I agree with blowing it up. Yao is the key to our team. He will keep getting better for at least 3 more years - if we need to suck to get more talent - DO IT NOW! So, keep Yao - trade the rest for what you can get - but only get what helps in the future. MoT for James - Seattle wants to get rid of him - we take him because his contract expire after next year. Add a 2nd rounder if we have to. Francis, Mobley and Cato have trade value - get the best young talent we can, and draft picks if we can. The rest can go in packages or for draft picks. If Orlando or Washington end up picking 5th - they will be willing to deal that pick for players that help them now. (Mobley and Cato would help Washington; Orlando would like all 3 but would have to also give up Gooden and another draft pick). We get a high schooler like Josh Smith and hope he develops. Of course we take our lumps for a year or two - but in year 3 (2007) Yao will be coming into his prime and hopefully we have a couple of players with him that are what Griffin was supposed to be. Plus, in year 3, we should be able to sign at least one big FA, in addition to the young talent. If not Orlando or Washington - there is a lot of young talent that is about to explode - remember when Portland gave up on JOneal one year before he exploded - well, Chandler, Curry, and a few others could do that also. Francis, Cato and Mobley for Chandler and Curry - Rockets should do it in a minute. Bulls get a superb backcourt with depth and draft another big man. Francis, Cato and Mobley for Brand - Brand would be too sweet. Mobley and Cato for Kwame; Francis for Chandler and draft picks. Lots of options - just have to willing to take the hits now - and build around Yao when he will be in his prime.
I'm glad you get it ggore. Whoever we target (I have my preference for shooters like Allen and Barry and Harpring, all + 50% at some points), the old guard is in the way. There is not one single player worth keeping besides Yao. No one. JJ is the only survivor of team selfish. Destroy All Monsters. Pus$@ies get no trophy.
if we were to build a perfect team around yao, i would say we should get sheed, radmanovic, allen, nash. the chances of that hppening are slim to none. maybe we could settle for kmart, harpring, barry, snow. those odds are not any better. what we will get a 4 thats something like camby, marshal, joe smith, mihm. and a backup pg like daniels, alvin williams, atkins.
