The Ultimate in Pipe Dream Trades

by dr chapstick on Jun 6, 2009 3:37 PM PDT

Everybody has been so prolific with their trade suggestions, I figured I'd better get one in too. Looking forward to people pointing out what are probably innumerable flaws- I confess I haven't completely thought this one through (though I have included many links). Try to come with me on this:

Move 1: Trade Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, #24 to the Wizards for #5, Etan Thomas.

I don't want to see Rex go any more than the rest of you, but Washington would have to strongly consider taking a hypothetical top-5 draft pick in Bayless (if he were drafted this year, as a sophomore) AND around 3 million in salary relief. They want to dump the Thomas contract, and we could conceivably shove his big body into a back-up PF spot (plus Etan is just generally rad- poet, political activist, etc.). They likely wouldn't be crazy about taking Sergio, but his inclusion and reasonable salary would be a small price to pay for this deal.

Move 2: Trade #5, Travis Outlaw to the Grizzlies for #2, Marko Jaric.

Can you see where I'm going with this? Memphis would have to strongly consider giving up their #2 for a quality player (and Grizzly killer) like Trout, so long as they retain a top-5 pick (still better than #6, where they had been projected to fall in the draft!). Jaric is overpaid, but the 3 million dollar discrepancy between his contract and Outlaw's would provide more salary relief for Memphis, which they always welcome, not to mention the financial difference between the #2 and #5 picks. With this extra relief plus their already sizable cap space, they could have a fortune to spend in the near future, maybe 2010... In turn, we'd get Adriana Lima and yes, Senor Rubio. Memphis wouldn't have to lose sleep over whether or not Ricky would want to play there, and there'd still be comparable (albeit shorter) talent in the top 5 without selecting Thabeet (who may or may not be NBA-ready). The Grizz could have their top-5 pick and still go shopping for somebody more established. And you know Trout would be stoked living so close to home.

So now we have Ricky Rubio, Etan Thomas, Adriana Lima, Marko Jaric, and about 6-7 million less cap space.

Move 3: Trade Steve Blake, Channing Frye (sign-&-trade, 5 million) to the Bulls for Kirk Hinrich, Lindsey Hunter.

-or-

Trade Frye (sign-&-trade, 6 million), rights to Petko/Freeland to Bulls for Hinrich, Hunter.

Now this is a bit trickier. Chicago would really have to view this as salary help, knowing that Hinrich probably has to go anyway. If we could somehow get Noah here, you'd have to do it- but Chicago surely doesn't want to jettison his big presence/ponytail. HIs ability to bang and emotional fire would be huge, but then again so would the added defensive intensity of bringing Hinrich and Hunter into the fold. By now we all know the merits of Hinrich's game, and there are many, but Hunter's veteran leadership and (once) reputation as a defensive specialist could be a steal as a throw-in. If we can pull this off, we've given away another 3-4 million in salary relief, but that was ours to spend. If not, we still have Blake.

So exhale. Now our line-up looks like this, and it's totally nasty:

PG: Hinrich, Rubio, Hunter (possibly Blake, sometimes Roy)

SG: Roy, Rudy, Lima/Jaric

SF: Batum, Webster (sometimes Roy)

PF: Aldridge, Thomas

C: Pryzbilla, Oden (or vice-versa)

We'd give Rubio about 3 years solid back-up play under the tutelage of Hinrich & Hunter (incidentally, both great defenders) before beginning to give him the reins at around age 21. We'd have a vastly improved perimeter defense without really sacrificing any offense, assuming Webster or Rudy can fill Outlaw's hole as 6th man, which they likely can. Our playmaking abilities and ability to run the break have improved exponentially, catering to the (largely unseen, at this point) strengths of LA, Nic, Rudy in the open court. The talent of our bench is staggering. We would probably need to upgrade our 'banger' at some point, but that seems a relatively easy future tweak. I'd be especially excited to see what Rubio, Rudy, and Webster could do together against other teams' second units, though that'd probably be almost too brutal to watch.

I'm just a dreamer! Tell me I'm crazy.

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If Lima starts...

