<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> he Trail Blazers are plagued with a case of separation anxiety, but the franchise needs to realize it could save this season with a single courageous deed that needs to happen in the next 13 days. Trade Darius Miles. Paul Allen, always the venture capitalist, is in love with Miles' potential and athleticism. He views No. 23 as a lucrative start-up. And it so happens that Allen also owns the team, so maybe this plea should be written in BASIC programming language. As in, basically, Paul, this isn't another Jermaine O'Neal situation. The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 23, but the unmistakable fear resonating from the franchise yacht is that Miles, like O'Neal, will be traded, then someday realize his potential and become an All-Star in some other uniform. To which someone at One Center Court should explain to Allen, "You know, boss, that 'somewhere else' part isn't so bad in this case." The dirty little secret here is that Miles, who has been out recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, really doesn't love basketball. He'll tell you as much himself. He doesn't live it. He doesn't breathe it. Basketball is a job to him, like filing papers, selling insurance or digging ditches. And while Miles is a gifted athlete, he's just good enough to get you beat, and just destructive enough to undermine the growth that coach Nate McMillan has made. Anyone still think it's coincidental that the Blazers enjoyed their best growth curve with Miles out? Which is why it's time to immediately transition Project Darius from the 'take your time coming back' to the 'so long' stage. Miles will be paid $34 million over the next four seasons. Also, he's going to have to be sold, like always, on potential alone. And there's the matter of the various former Blazers employees scattered around the league who freely offer negative reports on Miles. Those cats are still cackling over the Blazers' ridiculous decision to bid against themselves for Miles two summers ago in a move that had Allen's fingerprints all over it. </div> Source
Wow, and I thought LA had it hard with Odom... Simply because Darius does not love basketball, he will probably never do anything beyond the highlight reel. It's too bad, he even wears #23, and not loving basketball is a insult to the original #23.
I'd take Odom because, he proven himself before, and Odom can handle the ball and post up which is very dangerous. Odom just doesn't have a mentally to attack like Kobe does. Miles is a high fly act and has lots of energy. In the end I take Odom because he can run the offense.
I also think I would take Odom. Darius just isn't the kind of guy that can carry a team but neither is Lamar. But I think Lamar would do better at it, and I would like to see Odom get more touches instead of Kobe taking a shot of time down the court. I mean we all know he isn't a Kevin Garnett but still I would like to see him get the ball more and be a little bit more productive.
The Lakers would not trade Odom for Miles. Miles is over paid, and a perennial underacheiver. Besides, teams don't really want to pick up a guy who's injured. That's what CMagz is still on the Clippers right now.
