taken a step in the wrong direction. Simultaneously, Radmanovic has linked a series of games that have showcased all of his talents. Over the past week, Lewis has been stymied by a group of defenders that should have made him salivate. Even worse, his effort, fight and desire were questionable at best. Against Cleveland, two poor defenders, Darius Miles and LeBron James, physically dominated him in the post and left him a meek 5-for-16 shooting. Rookie Jarvis Hayes and weakling Jared Jeffries held Lewis to a 5-for-15 performance in a loss at Washington. Most embarrassingly, the Sixers' Glenn Robinson, arguably the worst defender in the NBA, held Lewis without a field goal in the first half Monday. In the 10 games during January, Radmanovic has averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. In that same span, Lewis has averaged 15.3 points while shooting 39 percent from the field and 27 percent from the floor. If we took the names and reputations away and gave a room full of scouts video of each player, you might be surprised what they would conclude. On the offensive end, Lewis would get an edge for his court sense, ability to move without the basketball and being a better scorer. Lewis can shoot a notch better than Radmanovic, but not tremendously. Radmanovic would receive the edge for his ability to put the ball on the floor, but would get negative marks for his decision-making, particularly when passing. Neither player would receive high marks for their post offense or their ability to beat an opponent one-on-one. On the defensive end, Radmanovic would get strong marks for his post defense. In addition, he would have a significant edge over Lewis defending players in both the post and on the floor. Neither is strong on defensive rotations. While both of their rebounding skills would be equal, overall toughness would go to Radmanovic. The added twist to this debate is how Radmanovic would be different if he were allowed to play his natural position (small forward) every night rather than being forced to play out of position as a power forward. Furthermore, Lewis has played nearly 11,500 minutes in his career while Radmanovic is nearing 4,500. So whom do you keep? This is the next decision the Sonics will have to make. It is possible the correct move could send another franchise piece packing. THE TALE OF THE TAPE Lewis Radmanovic Age 24 23 2003-'04 salary $7.012 million $1.67 million Minutes* 37.2 34.1 Points* 18.7 13.4 Rebounds* 7.3 6.1 Assists* 2.2 2.3 Field-goal percentage .438 .400 Free-throw percentage .789 .746 3-point field goals 68-177 78-215 Steals 44 59 Blocked shots 33 25 * per game -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Locke hosts "Locked on Sports" from 7-10 p.m. weeknights on Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM. His column appears Wednesdays in the P-I. You can e-mail him at Davidlocke@clearchannel.com.
Houston trades: PF Maurice Taylor (11.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 apg in 28.1 minutes) Houston receives: SF Rashard Lewis (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg in 37.2 minutes) Change in team outlook: +7.0 ppg, +1.8 rpg, and +0.9 apg. Seattle trades: SF Rashard Lewis (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg in 37.2 minutes) Seattle receives: PF Maurice Taylor (11.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 apg in 34 games) Change in team outlook: -7.0 ppg, -1.8 rpg, and -0.9 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED Due to Houston and Seattle being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Seattle had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Which works for me and the Cat haters as it would precipitate Mobley for Harrington. Now -- what is Lewis liable to bring on the market?
I say we trade MoT for Shard then trade Cat and whatever else for a powerforward. Move JJ to starting 2 guard.
As much as I love Mo-T, I see no reason why they'd do that. However, I guess they would be getting some offense out of the PF/C position that they're not getting now, but I honestly can't see them giving up Lewis for that little.
This one's too creative, but what the heck. Steve Francis/Kelvin Cato/Adrian Griffin to Chicago. Antonio Davis/Marcus Fizer/Jamal Crawford to Seattle. Rashard Lewis/one of Seattle's 4 back-up centers/Brent Barry to Houston. If this trade is lopsided, add Ridnour to Houston or something like that. Supposedly Philly wants to deal Eric Snow; would they take Snow for Brent Barry, who might or might nor re-sign in Philly? GMs have been balking at the 5 years left on Snow's contract, but we could sure use such a player. Steve would get to be combo guard next to Hinrich in an EC team. Crawford goes home to Seattle. Seattle gets power forwards. Rashard comes home to Houston. Houston gets a guard that can pass and fast break and NOT TURN IT OVER. Also, JJ and Pike can sometimes slide to the 2.