I’m all over this.

by parkinglotj on Jun 6, 2009 3:39 PM PDT reply actions

I like it, and ironically the Hinrich trade looks like the one where we are lowballing while the trade for the #2 looks solid

And I will be pissed if KP’s real trade is just Sergio for Lindsey Hunter and a future second round pick :)

by Norsktroll on Jun 6, 2009 3:49 PM PDT reply actions

you know thats all pritchard is gonna do right?

all of us will expect a big bomb of a trade to go down and all we’ll get is a little poof ala ruffion-diogu style oh well

by HurricaneDayne on Jun 6, 2009 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd take this team

bring in Freeland as the 13th man, two extra spots for who knows who. I’d be a happy camper with this team

C*mcast sucks!

by Blazermaniac77 on Jun 6, 2009 3:56 PM PDT reply actions

Wow. At first I thought " this guy is way off his rocker ", but at second look, there is a ( small ) chance that Washington, Chicago and Memphis might do those.

Of course this whole scenario depends on Washington first and foremost. It might take Rudy instead of Bayless to convince them. It is the #5 pick. That roster would be pretty sick. We would have a veteran to hold it down while Rubio develops.

by dario argento on Jun 6, 2009 4:12 PM PDT reply actions

That's weird..

moves 1 and 2 occurred to me this morning. I actually logged in to type ’em up.

I think they make perfect sense and appeal to everyone’s desires.

I thought of it slightly differently, though. I know the Wiz need a starting SG, and something clicked when I thought of Iverson of all people. We could sign him to a contract small enough to make the dollars work to immediately ship him off to DC for their pick and a bad contract. Songaila’s on the books for the 2010 goldrush, so he could be a likely candidate. Plus, he’s a fiery young PF who could be a good energy “banger” type off the bench, so it wouldn’t be a total loss. Also plus, he whipped his arm into LeBron’s face during the playoffs last year, so there’s always that.

While I think the Wiz would jump at the chance to unload a bad contract and a draft pick they can’t afford to pay for practically nothing, getting The Answer in return will make for a nice spoonful of sugar to a depressed fan base. It would at least sell jerseys, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see one more decent season out of AI. I suppose there are concerns of touches with Agent Zero sharing the backcourt, but they’d be like the little brother to the Celtics last-chancers of 2008. The Wizards are in win-now mode and turning a pick into a proven vet plus financial relief seems like a ‘do’ to me.

Then, you turn to the Grizzlies for Rubio. They don’t need him with Conley, but they could really use a PF post-up type and just plain talent in general. Jordan Hill is apparently just that and is slated to go.. number 5. Beyond that, they’re a bit like the OKCs, all dressed up with a plethora of young talent but nowhere to go for a couple years. I think they’d be thrilled to take a combination of Jordan Hill, our twenty-fourth pick, our first-rounder from 2010 and Outlaw. If that falls short, the Grizz haven’t ever met a wheelbarrow of money they didn’t like. I think two words ensure this deal: “cash considerations”. I don’t see a lot of other teams putting together a package like that.

So, here’s the changover, in sum:

Blazers get: Ricky Rubio, Darius Songaila
Blazers send: 24th pick, next year’s 1st-rounder, Outlaw
(!!!!!!)

We don’t lose ANY key starters (or bench players, really) and basically turn our cap space and non-lottery picks into Ricky Rubio and an energy guy at backup PF. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we still stay under the cap, too!!

It's = It Is
Its = Belongs to It

by 12sharks on Jun 6, 2009 5:13 PM PDT reply actions

And this..............

is our long awaited championship team? Sorry folks, I just don’t see it. And by adding Jaric, you now have a poor locker room guy who will piss & moan to the media about playing time, which he ain’t gettin’. Plus, at 38 years old, who is Lindsey Hunter going to guard? Coach Williams? And after all this, you still don’t have a starter at the 3.

KP, please don’t blow the team up with these rotten deals. You’ve worked too hard for too long to settle for this.

by fat27 on Jun 6, 2009 6:23 PM PDT reply actions

Why (when you have just traded the moon for Rubio)

Grab Hinrich? That team needs better role players.

by Sabonis4Ever on Jun 6, 2009 7:00 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

lima is the ultimate role player.

"There are a few teams you have to watch out for in the fourth quarter."
"Yeah, but Portland definitely is not one of them."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters at the end of the third quarter with the Hornets leading 74-59. Portland later ends up winning 97-89.

"They don't mind him shooting that shot at all. Rudy Fernandez is not that great of a 3pt shooter."

