Draft strategy: Get Washington's pick!

[Rastapopoulos]

Washington has made no secret of putting its #5 up for sale right from the word go. The price: a useful, cheap veteran and taking salary off their hands.
Now it's starting to look like either Rubio could drop there (supposedly Sacramento is very divided on him) or a player Memphis might want could drop there and they could be persuaded to swap. Either way: GET THAT PICK! One or more of Rubio, Curry and Flynn WILL be there.

I say: Blake (started out there, Maryland hero, now a good deal better) and Outlaw (although they have two good scoring Fs already) or Przybilla for the #5 and one or more bad contract from the following:

Player (contract each year starting '09-10)
Antawn Jamison (11.6, 13.4, 15)
Etan Thomas (7.4)
Mike James (6.5)
Brendan Haywood (6)
Darius Songaila (4.5, 4.8)
Deshawn Stevenson (4.9, 5.2)

[COLOR="#Purple"](Early termination)[/COLOR]

 

[Mediocre Man]

Man, some of you really overvalue our players.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'd offer this year and next years #1 picks, cash and Sergio for the #5.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Jarret Jack and Josh McRoberts and our 13th pick got us all the way up to 11th and brought back an oft-injured, barely used, undersized power forward. How in the world does Steve "journeyman" Blake, Travis "never met a shot I didn't like" Outlaw and/or Joel Przybilla get us from 24th to 5th?

Washington is going to get FAR better offers for their fifth pick

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Man, some of you really overvalue our players.

You can't have it both ways: you think this is a shitty draft, so shouldn't the 5th pick be worth next to nothing?

Besides, I think YOU'RE undervaluing the effect of the economy. The cap is coming down because of shrinkage, so teams will be desperate to offload salary.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Washington is going to get FAR better offers for their fifth pick

Like what?

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Jarret Jack and Josh McRoberts and our 13th pick got us all the way up to 11th and brought back an oft-injured, barely used, undersized power forward. How in the world does Steve "journeyman" Blake, Travis "never met a shot I didn't like" Outlaw and/or Joel Przybilla get us from 24th to 5th?

Washington is going to get FAR better offers for their fifth pick

I'm not so sure about that. FAR better?? It'll be interesting to see what they do get.

 

[Nikolokolus]

You can't have it both ways: you think this is a shitty draft, so shouldn't the 5th pick be worth next to nothing?

Even if there isn't a whole lot of separation between most picks outside of Griffin and Rubio, the fact remains that if Rubio slides this far (and I don't see any way Geoff Petrie lets that happen) Washington would still be able to extort a pretty heavy price for him. Teams with more attractive picks and players are going to be lining up to get him.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Like what?

Any team in rebuilding mode with a top ten pick and a need for a point guard is going to be able to offer that pick and can probably throw in another player or two.

Let's put it this way, if some team came at with an offer of a journeyman 29 year old point guard and an inconsistent scoring tweener forward for your fifth pick would you bite? Washington is going to be looking for something sexier than that.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Even if there isn't a whole lot of separation between most picks outside of Griffin and Rubio, the fact remains that if Rubio slides this far (and I don't see any way Geoff Petrie lets that happen) Washington would still be able to extort a pretty heavy price for him. Teams with more attractive picks and players are going to be lining up to get him.

Maybe. We do have an advantage in our cap room, if we're prepared to take crap back. Most other teams can't do that, and one that can (Detroit) has Rodney Stuckey.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Maybe. We do have an advantage in our cap room, if we're prepared to take crap back. Most other teams can't do that, and one that can (Detroit) has Rodney Stuckey.

Hmmm ... yeah I guess so. I'll believe it when I see it -- Blake and Outlaw (they aren't going to want Przybilla's salary and limited offensive skills I'd wager) for Rubio would be a pretty tough sell to their fans I would imagine. Honestly, do you really think Petrie would pass on Rubio if he falls past Memphis and OKC? Geoff has one of the best eyes for talent I've ever seen and I have zero doubt he knows just how good Rubio could be,

We've got to get Memphis' pick IMO if we're really commited to getting Rubio and I don't see them as being likely trade partners based on what we have to offer and what they need.

