Stein: "Growing Fondness" For Wallace Complicates Howard Talks?

Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that the early season play of Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace makes a previous 3-team trade discussion involving the Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets -- one that was centered around Dwight Howard -- even more difficult.
-------------------------------
The consensus is that the Nets, thanks to Lopez's broken foot, will have to assemble a more attractive deal than the three-teamer discussed in December that would have sent Lopez and Portland's Gerald Wallace to the Magic -- while also unburdening Orlando of the unwanted contracts owned by Hedo Turkoglu and Chris Duhon -- before Lopez went down. The Blazers' growing fondness for Wallace since those discussions dissolved would presumably make it tough on the Nets just to get talks back to where they were last month with the Magic and Blazers; Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov would have furnished Portland with four first-round picks in exchange for its willingness to surrender Wallace.
-------------------------------

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

4 months ago Ben Golliver 28 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Four first round picks when and likely where?

Early picks are nice, but we are young enough. We have Batum, but he is still maturing. If we can keep them both happy, we should be ahead of the offer.

If they through in a deadeye from the 3-point line I would start to consider it.

Now all we need is the rest of the roster to get into "how can everybody help Nicco and Oden" mode. -- Oden Mad, Oden Smash! Sep 29, 2010 7:47 PM

by LaoTzu on Jan 13, 2012 1:01 PM PST reply actions

most likely all would be protected picks.

I agree though we have some very good players that i would like to build around. LA won’t be at this top level forever, so I would like to surround him with talent and make a run while we can, rather than bring in a bunch of rookies that will be years away from being at their top level.

by Kazper on Jan 13, 2012 1:25 PM PST up reply actions

Looks like the Predator might not stick around next year, anyway.

Where would Howard have gone, in this deal?

by Sheedwasright on Jan 13, 2012 1:06 PM PST reply actions

the nets

blazers wouldve just gotten 4 first rounders for gerald

by Jpar on Jan 13, 2012 1:24 PM PST up reply actions

I'm pretty sure if you did that trade

portland would riot

by blazerblaze on Jan 13, 2012 1:21 PM PST reply actions

When I heard about that trade, I was all for it at the time.

Now I think trading Wallace would be cutting the heart out of the team. Wallace has clearly established himself as the heart & soul of this team.

by JAWKS on Jan 13, 2012 1:45 PM PST up reply actions

if you do this,

you say goodbye to the season, start trading more guys for picks, dump everyone you can in the offseason and stick with a core of younger guys. But all these first rounders you pick either end up getting sent to Europe or ride the deep bench and never play anything but garbage time behind Nate for a year or two.

by blazerblaze on Jan 13, 2012 2:05 PM PST up reply actions

no way a trade like this goes down at this point with how well the team has been playing

for better or for worse. personally, i think its for better :)

by Jpar on Jan 13, 2012 1:24 PM PST reply actions

4 picks? I thought the intital rumor was 2 first rounders

As nice as Wallace is, I don’t think it would make great financial sense to give him a multi year deal. Curious as to when the picks would be – the more you can get in next years draft the more attractive the deal would be. If they are spread out over 4 years, especially on a team that one assumes won’t be in the draft during that timeframe, I would want a player to be thrown in.

The only player from either team that I would want would be Ryan Anderson, and I doubt he is going anywhere.

Keep in mind GW is playing for a contract this year, and that this team probably needs that missing piece to compete for a title.

by lil'stink on Jan 13, 2012 1:26 PM PST reply actions

Nope, the last rumors before it blew up said 4 picks

I really like Crash, but I’d have to strongly consider 4 first round picks if at least one has a reasonable chance of being top 5.

by Timmay! on Jan 13, 2012 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

yes

by Saba on Jan 13, 2012 2:04 PM PST up reply actions

yeah 4 first rounders is insane....I LOVE G-force but man alive, that would be pretty nice flexibility.

You could trade a few on draft day, move up and pick some guys, package a few with existing players(Camby/Felton) etc.

OSU '06
GForce Crash Wallace FTW!

by TyboOSU on Jan 13, 2012 2:34 PM PST up reply actions

If one in the top 5, you do the deal ALL-DAY

I like Perry Jones, Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross say at the 5 spot.

Batum Shakalaka

by WesMoneyy on Jan 13, 2012 2:49 PM PST up reply actions

Easy solution to the trade?

Slip something into the drinks of those two GM’s.

Give up a combination of Wallace, Camby, Felton, Oden, Babbit, both Johnsons, and draft picks.
Receive Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Anthony Morrow.
Shuffle players between Orlando and New Jersey to make the deal work (sorry, Trade Machine is down).

Introducing your new Portland Trailblazers:
PG – Williams, Crawford, Smith
SG – Matthews, Morrow, Crawford
SF – Batum, Matthews, Morrow
PF – Aldridge, Smith
C – Howard, Thomas

Now THAT’S a defensive team that can play any style on offense IMO. Slow it down, grind it out, run, pick and roll, pick and pop, motion offense, you name it.

And with Aldridge long term, and since they would already be here and experience this fan base first hand, the possibility of both Deron and Dwight signing is higher.

