I like it, but I don't know if it would work. Is the trade kicker a one-time thing? Or is it for every time Smith gets traded? Memphis might be tempted by that... But, of course, why involve us? The $6M isn't THAT much and they have cap room, and they get to keep a valuable pick.
i hope the pistons do this... they could afford it too... rip for him straight up... have jj play the 3
If Pritchard feels that Smith can successfully play the small forward position full-time, I'd love for Portland to pick up Smith on the cheap (in terms of talent). I think he's a very nice talent and a major defensive asset. If he can be as good a defender at the 3, an Oden/Aldridge/Smith front line would be a defensive monster. If he can only play power forward, at this point, then his value to Portland decreases and his willingness to play for Portland would probably be non-existent (as he'd be a backup). I think he can play small forward about as effectively, but I certainly defer to Pritchard and his staff on that. A trade-and-flip (as RR7 suggests) would also be pretty interesting. The reason Portland would be involved is to swallow monetary costs so that Atlanta saves money and Memphis (for example) doesn't have to take on money.
I see your point, but disagree. Historically, teams that have tried to put all-star caliber players at every position (or, as you put it, upgrading whenever they can) have won a grand total of 1 title. It's a proven fact that there's only 1 basketball and by adding more and more talent just screws things up. Or have you already forgotten the Trader Bob years? A monumental bust.
The Trader Bob years were remarkable, given the total absence of anything resembling an MVP-level player. The Blazers were very close to winning a few titles with Whitsitt at the helm, and holding that era up as an example of a failed strategy in terms of talent acquisition strikes me as very very odd. If one wants to make the more ethereal character/chemistry argument, it makes more sense... but without the near-constant attempts to upgrade every position, the Blazers would have been lucky to make the playoffs in the post-Drexler years, let alone have the tremendous success that they did. Ed O.
What are you talking about brother? He is an amazing defender! I love his game. It would take more then Trav and the #24 though. He is kind of a head case, but there is no leadership in the ATL. The players don't respect the coach and there are 20 different owners. BRoy and those guys would keep him in check. Bring him in!
Some great points were brought up on the radio? today... I forgot that MEM actually signed Josh Smith to a FA tender, which ATL matched to sign him away.... You know Pritchard talks about taking advantage of an opportunity and here is a possible golden opportunity for POR to help facilitate moving Josh Smith to MEM...with POR paying the TK, sending some player\picks to ATL and\or MEM and getting the #2 pick out of the deal....and apparently MEM may want to get out of this pick.... I don't think a scenario like this is out of the realm of possibility...
Another option I'll throw out there, for the hell of it. For the entire offseason: Trade Blake, Outlaw, and the rights to whoever is drafted at 24 and 33 for Josh Smith, Randolph Morris, and Acie Law(last two traded for with TPE). Atlanta saves over 5 million in salary next year, giving them ample room to re-sign Bibby, Marvin Williams, and I believe still have some cap space left over, depending on their deals. Still doubtful they would do it that chepa, but who knows. They could also waive Blake and Outlaw if they so desired, and it's basically a quick dump of 13 million in salary for them. Blake woudl make a good backup PG to Bibby, I think, and Outlaw is a cheap option for them to slightly replace Smith, but cutting all of that salary, they could go out and sign Williams and Bibby, AND sign someone to replace Smith, liek Varejao, Milsap, etc. Trade Sergio to NY for TPE, 2010 2nd round pick. Pay Josh Smith's 6 million dollar kicker, then trade him to Phoenix for Steve Nash, moving forward their rebuilding process. They get an athletic young PF that could replace Amare, signed to a long term and reasonable deal. They can now look to move Shaq, and move Amare in seperate deals this summer. Leaves us 2 million or so under the cap, which means, instead of using cap space, we would NOT renounce our MLE. Instead, offer portion of the MLE to McDyess, and part to Grant Hill. I'd also offer a deal to Frye to be our 3rd string/emergency PF, but I doubt he owuld go for it, knowing he isn't going to play. But, who knows. Nash/Bayless/Law Roy/Rudy Batum/Webster/Hill Aldridge/McDyess/Frye Oden/Przybilla/Morris
Fantastic idea! I got confused here though. If we don't renounce our MLE, and after this deal and after July 1st, we're still under the cap, then we can't use the MLE. We would have to take on $2M in additional salary, at least, so that we're above the cap before July 1st. Then we could have the MLE, right?
The idea of getting Smoove is actually fun for a couple of reasons. It makes a lot of sense for Phoenix to be interested, and there have been rumors that the Suns and Memphis were talking about some sort of Amare for gay and picks swap. Memphis also likes Smoove though because they tendered an offer to him. So KP could really cause a clusterfuck if we traded for him. I would assume the the Blazers are in no mood to help Memphis in any way since they cost us 9 million or so because of Miles. So why not take him and tell Memphis that we will trade him to them minus the trade kicker for a price.....Conley? Gay? Or tell Phoenix we will deal him to them minus the trade kicker only if we get Conley or whoever is picked at #2? In the end it's sort of a Fuck You Memphis, how does Darius Miles ass taste sorta move. Worst case scenerio is we trade for a slight upgrade at SF/PF
It's one or the other, either exceptions or cap space. And the exceptions each team has counts against their cap space. So we start off July 1st, without these moves, with say, 7 million in cap space. BUT, that space is actually only 1.5 million. We would need to renounce our MLE in order to get the full amount of cap space. You can't fill up cap space and THEN get the exception, the MLE would have had to been renounced. But, in this situation, we have made 2 deals that eat into our "cap space" without actually utilizing the cap space, as each trade works under CBA provisions of the 125% matching. But by taking on additional money in Nash, Law, and Randolph, we have cut into some of our "potential" space. So instead of renounceing our MLE, and using 2 million in cap space, we would instead not waive the exception, and essentially have a little over 5 million in "cap space"
