<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Trail Blazers are exploring a trade with Minnesota that would involve Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Wally Szczerbiak. The Timberwolves would have to include another player for the trade to meet NBA requirements for matching salaries. Blazers general manager John Nash declined to comment on the trade. He has been exploring trade options involving Abdur-Rahim, who has asked to be traded and has threatened to skip training camp if he is not. "If I can make a deal that's in the best interest of the team, I'm looking to do something with any player," Nash said Tuesday. "But I haven't had anything that I think would help our team." Abdur-Rahim will make $14.6 million this season, the last year of his contract. Szczerbiak will make $9 million. NBA rules mandate that the total of the combined player salaries on each team must come within 15 percent. One scenario involved Trenton Hassell, but he cannot be traded because he signed a free agent offer sheet with the Blazers last week. "I've heard about the trade talk," said Mark Bartelstein, Hassell's agent. "But I don't listen to any of them involving Trenton, because he can't be traded." Portland could ask for center Michael Olowokandi, who will make $5.4 million this season and would fill the Blazers' need for a backup frontline player. But knee problems have plagued the 7-foot, 269-pound Olowokandi for the past two seasons. He played 43 games last season, averaging 6.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. Minnesota could offer Ervin Johnson, a 6-11, 255-pound center who can play power forward. Johnson is appealing because he will earn $4.9 million this season and is in the final year of his contract. The 6-7, 244-pound Szczerbiak was slowed by plantar faciitis in his left foot, limiting him to 28 regular season games last season. His playing time declined after the Timberwolves signed Latrell Sprewell, and he averaged a career-low 10.2 points and 22.2 minutes. Acquiring Szczerbiak would address two needs for the Blazers. Szczerbiak, a career 50 percent shooter, would provide the perimeter threat they have been seeking. Szczerbiak is more effective at shooting guard, but he can play small forward, giving the Blazers a backup plan should Darius Miles sign with another team or be included in the trade. A potential issue is Szczerbiak's contract. He has five years and $55 million remaining on his deal. </div> Source: HoopsHype.com Honestly, I'm not liking this trade that much. Here's a senario: Say we do this trade. We trade Wally for Rahim. Then we lose Hassell. Now what? Move KG back to SF and start Rahim? I still don't like that.The reason being, Ebi would be the backup. Ebi is too young and unexperienced for the role of a backup. The option of moving Spree and Hoiberg to a SF spot is not there either because of the fact that it would mess our whole roster up if Spree was a backup to KG, and Hoiberg is too small to be a SF. And I'm sure even if we did resign Hassell and kept KG at PF, Reef wouldn't want to be a backup like he was in Portland, especially to KG who will get a load of minutes again. Another player would have to be thrown in from us to make this deal right, which even more makes me think this is wrong for us. Thrown in Kandi, but I don't like that because he will be our starter. Thrown in EJ, but I don't like that because he's our best backup to Kandi. Overall, I don't like this.
Makes no sense <div class="quote_poster">Quoting J-Roc:</div><div class="quote_post">Source: HoopsHype.com Honestly, I'm not liking this trade that much. Here's a senario: Say we do this trade. We trade Wally for Rahim. Then we lose Hassell. Now what? Move KG back to SF and start Rahim? I still don't like that.The reason being, Ebi would be the backup. Ebi is too young and unexperienced for the role of a backup. The option of moving Spree and Hoiberg to a SF spot is not there either because of the fact that it would mess our whole roster up if Spree was a backup to KG, and Hoiberg is too small to be a SF. And I'm sure even if we did resign Hassell and kept KG at PF, Reef wouldn't want to be a backup like he was in Portland, especially to KG who will get a load of minutes again. Another player would have to be thrown in from us to make this deal right, which even more makes me think this is wrong for us. Thrown in Kandi, but I don't like that because he will be our starter. Thrown in EJ, but I don't like that because he's our best backup to Kandi. Overall, I don't like this.</div> The only way I say we do a trade for portland would be for a package of Derek anderson, vladmir stepnia and a re-signed Darius Miles like I stated in the espn insider article I posted, Shareef can play the 3 but I think it hurts our team too much to do that deal.
One more thing, If they are going to trade for Sharef, why don';t we re-sign Trenton (4.5 Mil) and package him with Wally to make the trade work? Why would we add Kandi or Erv when we could send trenton??
If this trade were to take place they would have to move KG to small forward in order to give shareef the start at power forward. That is the only way it would work because shareef has requested this trade because he wants to start at that position. I dont know if KG would mind moving back to the three do to him being a very good leader who is willing to do any thing to help out the team. If miles or anderson were included in this deal it would be a rape deal in our favor. Though I have heard that portland also wants kandi if we inlucde him we have not even a bum center to start since madsen is to short and ervin is to old. We would have to play shareef at the 5 at times and he is not a very phsyical inside presence. I would love to get miles though he is one of my favorite players in the league though he has had a past of under achieving he did great since he was traded to the blazers. He is quick and athletic and that is a great thing to have on your team.
I would not do any trade that includes Kandiman or even Ervin Johnson that doesnt include the wolves getting back a decent Center. If the Wolves trade Kandiman or EJ without getting a Center, then the trade doesnt benefit them, the Wolves other 4 positions are fine, its the Center position that is thin. And by trading Kandi or EJ without getting a decent Center only makes it thiner. Unless the Wolves have another way to bring in a decent player at the 5 spot, I would pass on this trade, if they want one of the Wolves centers. BTW, A sign & trade with Hassell isnt possible because he signed a offer sheet with them. Once a player signs & offer sheet with another team that takes away the sign & trade option.
Yeah, I agree. The Wolves cannot trade Kandi and Ervin without getting a good center in return. I wouldn't give up on Kandi yet, though. I still think he can be better than Rasho ever was for the Wolves so I wouldn't give up on him yet.
Rasho was the bomb, he hacked kobe's shoulder during the playoff and can shoot midrange. Kandi can't do anything cept taking up space and grab 3 rebounds.
Dont do it Shareef is not who he seems, Wally is better than Shareef, you guys came close last year you'll be close again. KG is the only scorer you need.
