We have our team. No trades, just keep this guys together!!

[Minstrel]

Adding Gerald Wallace seems like the likeliest of options, but in a Playoff series, he would be the weak link. Teams would double up on Roy, Rudy, Greg, and Lamarcus, daring Gerald to shoot from outside. Sure Wallace could do his thing and drive to the hole, but is that what we want to rely on. No.

If opposing teams are paying little defensive attention to him? I'd be happy to rely on Wallace's excellent slashing ability. Wallace is a very nice scoring option on a team with few others. If defenses are focused elsewhere, he'll have a field day.

In addition his defense is exceptional. He'd give us a perimeter stopper without needing to play Batum who, while he's been very encouraging for a 19 year old, still isn't the caliber of offensive player that can consistently hurt defenses. Considering that defense is currently the team's big problem, this would go a long way to helping.

I don't think Wallace would remotely be a weak link, in the playoffs. He's almost the ideal complementary scorer for a team that has a lot of scoring threats...he doesn't need the ball in his hands, but he's someone defenses have to account for or he'll be at the rim receiving a pass and finishing. And his defensive versatility is very valuable as he can defend 2-4.

Sure, I'd prefer to get a star or near-star point guard. But those simply are not ever made available once they've proven themselves. You can only get underperforming players (like Hinrich) or aging players (like Kidd). I'd like to maximize the talent in a consolidation trade, during the LaFrentz window. Wallace currently seems like the best mix of high-caliber talent and fitting team needs. No one else yet rumoured to be available in trade is a particularly high-level talent and still fairly young.

 

[Ed O]

Gerald Wallace does a lot of things that Batum does... but he's an older and more mature player. Plugging Wallace into this team's rotation would be great. He doesn't demand shots, he is a good defender, and he can play multiple positions.

Moving Frye and either Outlaw or Webster--or moving Raef to LAC for Kaman and then sending Kaman to Charlotte--would be perfect for this team this year and beyond.

Ed O.

 

[MARIS61]

Gerald Wallace does a lot of things that Batum does... but he's an older and more mature player. Plugging Wallace into this team's rotation would be great. He doesn't demand shots, he is a good defender, and he can play multiple positions.

Moving Frye and either Outlaw or Webster--or moving Raef to LAC for Kaman and then sending Kaman to Charlotte--would be perfect for this team this year and beyond.

Ed O.

Keeping Outlaw and Webster would be even better.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

If opposing teams are paying little defensive attention to him? I'd be happy to rely on Wallace's excellent slashing ability. Wallace is a very nice scoring option on a team with few others. If defenses are focused elsewhere, he'll have a field day.

I didn't think this through, but let me expand on my idea. With Wallace being ignored I would imagine that the driving lanes would be plugged up as well. Some sort of zone that would allow the other positions to be easily covered, plug up the paint on Wallace's side, and dare him to shoot from outside.

You've easily convinced me that he would be a definite improvement to the team. I just am left wondering if we would be better off with a Michael Redd-type All-Star Shooter than what Wallace brings. Only because it would force the opposition to defend with single-coverage at all five positions on the floor.

Then again, the Celtics were able to win their championship with Rondo.

 

[shamelessblazer]

Brandon wouldn't play very well with Nash, would he? Seems like a bad fit to me, unless Nash is willing to change his role.

did he tell you that? Good players on bad teams are always labeled as "never being able to play off the ball" and it drives me crazy. If they're a good versatile player that's a skill they'll add to make the team better (and get some much easier scores for themselves). I think Nash and Roy can both play off the ball (at least somewhat) because they both are good shooters (mid and long range). Nash plays off fairly well (when he is), and the fact is Roy will need to in order to maximize our bigs (and his) effectiveness. If there was as much validity to this playing off the ball BS team USA would've never even came close to winning in the Olympics...

Brandon is a good enough shooter, passer, and post player that he has the tools to play off the ball, someone just needs to give him a kick in the pants to get him to do it a little more.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

did he tell you that?

Yeah. We had beers and discussed this all night long on the plane last night. WTF. Obviously no. In fact, I was offering my opinion and then asking you what you thought. Settle down man.

Good players on bad teams are always labeled as "never being able to play off the ball" and it drives me crazy.

Are we still talking about Nash? Last time I checked they were a pretty good team the last few seasons.

I think Nash and Roy can both play off the ball (at least somewhat) because they both are good shooters (mid and long range). Nash plays off fairly well (when he is), and the fact is Roy will need to in order to maximize our bigs (and his) effectiveness.

I believe Roy can. You think Nash can, or at least somewhat can? Ok, well you better be sure of it before you mortgage our future to get him. It's not something I've seen him do. He requires the ball in his hands to be successful from what I've seen.

If there was as much validity to this playing off the ball BS team USA would've never even came close to winning in the Olympics...

So now it's bullshit that certain players are better at playing with the ball in their hands opposed to playing off the ball. Whatever. The US won the gold for many reasons, but a large part was because they had players that were very good at distributing the ball and players that were fantastic at playing off the ball and putting the ball in the hoop.

Brandon is a good enough shooter, passer, and post player that he has the tools to play off the ball, someone just needs to give him a kick in the pants to get him to do it a little more.

I would actually agree with this. Brandon can almost do anything he sets his mind to. I'm not convinced that he feels as comfortable without the ball in his hands nor am I sure it's in the team's best interest to keep it out of his hands. That's what I was trying to discuss.

 

[anonymous gambler]

. But I want to see the team be as good as possible now and into the future, and no team in modern sports has been successful by just letting a cake bake for a few years without making moves to get better.

Ed O.

Actually, I think you are right. but it is interesting to think what the 2000 bulls would have been like if they let their "cake bake."

They had Ron Artest, Brad Miller, Jamal Crawford, Elton Brand and Ron Mercer- two future all-star level players, two nice players and, if I remember correctly, a fairly decent one in Mercer. The next year they drafted Eddy Curry.

It could have been a decent lineup in time- better than what they ended up with, at least.

Crawford
Ron Mercer
Artest
Brand
Miller/Curry

 

[drexlersdad]

raef can go lol.