https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/george-karl-says-clyde-drexler-191341158.html So, when I got to Portland, Paul [Allen] told me the team had to be dismantled. They should have done it a year earlier, it's a popular team. He had fired all the people down there-I think Geoff Petrie, Rick Adelman, he had already hired P.J. Carlesimo, but he said I need you, and it's going to be hard, but you got to dismantle the team and he had already promised Clyde Drexler his 12th new deal and he wasn't going to follow through on it. So, I had to trade him, and which is fine, I get it. The run was over, it was time to go. I did say to Clyde, I would try to get you to a good situation, a little bit like what I did with Jack Sikma. I think when a guy's been that good for an organization, you owe it to him if you can, to try to get him somewhere where he's still got a chance. -- Bob Whitsitt I still believe to this day, the deal for Drexler to Seattle wins the championship. There's not even a doubt in my mind because Houston doesn't have Clyde. - Bob Whitsitt
Maybe I'll tell some stories about this. It's boring to type, but it's my duty to record any history which is absent from the internet.
Summer '95, Gill is traded to NJ. January '96, Gill is part of trade to Charlotte for Kenny Anderson Summer '96, Anderson leaves NJ and signs as FA with Portland One has to wonder--if Gill had been traded to Portland, would Anderson have ended up here? Would we have ended up with Damon? Would Gary Trent Jr. even exist?? The mind reels.
It goes even deeper!! And would they have traded for JR Rider, who then got them Steve Smith? Otis Thorpe was traded to Detroit for Bill Curley and Randolph Childress...Bill Curley was traded with James Robinson for JR Rider. And Childress was actually traded TO Portland with Thorpe, and then to Detroit (plus the pick that became Theo Ratliff) for Shawn Respert, who was then traded for Gary Trent Sr.... And Childress was also traded for Augmon, who was traded for Pippen... And Otis Thorpe was traded by the Pistons to the Grizzlies for what turned into the 3rd pick in the draft. Had the Blazers traded for Gill instead of Thorpe, maybe the Grizzlies never trade the 3rd pick for him and keep the pick..and draft D-Wade, and stay in Vancouver (yes I know they had already moved by the time the 03 draft took place). Holy shit, if it wasn't for that trade, the NBA landscape would be significantly different!!
A) Did Stotts say the near-trade was never on the table? B) Why would an assistant coach be in the trade loop, and why would you figure his information is more reliable than the head coach and GM of the two respective teams, no matter what their personalities?
Oh, i agree they (the Blazers) got jobbed, but I would've rather had Kendall Gill than Otis Thorpe for 35 games.
