Originally Posted by
Ogden Park
I like the premise of the article, and agree with the basic idea of trading an unprotected top 5 pick for a proven veteran commodity. I don't like the comparisons to the Nets though. Billy King was desperate and swinging for the fences, and overpaid badly for Wallace. Bad precedent to draw from for our situation. Unlike King, Dell is in a position to be patient with the pick.
In any case, every one of your proposals is unrealistic to me.
1. Lowry (overrated) alone is not enough value for the pick + Vasquez, plus Varejao could bring a better package than a 1st and Ed Davis' corpse for with his talent and contract situation being so favorable. Regardless, the Raps are aggressively shopping Calderon and are likely holding on to Lowry. Not happening.
2. LOL. The Clips are not taking on Glen Davis' contract for Bledsoe. Are you high? And we'd be gifting the Magic a higher pick, or better yet, an UNPROTECTED 1st in 2014 for the privilege of getting them out from under that awful deal?? Christ almighty. They give up literally nothing, clear cap space and laugh all the way to the bank with our pick. Demps is fired, Stern sues us for obvious collusion with the Magic, the Pelicans go bankrupt and move to Seattle. Thanks, Mike.
3. The Blazers are building around Lillard, Aldridge and Batum. Period. He aint going anywhere, especially for more youth. And they already have Taj Gibson, his name is JJ Hickson. Totally irrelevant trade idea.
4. In a vacuum this is a somewhat decent trade. But in reality, its not happening. Bynum's health and contract situation negate this trade from the jump. I agree that Morey may want him, but he's not betting the farm at this point when he can wait it out and play in free agency. This is not the Harden situation at all. Also, the Sixers are giving up too much for their return.
I agree with some of the targets (Deng and Bledsoe in particular), but these scenarios are just not realistic. We have a pretty weak bargaining position right now (lack of assets beyond the pick...MAYBE Lopez is attractive to a contender, but that's really it), and so patience would serve us well. These guys will be available this summer, and the draft creates more of a hot market for picks as teams talk themselves into certain prospects, etc. Not exciting I realize, but Demps has no reason to jump to gun on this.