-New Orleans Hornets broadcasters right after a Rudy Fernandez missed 3pter. Rudy Fernandez finished the game with three 3pters on six attempts.

by Tofu Anonymous on Jun 6, 2009 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

This article..

http://grizzlies.realgm.com/articles/50/20090601/30_teams_30_days_memphis_draft_preview/

has some pretty good info, including this gem of a header:

Who’s Gone Number 2 Recently?

It's = It Is
Its = Belongs to It

by 12sharks on Jun 6, 2009 9:54 PM PDT reply actions

Move 2 and 3 could maybe possibly kinda sorta work

but move 1 seems like a trade that makes no sense. Why would the Wizards trade for a extremely poor mans version of what they already have (Gilbert Arenas). I’m pretty sure of a couple things. One, they can get way more for pick #5 and two, that they have no need for a combo guard, their need is at power forward.

by as11osu on Jun 6, 2009 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

I'd make a change

Send Frye to Memphis and Outlaw to Chicago.

Outlaw is a 2010 contract and the Grizz need a PF like nobody’s business.

by dprodigy19 on Jun 6, 2009 10:39 PM PDT reply actions

This is rudiculous

You are basically destroying what KP has been bulding for 3 years. I understand moving up and getting Rubio but if you acquire Rubio then it doesn’t make any sense in acquiring Hinrich aswell becasue Hinrich’s contract is about $11 million a year and that is too much to pay for a backup PG because I believe that Rubio will demand to be a starting PG or he may pull a Fran Vazquez on us like what he did to Orlando in 2005. Blake makes much more sense because he is an expiring contract who is not an erratic PG who does not mind comig off of the bench and he could teach Rubio alot of things to improve his overall game. I believe that we could acquire Memphis’ 2nd overall pick for our 24th overall pick, Jerryd Bayless(I do like him but he would be a 3rd string PG with lots of value), Sergio Rodriguez and we could sign and trade Channing Frye and involve him in the trade. Joel Freeland has improved so much in such a short space of time and I may be biased because is from England and so am I but I believe he could be a backup PF for us as early as next season so long as he competes in Summer League and goes to training camp to fine tune his game. I would like to know what you fellow BE’s think of this.

by BritishBlazersAndy on Jun 7, 2009 5:23 AM PDT reply actions

Freeland certainly would have an opportunity.

He may be a good option for us. I don’t follow him enough to be sure. I also agree that Rubio and Hinrich together isn’t exactly the most efficient use of resources.

And a heads-up for you since you’re new here. Try to avoid making the issue the original poster, as is done with the first sentence. Instead, argue the issues. The good news is that the rest of your post does a fine job arguing the issues raised. Thanks for jumping in!

וָאֹמַר אוֹי-לִי כִי-נִדְמֵיתִי, כִּי אִישׁ טְמֵא-שְׂפָתַיִם אָנֹכִי, וּבְתוֹךְ עַם-טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם, אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב: כִּי, אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת--רָאוּ עֵינָי.

Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?

by T Darkstar on Jun 7, 2009 5:51 AM PDT up reply actions

Complicated

I continue to worry that Rubio is going to need time to be successful in the NBA. Getting Hinrich for the short term seems like a very nice package.

However, this just seems like a very complicated scenario with a lot of moving pieces. Single trades are tough to pull off. Stuff like this is definitely a long shot.

There is also the question of whether or not this much roster change is advised with a young team that has already had so much success. Chemistry and fit are hard to anticipate and there is something to the notion of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Ultimately, I doubt that the team is going in this direction. All indications are that they are going to keep Bayless and give him minutes to see what he can do. I would love to see Hinrich as an interim upgrade, but Rubio seems a bit much.

by upper left corner on Jun 7, 2009 6:50 AM PDT reply actions

yes, unlikely

The more I read comments and see signs that Bayless might be getting a legitimate shot next season to prove himself at PG, added to my suspicion that Blake isn’t going anywhere because KP likes him too much to move him. I think that a change at PG is not likely this season. I don’t see why Brandon could not step in and play more point if he had to during the regular season (i.e. in case of injury to Blake or Bayless), and especially during the playoffs if Bayless still isn’t ready. Although I like the idea of Hinrich, it doesn’t seem likely that Hinrich will be brought in to replace Blake and move him to backup. It doesn’t seem clear cut enough to do it. I think KP is looking to get a marquee SF, one with obvious talent, size and/or upside; perhaps Hedo Turkoglu or my wildcard, Jeff Green (OKC). The only addition at point guard that I can see happening now is drafting Stephen Curry, which could happen in the trade with Washington for the #5 pick (see original post by dr chapstick above). So, I think KP lets Bayless or Stephen Curry run with the PG position next season and will wait another year before (possibly) having to make an expensive move to upgrade the position.

by MisterOden on Jun 7, 2009 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Darn it, when I reply at the bottom of a thread, I always forget to hit the reply button.