 

[MAS RipCity]

Anyone ever notice that when you attach the NUMBER of the pick in a trade, it seems like it holds much more value than say the player's name.

Which sounds better?
Deshawn Stevenson and the #5

or

DeShawn Stevenson and Jordan Hill

In most years, Rudy would be worth the #5, but would we really deal a talent like Rudy for Jordan Hill, Stephan Curry, or Tyreke Evens?

I think people get enamored with the thought of such a high pick, but when you put a name to the number, it doesn't sound so hot.

 

[Stepping Razor]

Washington is going to be looking for something sexier than that.

Okay, how about this:

What if Portland got the #5 by also solving all of Washington's short-term and long-term salary-cap problems? The Wizards really screwed themselves when they signed both Arenas and Jamison to big contract extensions last summer; now it looks like their team, even if all their key players get healthy, can't really compete with Cleveland, Orlando, or Boston in the East, and yet they're stuck in luxury tax hell for years to come.

Portland is perhaps the only team in the NBA who can (a) get them out of the luxury tax zone immediately, (b) give them substantial salary-cap space heading into next summer's free agent bonanza, and (c) still send back a couple of decent young prospects to help their rebuilding project.

To do this, Portland would have to take on the risk of big financial commitments... but I think this could just be the one big deal that legitimately opens the Blazers' championship window today while still keeping a lot of potential on deck for the future.

Here's my idea for how this deal could look:

For salary-cap reasons, this trade has to be done in two parts:

1. On Draft Day: Washington trades Gilbert Arenas and the #5 pick to Portland for Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster, Steve Blake, and the #24 pick.
2. On July 1: Washington trades Antawn Jamison to Portland for Jerryd Bayless and Raef LaFrentz (resigned to a new contract with one guaranteed year at ~$7 million per year)


Why Portland Does It:
1. The #5 pick gets you the PG of the future -- hopefully Rubio (maybe by packaging #5 with next year's pick for #2?) or take KP's choice of Curry, Flynn, Jennings, Evans, etc.
2. Gilbert Arenas. If he can complete his comeback from his knee injury, he is the PG of the present, and a guy who I think would really thrive playing alongside Brandon Roy. Other teams would have a nightmare defending that backcourt, and while I don't know if I'd like to rely on Gilbert as *the* franchise player on a team, I think he would kill as a second/third/fourth option. He's 27 years old and had near-MVP level talent before his injury; I don't think there's a more talented player we could possibly acquire.
3. Antawn Jamison. Here's the steady veteran some have been clamoring for for so long. I'd see him playing ~25 a night as the main backup for both forward spots. Maybe he could win a second 6th Man of the Year award.


Why Washington Does It:

1. Massive, massive cost savings. Outlaw and Blake have unique non-guaranteed contracts that can be traded now but waived before July 1; I think that means that Portland is probably the only team in the NBA that can make a trade that saves another team significant salary and cap space immediately. In this deal, Washington almost certainly waives Blake ($4M) and probably waives Travis ($3.6M) for $$ reasons. Doing this deal saves Washington $23 million next season alone -- instead of paying $16M to Arenas, $11M to Jamison, $3M to the #5 pick, and $7M in luxury tax, they only pay $7M to Raef, $4M to Webster, $2M to Bayless, and $1M to the #24 pick. Looking beyond next season, Washington sheds another $92 million in salary commitments to Arenas, Jamison, and the #5 over the next four seasons.
2. Cap Space in summer 2010. All kinds of teams have been scrambling to free up cap space to try to sign the marquee free agents coming available next year (LeBron, Wade, etc.). This deal would leave Washington with 11 players under contract at a cost of only $40 million entering that summer; that would leave them almost $20 million in cap space to chase new players.
3. Decent young prospects. The only two Blazers they'd be likely to keep from this deal -- Webster and Bayless -- would both have a decent chance to develop into key players on a rebuilding Wizards squad built around Caron Butler.


