Mike Wells Speculation: 5 Potential Pacer Trades

[count55]

Mike Wells plays with the trade checker.

So tune out the noise and consider five potential trades that make sense:

1. Jermaine O'Neal to Dallas for Jason Kidd: O'Neal had his best season in 2003-04 playing for Rick Carlisle, now the Mavericks coach, and Dallas needs a low-post scorer. The early results on the Kidd experiment in Dallas weren't positive, but his addition not only would solve the Pacers' point guard problem immediately, it also would allow the 35-year-old to mentor their first-round pick, if they decide to go that route. Kidd will make $21.4 million in the final year of his contract.

2. Shawne Williams to Memphis for Kyle Lowry: The Pacers were atrocious at stopping dribble penetration last season. Lowry solves that. He's the tough, defensive-minded point guard the Pacers need to shore up the position. The Grizzlies have a surplus of young point guards in Lowry, Mike Conley Jr. and Javaris Crittenton and are trying to figure out what to do. The Pacers have a surplus of wing players and could part with Williams, who is from Memphis and starred there in college.

3. Marquis Daniels and Ike Diogu to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich: Hinrich's future in Chicago is cloudy, particularly if the Bulls select Derrick Rose in the draft. Hinrich has defensive issues but has averaged 6.4 assists and shoots 41 percent. Diogu never worked his way into the rotation after tearing his left calf early in the season.

4. O'Neal to Denver for Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin: All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson need a sidekick in Denver who can score in the low post. Camby will block shots and rebound -- 13.3 a game last season. Martin's injury problems -- he played only two games in the 2006-07 season -- and his contract -- three more years with a player option on the third year -- could worry the Pacers.

5. O'Neal to Sacramento for Ron Artest and Brad Miller: Don't cringe. The Pacers have admitted they lost their toughness when they traded Artest in 2006. O'Neal said then he no longer could play with Artest, but that wouldn't be an issue in this deal. The self-proclaimed Tru Warier should be on his best behavior next season because he'll be in the final year of his contract, and he's yet to land a major new deal. He can start at power forward. Miller, also a former Pacer, is used to playing in a pass-oriented offensive system.

First, set aside whether or not you like the trades and ask yourself whether you believe that Wells would have better or worse insight into trade valuation in the NBA. I think most of us would believe that some of those above would be rejected out of hand by the other team. Is Wells just misguided or does he know things we don't?

Then get to whether you like these trades or not.

[IndieRuso420]

I think that's pure speculation on Wells part.

Trade #1) DAL won't do that.

Trade #2) I WISH! Pacers need a PG, and at this point I am for dealing Shawne. Plus, Shawne gets to go to MEM where I think he could play and he is comfortable in that city.

Trade #3) CHI NEVER DOES THAT

Trade #4) I doubt DEN throws in KMART too, but Camby and change for JO is an option.

Trade #5) SAC is an option, as well as BMiller, but not Artest. I LOVE ARTEST, but there is 0% chance he comes back to IND.

[Tommy Udo 6]

What defensive issues does Kirk have? He always guards the other team's SG since Ben Gordon cant keep up with them. Those SGs are among the top scorers in NBA.

Do people expect him to shut out players like Kobe? Kirk can shut down Wade significantly but he cant shut him out.

Kirk had an off season but his defense was still very respectable

[PR07]

1. Jermaine O'Neal to Dallas for Jason Kidd

2. Shawne Williams to Memphis for Kyle Lowry

3. Marquis Daniels and Ike Diogu to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich

4. O'Neal to Denver for Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin

5. O'Neal to Sacramento for Ron Artest and Brad Miller

1. I wouldn't do it. It doesn't really solve anything for either team.

2. I wouldn't do it. I think Lowry is a tad overrated, and I think Williams will end up being the better player.

3. I would do this in a heartbeat. Problem is, Chicago wouldn't.

4. I'd consider, but it depends on the status of KMart's knees.

5. I'd consider depending on what Artest's current state of mind is.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

As crazy at it sounds, I would love that Artest trade. He said he wanted to come back to Indy so maybe he wouldn't risk screwing it up by doing something crazy and aside from that, he only has 1 year left and could well be worth the risk as a player. From a PR perspective though I don't see anyway Indy pulls the trigger on that, but man would I love that lineup.

Miller
Artest
Granger
Dunleavy
Westbrook?

[cdash]

It still baffles me that people would welcome Artest back on this team. Who cares what his "current" state of mind is? The man is clinically insane. That doesnt go away...it might hibernate for a while, but rest assured, the crazy in him will rear its ugly head again. His antics set this franchise back years.

[PR07]

People change, people mature. While I'm not going to go as far as dubbing him "Saint Ron", it does appear that Artest has matured some. I haven't heard really about any trouble he's caused in Sac-town, and while a lot of that could be attributed to the fact that they are on the West Cost, I think he's done a pretty good job of keeping himself out trouble and bypassing his once famous childish antics.

