The Nets are seriously sucking and they're injured. I would gladly trade Bayless for Terrence Williams, just because I think he'd be the guard defender we need. Yes he can't shoot, but neither can Bayless, and he has more PG skills than Bayless will ever have. It's true they have plenty of guards, but CDR or Lee could swing to SF, and they need SOMETHING. (How about THIS - followed immediately by waiving Sean Williams?)
The Nets wouldn't do it, since Bayless is near the bottom of his value. But that's fine, since I wouldn't do it either. I think Bayless' value is low due to not having yet had a chance to really show his ability, not due to a lack of ability.
I can't help wanting to trade for Terrence Williams. I just think he's (a) the lockdown wing defender we lack (b) a great versatile offensive player with PG passing skills Of course, the Nets know this and probably won't trade him. But how about: Bayless ($2.14M, 2 yrs) Webster ($4.34M, 4yrs) Mills ($0.46M, 1yr) Total: $6.94M For: T. Williams ($2.06M, 2yrs) K. Dooling ($3.56M, 2yrs) E. Najera ($3M, 3yrs) Total: $8.62M, Trade Checker approved! Why the Nets would consider it: Bayless and Webster are better scorers than any of the three they're giving up, and they NEED scoring BADLY. For God's sake, they're giving Bobby Simmons and Trenton Hassell big minutes, and they haven't seen those in years! (Incidentally, both of those players have big contracts, but the Nets aren't trading them, because they're expiring.) ALSO: this trade puts them $2.14M more under the cap than they would have otherwise been in the Summer of LeBron. Why we would? We need defense and ball handling more than we need scoring. And Dooling would be a better backup PG than Bayless. Plus Najera can play backup PF, which we also need. We also acquire our PG of the future: Terrence Williams! (Isn't Nate 6'5"? I think he could see some of himself in Williams.)
We don't need Bayless, because Harris is coming back. Webster isn't the great scorer you're making him out to be.
Harris and Bayless can play together. Hey, if Detroit can start Stuckey and Gordon, or one of those and Will Bynum, why not? Harris is tall enough to guard 2 guards or Bayless is solid enough to.
I heart Terrence Williams. He and Brandon already have a rapport. He's a tough, active defender with enough handles and offense to keep you honest. I see him being extremely expensive to pry away from the Nets, even if Rod Thorn wasn't involved.
Oh c'mon you're not buying Rasta's used car salesman act? "Oh this player? sure the J's a little iffy, but he's solid ... What's that? Why am I trying to get rid of him? Oh, he's going to be great -- great I tells ya -- it's just I don't have a home for him. You'll love him!" Frankly, I think Bayless has the potential to be better than what's he's shown in a little over 600 minutes of play, but he'll never be a pure point guard, his best case is a Ben Gordon type who prefers to drive instead of shoot. More realistically he's just a combo guard who is best suited to playing a 3rd guard role off the bench for some team that needs a guy who can get to the line and play OK man to man defense (the short arms are always going to be an issue). But you're right, there's no way Thorn buys a deal like the one above.
Thorn has not been buying a lot of deals - and they are not exactly setting the world on fire since they fired Byron Scott. Has there ever been a GM that lives so much on the reputation he got more than half a decade ago?
