When Denver got Billups, a guy who I think could have really put Portland over the top, I immediately began wondering if Portland could have done that deal instead. I came to the conclusion that Portland was probably not a team that could have matched what Dumars wanted: a big name veteran with a large expiring contract. It had to be a big name veteran, because Dumars was clearly trying to clear the decks without signaling surrender to Pistons fans. He wouldn't have been interested in a Raef LaFrentz type of non-entity because he would have been immediately flayed for trading Billups for "nothing." The player he got back had to plausibly fit a "win now" narrative. Portland had no famous veteran with a big expiring deal. A shame...it would have been poetic justice to steal Billups from Detroit to potentially put Portland over the top after Detroit got Rasheed Wallace (granted, via Atlanta) to put them over the top.
Hmm.. well Quick said it, so take it fwiw. But according to his bio on the Heat website, he did help put that deal together with Riley. http://www.nba.com/heat/contact/directory_pfund.html
Agreed. What a terrible anecdote. If you were 20-21 however old he is, dont you jump on that offer? At that age, you certainly dont care about being weary or being inconvenienced with street clothes. That's if its being accurately portrayed. Hmm...that pick is beginning to resemble a waste, especially when coupled with all his previous comments about being "less" than committed or eager to come over here. Its almost like they conceded last year's draft. Figured they had too many guys competing for spots, and didnt want to add to it. KP is a guy who says he picks a guy he wants, and does whatever he can to move to get him. How did he miss so badly on Collison...or Lawson for that matter?
We need more personal testimonies like this from you man!!! You're not betraying or over-stepping your privledges at all with this kind of information.
Exactly. John Nash, Steve Patterson and Mo Cheeks were treated better than this, and they actually hurt this franchise. Even Tom Penn was treated better. It's probably my memory more than anything, but I can't recall someone in the front office being treated this badly in the NBA. This process ranks up there with what Al Davis tried to do with Lane Kiffin.
Let's not forget "The Spanish Prisoner" and "Heist". He really writes interesting and unique dialogue.
What it meant was that he decided he didn't like Pritchard any more, but loved what he brought to the draft. He wanted to use him for what he wanted and throw the rest away like last week's fish.
