Want consolidation??? This is much more convoluted b/c I tried to make 2 trades in 1. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/featur...28~22~21~21~28~21~21~21~22~22~21~21&te=&cash= OK...so the first major shift is a 3-way big man move. We get Bosh, who to me is a better LMA than LMA (he also rebounds!!). Toronto gets Amare, Barbosa and a better PG backup in Blake for Bosh, so I think they'd be OK with it. PHX gets LMA and Raef's contract (for Mr. Sarver's money savings) for Amare. Then, there's the PG swaps. As stated, Toronto goes from Calderon/Ukic to Calderon/Blake with Barbosa as either the 2 or 6th man. PHX goes from Nash/Barbosa to Bayless/Parker/Ukic, which fits much more with Porter's defensive mind (but this is the weak link). We go from Blake/Bayless to Nash. Ends up as Portland Out: PG: Bayless, Blake SG/SF: Outlaw PF/C: LMA, Frye, Raef Portland In: PG: Nash (for a Nash/Sergio rotation) SG/SF: Tucker (Still Roy/Rudy/Batum/Webs) PF/C: Bosh/Jawai (So now it's Bosh/Oden/Przy/Jawai) We need to get depth at PF. PHX Out: PG: Nash, Barbosa SG/SF: Tucker PF/C: Amare PHX In: PG: Bayless, Parker, Ukic (Bayless/Parker/Ukic/Dragic/Singletary, all on either rookie or expiring contracts) SG/SF: Outlaw (Bell/Hill/Outlaw/Barnes/Bayless?) PF/C: Frye, LMA, Raef (LMA/Shaq/Frye/Diaw/Lopez/Amundsen) 31.2M incoming salary (with 80% of Raef's not counting, and no long-term deals) 34.4M outgoing: for a savings of 3M this year, not counting Raef savings TOR Out: PG: Ukic, Parker PF/C: Bosh/Jawai TOR In: Blake, Barbosa, Amare So? (Yes, I know it's a pipe dream...what's your opinion of the changes? Who says no?)
Portland seems to come out way ahead in this sort of deal. Portland Deals: 1 corpse (Raef) 1 sometimes wish he were a corpse (Frye) 1 backup SF with questionable BBall IQD (Outlaw) 1 backup quality PG (Blake) 1 unproven, but somewhat promising rookie (Bayless) 1 talented PF (LMA) Portland Gets: 1 all-star PG (albeit, one whose productive years are on the downside) 1 no-name SF 1 all-star PF (both young and very productive) 1 no-name PF If you could swing such a deal, I'm all for it. I'd do Bosh for LMA and not look back. Trade bench players Frye & Outlaw for bench players Tucker & Jawai which leaves Blake and Bayless for Nash. I do that and not look back either. I think Nash would have a great impact on Sergio and would also set a tone of play that would be more conducive to Sergio allowing him to blossom and better prepare to take the reigns as Nash ages. Both Portland and Toronto come out of this ahead. Can't think of why in the world Phoenix would do this. Gramps...
Phoenix wouldn't trade Amare Stoudemire. For now, I'd say the only player who's clearly a more valuable asset is LeBron James. Chris Paul might be, but it isn't clear. Stoudemire is a Hall of Fame big man talent (but obviously, he still needs the long career).
Future? They give up two proven all stars and get back primarily young, unproven potential. Yeah, they save money but on the other hand, they probably stand to lose a lot more money. I wouldn't be too excited to see such a Suns team, they would likely not have anywhere near the success so that means fewer tickets sold. Being a less successful (and exciting) team probably also means fewer games get televised (which, I believe, also results in $$ to the organization). Finally, I can't picture that team making the playoffs which again means less revenue for the team. The only GM I could envision making such a deal would be Isaiah Thomas and since he isn't in Phoenix, I'd say the chances of such a deal are nil. Gramps...
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Thanks BrianFromWA I needed that.
