Concern for next year

[Swimmer]

Still think our biggest need will be a big center who can clog the paint and make easy post ups. Marc Gasol would be awesome, I still think Oden makes too huge of an impact to be done. Microfracture isn't as bad anymore. Him playing 24 minutes would be awesome. Throw a 3 year deal at him with team options or incentives about playing in so many games.

Total agreement with you here. How legitimate of a target is Marc Gasol? Could/would we offer enough to pry him away?

[Swish4]

I don't think Darko's contract woud be hard to move at all. He's a quality post defender and a legit 7 footer with a good health history. Look at all the 7 foot centers that are breaking down.. Oden, Yao, Bynum, R Lopez, Pryz, Curry, Okur, O'Neal. He's a bargain actually IMO. Not that I'd want to unload him.

[john2jer]

I don't think we should be setting our sites on anyone right now. I think we go the OKC route. Try to build some chemistry with our core guys. Groom Beasley as a #1, Wes as a #2, add some Rubio, Love, Darko, Webster, Flynn.

When the drafty time comes we make a Cole Aldrich like trade using our salary cap space.

Then just be patient and watch these guys grow together. If Beasley can become a true #1 level scorere we'll have as a good a young nucleus as anyone.

I've become more interested in Iguodala as we've become more competetive and Beasley has looked more like a legitimate number 1 scorer. We might want to see what we have in Webster, but it would be nice to become a playoff team sooner than later.

I'd just be happy if the Wolves are good enough to get LAC their pick this year.

If the draft was tonight, we'd have the 7th pick, but we're like a .5 game from the 10th pick, and add in a little lottery luck, it's possible.

Though truthfully I'd prefer us to keep our pick this year, maybe luck out and get one of the top 5 players, then add him to Rubio and make a giant leap to playoff contender in 2011-2012 so that the Clippers get a pick around 17. This of course all assumes there's no labor stoppage.

[Foye]

I'm all for keeping this years lottery pick as well.

Our team is still not a finished product. Get another high draft pick or trade the pick along with other talent for a proven stud.

[horaceworthy]

I just don't want an unprotected pick hanging out there. Too much can go wrong there.

[Swish4]

My concern with Oden is there were rumors around draft time that one of his legs was quite a bit longer than the other. If that's the case his injuries will probably be chronic and constant.

[Worm Guts]

I think everyone assumes his injuries are chronic and constant. The question is how much are you willing to pay just in case they aren't.

[john2jer]

ZERO interest in Oden. Microfracture surgery on BOTH knees now? He will never be healthy.

[Worm Guts]

I'd still be willing to look at him if it's cheap enough, but it would have to be really cheap.

[Chance1117]

On the Radio this morning they said Oden screwed up his hip when he was a kid and thats why he has knee problems.

[Mr Dew]

I would really like to give the Clippers our pick next year rather than wait for 2012 because:

a.) that means we made a nice move up the standings;
b.) if the CBA is still an issue prior to the draft (as anticipated), college players may opt to stay in school for an extra year thus draining the talent pool;
c.) there's no way we could get completely f'd in 2012 by getting a top 3 pick and giving it away; and
d.) going back to b, it's possible the 2012 draft will be stacked.

In fact, I'm curious if we can CHOOSE to give the Clippers our pick next year even if we end up with picks 8-10?

[shrink]

In fact, I'm curious if we can CHOOSE to give the Clippers our pick next year even if we end up with picks 8-10?

We don't have that choice, unless it was specifically written into the language at the time of the trade (which I doubt).

Of course, we could offer to trade them an 8-10 pick for the unprotected 2011 pick, but I assume they'd decline.

[shangrila]

In fact, I'm curious if we can CHOOSE to give the Clippers our pick next year even if we end up with picks 8-10?

We don't have that choice, unless it was specifically written into the language at the time of the trade (which I doubt).

Of course, we could offer to trade them an 8-10 pick for the unprotected 2011 pick, but I assume they'd decline.

I doubt they'd turn that down if we even offered it.

If we're good enough to pick 8-10 then it means we've turned some kind of corner and with the continued aging of teams like San Antonio and Houston and teams declining like Portland I'd say that pick would logically be outside of the top 10 the year after, at the very least.