Thoughts about trade/draft/free agency

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As long as we don’t make the same mistake and draft a player from the first round that
should of went in the second round.

Lopez and Noah are both staying put.

The Suns are loving Lopez. He is their interior defense. All of it. So he ain’t going nowhere.

Noah was one of the main reasons the Bulls even made the playoffs. He ain’t going nowhere.

I’m also not as high on Scola as everyone else seems to be. Sure he is very good. But we get virtually everything he offers out of Collison. Now I will admit Scola is a helluva lot better on the offensive end, but he doesn’t really upgrade the defensive end much more, if at all. I think Collison and Ibaka play just as good, and often times, better interior defense. Plus, isn’t Scola already 30 something? So slow the ponies on Scola.

Ditto for Lee.

I’m still think they need to acquire Brendan Haywood, I can’t remember if he will be a free agent or not. Regardless I think we have the assets to land him either way. Now I know he would only be around for a couple years, but that’s perfect to me. He can come in and do his thing while Mullens and our project center we draft this year develop. I just think he is the best option with his size and interior play.

I do like the idea of getting McGee though.

I still think Bosh should be number one on our wish list, IF Stat doesn’t opt out in Phoenix.

All in all I think we need to sign a FA to help inside, and then continue to build through the draft. i actually like the idea of us drafting James Anderson with the 21st(or 26th pick if we trade the 21st). Someone mentioned him for the Bulls to draft, but I think we should get him ourselves. Then we can draft Jerome Jordan with the 26th if we still have it(or at 32nd) for our project center that we always draft.

I don’t see us moving up though. I don’t really see a player worth it, meaning I don’t think we would/should be willing to give up what would be necessary to move into the lottery. I really think we can improve through the draft simply drafting the best players available for what we need with our respective picks. I do, however, think we need to get rid of some of those picks. I say we draft 2, no more than 3, players. The rest should be traded for later picks, meaning picks in later years.

I just don’t think we need to persue trades, as I think we will certainly be courted by many teams because of all the “trade gold” we currently possess.

Just my two cents…

So right now Utah owns the Knicks pick which if everything falls accordingly could end up being a top 10 pick.

There is some talk that they may look to package that pick with AK-47’s expiring deal to clear money to re-sign Boozer, maybe Korver and sign another big.

An interesting trade(not saying I would do this, but also not saying I wouldn’t) could be AK-47 and a top 10 pick(maybe top 5 if the ping pong balls bounce their way) for Jeff Green, Krstic(or Collison), some combo of picks and whatever filler is needed to complete the deal?

This could potentially land OKC the big man they will pair with Serge in the future, maybe Whiteside or Monroe if the pick is in the #6-#10 range. If the balls bounce their way maybe its a top 5 pick which could mean Cousins or Favors. AK could realize accepting the bench role will help him in the FA market next season. He comes in and does whatever is asked of him and plays a good role on the team next season and then OKC can work a sign and trade to get some good value from him or just both sides just part ways.

However, the downside would be you lose Green, maybe Collison and some picks. You could destroy the chemistry by 1) shipping Green out and 2) bringing in a potential cancer in. Not sure AK-47 would be too happy coming off the bench and KD may be somewhat unhappy with Green being traded. AK would be making 17 million and would take up all the remaining cap space to use to make some moves or signings. You likely cannot move him b/c of his ridiculous contract.

I know this is very, very, very far-fetched and out there but thoughts?

Yiannis Borousis http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Yiannis-Bouroussis-118/
Timovey Mozgov http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Timofey-Mozgov-5161/
and
Alecs Maric http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Aleks-Maric-593/
All are euro players. Now that Greece has financial problem, maybe they want to go to NBA.
or trade to NOH Stojakovic + 11th pick + 2 future 1st round picks for 26th pick + dj white

 it is salary dump trade. Stojakovic is similar to Harpring. The 11 picks and future picks are the important ones.

This team lacks an interior threat and needs some size/length on D. Presti should make a play for Marc Gasol. Considering some of the idiotic deals the Grizzlies have made over the years I think the best idea would be to low ball them first.

Offer Green, Thabo, and the 26th pick for Gasol and the 30th pick. Thats likely turned down.

Offer Green, Maynor, and the 21st pick(or still the 26th pick) for Gasol and the 30th pick.

Grizzlies get their replacement for Gay, who they can try to work out sign and trades for.

Thunder get the inside scoring and defensive presence/length they need, and with picks 26(or 21), 30, and 32 they can address the backup PG and SF positions and draft a guy to stash in europe or draft a guy for the D-league.

ok…so presti has said all along that the thunder are going to properly build this team carefully and wisely…he is not looking for a quick fix. ill try to keep this short: i vote that either this team makes the trade for peja + their lottery pick/ak + their lottery pick as our first choice. both of these contracts are only one year commmitments, you get two guys who can still reasonably play as solid bench players…they also become more attractive throughout the season for teams who miss out this offseason in free agency and r looking to make a splash n the next free agency…plus you pick up a lottery pick (a sure longterm answer at the 5 spot)…then look to move up again and pick up sanders.

pg-westbrook (backup maynor)
sg-sef, free agent, draftee (needs 2 b a defensive guy not offensive stud)(backup harden)
sf-durant (backup peja or ak)
pf-ibaka (backup free agent (maybe haslem?))
c-lottery pick (backup sanders)

thoughts? i could also see drafting an orton, anderson, or whiteside if they sleep then just drafting best player available whilst listening to all trade offers? thunder are sure to be bombarded with trade offers!
GOOOOO THUNDER!

i was reading this morning and came upon a possible trade.

Three way trade with the Grizzlies and T-Wolves.

T Wolves get Jeff Green, Sam Young and cash
Grizzlies get Kevin Love, Kyle Weaver and the 21st pick
Thunder get Marc Gasol and the 15th pick

So that leaves the thunders draft picks as
15 Luke Babbitt http://www.nbadraft.net/players/luk
e-babbitt secondary pick Xavier Henry http://www.nbadraft.net/players/xav
ier-henry (Either could be the shooter that the Thunder need from deep but draft whichever is available)

26 Sell to the Cavaliers for 2 to 3 million (rumor has it they are wanting in the first round)

32 Jerome Jordan C Tulsa http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jer
ome-jordan(Can replace Krystic as Gasols backup if Mullens doesn’t pan out.)

51 Alexey Shved PG/SG Russia http://www.nbadraft.net/players/ale
xey-shved (Russian G with lots of upside, who can stay put in Russia and see how he developes)

Depth Chart would look like this:
PG Westbrook/Maynor
SG Sefolosha/Harden
SF Durant/Babbitt or Henry
PF Ibaka/Collison
C Gasol/Kristic/Jordan

However…i would suggest a slight alteration…instead of taking babbitt, i would either draft the best center available or then try to package the 15th pick with the 26 and try to move up even further to get someone like monroe. even if we sacrifice both first rounders in these moves, think of what we accomplish: we pick up a true, young, up n coming center in Gasol, we are able to pick up a lottery talent big to bring up behind Gasol (who can play the 4 or 5 mind you), and with our second rounders, we can look to add a scoring sf in the second and then possibly stash away a euro for a few years. if all pans out, we could be looking at a lineup such as this:

pg westbrook/maynor
sg sefolosha/harden
sf durant/ebanks, hayward, or pondexter
pf ibaka/collison
c gasol/monroe

with a lineup such as this, this young thunder team could not only make serious noise, but could shock the world n make it to the nba finals IMO! then once durant, westbrook, harden, etc see that presti is assembling a force to b reckoned with, they will sign for a little less to keep the team together and if that happens, DYNASTY.

thoughts? opinions?

but with so many bigs with the potential, size, and rawness that this class has, wouldnt it be smart to go after someone like gasol, one of the more skilled big men in the league? you put someone like monroe or whiteside or even alabi behind gasol and groom them and let them develop, you can easily contend now and then when we start to hand out bigger contracts n extensions to our budding stars, you can afford to let gasol walk bc you will have a more polished monroe, whiteside, alabi, etc ready to take over! plus you pick up someone like bledsoe to backup point and a scorer late in the draft…all you lose in this deal is maynor! the grizzlies know that they will not be able to keep all of their players if they want to keep rudy gay this summer. i could see them pulling the trigger to keep cheaper talent and therefore being able to match an offer sheet for gay.

yes i do realize that you also lose green. but IMO green is much more expendable at this point. when trying to better your team thru trades, you spend what you dont need to gain what you do. when you have someone like durant running the three, you no longer need green. green is great but out of position at the 4. if you can go get someone like a marc gasol and a higher draft choice and fill in one of your greatest needs by letting go of a few peices that arent absolutely necessary, wouldnt you do it? just think of a front court that included the likes of monroe (or whiteside or aldrich, etc) plus gasol, ibaka, collison. you are able with your remaining picks to fill in your other needs: draft the likes of bledsoe and a player like ebanks in the second round.

thoughts?

Thabo for Azubuike?

Thabo has brought a defensive mentality(along with Ron Adams) to this team. He’s been a key cog in that regard. However, his shooting is a HUGE liability. At a certain point his offensive abilities(or lack of) will out-weigh what he brings on defense.

Azubuike brings better shooting(41% for his career from 3). He also brings elite athleticism(38 inch vertical) and better finishing/slashing ability. He’s also got the ability to be a pretty good defender, and while at Kentucky under Tubby Smith was a very, very good on ball defender.

I don’t think we’ll see major major shakeups, like bringing in Al Jefferson or Marc Gasol. Or signing David Lee. This is something that seems like a Presti type move. Somewhat under the radar, no star power involved at all.

Thoughts?

Breakdown of Sanders/Alabi from the NBA combine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHq5RVunz74