Final pieces to make us a contender.

by jdpourciau on Aug 4, 2009 11:53 AM CDT Comment 6 comments

Fransisco Garcia and Desagana Diop.

First trade Rasual and Devin Brown for Garcia. Fransisco is a quick, athletic wing who can both shoot the 3 ball and drive to the hole. He has excellent ball handling skills, defensive presence, and a fiery attitude. He even played some backup point guard last year. The guy is really well rounded, and I am a big fan of his. Why then, do I think he is avaliable? Because the Kings have at least 4 years and 24 million dollars committed to a bench player. He backs up Kevin Martin, one of the best scorers in the game, and Andres Nocioni. Also, both Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih, two of Sacramento's point guards, are more combo guards then reall pg's anyway, so they ought to eat up most of the backup minutes at the 2 spot. At small forward, Sacto has to young prospects, Dontae Greene, and Omri Casspi, that they will want to give some minutes to this year since it will be a rebuilding year and they want to see what they have with those players.

Also, if they move Garcia they would have less then 30 million in committed salary next year making them major players in either free agency or trade scenarios. Butler had a great year last year, but Garcia is younger, quicker, a better ball handler, and more versatile. If his shot isn't falling he can drive to the basket. He would be a crucial third option/ shot creator on the court. With him starting we'd have four above average scorers (Paul, West, Garcia Okafor), and 4 above average defenders (Paul, Wright, Okafor, and Garcia). That kind of balance would make it really difficult to stop us on any given night because we could rely on the best matchups that night and save CP's energy for those 3rd quarter/ 4th quarter heroics that he prefers.

A Diop for MoPete and a 1st is alot for a backup. I realize that, but he would give us the last piece. Emeka is an excellent defender and one of the best all around centers in the game (top ten). His problem is he is a little undersized. This wouldn't matter in the vast majority of games we play in, but there would be a few games where this woud be a problem (Orlando, Cleveland, L.A., Portland). Getting Diop would do three things 1) it would allow Okafor to play agressively without worrying as much about fouls 2) It would give us a big banger to combat the low post scorers left in the game, and 3) we wouldn't have to double the opposing team's low post threat so we wouldnt give up open looks on kickouts.

We make those moves and I put us up against any other team in the league.

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Dunno if that makes NO the best team in the league

But it definitely makes them scarier. Not sure about Diop, I remember being a fan of his (guys that can’t do anything but block shots are favorites in my book), but I recall him not progressing into the defender he could be. I don’t think he ever got over his fouling problems. But it would be a great upgrade over HIlton Armstrong. Charlotte is looking to dump that salary of his, so it could work.

We didn't lose the games, we just ran out of time -- Bobby Layne

by detpistons3 on Aug 4, 2009 1:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I like him

We might disagree as to the caliber of player he is, or at least why he hasn’t been successful in the league. I think he is one of the best defensive centers in the game. He’s got the bulk to defend any big in the league and he has incredible quickness for his size to defend the pick and roll and play great team defense. Unfortunately, he is also one of the worst scoring big men in the history of the NBA. The man is 7 feet tall and can barely sniff the basket. That allows other big men to sneak off of him and eith double team or contest the shots of others on the offense. A guy like that is only effective if you have some serious scorers around him (like Dirk). The Bobcats don’t, so he is limited on that team.

by jdpourciau on Aug 4, 2009 2:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You convinced me on Garcia

His length and touch would be a great thing to add to the lineup. But I think his contract has way too many years for the Hornets to take a serious look at him. He’d be a great fit for at least this year and next, but 6 million a year for four years (maybe five) is too much in my opinion.

Moving Mo for Diop would be awesome. I’d be very wary of giving up a 1st rounder, but they’d probably demand that, given Mo’s contract.

by atthehive on Aug 4, 2009 2:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Fair point

The Hornets would rightfully be wary of the length of his contract, but remember that they would be getting him in his prime, and he would be a starter. The beauty of CP’s is that the Hornets don’t need all world wings to be effective, BUT 6 million is a fair prive for a starter in his late twenties. He’d be 31 by the time the team option came up, and he probably would still have some game left.

I know a first rounder is alot, but what would we really need next year.? I’m assuming that Diogu’s deal gives a team option for next year, but that could be wrong. Let’s say I am right about that assumption. We have every single position shored up. I truly believe that Julian will give us 15 high energy Ariza like minutes this year, and that will translate to starter minutes next year.

The other two moves I’d love to make in addition to what I’ve discussed is a two year veteran minimum deal to Rashad McCants, and trading Peja for Dalembert. These moves are similar to things I have proposed before. The Hornets probably wouldnt sign a risky character guy like McCants, and they won’t commit 28 million dollars to one position but, I really think all of these moves combined would give us the best team in the nba.

Trading Peja shaves almost 3 million off of our team salary and it gives a Tyson lite long athletic defender and rebounder to play when we go against fast break teams. Use Diop against the Clevelands of the world and Dalembert against the Phoenixs. McCants would get 20 minutes a game and give us 10 points of scoring as he has doen throughout his career. I’ve said before, and I still believe that the strong leadership on that team would limit his character issues.

With those moves we’d still have Hilton and Daniel’s expiring contracts to ship which would be become much easier at the trade deadline when they are only worth half of what they are now, but we’ll be able to pay a team with a trade exception or under the cap three million to take them.

by jdpourciau on Aug 4, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha we think alike

I’ve been high on McCants for a long time as well, even though he really hasn’t lived up to potential lately. I think there’s no way Philly moves Dalembert to us (would be a terrible trade for them in the first place), especially that they got Kapono from Toronto. Trading Peja is going to be near impossible this season, I think, unless David West or somebody is part of the deal. I think teams are way too leery of his back problems right now, and at his contract, it’s totally not worth it.

My hope is that Thornton proves himself to be a very solid option off the bench from November till February. That could allow New Orleans to move Butler’s ~4 million dollar expiring. Daniels and Butler could combine to form a 10.5 million dollar deal for a decent player in that price range, Peterson could move back to starting SG, and Thornton would become the primary backup

by atthehive on Aug 4, 2009 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i also like Garcia

He’d be an upgrade at the 2 spot. And the way you see it is possible( in fact really possible). Assuming they can’t trade the contract of Udrih( which is huge by the way), there only way of saving money is through trading Garcia( who else would they like to trade?). However what concerns me about your post is the Diop thing. I personally do not like Diop for 2 reasons: he is paid the full mid level exception just because he is a good defender. and the fact that he has little to no offense. I know he can( should) pair up well with Ike. But what happens to our bench? Thornton can’t really be asked to fill that backup role at the 2( i mean immediately). He might need a few months to adjust to longer, more athletic, quicker, stronger and more intelligent defenders.

i dont like Mccants. He’s a pain in the ass. And Scott doesn’t like pain in the asses( See: Smith). Dalembert would be great( as i posted late last season). If we are going to overpay someone, it might as well be someone like Dalembert(lol).

Like atthehive, i am hoping that Thornton proves himself to be a great option of the bench. Maybe call a screen from the top of the key, or a curl from the baseline. That would give us the luxury of trading Butler. However, unlike atthehive, i am more for saving money, so i’d trade Butler and Daniels for someone who has proven himself worthy, although not in the 10 million price range. But i am also good with getting someone in that range.

MORE POWER TO THE BEES!

by nikkoewan on Aug 5, 2009 12:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs