Wishful Thinking Episode 1 - Hey Phil, Now That You Have Pau...

Alright, Franchise, I like you guys and everything, but this trade is just silly. Kapono plays no defense, is slow, is ugly and didn't play a role on the Heat the year they won the champiosnhip. (most people forget that his numbers went up the year AFTER the Heat were any good--he only played 2 total playoff minutes the year they went all the way)

Odom is a legitimate star . . . maybe Parker instead of Kapono, but even that seems a little weak.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we should focus our attention on Artest. The problem is that Sac-town is playing fairly well right now and might think they have a chance to sneak into the playoffs as the #8 seed. If Artest is unavailable, I would go after Mike Miller, who is on a sinking ship and still playing hard. Rasho, Graham/Dixon and a 1st rounder for Miller? The big problem with Rasho is that damn player option, which means that he doesn't come off the books after this season unless his next team buys him out.

This gives me an opportunity to rant a little about one of my pet peeves about the NBA. The trade rules. I understand that the NBA instituted the current rule set to stop teams from having fire sales but in actual fact it actually forces teams to have fire sales. If Memphis (or Toronto or Philly) were able to simply trade their stars away for young players and picks instead of having to match salaries, they could all be further along then they are and wouldn't be limited in who they could trade with which is one of he biggest problems with the current system. This system would work in a league where contracts aren't guarenteed but they are and stars no this so they can pout and dog it until the team has no choice but to trade them. Throw in the fact they can refuse to report to a team if they don't like it and you are left with few options but to trade them to good teams for the good teams over paid crap. This rule is a lot like the current lottery system which is based on good intentions but fails miserably because of the culture in basketball. They should go back to the old system where you can trade anyone you want for anything .
I feel better now.
It is an interesting idea to trade Kapono to LA but i would think the LA would more likely want to trade Walton in such a deal instead of Odom as that way they get to eat their cake and have it too. I would think that a team like Houston or Phoenix would be more interested in Kappy if for no other reason than to offset SA and gino. Not sure what we could get from those teams but these would seem like more likely destinations for Kap (assuming he gets traded at all).

Great trade suggestion, Franchise. I just am not sure if BC would do it, considering Odom is turning 29 this year and as such is going to be on the downswing when Bargs and Bosh are reaching their prime. But who knows, it would only be for the next 2 seasons of Odom's max-like contract.

McGateway, I agree 100% with your criticism, except that if there was no cap, the Knicks would have a $300 million payroll and still wouldn't win anything... kinda like the Yankees the past 7 years.

Upon ruminating this crazy Shaq transaction for Phoenix, I just realized that post-Colangelo, Phoenix has not made ONE smart move (see Banks, Kurt Thomas give-away, sell draft picks) and has basically been harvesting all the decisions BC made for them in the past (Stoudamire, Nash, Marion). So as Suns fans scratch their heads, I say "Thank you, Mr. Sarver".

As far as roster moves are concerned, I would be happy if we nothing. The team has amazing chemistry, we now have 48 mins of quality PG play, and next year we get Garbo (rebounding) and Roko. We are not contending for the title this year anyway, let AB learn rebounding on the job - next year we jettison Rasho's expiring contract for trade bait.

It's nice to dream and all, but seriously, there's no way LA would make that trade. =P Even if they were mildly interested in the concept, they can get so much more than that from another team for Odom.

Hey Franchise,

What was the other article you were going to write before you came up with this one? Ie, who was previously on the wishlist before Odom's name popped up?

Aaron - I like Artest's game, but unless BC has a guarantee that he'll re-sign here after the season (he has a player option that he's rumoured to be exercising) and continue to take his meds, not going to happen.

McGateway - I totally agree, the system which was designed to prevent against firesale scenarios, has actually forced teams to go that route in many scenarios and while blockbuster trades sound great, constantly mis-managed teams bear the brunt of the regulations. Of course one could argue that new management then needs to be put in place. Well...tell that to guys like Dolan. You're right JJ - Knicks would have the GDP of a large country on their payroll and still lose 50 games.

Jimmy King - Great tag name. Article is done but you'll have to wait till next week to see who it is...

Draft talk up tomorrow before preview of Raps-Clips on Friday.

I think a deal for Magette is more realistic. The clips do not have a single player on their roster that shoots better than .400 from deep, and Magette has always been criminally underused in LA. Even his increased minutes this year (because of the Brand injury) can't make up for that. The only down side is that he is actually quite cheap, and so we'll need Kapono and Dixon plus we'll have to throw in a pick and/or cash to make it palatable. Again, it looks weird on paper, but I think the fit is good.
I also wouldn't mind picking up Reddick for Dixon.

