Bear with me here: CONS: * He's got a HUGE contract, is injured a lot, and has sucked in Philly. I think that about covers it. PROS: * he's very available (see CONS for explanation)! * his sucking in Philly might have more to do with the fact that he didn't fit with Mo Cheeks' run'n'gun style and doesn't fit with Eddie Jordan's pass'n'cut Princeton Offense, but he would fit a lot better with Nate's, erm deliberate offense * even struggling, he's averaging 1.35 blocks at the moment * his game is very similar to Oden's, so you could just slot him in there and play him alongside LaMarcus (as commentators have said that center is really his natural position) It would be a major gamble, that's for sure. But Blake + Webster + Outlaw works on the trade machine, and they could probably really use Blake in Philly (Eric would get his wish: an Iverson-Blake reunion). And what if we could get them to promise to waive Outlaw? Then we could re-sign him in 30 days (or whenever).
Unless you're planning on starting him at the 4 and LMA at the 5, with Przy coming off the bench at the 5 (which might work), it'd be tough. Plus, how are we going to give up enough players to get near a max salary in return?
No, LMA stays at the 4 and he starts at the 5. He's already taller than Houston's starting C, and heavier than probably most Cs (and certainly heavier than Aldridge). As I said:
If all it takes is Marty, Outlaw, and Blake, do it. Good idea, Rasta. Brand has played C sometimes during games this season, and has looked fine for the most part. His defense is not where it used to be, but he can still get up there every now and then to block shots.
miller bayless roy rudy dante lma brand pryz howard with 2 open roster spots to pick up stackhouse or someone else oden batum outlaw graph mills out for the season wtf
And we shouldn't discount the fact that Blake has semi-successful past experience with Iverson too. Blake/Outlaw/Webster? I'd pull the trigger on that one... But I'd rather grab Diaw, not the scorer but much more versatile, can't play much C but Aldridge can, smart defender and passer and a lot shorter contract.
Seems they want to get rid of him: http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=965155 He's got $51 mil/ 3 years AFTER this season on his contract. Ridiculous deal.
It's an interesting gamble. I haven't seen a lot of Brand since he went to Philly. Does he look like the same player as when he was a Clipper? Does it seem to be more the way he's used holding him back? If you could get him for the price, it'd be tempting. But I'd need to be convinced he hasn't just degraded due to injury/age to be interested in that contract.
ZBo is actually a good indicator that Brand could get back to where he was, because both had serious surgeries and neither depended much on athleticism. But the next shot Randolph blocks might be his first.
Gasol pissed off the memphis fans by asking for a trade. The team was doing miserably, and even though Gasol rescinded his request, the damage was done. Memphis shopped him and instead of taking deals for much better players than Kwame Brown, they chose to take the Lakers offer because many of those deals were taken off the table and Memphis ultimately preferred to shed his salary and start over. Memphis ultimately was ultimately low-balled on most every offer for Gasol, because everyone knew he wanted out and that Memphis was desperate to deal him.
For just Blake, Trav and Webster? I'd consider it. But it seems to me that we'd be back to the same problems we had integrating Roy annd Oden's game, but at least Oden was young enough and dominant enough this year to commit to making it work over the long haul. Brand? He just seems completely washed up at this point and way too expensive to take on unless this team is really desperate for a low post guy.
I know it would be a long shot, but since neither are playing much and have pretty large contracts for such little playing time, maybe we could swing a deal for Bass and Gortat. Bass/Gortat/Barnes for Blake/Webster/Outlaw/Pendergraph/Claver rights? Or you could probably add Rudy and replace Barnes with Pietrus. I know it has a snowball's chance in hell of happening, but I'm just spitballing.
Brand's playing 29 minutes/game putting up 12.3/6.7. Per 36 he's a 15/8 player on a team where he's not a very good fit. He's 30 years old, which isn't washed up. That'd make him younger than Miller and much younger than Shaq. I don't see how you guys can do a 3-for-1 deal for him that includes 2 healthy players to get one back.