This would obviously be an extreme high-risk/high-reward move for the Blazers. Most notably, if Arenas can never play well again, we'd be on the hook for a lot of money. But this year's free agent class is frankly not that impressive, and I don't know if there would be any better way for us to load up on talent. If I'm adding things up correctly, we'd be able to just barely stay out of the luxury tax for the next two seasons even if we made this deal and signed Roy and Aldridge to big extensions, but then we'd almost certainly be paying luxury tax from 2011-14. Would Paul Allen be willing to do that? I don't know... but to me this looks like the 9-man rotation of a championship team:

PG: Arenas / [#5 pick (Rubio?)]
SG: Roy / Rudy
SF: Batum / Jamison
PF: Aldridge / Jamison
C: Oden / Przybilla

What do you think? Would you do this if you Portland? If you were Washington?

SR

 

[Ed O]

I know it's easy to say because it's not my money, but I think that Arenas would be a pretty darn good acquisition... especially if he's considered a negative (and is attached to a lottery pick). As you say, SR, he's still relatively young and he could be a very very good fit with Roy in the backcourt.

It's a ton of money, but Paul Allen is unique in his ability to take that sort of risk...

Ed O.

 

[BalancedMan]

Last time Washington had the #5 pick they traded it (Devin Harris) for Antawn Jamison. I don't think this draft is as good, so maybe a player of his caliber (a few years ago) wouldn't be required...but who really knows these days with teams dumping salary, etc.

I don't know if I'm super excited about the upper tier players outside of Rubio who might be available. Who would you take...Evans? I like Harden but he's redundant with Roy and Rudy around, and almost certainly won't be there.

 

[Minstrel]

Okay, how about this:

What if Portland got the #5 by also solving all of Washington's short-term and long-term salary-cap problems? The Wizards really screwed themselves when they signed both Arenas and Jamison to big contract extensions last summer; now it looks like their team, even if all their key players get healthy, can't really compete with Cleveland, Orlando, or Boston in the East, and yet they're stuck in luxury tax hell for years to come.

Portland is perhaps the only team in the NBA who can (a) get them out of the luxury tax zone immediately, (b) give them substantial salary-cap space heading into next summer's free agent bonanza, and (c) still send back a couple of decent young prospects to help their rebuilding project.

To do this, Portland would have to take on the risk of big financial commitments... but I think this could just be the one big deal that legitimately opens the Blazers' championship window today while still keeping a lot of potential on deck for the future.

Here's my idea for how this deal could look:

For salary-cap reasons, this trade has to be done in two parts:

1. On Draft Day: Washington trades Gilbert Arenas and the #5 pick to Portland for Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster, Steve Blake, and the #24 pick.
2. On July 1: Washington trades Antawn Jamison to Portland for Jerryd Bayless and Raef LaFrentz (resigned to a new contract with one guaranteed year at ~$7 million per year)


Why Portland Does It:
1. The #5 pick gets you the PG of the future -- hopefully Rubio (maybe by packaging #5 with next year's pick for #2?) or take KP's choice of Curry, Flynn, Jennings, Evans, etc.
2. Gilbert Arenas. If he can complete his comeback from his knee injury, he is the PG of the present, and a guy who I think would really thrive playing alongside Brandon Roy. Other teams would have a nightmare defending that backcourt, and while I don't know if I'd like to rely on Gilbert as *the* franchise player on a team, I think he would kill as a second/third/fourth option. He's 27 years old and had near-MVP level talent before his injury; I don't think there's a more talented player we could possibly acquire.
3. Antawn Jamison. Here's the steady veteran some have been clamoring for for so long. I'd see him playing ~25 a night as the main backup for both forward spots. Maybe he could win a second 6th Man of the Year award.


Why Washington Does It:

1. Massive, massive cost savings. Outlaw and Blake have unique non-guaranteed contracts that can be traded now but waived before July 1; I think that means that Portland is probably the only team in the NBA that can make a trade that saves another team significant salary and cap space immediately. In this deal, Washington almost certainly waives Blake ($4M) and probably waives Travis ($3.6M) for $$ reasons. Doing this deal saves Washington $23 million next season alone -- instead of paying $16M to Arenas, $11M to Jamison, $3M to the #5 pick, and $7M in luxury tax, they only pay $7M to Raef, $4M to Webster, $2M to Bayless, and $1M to the #24 pick. Looking beyond next season, Washington sheds another $92 million in salary commitments to Arenas, Jamison, and the #5 over the next four seasons.
2. Cap Space in summer 2010. All kinds of teams have been scrambling to free up cap space to try to sign the marquee free agents coming available next year (LeBron, Wade, etc.). This deal would leave Washington with 11 players under contract at a cost of only $40 million entering that summer; that would leave them almost $20 million in cap space to chase new players.
3. Decent young prospects. The only two Blazers they'd be likely to keep from this deal -- Webster and Bayless -- would both have a decent chance to develop into key players on a rebuilding Wizards squad built around Caron Butler.


