<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jun 19 2008, 10:19 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (reganomics813 @ Jun 19 2008, 09:41 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I love everything RJ has done for us but Thorn pulling another one of his heists in dealing him is gonna be really really tricky.</div>
You might be right, but it also might be easier than you think. He had the tenth highest scoring average in the league! He's a winner! He's in the prime of his career! I think he would be a great acquisition for a team either looking for the last missing piece, or (more importantly) a team trying to create the illusion for its fan base that they are going all-out and trying to contend, when they are really just trying to save money and get more fans to buy season ticket plans. I mean, teams have different priorities. To change sports, why did the Pirates sign Matt Morris? To convince people that they are at least "trying." If the Clippers lose Brand, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they became immediately interested in RJ--they could say that they were replacing Brand with a top-ten scorer, and we could probably figure out a way that they could save money to boot. Maybe Tim Thomas and Mobley, or maybe they S&T Brand. Of course they would toss in the rights to the #7 pick--that is a $2 million savings right there. Maybe they also take back Marcus.
Anyway. I'm just making stuff up on the fly. My point is just that some organizations may want RJ for other reasons, such as to look good whether or not they are actually improving. RJ would be a great public relations coup--it's not often that a team can acquire a 20 point scorer that is not a locker-room headache.
You got to recognize that the nets are not going to contend next year. There is too much uncertainty, too many changes on the horizon. And I'm not just talking about the draft. You're going to have an entire new coaching staff; you may have no returning center. There will have to be a couple of free-agency signings, and we know how that has worked out in the past. Right now, this team is Devin Harris, Vince Carter, Josh Boone, and fill in the blanks. 20% of the salary is tied up in Stromile Swift and Trent hassell, who I think are untradable and useless.
</div>Heh. My dream scenario is
"On June 25, Elton Brand has informed the Clippers that he will take advantage of the opt-out clause in his contract."
"On June 26th, Elgin Baylor has 'regretfully' traded Elton Brand, Cuttino Mobley and #7 pick for Richard Jeffersin, Keith Van Horn, Stromile Swift, Trenton Hassell and #10 and #21 picks"