Worst case scenario, he acts up again, and the Pacers are done with him in a year, so he's essentially an 8.45 million expiring contract in that regard. All of this is moot though because I doubt the Simons will entertain the idea of bringing him back.

[cdash]

Well putting his crazy aside even...where does he fit? Does he start at SF over Granger? SG over Dunleavy? Do we move Granger to a PF position he really isnt suited to play? It doesnt make much sense to me.

[Bucky O'Hare]

1. Jermaine O'Neal to Dallas for Jason Kidd

Don't like it. J.O. is still just 29. If he can get back to good health, he could have 5-6 good years left him, whereas Kidd looks done to me. I don't think Kidd has much of an on-court impact anymore, either, as we saw in both New Jersey and Dallas. We need to think more in the long-run, which 35-year old Jason Kidd does not address.

2. Shawne Williams to Memphis for Kyle Lowry

I think Shawne's a significantly better prospect, but taking into account our need for a young point guard and Shawne's rough past 12 months, I'd certainly consider it. I'd rather try and pry Javaris Crittenton away from them.

3. Marquis Daniels and Ike Diogu to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich

I'd do this, even though it destroys any hope for us having cap space in the near future. I don't like Hinrich nearly as much as others seem to, but he's acceptable, and this is a good trade for us, talent-wise. I doubt Chicago does this, unless they really like Ike.

4. O'Neal to Denver for Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin

Good deal, both talent-wise and for future trades. Camby for his on-court production, and K-Mart for his huge, expiring contract in 2 seasons. I think both could land as good, young talent to build around. I'd do it.

5. O'Neal to Sacramento for Ron Artest and Brad Miller

Even though this is a great deal talent-wise, and would likely make us a top-3 team in the East, I can't see management even considering it with Artest's history here.

[PR07]

I think the idea would be for Artest to start at PF. With the current state of bigs in the East and a slightly uptempo pace, I could see this working for the Pacers.

[mizzoupacers]

Not a big Mike Wells fan. His blog in particular is pretty lifeless IMO.

As for his trade ideas:

1) OK, but not spectacular. I think Kidd is a fairly lousy human being, and his game is in serious decline, so I don't know how much the Pacers would benefit from his veteran leadership, even though he is one of the all-time greats at point guard. But if nothing else, it moves up the clock a year on getting out of payroll hell.

2) Ehhh. Shawne has a lot more potential than Lowry does. Let's hang onto Williams rather than trading him for a fairly interchangeable role player we could pick up in numerous other ways.

3) No chance in hell the Bulls trade Hinrich for Daniels and Diogu.

4) Why on earth would the Pacers take on Kenyon Martin's contract? That just prolongs the Pacers' agony. Better to ride out JO for two more years.

5) Never, ever, ever, ever, EVER EVER. I don't know how it could be possible for a trade to have less than a zero percent chance of happening, but Ron Artest would definitely have to be involved. Wow...talk about a desperate attempt to sell newspapers.

[APerna]

I'm indifferent on Wells, but I think he was just musing here.

Nothing behind any of the ideas...strictly food for thought.

[cdash]

I'm not a huge fan of any of the Pacers' beat writers.

[girlygirl]

Hinrich was 2nd team All-Defense in 2006-07 -- what defensive problems does he have?

And the Bulls wouldn't trade their starting PG for 2 guys who barely play. That makes absolutely no sense for Chicago.

[basketballwacko2]

Well putting his crazy aside even...where does he fit? Does he start at SF over Granger? SG over Dunleavy? Do we move Granger to a PF position he really isnt suited to play? It doesnt make much sense to me.

I'd start him at PF and hope for the best. If Ronnie came back to town with only one yr left on his deal the fans might boo him a little but the way he plays would win them over as long as he doesn't do anything crazy. It's a risk for one season. Most Pacer fans would like to see Brad come back. Maybe then we use Fosters deal to move Tinsley? I don't know any thing could happen.

[cdash]

I'm sorry, but our fans arent stupid. Unless he was the missing piece to us competing for a title (he's not), then there is not a snowball's chance in hell that the fans would embrace him again. I agree most fans would like to see Brad Miller back (myself included), but if Artest came back here to play...blood would be spilt.

[basketballwacko2]

I would agree with you in principle cdash, most of the fans would say, WTF! But with only one year left on his deal Artest could be seen as a rental, he could even be moved out at mid season with JT rather than using Fosters exp contract. Let's say for instance JT is play pretty well and our youngster PG (Westbrook/Augustine) is making progress at mid season at that point we could move JT with Ronnie and get some value rather than dealing JT now and taking someones problem.

You know there are all kinds of crazy rumors out there, JO to the Cavs, JO to the Bulls. The wire tap story makes it look like the Bulls would give Thomas and Hughes plus a #1 pick to get JO. I don't think we really could use Hughes much but who knows? We don't know what the team is planning and what other deals might go down.

[cdash]

Rental or not, the fans and media would go nuts with that. Not worth it. He's not making that much money, so his expiring contract isnt worth a lot. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.