I think Haslem is undervalued in the first trade. He’s a legitimate player. The strangest thing about that trade is that Seattle ended up with two pretty good power forwards. If I was them I would then look to move Haslem, since there are hordes of teams looking for a player like that. San Antonio and Sacramento are coming to mind.

The 5th trade was somewhat predictable. If they had gone for it, I think it would definitely be interesting. The Blazers NEED a point guard from this draft, IMO, so I think that’d be a good trade for us to make. And Charlotte might actually do it.

I believe that Antoine Walker going to the Knicks is easily explained: Gravity. Two massive bodies tend to attract eachother, and that’s why Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph naturally converged. The same must be happening here.

The Charlotte Hornets trade the rights to the #9 overall pick (at the time this was suggested the player was unspecified…you can see the players that were left on the board in the Mock Draft thread) to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the #13 overall pick (also unspecified) and guard Jarrett Jack.

Eric Gordon & DJ Augustin still availible. No thanks. I’ll take Joe o’er givin’ JJ3 away for either o’ those Project Guards.

Why was Miami giving away good players to trade down?

I can’t remember a year where the #2 would have gone for so little. Throw in cook and haslem…no way.

Trade #1: Hate it for the Heat, brilliant for the Sonics.
Sonics Perspective
Beasley may be a tad bit undersized but so is Elton Brand, he’ll be able to contribute right away. His skillset is just too ridiculous. In a few years he may well prove to be the best player of this draft, massive upside. Acquiring Haslem is a coup as a well, a solid blue collar power forward who I think is better than Collison. Cook who was a throw in this deal has potential to be a solid player.

Giving up Nick Collison is entirely negated by acquiring Beasley and Haslem. Bayless might be a good point guard, but he doesn’t have super star written over him like Beasely does, a great deal.

Looking at the heat:
They lose their starting power forward.
They also squander an opportunity to add another star player than will put them back in contention . Bayless is a good pg, but Beasley and Mayo will be better players. With their lack of personnel, throwing Cook in will come back to haunt them as they fill out their roster with D-leaguers (again).

Overall: Seattle acquires 2008 upside king Beasley and a solid rotation guy for pg whose potential is capped at the 2nd tier and an adequate power forward. Jell-o-ball gives this one a thumbs up.

Trade 2
Mayo has a shot to be the best player of this draft. Although that’s somewhat of an outside chance, it’s still plausible. He will however be a quality guard who can be a lock down defender and capable scorer, there aren’t too many of these two way players around. I think Mayo will be an Andre Ig* type talent, a second tier wing player, who will be a fantastic compliment to your star player.

Looking at NYC
Kevin Love has more bust potential than all star potential, trading him for a talent like Mayo was a nice move. I’m not totally convinced that OJ will become an elite player but I’m positive he will be a better pro than Love. Losing Balkman was no big deal, his skill set is duplicated by the handsomely paid Jarred Jeffries.

Minnesota: Kevin Mchale must be a bedger. I don’t understand why they pick up Kevin Love who is a slow footed power forward, to pair along with their other slow footed power forward Al Jefferson. Although Love can pass, he isn’t close to being a legit center. Balkman is another SF who plays good defense, but you know else does the exact same thing? Corey Brewer. I would have at least tried to grab a bigger expiring contract out of this deal.

Overall: The Knicks come out smelling a lot nicer than their city in this deal.

Trade #3
I’m not a fan of drafting white centers in the lottery. I’m an even bigger hater on trading in principle for white centers in the lottery. Especially when you got an absolute steal in Gordan at 10.

New Jersey: If you are going to keep VC there’s not point in having Eric Gordan. Except when VC gets a hang nail and decides to go on IR for a few weeks, or when you are down 8 points and he decides to mail in the game. Budinger would be back up to RJ, so that’s really not too helpful either. They have a gaping hole at center, it’s one of the Collin twins right (yikes I still don’t know how they are still making money in the NBA)? So getting Robin Lopez should shore up that spot, even if his peak is Brad Miller or Chris Kaman that’s more solid than many NBA championship contenders. Let’s just hope they didn’t trade for Eric Dampier. If I was drafting here, I would have tried to make a run for another first rounder and grab Jordan and keep Budinger and Gordan.It looks like the Brooklyn Nets are gearing up for Lebron anyways, so why not slip RJ and VC out for some draft picks and expiring contracts and let the bidding begin? Devin Harris and Eric Gordan would make a good backcourt and Budinger will be a good specialist/bench player. You add your main component in Lebron and you are looking pretty scary.

Clippers: Corey Maggette and Elton Brand look like they are about to pack their bags and head out. Eric Gordan will be terriffic scorer and Budinger will at least be a Jason Kopono with much better athleticism, those are some solid pieces to add for basically nothing. Chris Kaman is doing a great job at the center position so Lopez really wouldn’t be very useful.

Overall: Talent wise the Clips come out ahead, but New Jersey fills a team need nicely.

Trade 4
Odd trade.

Sacremento: Sacremento has Beno who looks pretty decent, Westbrook isn’t going to overtake him any time soon, and at the 2 you have Kevin Martin and that Francisco guy. Where are the minutes going to come for Westbrook?