My comment below was intended for you.

by upper left corner on Jun 7, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm more positive about Hinrich than you sound....

…while I value what Blake brings, I don’t think his defense is up to the level of competition we will likely see in the playoffs next year. I think Bayless, while much better by next spring, will still be pretty green. Hinrich would be a nice defensive upgrade and would be good insurance in case it takes longer for Bayless to develop.

I don’t share your take on the small forward position. I think all we need is a bit more patience. Webster was my pick for a big breakout last year, and I see no reason we shouldn’t still be optimistic. Nic is just plain found money, and a large bill at that. I think the worst scenario for Nic is Tayshaun Prince and that is really saying something. It may take a couple of seasons for him to really step-up at the offensive end, but I think he is perfectly capable of becoming a good complimentary scorer for the big three. Between Webster and Nic, I think we already have a wealth of riches at the 3.

My top priority is PG defense. My next priority is a strong back up four who can rebound, play defense, and score enough to keep his defender honest.

by upper left corner on Jun 7, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions

True, we have 2-3 good options at SF

But I feel like small forward is one of two positions (PG and PF) where we can add depth and experience. If my hunch is true that that the point guard rotation stays pat (minus Sergio), then that leaves only SF to add skill and/or experience to improve our starting lineup. I think we need more size, strengh, and rebounding potential, to go along with scoring, at SF. I like Martel’s game and I think he’s skilled with room to improve, which is why I actually would like to see him get significant minutes to showcase himself next season. However, I look at him more like a SG that can serve as a versatile backup at the SF spot. This is why I’ve suggested trading Fernandez sooner than later. I think Martel has better size and skills for SG compared to SF, making him a potentially better defender and rebounder as a 2-guard than Rudy. Maretel also may prove to be better capable of getting his shot off (especially mid-range jumpers) in playoff-intensity games. Fernandez is one of the only pieces we have that can help us acquire another quality player through trade.

I also think Batum could be the long-term answer at SF, so signing anyone this offseason to play SF might look like a questionable move. However, it we did sign a player like Hedo or Caron Butler, I think we would instantly have a LIVE frontcourt capable of competing for a title. I don’t think we would have the same chance at a title adding Hinrich and having Martel and Nic at SF (assuming Outlaw is traded). Nic is very good now but he needs 2-3 years to fully develop his strength and offensive skills to be a true menace.

I think the Blazers’ window is open now if we can acquire a highly skilled player at PG (is Hinrich skilled enough?, I’d prefer someone with Devin Harris’ skillset) or SF that fills our immediate deficiencies. This could happen at PG, but I doesn’t look like KP and Co. are going to pass up the opportunity to see what Bayless brings to the table next year (unless they can get Stephen Curry), and I think Blake our best (and cheapest) insurance policy. I actually thought Blake played exceptional defense in the Houston series. He seemed in control and able to stay in front of the opposing point guard in my opinion. I also think Hinrich could step in and do better than Blake, but I think Blake is solid enough that instead using our cap space to aquire a decent upgrade at PG in Hinrich, we can use our cap space more effectively to upgrade our team at SF and backup PF.

The chance of Bayless improving next season

It just doesn’t seem like a change at PG will be made, but then again I wouldn’t mind moving Blake and Outlaw to the Bulls for Hinrich. I actually do think he has the potential to distance himself from Blake on the court, but it is at least not clear cut at this moment in time. It’s tough to say, but I think

don’t think Martel has all the SF tools to carry us in the playoffs

by MisterOden on Jun 7, 2009 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Offseason:
PG Options: Mike Conley(T)/Tyreke Evans(D)
SG Options: Terrence Williams(D)
Forward Options: Reggie Evans(T) - Taj Gibson(D), Damion James(D), Kevin Seraphin(D)

by TheGreatDane17 on Jun 8, 2009 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions