Trade Blatche or McGee?

[clubbing_caveman]

If you had your choice of dealing McGee or Blatche in a trade that would net us Amare or someone else of that caliber, who would you want to place in the deal as part of the trade?

[LyricalRico]

Blatche easily.

[Wizardspride]

Honestly, I don't want to trade either one of them but I'd choose Blatche.

[WizarDynasty]

We don't trade either one. Both players are good bench players and really our only hope for future success. Take either player away and we instantly are the boston celtics without kevin garnett in terms of future outlook and fan optimism.

[WizBiz]

I'd rather trade Blatche. He has yet to put it all together, and it's not a given that he will. McGee on the other hand seems to have a pretty good work ethic, and has higher potential than Blatche. Plus, we have a surplus of PF's and McGee is the only other legit center we have besides Haywood.

[Brenice]

Keep both. Both have at least decent potential. Blatche may be a lil older than McGee and inconsistencies, but he is on a reasonable contract and not starting. Hopefully he can grow to starter quality and consistency. McGee, the skies the limit.

[nate33]

McGee > Blatche > DMac > Young > Crittenton > Pecherov

[Ruzious]

Blatche v. McGee depends on what day of the week it is.

[DaRealHibachi]

Neither... But if Amar'e is coming in, we won't have a need for Blatche... McGee is our future backup C...

[DieHardWizFan]

McGee > Blatche > DMac > Young > Crittenton > Pecherov

Agree 100%

One of the two guys will be included in the trade, there is no way that Phoenix gives us Amare for the #5/James/Thomas/DeShawn, if they do their fans will riot.

[MJG]

I don't want to trade either one; both are cheap, big, above-average players, and you don't send those away lightly. That said, if we are trading one, it's Blatche, no doubt. McGee is going nowhere unless it's as the Al Jefferson in our own personal Kevin Garnett deal (aka, as part of acquiring a top-five player). Blatche, on the other hand, I'd be okay with including him in a package for the next level down, a legit all-star caliber player.

[pancakes3]

Blatche. We're already set on resigning Haywood at all costs, which means that McGee is doomed to 20mpg for the next 6 seasons. Ideally, McGee would refine his perimeter skills and play minutes at PF too but it's pretty unlikely. Blatche can backup both positions better with his size and "handles". I'd rather keep the bird in hand rather than give it up for "potential" in McGee.

I guess this comes down to me thinking that neither would make it as a starter for our team at either PF or C. Then break it down to Blatche being a serviceable backup to either position whereas McGee is only a bigger/faster/stronger version of Birdman - good enough to provide some defensive energy and easy catch-you-offguard slam dunks but not any quality consistent minutes.

[verbal8]

McGee > Blatche > DMac > Young > Crittenton > Pecherov

I agree with this ordering of the young talent. I think Pech had a chance to step up and has not. Crittenton is on his last chance to develop. I like DMac a little better than Young, because I think Young is a little easier to replace.

I think even if Blatche reaches his potential, he will always have some issues with consistency. McGee may have a slightly lower upside, but he has a better chance of being consistent.

[yungal07]

After seeing McGee in that youtube video busting his ass in the weightroom, is there really much of a choice here? I heard you have to get Blatche in the weightroom by gunpoint during the actual season, and McGee is in there probably as we speak. Mcgee has also been spotted after practice, working with the staff on his moves, while Blatche in the lockeroom, getting ready for his long night of club hopping.

There's a world of difference between their work ethics. JMac all day.

[nate33]

Blatche. We're already set on resigning Haywood at all costs, which means that McGee is doomed to 20mpg for the next 6 seasons. Ideally, McGee would refine his perimeter skills and play minutes at PF too but it's pretty unlikely. Blatche can backup both positions better with his size and "handles". I'd rather keep the bird in hand rather than give it up for "potential" in McGee.

I guess this comes down to me thinking that neither would make it as a starter for our team at either PF or C. Then break it down to Blatche being a serviceable backup to either position whereas McGee is only a bigger/faster/stronger version of Birdman - good enough to provide some defensive energy and easy catch-you-offguard slam dunks but not any quality consistent minutes.

There's a lot of merit to this argument. You can make a case that if we're going into "win now" mode, then it's better to have Blatche than McGee. I think it's reasonably safe to assume Blatche will be better than McGee this year and probably next year too.

For that reason, I'd be willing to trade McGee over Blatche under the premise that McGee gets us more in return. For example, if Blatche + #5 gets us Amare, whereas McGee + #5 gets us Bosh, I'd go ahead and trade for Bosh (because I think he's better and less injury-prone than Amare). However, if Toronto allowed me to pick which among Blatche/McGee to send their way, I'd send them Blatche.

[WizarDynasty]

We shouldn't have to give up blatche or mcgee for Amare if we are giving them our #5. If anything, they should give us their 1st round pick since Amare is only a rental and wants to play with D'Antonio.

[nate33]

We shouldn't have to give up blatche or mcgee for Amare if we are giving them our #5. If anything, they should give us their 1st round pick since Amare is only a rental and wants to play with D'Antonio.

Good point.

If Amare doesn't agree to an extension, then Phoenix is unlikely to get a better offer than #5 + Jamison (or expirings). We shouldn't have to throw in Blatche or McGee.

This is a pretty big gamble by EG. Our trump card is that we're capable of offering a 6-year $128M contract extension where as NY can't offer more than 5-years $98M. But then, NY is a huge media market and Amare could possibly make up the difference.

We need to root for NY to draft a bust with their pick and suck again next year, while also being unable to unload Jeffries and Curry. (They lack a 2010 draft pick.) That'll leave them with the room for one max free agent and not two. Hopefully, Amare won't want to play for a sucky team with no decent prospects in the foreseeable future.

We can beat offers from most other teams because they don't have the media market to offset the salary disparity. They're also unlikely to have a big like Haywood watching Amare's back. And they're unlikely to have a superstar guard like Arenas.

[BYRDMAN RULZ]

If I had to pick between the 2, I would keep McGee. Blatche has been a tease every year I would be willing to sacrafice him if we get Amare or Bosh for that matter. It McGee our bust baby.

[miller31time]

Profit > McGee > Blatche > DMac > Young > Crittenton > Pecherov

Edited for accuracy.

[VA_story]

Trade Blatche!

At first I thought he could mature into a great player but he obviously doesn't work on his game.

He doesn't rebound consistently and his defense is suspect.

At least McGee still has an upside and tries to play good defense and he rebounds.

He just very raw and needs some good guidance.