Milwaukee: You get John Salmons. Ok he’s a pretty solid bench guy, I’d like him better if he was salmons like the fish. He lit Portland up something fierce last time we played them. Anthony Randolph is a 3/4 who will have to play the three here, considering the fact their other power forwards are pretty soft, perimeter oriented guys he will struggle. Mil needs to consolidate their offensive firepower for some defensive stability, inside scoring, team first players. Charlie V, Yi, Bogut, seriously, all their games are almost entirely alike. BUT at least they got rid of Gads-a-reach’s contract.

Overall: Bleh.

Trade 5

Good move for the Blazers. Except for 2 things
1. Who will we hate on next year once Jack is gone? My inkling is Martell Webster.
2. Nate will be depressed because his mancrush left town.

Picking up Gordan or trading to get Westbrook would be a nice pickup here.

Bad logic. Makes no sense.

They are hurting for players now, but someone decides to give TWO 1st round picks for a Center prospect that is a couple years from contributing.
It makes even less sense when you know that they already have a good Center in Chris Kaman.
Kamen is tied up with a log term contract

They need a PG for Shaun Livingston spot. They have other positional needs like SF.

It makes far more sense to do a trade with the Blazers. We have early 2nds, 13, and possibly JJ. You can bet this situation is not lost on KP.

Blazers take Eric Gordon who could add instant offense on the second team his 1st year.

Eric would play with Rudy and Outlaw. That combo would produce a lot of scoring.

Man, if the Bucks will give up Westbrook that easily the Blazers better put in a bid for him. Shoot, I’d give up the #13, JJ, McRoberts/Koponen and a #2 pick and take back a scrub. I feel like that is a lot more than they got for it.

Trade # 2 makes no sense at all for the Wolves. Antoine Walker is an expiring contract. They could have sent Jaric to NY but i wouldn’t do this trade either way.

Miami trade is off. They wont do that trade unless they get Mayo, and they would need another pick in there. But good thinking.


Trade 2 is probably realistic. We ARE talking about McHale


Trade 3 would be REALLY nice for the Clips, but Lopez isnt worth all that.


Trade 4 is not enough for Milwaukee. I like this trade for the most part, I just think Sac would have to add something in there.


Trade 5 is one I think we as Blazer fans would do in a heartbeat, but I doubt Charlotte would. Then again, MJ is the GM. So.. yeah go for it!!

.......................... put away your frickin’ Spock ears, kids!

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There is a ton of speculation relating to Antoine Walker’s contract. Let me discuss this trade as TheBlazersPhilospher and Myself understood it.

Philospher and I both went into the trade under the assumption that Walker’s contract was a 4 year deal, so I think regardless of what the contract is, that our agreement on contract length should be the basis of criticism and opinion. The trade was made with Me as the New York GM believing I was taking on a big contract, so I stand by that.

New York w/ D’Antoni is likely willing to bring in a Antoine Walker type player who is percieved to be washed up, and would be able to possibly revive his career, especially as a off the bench type of player. The Knicks obviously want OJ Mayo, and Mayo want’s to play in New York, there is no other reason why he would work out with the team. New York gave Minnesota 2 contracts that are going to dissapear very soon from their books, and will help them rebuild their team in the long run. And they also got the player they were targeting in Kevin Love.

It’s one of those trades where anyone can come up on top, and likely both teams benefit greatly. I honestly feel that Philospher has been treated horribly in this draft process, and I wish you all would look at things a little deeper. He traded Walker under the impression that his contract was 4 years, and I openly traded for it under that same impression.

Please, send your criticism my way, if only because I openly traded away my chance at LeBron. Even if we were wrong on contract length, I still made the deal knowing it would cancel out the chance at James.

Miami trades down in the draft, plus gives up one of it’s most dependable players and a young guy that played half way decently as a rookie for Nick Collison, Wilkins and some guy we’ve never heard of (and likely never will)? I love Collison, but Haslem / Collison is at best a wash. Why trade Cook for Wilkins? And there is no way this is the best Miami could get for the #2 pick.

I don’t get the Minnesota pick either. It might make sense if it involved shedding Walker’s contract, but picking up Rose pretty much negates that. Love & Balkman for Mayo might not be too bad a deal, assuming McHale is in love with Love, but where do these guys all play? Minny still has Gomes and Craig Smith. It also means they are stcuk playing Jefferson as a center.

The Clips deal might be plausible. Converting a 7 to a 10 and a 21 makes sense if you don’t think you have an immediate impact guy at 7. Plus they have Kamen, so Lopez is not critical to retain.

Same with the Bucks. Converting an 8 to a 12 and a 43, while shedding a contract and picking up a SG/SF in Salmons doesn’t sound bad. Particularly if they are looking to move Michael Redd. Not sure why Sac does it. They must be sure of resigning Artest.

And why does Charlotte trade down? 9 for 13? They must love Jarrett Jack. That’s a bit odd, considering how much Jack gets trashed here. MJ must be a closet Blazer fan.