People keep mentioning Artest. Stop. Dude is crazy. Don't be fooled by the skill, the price is too high.

I like Kapona and with TJ back he is going to be very valuable coming off the bench. Lamar is a very good player but he is 29 and getting older. I think the Raps should try and get Artest to do the dirty work inside. If they can pull that off and keep their core player including Kapono coming and Delfino the Raps would be looking pretty. A mean LA got Gasol without loosing anybody major on the team....I thought Rob Babcock was bad but Chris Wallace has got to be the worst GM currently in the league...Come on BC go get Artest or Lamar and let the Raps start turning some heads coming out of the Allstar break...Raps4Life

As much as I think that deal makes sense for both teams, don't you think the Lakers would want a point rather than a shooter? I think the Lakers would probably say Jose or No Way (pardon the pun).

I don't think they would have been able to offer up enough to swing a productive Maggette deal.

Truthfully, with TJ Ford back, nothing jumps out at me as a logical trade option for the Raptors. Boring as it is, the only sensible choice I can see for them is to just stand pat.

Rebounding and interior D is their biggest deficiencies, but this is not by lack of personnel as much as it is an evil the team's braintrust has judged acceptable for the greater good of their high percentage jump-shooting design. They already have the option of playing Rasho more often if they want to have more of a size, defense and rebounding presence, but they prefer not to go that route.

Unless they want to make a change in this ideology, I don't see any possible trade option they can turn to that would offer them any better option than what they already have.

Ok one last Babcock blast coming on.

Please for the love of God do not defend the VC trade.

I will boo Carter the loudest of anyone, but also have to admit to him being probably my favourite NBA player, softness aside.

Ok there, I'm out of the closet for the first time on this site I think. He was f***ckn sick; still is.

Yeah he's a mama's boy that I deplore. And I'm glad we have a team of men now.

But you don't trade a 26 year old athletic freak, with eons of potential for a sack of shit and some magic beans.

Babcock didn't even ensure beforehand that Mourning would play here? What the hell did "the board" think then?

Sorry to state the obvious, but the second I heard about the VC trade I figured Babcock was done forever as an NBA GM. And why not state the obvious that I am correct.

Nice work researching the trade above; I still think Kapono has a future here.

For real guys, isn't there a court of appeals for bad trades?

Last year's playoffs just felt like my high school girlfriend cheating on me all over again.

But then I cheated on my college girlfriend.... which would be like us thumping NJ into submission this season and killing their playoff dreams.

Well off to meditate to calm down now.

WOW. That would be a steal... Lamar can play positions 1 through 4 AND can pass. Mihm is a serviceable centre and is three years jr to Rasho. The LA deal is ridic... if Shaq gets to PHX.. look for his injuries to magically disappear along with his weight... he REALLY wants that 5th ring before he retires and Kid Canada is not getting any younger. Amare back at the 4 spot is reak havoc. Nash will make the game alot easier for shaq... like the day of playing with penny. With Shaq back in the West.. PHX can somewhat guard Fundamental w/o getting Stat in foul trouble. All though Shaq does not immediatly seem to fit within the run and gun PHX style, it will be interesting to see how this story unfold... all I can say is playing with Steve Nash is going to make the game a whole lot easier for a 14 year vet... increasing the BIG Kalashnikov's DUNKAGE!

You can only critisize the VC trade now if Jersey can do better. Wait and see.

I'm sorry, but I want nothing to do with Odom. Please take a look at his entire career and tell me what we'll really be trading for. He's a one-season wonder with all the talent in the world. But he's lazy and, to be frank, his basketball IQ is terrible. I don't want his contract, I don't want his attitude, and I don't want his half-assed effort anywhere near the Raptors.

i like this proposal for us but yeah, not sure if LA is seeking a pure shooter with nothing else, an aging centre and bricklayer named dixon.

i see what phoenix is going for with this shaq deal, and time is ticking for their shot at the 'ship, but it's a huge risk. can't wait to see how it plays.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/02/06/three.point.contest.ap/index.html

the participants for the 3 point shootout have been announced....kobe is a real suprise

Gotta say the prospect of getting Artest intrigues me. Something tells me he and Sam would be a great fit.

kinda seems like LA already has Fisher. If LA swapped Odom from Kapono, wouldn't LA be in kind of the same situation as Toronto is now, not enough bigs to rebound? That would be one step forward, two back for LA I think.

