I can't believe there's not a thread on this yet. Oden goes first and Durant goes second...no real surprise.
I wonder what Simmons is going to say about the Ray Allen deal. I was secretly hoping they were going to pick Yi just to read what he would have to say.
I watched it, but I didn't really pay much attention. I think after weeks of KG tradewatch, it was a little disappointing to see nothing get done. Portland and New York at least made things interesting with their trades. Sure seems like they draft a lot of international players who we shouldn't plan on seeing in America next season.
Not only the Ray Allen deal, but how about the Bobcats acquiring Jason Richardson from the Warriors in exchange for the #8 pick (Brandan Wright of North Carolina)? This is definitely a trade that should help the Bobcats immediately, I would think.
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Originally posted by ekedolphinNot only the Ray Allen deal, but how about the Bobcats acquiring Jason Richardson from the Warriors in exchange for the #8 pick (Brandan Wright of North Carolina)? This is definitely a trade that should help the Bobcats immediately, I would think.
Richardson has proven so injury-prone that this might be considered a step backwards for the Bobcats. But if J-Rich can stay healthy, then this could help them right away. We all know it doesn't take much to make the playoffs in the Leastern Conference.
The most entertaining part of the draft was watching Mitch Kupchak get owned by Jim Gray, of all people.
Gray: Is anyone on the roster untouchable? Kupchak: No one is untouchable. Gray: So then you WOULD trade Kobe Bryant? Kupchak: Uh...
Yeah, I see exactly why he's on the payroll. But then again, a bunch of GM's were taking stupid pills tonight. Yi going to Milwaukee has disaster written all over it. Yi had already said he won't play in anything other than a large market, so the joke is certainly on SOMEONE. Whether it's on him or on the Bucks remains to be seen.
Danny Ainge trading away the 5th pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West for Ray Allen and his contract reeks of stupidity. The Celtics faithful have yet another reason to hit the bottle tonight.
The big winners are Chicago (taking two-time champion Noah will pay immediate dividends) and...I can't believe I'm typing this...the Knicks!
When Isiah Thomas is the smartest guy in the room, something's seriously wrong. But he managed to jettison Steve Francis and get Zach Randolph, who's just starting to hit his peak. Of course, all of this is subject to change if Randolph goes back to his trouble-making ways, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Good move for the Knicks. Now where's the REAL Isiah Thomas?
Pity the Blazers fans. Their team was doing SO well by drafting Oden to complement Randolph and Roy. One Steve Francis trade later and it all turns to shit.
(edited by It's False on 28.6.07 2212)
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I think the fact that they were going to trade for Steve Francis shows how much they wanted to get rid of Z-Bo. I'm certain Francis is getting cut so he can go to Houston or the Clippers.
*sigh* Zach Randolph. Z-Bo.
Despite getting rid of Francis and softee Channing Frye, Zeke brought in another player a team wanted to get rid of (and one that I REALLY don't like). I'm not going to condemn this trade (yet) so I'll just wait and see what happens.
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Of course, all of this is subject to change if Randolph goes back to his trouble-making ways, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Good move for the Knicks. Now where's the REAL Isiah Thomas?
Pity the Blazers fans. Their team was doing SO well by drafting Oden to complement Randolph and Roy. One Steve Francis trade later and it all turns to shit.
I think with the Oden pick, the Blazers are trying to put an end to the Jail Blazers era once and for all. Getting Steve Francis for a season and (likely) burying him on the bench won't corrode things as much as having Zach Randolph on the roster potentially causing a pissing contest with Oden and starting problems over who The Man is.
Big winners, on paper: the Hawks, who decided in the end to hold onto both of their picks and hope that Horford and AL4 can push Atlanta into the playoffs.
Bigger winners, in practice: the Bulls and Pistons, who have to be considered the favorites in the East next year. Noah is a perfect addition to Chicago, and I think Stuckey will fit in very nicely with Detroit's backcourt.
Big losers: Milwaukee (for essentially wasting their high pick on a total project who will be nothing but a headache for them).
The J-Rich trade was definitely a step back. The Bobcats got an injury prone player that is paid too much and is farther along in his career. Just a stupid move.
Steve Francis aside I think the Blazers have done well. Getting the point guard from the National Championship team in the 50's was pretty darn good, as good as Noah, Brewer and Horford were, Green was the reason they won championships, they had never had a real point guard before then.
Speaking of Gators, Brewer and Richard reuniting in Minnesota is interesting. Still not enough to compete in the loaded West, but it's something for Garnett to work with.
Not that I spent my spare time following the Golden State Warriors last season or anything, but I don't understand the talk about Richardson being injury-prone. While it's true that he only played in 51 games last year, he's played in at least 72 in each of his other five seasons, going 80, 82, 78, 72 and 75. It's not like the man's Grant Hill or anything. He's also averaged 18.3 ppg and 5.4 rpg for his career, with his career-high scoring average of 23.2 ppg occurring in 2005-06.
From a purely statistical standpoint, anyway, it seems to me that he's now the star player on what should be a fun-to-watch up-and-coming bunch, between him, Emeka Okafor, Sean May, Adam Morrison and Raymond Felton. And with any luck he helps put butts in the seats, which the Bobcats have had a severe problem doing, by all accounts.
Someone who keeps track of these things would have to tell me where that leaves the Bobcats in terms of salary cap flexibility (and are they still penalized with a lower team salary cap than every other team? I know they were for at least the first couple of years), but I don't understand why someone would call this a step in the wrong direction. Can you be more specific?
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Even though it was probably a cap move and everyone suspects he'll be bought out, there was nothing more amusing to me than Steve Francis going full circle and ending up back in the Pacific Northwest. Bet he was crying this time too.
Joakim Noah should've dropped to the second round based on his suit and hair alone. I'm having a hard time dealing with the idea of rooting for him next season.
Originally posted by It's FalseDanny Ainge trading away the 5th pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West for Ray Allen and his contract reeks of stupidity. The Celtics faithful have yet another reason to hit the bottle tonight.
Instead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity! I wasn't much of a fan of taking Green, so if he was going to be Boston's pick, losing him means little. Instead of a 36-46 team Allen might help them become a 41-41 #8 seed that gets swept in the 1st round team. Does anyone have any idea why Phoenix was rumored to trade Amare to just about everyone before the draft. At this point, I think he is outright better than Garnett, so, unless they think the knee is going to blow out again, that talk made no sense. I guess Jim Gray has gotten over his anger about Kobe cheating on him a few years ago in Colorado and is back to his job as Kobe's ESPN shill.
Originally posted by redsoxnationInstead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity! I wasn't much of a fan of taking Green, so if he was going to be Boston's pick, losing him means little. Instead of a 36-46 team Allen might help them become a 41-41 #8 seed that gets swept in the 1st round team.
This just means that Ainge is working on another big trade down the line ... right? Right? Someone please tell me I'm right.
Put butts in the seat? I'm not sure where the idea that people go to games just for Jason Richardson comes from. I've never heard anybody say they're going to a game to say Jason Richardson. He's gets paid too much and yes he scores a lot of points, but he's not a reliable go to guy, Baron Davis clearly was the go to guy. Richardson won't be reliable.
Why would the Suns trade Amare Stoudamire? Maybe because they are never winning jack squat unless they get a big man that isn't softer than a wet paper towel. They need somebody big or they are never beating Tim Duncan. Clearly they realize that and were willing to trade Amare and Marion but never pulled the trigger. Instead they get two offensive players that will never get playing time on a team that already scores enough. That is what we call an F grade.
(edited by Quezzy on 29.6.07 0740) Lance's Response:
Portland won't be able to sell any more tickets next year as it stands. They will already sell every ticket due to their shiny new #1 pick. The town is in love.
Everyone is going to want to buy memorabilia with Oden on it.
By not having a complete team, there is no risk of Oden choking in his rookie year in the playoffs.
Someone has to have a diabolical plan that includes some of the above elements. I just hope it is a good plan.
In other words, I think they are shooting for one spot out of the playoffs, absolutely no controversy from people getting in trouble, and a real shot in Oden's second year.
Originally posted by It's FalseDanny Ainge trading away the 5th pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West for Ray Allen and his contract reeks of stupidity. The Celtics faithful have yet another reason to hit the bottle tonight.
Instead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity! I wasn't much of a fan of taking Green, so if he was going to be Boston's pick, losing him means little. Instead of a 36-46 team Allen might help them become a 41-41 #8 seed that gets swept in the 1st round team. Does anyone have any idea why Phoenix was rumored to trade Amare to just about everyone before the draft. At this point, I think he is outright better than Garnett, so, unless they think the knee is going to blow out again, that talk made no sense. I guess Jim Gray has gotten over his anger about Kobe cheating on him a few years ago in Colorado and is back to his job as Kobe's ESPN shill.
I thought the C's could've been a 7-8 seed last year if they were healthy. Adding Allen should get them to the 2nd round, but with a Doc Rivers coached team you never know. Ray Allen maybe "declining" (although his scoring has gone up the past 4 seasons) but they gave up a bad contract (Wally Z), a role player (West), and Jeff Green. He could be a good player, but I thought he was a bit overrated.
Originally posted by redsoxnationInstead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity!
Welcome to the club.
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Originally posted by redsoxnationInstead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity!
Welcome to the club.
Substitute Lakers for Celtics, Kobe for Pierce, and Kupchak for Ainge and we're all one big miserable family. It's a depressing time to be a Celtics/Knicks/Lakers fan. Good God, what's happened to our great franchises?
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Originally posted by redsoxnationInstead of going for titles, the goal of the Celtics is to placate Paul Pierce and to save Danny Ainge's job. Viva Mediocrity!
Welcome to the club.
Substitute Lakers for Celtics, Kobe for Pierce, and Kupchak for Ainge and we're all one big miserable family. It's a depressing time to be a Celtics/Knicks/Lakers fan. Good God, what's happened to our great franchises?
The Lakers did have that nice little run earlier this decade. For the Celtics, outside of 1 run to the Eastern Conference Finals in '01-'02, they haven't been relevant since they got screwed in Game 4 against Charlotte when it was clearly goaltending on a perfect half court alley-oop pass from Kevin McHale (last play of McHale's career being a pass is the greatest irony) to Dee Brown in '93. Even then you could go back another year to Bird's last year when they got hosed by the refs in Game 4 of the Cleveland series, as they would have found a way to knock off Chicago and Portland had they advanced; much as they had come from 5 back with 8 to go to knock off the Knicks for the division title, just as they would have found a way to knock off Chicago and the Lakers had they not gotten screwed on a goaltending call in overtime of Game 6 against the Pistons in '91. That '91 series was great. Thursday afternoon Game 2 at the old Boston Garden at 1 o'clock, and even better it was a half day at high school so I didn't even have to skip to see the game. Those were the days. Back to the present. Best case scenario for Danny Ainge is probably second round of the Eastern Conference. When he was hired and mocked the team while they were in the second round of the playoffs in '03, he stated that the conference finals were not satisfactory. Now, the 7th seed is? Where have you gone Eric Fernstein, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you. And, before I'd classify the Knicks with the Celtics or Lakers they would need to win around another 10 championships just to enter the conversation.
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