This would obviously be an extreme high-risk/high-reward move for the Blazers. Most notably, if Arenas can never play well again, we'd be on the hook for a lot of money. But this year's free agent class is frankly not that impressive, and I don't know if there would be any better way for us to load up on talent. If I'm adding things up correctly, we'd be able to just barely stay out of the luxury tax for the next two seasons even if we made this deal and signed Roy and Aldridge to big extensions, but then we'd almost certainly be paying luxury tax from 2011-14. Would Paul Allen be willing to do that? I don't know... but to me this looks like the 9-man rotation of a championship team:

PG: Arenas / [#5 pick (Rubio?)]
SG: Roy / Rudy
SF: Batum / Jamison
PF: Aldridge / Jamison
C: Oden / Przybilla

What do you think? Would you do this if you Portland? If you were Washington?

SR

I'd take that risk. Of course, as Ed says, it's easy to spend Paul Allen's money. I'd understand if he didn't want to take on such huge contractual obligations, especially with a young roster that is likely to become very expensive on its own in future years.

But damn, the potential of this trade would be impressive. Especially if Pritchard could parlay the #5 pick into Rubio (either by trading up further or Rubio somehow slipping to #5).

If Arenas still has his natural ability and Portland had Rubio as his backup, their backcourt would be amazingly lethal. And their front court would be even more potent than before with Jamison off the bench.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's one rumor of what Minnesota is offering for the #5:

At this point, Kahn is holding firm on not putting Kevin Love on the table for the right to move up in the draft, and is instead trying to acquire another pick to entice Memphis to swap with them. As other media outlets have reported, they are targeting Washington’s #5 pick, but are only offering some combination of Randy Foye, Mike Miller and the #18 pick, which probably won’t get it done.

Is that any better than Outlaw, Blake, AND absorbing bad salary? Hell, throw the #24 and/or picks down the road!

But I don't like THIS:

The Wizards have been bombarded with trade offers as of late, some of them more realistic than others, but it’s not a given that they will decide to trade the pick. If Rubio is on the board, all indications are that the Wizards would take him, and worst comes to worse, deal with the repercussions of him staying in Europe for another year or two until his buyout situation gets resolved. There aren’t many teams that are higher on Rubio’s upside than Washington.

Hmm...

TARGET SACRAMENTO'S PICK!

As messy as the rest of the top five sounds, Sacramento’s situation might be the most confusing. It’s looking more and more clear that the Kings are not nearly as enamored with Ricky Rubio as they once were, for a number of reasons. The official party line is that Sacramento is concerned that Rubio will struggle to assert his leadership ability on the group of players they currently have in place, due to the fact that he’s only 18 years old and not a native English speaker. One of the biggest issues Sacramento had last year was with the culture of their team lockerroom. On top of that, the Kings are worried that will Rubio will have a huge target on his chest coming into the NBA, and that other players will “try to go at him every single night.”

Something important to keep in mind is that long-time Kings General Manager Geoff Petrie has just one year left on his contract, and that ownership is putting a great deal of pressure on him to ensure that they don’t go through as painful a season as they just did in 08-09, winning just 17 games. With that in mind, they may opt to just put a Band-Aid on the problem and draft a more ready player, such as Tyreke Evans or Jonny Flynn—who is very attractive due to his outgoing personality and terrific leadership skills-- and hope that things magically get better next season.

 

[MAS RipCity]

Outlaw is slightly > Miller
Foye is > Blake, but Blake is more clutch
18 obviously > 24, but maybe WAS would want a lower pick in that draft range to save money?

Never the less, they turned it down, but our offerings aren't too far off. I would think adding 32 or next years protected 1st might put us over the top.