I know, dream world. Don’t wake me quite yet…

by Rodney Gustafson on Jan 13, 2012 1:59 PM PST reply actions

And Then

You wake up after the season and realize that Dwight Howard is now gone since hes a Free Agent at seasons end and will not stay here.

by Countless512 on Jan 13, 2012 4:01 PM PST up reply actions

The whole point of the trade for NJ is to get Howard

They’re not gonna agree to a trade where he ends up here…

by Ya Booni on Jan 13, 2012 4:11 PM PST up reply actions

I think you have to do this

Regardless of crash’s play if one of the picks is in the 5 to 10 range. We are not paying both batum and crash. Keep the younger guy without much drop off in talent and actually build for the future. Only reason not to is if you are convinced this team can make a finals run, but then you are putting all your eggs into this season and risk losing him anyways.

by bunk moreland on Jan 13, 2012 2:37 PM PST reply actions

you are basically saying that for the next couple years we aren't going to try and compete

At least this year it looks like with our players we could make a legitmate run. And we are entering LA’s prime years. That means surround him with prime players to try and win it all. If you dump crash then your your pretty much saying over LA’s prime years your going to spend it nurturing more young guys. And lets be honest our team sucks at first round picks

by Kazper on Jan 13, 2012 2:57 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

If you read the article...

…it’s basically just saying it would be difficult for The Nets to get talks back to the rumored point they were before they disentigrated the first time.

I doubt any trade of Wallace is happening this season. Buchanan has already denied interest despite the rumors.

Objectively? As much as I love Wallace, and as much as I respect his game? 4 first round draft picks would be something you’d HAVE to look at.

But I simply think it was a long-shot rumor that disentigrated before it became anything. Stranger things have happened, but I’d be surprised if anything like this manifested.

"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"

by Krang on Jan 13, 2012 2:38 PM PST reply actions

wow...4 first round picks??? are they unprotected??

that would be tempting…. especially if you think that Wallace may not re-sign after opting out….

Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.

by jenstcy on Jan 13, 2012 2:57 PM PST reply actions

He's opting out

BECAUSe he wants to resign for longer with portland.

by Countless512 on Jan 13, 2012 4:02 PM PST up reply actions

the "with Portland"

isn’t a sure thing. Also, lots of teams should have cap space next year.

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on Jan 13, 2012 6:08 PM PST up reply actions

still think we should do that if the opportunity arises

PHILLY!

by CleBlazer on Jan 13, 2012 3:50 PM PST reply actions

4 first rounders is a lot

even late ones can be bundled for a player or earlier pick but…
I think PDX is a contender for a title this season.
PDX matches up against both Miami and OKC better than any team in the NBA, Wallace is a big part of that.
As tempting as it would be to trade him keeping him even if only for 1 year and making a run at ring is the better play.

the truth hurts. fox news is painless

by Biph on Jan 13, 2012 3:51 PM PST reply actions

Boy, that's a tough call..

Before the season, this was a no brainer… take it!! Four first round picks? Are you kidding me?

But with the Blazers solid start, fueled by Crash, this is a playoff series winning team… And, as others have stated, this is a waving the white flag kind of a deal…

helluva pretty flag, 4 picks?? plus ours?? when we have a great backup in Nico, who would then definitely sign?? dang.. that is a seriously difficult decision…

I’d say, definitely no until the trade deadline and only then if we are unfortunately enough to suffer such serious injuries that a winning playoff team is no longer likely…

Another question – are some from other teams? Is there a Washington pick in there??

by Visionary1 on Jan 13, 2012 5:23 PM PST reply actions

Back when this was first rumored...

Chad Ford reported:
"Nets offered everything they could for Howard: Brook Lopez + FIVE 1st Rd picks. Theirs in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 + Rockets 2012 pick". Which four of those five would come to Portland was not clarified.
This sounded great to me back then, but it seems to me that it is saying, “We are sacrificing this year for the future.” Not saying it is a bad strategy, but it would be unpopular.

by lama on Jan 13, 2012 5:30 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

not many appealing draft picks there

you gotta figure none of those jersey picks would be very high, maybe the Houston one ends up at #10 or so.

I’m lately been fantasizing about the scenario where we go after Williams this summer – I know Dallas is home but wouldn’t our roster be more appealing than a near-retirement Dirk and not much else? Obviously, he’d be putting his faith in Cuban to spare no expense in reloading. With the revelation in the article about New Jersey trading Williams if Howard goes to the Lakers, it has me thinking about getting in on that. Felton, Batum and filler/picks sounds interesting, especially if we don’t extend Nic.

"But if Ding Dongs and prime rib were the path to NBA pivot stardom we'd all be wearing the uniform." -Dave

by douglast on Jan 13, 2012 7:46 PM PST up reply actions

Assuming Orlando gets NJ's unprotected 2012 first-rounder and Portland gets the other 4 picks*, ...

any sane team does that in a heartbeat! I love Gerald Wallace as much as the next guy, but those picks are valuable. Assets like inexpensive, cost-effective young guys on their rookie deals are one of the few market inefficiencies in the NBA.

*That Houston pick owed to New Jersey is lotto-protected from 2012 through 2016 and, if not conveyed by then, it becomes a 2017 second-rounder and cash.

"I Am Mine"

by AK1984 on Jan 13, 2012 8:10 PM PST up reply actions