RealGM

Minnesota trades: Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric, Michael Doleac
Chicago trades: Ben Wallace, Viktor Kharapa

MINNESOTA
PG: Foye/Telfair
SG: McCants/Buckner/Green
SF: Brewer/Gomes/Kharapa
PF: Jefferson/Madsen/Smith
C: Wallace/Ratliff

CHICAGO
PG: Hinrich/Duhon/Jaric
SG: Gordon/Sefalosha
SF: Deng/Nocioni
PF: Walker/TThomas
C: JSmith/Doleac/Gray

Gives Minnesota a defensive presence in the paint to pair with Jefferson and unload a couple bad contracts and Walker. Chicago unloads Wallace while getting a shorter contract (walker) and a couple smaller contracts that can be used in future deals and giving them more cap room.

I think the idea behind matching Jefferson with Ben Wallace is a good one, and financially this does not hurt the Wolves.

2007-08 $0.1
2008-09 $1.1
2009-10 -6.9
2010-11 $7.6
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MIN SAVES about $2.0 mil

However, I see two problems:

1. People from other teams rarely realize that Walker and Jaric are productive here. This deal costs MIN 12.5 PPG

2. Ben Wallace is overpaid far more than either Walker (an expiring next year) and Jaric (half the price, arguably just as productive). I think its harder for MIN to justify two guys that have even or slightly negative trade value for someone with massive negative trade value .. it'd be a one-way trip, and MIN would be unable to move Ben elsewhere if they needed to. Which leads to #3....

3. If Ben Wallace is unmotivated on the Bulls, can you imagine what he would be like on the rebuilding Wolves?



I don't think its a bad idea, but MIN would need more insurance before signing on to $40+ mil of Ben Wallace.