 

[mook]

Okay, how about this:

What if Portland got the #5 by also solving all of Washington's short-term and long-term salary-cap problems? The Wizards really screwed themselves when they signed both Arenas and Jamison to big contract extensions last summer; now it looks like their team, even if all their key players get healthy, can't really compete with Cleveland, Orlando, or Boston in the East, and yet they're stuck in luxury tax hell for years to come.

Portland is perhaps the only team in the NBA who can (a) get them out of the luxury tax zone immediately, (b) give them substantial salary-cap space heading into next summer's free agent bonanza, and (c) still send back a couple of decent young prospects to help their rebuilding project.

To do this, Portland would have to take on the risk of big financial commitments... but I think this could just be the one big deal that legitimately opens the Blazers' championship window today while still keeping a lot of potential on deck for the future.

Here's my idea for how this deal could look:

For salary-cap reasons, this trade has to be done in two parts:

1. On Draft Day: Washington trades Gilbert Arenas and the #5 pick to Portland for Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster, Steve Blake, and the #24 pick.
2. On July 1: Washington trades Antawn Jamison to Portland for Jerryd Bayless and Raef LaFrentz (resigned to a new contract with one guaranteed year at ~$7 million per year)


Why Portland Does It:
1. The #5 pick gets you the PG of the future -- hopefully Rubio (maybe by packaging #5 with next year's pick for #2?) or take KP's choice of Curry, Flynn, Jennings, Evans, etc.
2. Gilbert Arenas. If he can complete his comeback from his knee injury, he is the PG of the present, and a guy who I think would really thrive playing alongside Brandon Roy. Other teams would have a nightmare defending that backcourt, and while I don't know if I'd like to rely on Gilbert as *the* franchise player on a team, I think he would kill as a second/third/fourth option. He's 27 years old and had near-MVP level talent before his injury; I don't think there's a more talented player we could possibly acquire.
3. Antawn Jamison. Here's the steady veteran some have been clamoring for for so long. I'd see him playing ~25 a night as the main backup for both forward spots. Maybe he could win a second 6th Man of the Year award.


Why Washington Does It:

1. Massive, massive cost savings. Outlaw and Blake have unique non-guaranteed contracts that can be traded now but waived before July 1; I think that means that Portland is probably the only team in the NBA that can make a trade that saves another team significant salary and cap space immediately. In this deal, Washington almost certainly waives Blake ($4M) and probably waives Travis ($3.6M) for $$ reasons. Doing this deal saves Washington $23 million next season alone -- instead of paying $16M to Arenas, $11M to Jamison, $3M to the #5 pick, and $7M in luxury tax, they only pay $7M to Raef, $4M to Webster, $2M to Bayless, and $1M to the #24 pick. Looking beyond next season, Washington sheds another $92 million in salary commitments to Arenas, Jamison, and the #5 over the next four seasons.
2. Cap Space in summer 2010. All kinds of teams have been scrambling to free up cap space to try to sign the marquee free agents coming available next year (LeBron, Wade, etc.). This deal would leave Washington with 11 players under contract at a cost of only $40 million entering that summer; that would leave them almost $20 million in cap space to chase new players.
3. Decent young prospects. The only two Blazers they'd be likely to keep from this deal -- Webster and Bayless -- would both have a decent chance to develop into key players on a rebuilding Wizards squad built around Caron Butler.


This would obviously be an extreme high-risk/high-reward move for the Blazers. Most notably, if Arenas can never play well again, we'd be on the hook for a lot of money. But this year's free agent class is frankly not that impressive, and I don't know if there would be any better way for us to load up on talent. If I'm adding things up correctly, we'd be able to just barely stay out of the luxury tax for the next two seasons even if we made this deal and signed Roy and Aldridge to big extensions, but then we'd almost certainly be paying luxury tax from 2011-14. Would Paul Allen be willing to do that? I don't know... but to me this looks like the 9-man rotation of a championship team:

PG: Arenas / [#5 pick (Rubio?)]
SG: Roy / Rudy
SF: Batum / Jamison
PF: Aldridge / Jamison
C: Oden / Przybilla

What do you think? Would you do this if you Portland? If you were Washington?

