OT: Suns taking offers for Amar'e

LINK​

 

I would do something like this.

http://www.realgm.com/src_checktrade.php?tradeid=5404026

Portland incoming - Ryan Gomes, Kevin Love
Portland outgoing - LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez

Phoenix incoming - Rudy Fernandez, Al Jefferson, Brian Cardinal (expiring), 1st round pick from Minny - top 3 protected
Phoenix outgoing - Amare Stoudemire

Minnesota incoming - LaMarcus Aldridge, Amare Stoudemire
Minnesota outgoing - Kevin Love, Brian Cardinal, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes

Portland -

Miller\Blake
Roy\Bayless
Webster\Batum
Love\Gomes
Oden\Pendergraph

Phoenix -

Nash\Goric
Rudy\Barbosa
Richardson\Hill
Jefferson\Dudley
Lopez\Frye

Minny -

Flynn\Sessions
Brewer\Ellington
Wilkins\Tucker
Aldridge\Jawai
Stoudemire\Hollins

I like it!

 

That doesn't make sense at all. Amar'e is not a center, neither is LaMarcus. It's kinda like the problem they have now with Love and Jefferson.

I think Flynn would be an interesting prospect. He'd thrive next to Roy. The triangle offense has been horrible for Johnny.

 

Meh. I am bored.

 

Me, too.

Plus, when Oden gets back, I think LMA will compliment his game perfectly. Let that one ride.

 

I wonder what an all-time "fantastic player that nobody really wants" team would look like. Really great players on quality teams that because of their playing style/attitude/contracts you just don't want to deal with.
PG: Gilbert Arenas
SG: Allen Iverson
SF: ?
PF: Amare Stoudemire
C: ?

 

SF: Rudy Gay?
C: Shaq (well now kinda it seems?)

 

Assuming we aren't restricted to active players (you said "all-time") I'd add Latrell Sprewell (team captain) and Eddie Curry to that list.

Perhaps Bonzie Wells as your starting small forward. After being run out of Portland he quit on Memphis in the play-offs and was told to stay home. He had a brief, successful run in Sacramento, asked for too much money and was sent packing. After Rick Adelman landed in Houston, he took another chance on Bonzie, which failed miserably, as did Bonzie's brief stint (did is even last a month) playing in China. Definitely fits the mold of talented head case.

Late career Stephon Marbury probably qualifies.

Until recently, you probably could have had Zach Randolph and Stephen Jackson on that team, but they both seem to have found homes and Zach only has 1.5 years left on that awful contract he signed while in Portland. So, he'll have a lot of trade value next year as a huge expiring contract - who also happens to be an all-star (assuming he makes the team this year - he should).

Other players who are grossly overpaid: Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal (the first and third highest paid players in the league). Obviously, neither is the player they once were. Jermaine is having a decent season (12.6 PPG and 6.9 RPG) in Miami, but at almost $23 million he's not exactly earning his money. At least he's playing (and won' be voted as an all-star game starter). The good news for the Heat and Rockets are both players are expiring contracts. So, the end is near.

BNM

 

Latrell would make that team. Curry was never considered a fantastic player (at least I don't think he was).

 

He was an excellent offensive talent, but didn't play defense and only rebounded when he felt like it, which wasn't often. He had the tools, but lacked the desire. This was made worse by Isiah giving him a ridiculous contract and giving up two lottery picks for the privilige.

So, perhapos not "fantastic" but he was/is a a grossly overpaid underchiever who never justified his high draft position, or what he cost the Knicks in salary or picks.

BNM

 

Derrick Coleman would shore up the front court.

 

With all due respect, I don't think you guys are understanding what Mook was saying. Coleman and Curry have nowhere near the accomplishments of Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, or Amare Stoudemire. We're talking about perennial All-Stars here. Iverson was an MVP. Coleman and Curry belong on the "I didn't live up to the hype" team. They were definitely under achievers. Mook was saying Iverson, Arenas, and Stoudemire are all amazing players with impressive resumes that nobody wants. Though I'm sure Amare and Gil will end up somewhere.

 

Coleman made two All-NBA teams to Gilbert's three. He was also Rookie of the Year and an All-Star. So, it's not like his accomplishments pale in comparison to Gilbert's. You are correct though that the expectations were a lot higher as a former No. 1 over all draft pick.

Perhaps another example of a player who fell off the map and went from four consectutive all-star appearances to persona non grata was Vin Baker. Where Arenas' downfall was guns, Baker's was booze. The man he was traded for, Shawn Kemp had a similar demise. He went from one of the top players in the league to a fat coke head with a huge contract in a very short period of time.

Of course those are examples of guys whose talent level fell of rapidly due to their addictions. Arenas and Amare' still have the talent, but are undesirable for other reasons. Which brings us back to Sprewell. Vernon Maxwell is another example of a player who wore out his welcome before he wore out his talent, as was J.R. Rider, perhaps the poster child for a player whose own stupidity cost him a potential Hall of Fame career.

BNM

 

Coleman was a hell of a lot better than you give him credit for. Karl Malone once said that Coleman would be the best PF in the game if he had the head for it.

edit: BNM beat me to it...

 

I think you hit it it.

Zach Randolph before this year would definitely have to be considered for the list. A perennial 20/10 player, one of the very best post scorers in the game. And we gave him up for Channing Frye? And he's bounced to 4 teams in 8 seasons? He was practically the poster child for the category I just made up.

Spree and Bonzi never really put up consistently dominant stats like the guys on my list.

Coleman is an interesting choice. I could see that one. He put up quite a few good statistical seasons with the Nets, although it generated few wins.

 

BTW--If I were Amare's agent, I'd show him this thread. Whenever your career is being mentioned beside most of the characters appearing here, you are doing something seriously wrong with your career.

 

Yeah, I'd take a 28 year old Ewing on my team any day.

Center is the toughest one to come up with. Maybe Ben Wallace? Even in his hayday, which was a really damned good hayday, he was such an albatross on offense.

You had to play 5 on 4 every single possession. Which was ok if you had in-their-prime Billups, Sheed, Hamilton and Prince, and an awesome commitment to grinding half court defense. But there were a lot of teams he would've been a lousy fit on, even when in his prime.

 

Shawn Kemp. He went from being one of the 10-15 best players in the league to being an utter embarassment.