ROXTXIA, you are will to give up Francis and Cato for Lewis and Barry plus a scrub center? The Taylor trade makes more sense (for us, at least). Also, notice this remark in the article? He's not a JVG-type player.
YES ! Houston trades: C Kelvin Cato (6.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.0 apg in 28.4 minutes) SG Cuttino Mobley (15.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.3 apg in 39.6 minutes) Houston receives: SG Brent Barry (10.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.3 apg in 31.5 minutes) SF Rashard Lewis (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg in 37.2 minutes) Change in team outlook: +7.6 ppg, -1.8 rpg, and +3.2 apg. Seattle trades: SG Brent Barry (10.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.3 apg in 31.5 minutes) SF Rashard Lewis (18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 apg in 37.2 minutes) Seattle receives: C Kelvin Cato (6.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.0 apg in 39 games) SG Cuttino Mobley (15.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.3 apg in 40 games) Change in team outlook: -7.6 ppg, +1.8 rpg, and -3.2 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED
The last thing Seattle needs is a SG. When you have Ray Allen, Flip Murray, Brent Barry, Luke Ridnour, Antonio Daniels, etc - why would you want a 6-5 machine gunner? Seattle wants (1) frontcourt help, particularly a banger and (2) to ditch some of their bad contracts in the process. One for one swaps are an endangered species. Mo T wouldn't be worth it to them. Cat is wouldn't be considered, unless a third team is used. Calvin Booth (the one they'll really push to be included) or Jerome James is coming along with Rashard. Evan
well Cat's nowhere near 6-5 here's my contribution to the madness: Houston gets: Rashard Lewis, Luke Ridnour, Brent Barry, Vitaly Potepenko Seattle gets: Gilbert Arenas, Kwame Brown, Brendan Haywood, Christian Laettner Washington gets: Steve Francis, Kelvin Cato, Eric Piatkowski, Mike Wilks ROCKETS F: Lewis, Nachbar F: Taylor, Padgett, Weatherspoon C: Yao, Potepenko G: Barry, Ridnour, M.Jackson G: Mobley, J.Jackson SONICS F: Radmanovic, Sesay F: Brown, Laettner, Collison C: Haywood, Booth, James G: Arenas, Daniels G: Allen, Murray WIZARDS F: Hayes, Stackhouse F: Thomas, Braggs C: Cato, Jeffries G: Francis, Blake, Wilks G: Hughes, Piatkowski, Dixon
Steve Francis and the trade excemption for Shard and Barry. Our lineup would be Barry/Jackson Mobley/JJ/Barry Shard/JJ MoT/Cato Yao/Cato
Easy and Sir Jackie Chiles, Yeah, after I devised the trade (and all of that is the merest of speculation), I thought it went a little lopsided in favor of the other teams. Maybe if Seattle also sent Ridnour to Chicago and Chicago sent Hinrich to us? Chicago gets Francis, Ridnour, Cato, Adrian Griffin. Seattle gets T-Davis, Crawford and Curry (these two being on the block). Houston gets Rashard, Hinrich, James or Booth, Barry. Or you could get Seattle's pick and package that with Barry for a player we need. Isn't this fun? All this for Rashard Lewis, who probably is less likely to be traded than Radmanovic.
Am I the only one who read the part of Lewis regressing this season and being dominated by pathetic defenders?
I'm a big Lewis fan, so I can't see the Sonics moving him for Mo, an overrated power forward who doesn't rebound. Lewis is overvalued, of course, but he's a 19-point scorer that grabs 7 boards a game. Those aren't superstar numbers, but that's a big upgrade over Mo.
No, that part stood out; but Seattle has even fewer enforcers than we do. Defenders don't have to pay much attention to the 4's and 5's on Seattle's roster. The article says that Glenn Robinson beat up on Rashard, but was there help defense? Etc.