I know I will get hammered for this, but I think Bargs and Pau have a pretty similar skill set, with Bargs having more upside, and Pau having more experience and consistency on his side now.

I think we have to sit tight and wait for the learning curve to pan out...

Gerry,
You are so right. the only way we are going to get better is by getting better. Odom is a good player, but adding him won't get us there this year and certainly won't in two years when CB, TJ, AB are in their prime. I'm afraid of trying to move it along too quickly and not developing a strong enough foundation, ala Maple Leafs. I am a lifetime Leaf lover and am so totally disinterested in them now because they never move together with a plan. Colangelo has left 400 G's before he is into luxury tax area. He is not interested in making big moves unless he is handed a gift. Anyone other than Isaih is out of bounds.

Dayoner: Apparently Babcock was insisting on standing firm with Alonzo, refusing to buy him out. But he got overruled by Richard Peddie who was afraid that 'Zo was going to retire and force the Raptors to eat his entire salary. Peddie played it conservative, but Babcock wanted to call 'Zo's bluff -- he knew 'Zo wouldn't retire. In any case, i have one word for your admission that Wince is your favourite player: BOOOOOOOOO.

I think Kap is going to play a bigger part for the Raps in the 2nd half of the season. With a healthy TJ and a confident Bargs, this team is finally starting to take shape. I'm pumped for the stretch run.

DayOner left one of the funniest posts I have ever read. Well done. Good post franchise; now hand me some of that gonja you're smokin'!

Nice proposal for the raps. Problem is that the Lakers aren't the Grizz. The thing is, when you are trying to acquire high priced talent from another team, for a bargain price, that other team has to suck. If they suck with their high priced talent, then they will trade it to start over. If they are contending for the playoffs or even a championship, they will be a lot less likely to move an important part unless they get a lot in return. Kapono, Dixon and Rasho are not player you trade for to get over the top.

I also disagree with you Franchise that BC would want assurances that Artest would re-sign before trading for him. I think the fact he would opt out at the end of the season makes him more attractive (as Stylin assassin pointed out, dude IS crazy - but so is Smitch).

I totally agree with SuperSonic that Babcock took the blame for a lot of decisions that weren't really his. I have been a Babcock apologist for a long time. That said, with the GM job comes accountability. Babcock was trying to be patient and wait out the Rose contract and collect draft picks, blah blah blah. BC has done a wicked job assembling 15 players n this team that can all play. We have Zero bad contracts. He has mainly only signed people to short term deals that won't hurt us. Life is better now that we have a TEAM.

Props to DayOner, had to laugh too. I remember when we used to have VC and T-Mac, I would tell anyone that didn't watch hoops that all they had to do was watch ONE raps game and they would see three or four plays that would amaze even the most novice of fan. Today's team is more of an acquired taste. After years of eating shit sandwiches it is nice to have a winning team, that can be savored over the entire season.

Trade talk is always fun, and getting that tough, rebounding SF to make up for our soft but skilled sophomore C would be nice, but end of the day I agree with EaseMyPain. I think we sit back, watch this team develop and see if they can jell now that they are all healthy.

Hey fellas, hows this for a trade scenario. Nick Collison and Wally Szcerbiak in exchange for Jason Kapono and Rasho Nesterovic. Nick is a beast on the boards this year for Seattle AND hes coming off the bench. Not that bad if ya ask me. Wally would be a nice fit as well. Sure some could say hes overrated and what not but whens the last time he had a decent coach that used him properly?

Thor, the salaries don't match up in that trade.

Besides, that trade seems like trading two guys for two other guys that do just about the same thing. I don't see why either team would do that.

Oh I'll tell ya why. Better production. Wally is avg over 13 ppg. While Collison pulls down over 8 boards a game. The players may all do the same things, but the ones that would be coming would be more efficient.

Thor,

If both players coming our way are more efficient, then Seattle does this why?

It's a tough one, but I dig this trade. That's mostly because it doesn't touch the core or the developing players.

Also, I always thought of Garbo as a bit of poor man's Odom or maybe what garbo could become. High bball IQ too, seems like.

Though... I have a feeling Kapono's going to be much more productive with tj back. That would make the decision a little tougher but even better, it could make it that much easier to pry Odom loose. Hmmm.