SR

Really interesting idea. From Portland's side it seems like a crazy-good deal, provided Paul Allen wants to spend the money.

From the Wizards side, though....you have to wonder if that leaves them with enough talent to sell tickets. It's The Caron Butler Show! Hmmm. Kind of hard to sell. Even if Bayless blows up. I guess your point is that they get that Franchise player in free agency, but Washington will be so wiped out of talent that it's not going to be that attractive of a destination.

To really interest Washington, I think you might have to throw in Fernandez instead of Webster. He could be that ticket draw that they'll be lacking.

I'd love to have Jamison as our backup PF/SF.

That'd get you:
PG: Arenas / [#5 pick (Rubio?)]
SG: Roy / Webster
SF: Batum / Jamison
PF: Aldridge / Jamison
C: Oden / Przybilla

If Arenas looks like he's coming back at 80% or better, that's still a good deal for Portland. If he isn't, I'm not so excited.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Any team in rebuilding mode with a top ten pick and a need for a point guard is going to be able to offer that pick and can probably throw in another player or two.

One of the main reasons (perhaps THE main reason) Washington is looking to move the 5 pick is they don't want to take on the required guaranteed rookie scale salary contract of a high 1st round pick. They are loaded with huge contracts and are looking to either move down far enough that the rookie contract obligations become much more reasonable, or move totally out of the first round AND dump a bad contract if possible. This is srtictly a cost cutting measure. It's not about getting equal talent in return. It's about dumping salary and minimizing their future financial commtiments.

So, I doubt they consider getting another top 10 pick in return a "+" in this case. They might find the 24, or better still, a hand full of 2nd rounders more to their liking. They could roll the dice on several 2nd round picks, work with them through summer league, training camp and preseason and see if any of them are worth keepig and then sign them to relatively cheap contracts. If not, they let them walk with no financial obligations.

BNM

 

[ODENISGOD]

Man, some of you really overvalue our players.

exactly!!!

 

[ODENISGOD]

I know it's easy to say because it's not my money, but I think that Arenas would be a pretty darn good acquisition... especially if he's considered a negative (and is attached to a lottery pick). As you say, SR, he's still relatively young and he could be a very very good fit with Roy in the backcourt.

It's a ton of money, but Paul Allen is unique in his ability to take that sort of risk...

Ed O.

Im so glad your not KP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mediocre Man]

Im so glad your not KP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is why I love these boards.

I think exactly the opposite. Haha

Arenas, if healthy, is easily the second best player on our roster, and it's close between he and Brandon. If not healthy all it is is money. Portland will be over the cap for years to come after this year, so it doesn't really hurt the roster.


Great high risk, high reward guy. Gilbert Arenas puts us in the #1 spot if he is even at 75% of what he was.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You know, one player whom we might consistently undervalue is Przybilla. Now a lot of GMs (and especially OKC's Sam Presti, who surprised a lot of people with Westbrook and is looking pretty good as a result) use these "special stats" like adjusted +/- or "winshares" or whatever. And in one of them (adjusted +/-) Przybilla led the entire NBA! For a team that might be seriously considering drafting Hasheem Thabeet, but actually cares about stats, shouldn't a player like that be preferable?

 

[Minstrel]

For a team that might be seriously considering drafting Hasheem Thabeet, but actually cares about stats, shouldn't a player like that be preferable?

For the next few seasons, yes...but a team like OKC may worry that Przybilla will be exiting his prime just as Durant and Westbrook are entering theirs.

 

[Blaze01]

I don't think WAS is interested in trading their core 3 players (Arenas, Butler & Jamison)....

I think they want to shed the salary of players like Thomas, James, Songalia & Stevenson to avoid the luxury tax and get something of value back....

The interesting thing is that both James & Thomas only have 1 year left on their deals, Songalia and Stevenson have two years...

I think POR could offer a package of picks, players and take some of the contracts WAS wants to unload to get #5...

The negative is POR would loose cap space...but if POR made this deal before the salary cap goes up in July then they would have use of their mid level exception and any trade exceptions they have acquired prior to that date...so their may be another avenue to take...

 

[Idog1976]

Hmmm ... yeah I guess so. I'll believe it when I see it -- Blake and Outlaw (they aren't going to want Przybilla's salary and limited offensive skills I'd wager) for Rubio would be a pretty tough sell to their fans I would imagine. Honestly, do you really think Petrie would pass on Rubio if he falls past Memphis and OKC? Geoff has one of the best eyes for talent I've ever seen and I have zero doubt he knows just how good Rubio could be,

We've got to get Memphis' pick IMO if we're really commited to getting Rubio and I don't see them as being likely trade partners based on what we have to offer and what they need.[/quote]

I agree we would have to vault from #5 to #2 (or perhaps #3) with an additional trade if we want Rubio. I think that Memphis might go for it though if we sweeten the deal with cheap talent (Bayless or Rudy). I'm actually thinking we ought to talk to either Sactown or OKC to get their picks. I think you can get Rubio at #3 at the worst you would draft Thabeet or whomever Memphis wanted and then add in something like Frye and draft picks. OKC dealing their pick for Przybilla + something is certainly intriguing. I think Rubio is available if Portland is willing to throw down for him I think you have to be talking to Memphis, OKC, Sactown and WAS and go the cheapest route. The real question is who do you keep WITH Rubio if you were able to get him in this fantasy scenario?

Blake and pray Nate lets Rubio see the hardwood more then Sergio/Bayless? Go Bayless and Rubio and really roll the dice? Rubio and then bring in Andre Miller or another vet? Let's assume for a minute you can get Rubio who do you back him up with or to whom is he the backup?

I think you have to keep LMA, Roy, Oden and two of Rudy, Przybilla, Batum, Bayless. Everyone outside of that group is eminently tradeable but I feel you have to keep two guys from that second group or you kill our depth.

 

[Idog1976]

I don't think WAS is interested in trading their core 3 players (Arenas, Butler & Jamison)....

I think they want to shed the salary of players like Thomas, James, Songalia & Stevenson to avoid the luxury tax and get something of value back....

The interesting thing is that both James & Thomas only have 1 year left on their deals, Songalia and Stevenson have two years...

I think POR could offer a package of picks, players and take some of the contracts WAS wants to unload to get #5...

The negative is POR would loose cap space...but if POR made this deal before the salary cap goes up in July then they would have use of their mid level exception and any trade exceptions they have acquired prior to that date...so their may be another avenue to take...

I think they would trade Jamison if they got young CHEAP talent in return. Let's say we took Thomas and Jamison along with the #5 for some combo that works salary wise. Is Jamison willing to back up LMA? Or does he want more time on the floor? Jamison I feel would be a perfect foil for Odom and the Lakeshow.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Latest report (well - not really: it's probably cobbled together from things we've already seen):

The Portland Trail Blazers have made no secret of their intention to land a top-tier point guard this summer, and while it's being said they'll make a big run at Sixers free agent Andre Miller, it also appears they're hot and heavy in their pursuit of Rubio. The issue in dealing with the Wizards at #5, however, is that they'll likely to require that any trade include Etan Thomas, who is owed over $7 million next season and has struggled to contribute in any meaningful way even when he's been healthy. It's precisely that type of hang-up that could prevent Portland from moving to grab a rookie point guard and instead send them shopping come free agency.

Here's a thought: we get Thomas from Washington as part of the deal for #5 - and swing him to GState for Ronny Turiaf and change. Then Brandon Roy is happy, despite the fact we're targeting a PG to move him off the ball. And Nate is less unhappy because we get an actual backup PF with our salary cap space, instead of just filling it with RLEC II.

Now: why would GState do this? Answer, because Turiaf has a LONG contract, whereas Thomas's is expiring. And Turiaf, while a nice energy guy, shouldn't be getting minutes for a team that has Biedrins, Randolph and Brandan Wright. I may be wrong, but I think Turiaf was a Mullin guy (just like Derek Fisher - overpaid ex-Laker) and they might be keen to offload him.

(Incidentally, is The NBA Trade Machine not working for other people too? For Washington I just get Antawn Jamison...)

 

[Boob-No-More]

The Washington Post also claims the Blazers tried to land Caron Butler. So, perhaps a big deal for Butler and the No. 5 pick is in the works - or, perhaps not.

BNM