2014-2015 NBA team needs and trade block (POST YOURS)

[MKWB]

New Orleans Pelicans

Needs: 2-way player at SF

On the block:
E. Gordon
J. Frerdette
J. Salmons

Think they'll probably keep Davis, Holiday, Evans, Anderson, Asik and try to build around that core. And gordon could be a part of it, too, if he either declines his current option this offseason and agrees to a new affordable fair deal, or after next season, he could resign for a reasonable contract. He's a balla when healthy.

Roster:

Asik/ Ajinca/ Withey
Davis/ Anderson/ Babbitt
Cunningham/ Pondexter
Gordon/ Evans
Holiday/ Douglas/ Frerdette

[djthesonicsfan]

Heading into December it's abundantly clear what the notSonics need... a healthy Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Well, Trey returned this past weekend. Just ask the Knicks. He's definitely back. KD? Maybe another week? Another guy we're missing big time is PJ3 believe it or not. He only played a few games at the start of the season before injuring his knee, but the kid finally & seriously showed up. It would have been great watching PJ3 continue to develop his game while KD is out, but all those minutes have been going to Lance Thomas. A good guy. Tries hard. But he really doesn't belong in the NBA. And he's been our starting SF. Yikes!

Anyway, we're 5-12. Sounds bad. Because it is bad. Especially in the West. But we still have 65 games left. The question is... can we go 45-20 (69%) from here on out gettting us to 50 wins and a #8 seed (likely). The answer is probably. The notSonics typically have won ~60 games per season with their current roster and that's a 75% win rate. So this team has done it before. And history reminds us the 1977 Sonics started 5-17 under the disastrous coaching of Bob Hopkins (Bill Russell's cousin and hand picked replacement). However, that team quickly turned it around when Lenny Wilkins took over and, in fact, made it all the way to the NBA finals that season losing to the Washington Wizards.

So here's to hoping Durant gets back soon and more interesting/competitive drama.

So now we're at the halfway point. Team is healthy. We are 21-20 and two games back in the loss column to the Suns for the eighth spot in the West. And we've added Waiters in exchange for next summer's first. Early days, but it looks like a very opportunistic trade so far. Anyways, seems as though the ship is started to finally head in the right direction. There's just one big problem at this point... Brooks' stubborn insistence of starting Roberson at SG. What a misnomer. Roberson can't shoot. At all. In fact, no one even bothers to guard him. Literally. Teams are already game planning that defensively against us now. In the regular season. We will win anyway because of shear talent. But that will be a different story in the playoffs. Bottom line is that either Waiters or Lamb need to start. And Lamb is sooooooo far down in Brook's doghouse (right or wrong, who knows?) it's unlikely he ever sees meaningful playing time for the rest of his days as a notSonic which means Waiters needs to start. Period.

Swapping Perk and a pick for Kanter was a very opportunistic trade by Presti. Even better than the Waiters pickup. And spinning Jackson into Augustine & Singler was a great Ruppelstiltskin trade. Jackson had become toxic, Augustine is a way better fit at backup PG even if he's not as talented and Singlar, who is better than I originally thought, is a legit rotation player who will add depth to the team. So yay, we kicked butt at the trade deadline. So what's left for Presti to accomplish? Three things in my opinion...

1. We need to acquire the Suns' medical staff. I've reviewed the latest NBA collective bargaining agreement. Doctors aren't covered so the trade deadline doesn't matter. The Suns completely suck now anyways so their management shouldn't care. And the notSonics can offer those doctors such a wide variety of injuries to treat it would have to appeal to their professionalism. Just imagine all the papers they could publish in various leading medical journals. The problem most likely is golf courses. As in there are way more and way better courses in Pheonix. Bottom line is Presti needs to get Bennett to cough up some of the Harden savings and build a few nice courses in OKC. It should work. At least it did in Field of Dreams.

2. It's become quite clear some potent voodoo curse has been unleashed against the team. There's just no other way to rationally explain why the guys are dropping like flies. As Spock (may he live long and prosper in the Vulcan hereafter) once said, "if you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Frankly, that's some analytics I can finally understand. So ya, there can be no doubt some rich Seattle folks, Microsoft guys probably, hired a nasty witch doctor to invoke the demons of injustice. The solution? Presti must burn Bennett in effigy. Even if it doesn't solve the voodoo curse issue it will make all the Harden trade haters feel a lot better.

3. Finally, Presti needs to hypnotize Brooks and make him try some new starting lineups and vary his rotations. Start Lamb for a couple of weeks once Durant gets back so we can all witness ten straight +130 point games as opposing defenses are driven insane by a lineup of Westbrook, Lamb, Durant, Ibaka and Kanter. Find a way to keep McGary on the floor because that kid is getting awesomer by the minute. That goes double for Adams. The list goes on. The point is that Brooks has so many weapons now it is kind of ridiculous. He can't be allowed to keep being Mr Rigid. Seriously, can you just imagine what Pops would do if he had all those notSonic players?!?! Damn.

[HartfordWhalers]

Replacing this, wave goodbye as it floats away.