<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>February 15, 2008 -- The success of the Blazers has hurt Zach Randolph's trade value, but there are rumblings the Nuggets and the Knicks New York Knicks have discussed a multi-player trade involving the disgruntled power forward. Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien was the former Blazers director of scouting when Portland tabbed Randolph in the NBA Draft. It is believed names discussed in a potential deal included Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Steven Hunter and J.R. Smith for Randolph and another Knick. The Knicks appear most interested in up-and-comer Kleiza. MORE: Knicks Blog It is still a longshot Eddy Curry Eddy Curry or Randolph get moved, because any deal that would bring back a solid player such as Ron Artest also would include a bad contact Isiah Thomas is not allowed to inherit. Randolph said he will not be broken up if he leaves the Knicks. "If it happens, it happens," Randolph said. "I'm just here to play basketball. I don't care where I go. If I'm in New York, I'll give my best." Randolph seemed in a genuine state of despair in the visiting locker room in Boston after Wednesday's 111-103 loss. "It's been the same things all year, up and down," Randolph said. "We need something." Asked if that meant a trade, Randolph said, "We need something. Whatever we're doing ain't working." One NBA personnel man said the problem with Randolph is once he's not scoring, he doesn't play any defense. "I'm sure they'd like to move them but there aren't a lot of takers," another GM said. "You have to be leery of taking Zach, and there's no assurance Curry will ever live up to his potential." Curry seemed to advocate a trade, too. "You never want to see teammates leave, I just hope we can turn this around," Curry said. Curry told The Post recently about being traded, "It's been tough, but I don't' want to run from my problems. I had tough moments here, but good moments here. Whenever (Thomas) sees it's time for me to go, I go."</div> Source: NY Post I don't see how he fits in at all with this team. The last thing this team needs is another guy who likes to score and not defend.
The last thing the Nuggets need is what they get all too often. They are winning alot of close games partly by luck this year, which offsets, for now at least, the Nene-Atkins double loss for most or all of the rest of the season. Lucky wins are good for what ails you. If Nene is gone for good, the Nuggets would need a replacement. But the 1-man (Camby) defense concept is lame to the point of idiotic in the playoffs. So you're right, the Nene replacement should not be Randolph. By the way, I know all about how defenses clamp down in the playoffs. Today I project Hornets 4 Spurs 3, but only because of the Spur's age and increased vulnerability to injuries. If the Spurs are completely healthy, in April/May, I will probably flip it to Spurs 4 Hornets 3. Byron Scott has done an outstanding job. Now I think I know the real reason Scott got rid of J.R. Smith. He didn't want Smith, a bull in a china shop type of player to any coach with a good plan and good schemes, messing up his handiwork. But Coach Karl doesn't have hardly any handiwork to mess up, in my opinion, and Smith can get you upsets, so I am going to be extremely angry if Smith is benched again this year. And extremely is an understatement.
I still think Ron Artest is the player to pursue for the Nuggets to elevate their chances for success in the playoffs. He'd be a one year rental and I think he'd be on his best behavior around two guys he respects in Melo & Iverson. Artest made an instant impact on Sacramento's defense when they first acquired. I forget the actual +/- difference he made, but it was over 10 points per game improvement.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Feb 15 2008, 03:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I still think Ron Artest is the player to pursue for the Nuggets to elevate their chances for success in the playoffs. He'd be a one year rental and I think he'd be on his best behavior around two guys he respects in Melo & Iverson. Artest made an instant impact on Sacramento's defense when they first acquired. I forget the actual +/- difference he made, but it was over 10 points per game improvement.</div> Agreed, I almost posted this last week, but backed out when I remembered that the Nuggets don't really have the kind of coaching staff that could reliably keep under some control a large number of volatile personalities. Let's face it, Coach Karl is challenged, even without Artest, with more volatile personalities than he can handle. Not so much because the Nuggets are overloaded with volatile personalities, but because he can't handle more than 1-2 of them at a time without getting very upset, and the Nuggets have about 3 of them already: A.I., Martin, Smith. Karl's tolerance level is all used up on A.I. and Martin, so he goes ballistic against Smith. And if he went ballistic against Artest, it woiuld be a disaster. But since you said it, I have to agree. Besides, Artest seems to be mellowing out these days. Camby/Martin/Artest would do the trick for the Nuggets defensively, no doubt at all on that. Then the Nuggets could actually win a playoff series if the offense didn't break down to all Iverson all the time.
