NBA Trade Deadline in 13 Days

[shrink]

Thursday, February 21st is the Trade Deadline, and we may continue to see more big deals. The question for us is, "Will the Wolves be involved?"

If we had made trades earlier in the season, we'd have had more trading power. We knew early on that we were not going to be a contender, and the fans accepted that situation. While most other teams had play-off goals, we had plenty of potential buyers. However, as the season progressed, buyers became sellers, as they realized that they would also be headed for the lottery. This reduced the number of buyers, and created sellers, giving us less economic leverage. We weren't one of the only games in town.

The value that Kwame's $9 mil expiring contract produced should be good news if we decided to trade Ratliff. I've been against this, but if that's the market, MIN could be a good third team to facilitiate a trade. We'd also need to get back enough expirings to bring back Gomes and/or Telfair and stay under the lux, but if we were willing to take back more salary next year, we should be amply compensated.

However, its easy to see why the wolves hesitated to make any more deals since the day before rosters were finalized. MIN was loaded with several young players, and the front office and coaching staff needed to assess what they had, and who should be a part of the Wolves future. For example, I think its taken Telfair until the last few weeks to demonstrate that he could be a valued member of our team next season. Gomes has shined since becoming a starter.

I think our most disposable (note -- not "least talented") asset is Craig Smith. I think as long as we have big Al, Craig would spend most of his time as a bench player. He could have a bigger role elsewhere, and that may be demonstrated this summer when teams offer him contracts that would be too expensive for us to match.

On the trade boards, there were two more requests for Jaric from fans of other teams (Toronto and Orlando). Of course he has negative value because of the length of his contract, but the uniqueness of his game seems to fit in different locations. Gerald Green gets occasional interest, but since he's an unrestricted free agent, he doesn't hold much trade value. Vets like Walker, Buckner or Doleac almost never get any love in that forum, but I suppose they could help a few contenders. I'd be happy to move any of them if it reduced next year's total salary even a little.

Does anyone see a Wolves trade on the horizon?

[D1SGRUNTL3D]

as past would indicate, no.

[deeney0]

Hopefully they can put together something for Green. Anything.

[shrink]

Yesterday, Charlie Walters wrote:

The Timberwolves say they have no trades pending for the Feb. 21 deadline, although they have tried.

[Klomp]

Consider the source

[karch34]

Consider the source

That's almost guaranteeing their will be a trade.

[wolves_fan_82au]

no

if we did trade wh at do we want

Draft picks? no mchale says we are to young already
free agents ? we have lots we only need them to move guys like Jaric,walker which no one wants anyway
young players - possibly the aim of rebuiilding is too get as much young talent on the team as possible but like mchale said we are too young

though one trade which i think might be nice is one of spurs/Hornetts/mavs/suns pick for our 2 2nd roundersbut i think thats more of a trade u do on draft day

so do i think we need a trade i would say yes
but i dont think mchale will do one

[karch34]

I think it's unlikely. I could see some teams having nominal interest in Buckner or Walker. Buckner as a perimeter defender on a good team or Walker as a little scoring punch off the bench for a contender, but neither is likely to bring much in return.

[All Day]

though one trade which i think might be nice is one of spurs/Hornetts/mavs/suns pick for our 2 2nd roundersbut i think thats more of a trade u do on draft day

I'd be interested in moving the MIN and MIA seconds for a first rounder. I'm not sure how far up it could get us though. Maybe a cap conscious team like PHO (are they still cap conscious after the Shaq deal?) would consider moving the ATL 1st they have which should be somewhere in the range of 10-18.

I think our most disposable (note -- not "least talented") asset is Craig Smith. I think as long as we have big Al, Craig would spend most of his time as a bench player. He could have a bigger role elsewhere, and that may be demonstrated this summer when teams offer him contracts that would be too expensive for us to match.

I think you hit the nail on the head there, shrink. Maybe PHO could use him as a cheap rental for the rest of the year.

MIN gets: Alando Tucker, 08 ATL 1st
PHO gets: Craig Smith, 08 MIN 2nd, 08 MIA 2nd

It saves PHO from the guaranteed salaries next year and gives MIN a chance to draft a better prospect although I really hate to see Smith leave. I'm not sure if Tucker fits into the Sun's longterm plans.

What does anyone else think? Is the deal fair or are there any other opportunities to move the 2nds for a 1st?

[shrink]

I'd be interested in moving the MIN and MIA seconds for a first rounder. I'm not sure how far up it could get us though. Maybe a cap conscious team like PHO (are they still cap conscious after the Shaq deal?) would consider moving the ATL 1st they have which should be somewhere in the range of 10-18.

Wow -- what a good idea! This would be particularly interesting to Sarver, because the MIN and MIA picks are unguaranteed contracts, and if he stashes them in Europe, he doesn't have them eating up his lux room.

I think you hit the nail on the head there, shrink. Maybe PHO could use him as a cheap rental for the rest of the year.

MIN gets: Alando Tucker, 08 ATL 1st
PHO gets: Craig Smith, 08 MIN 2nd, 08 MIA 2nd

It saves PHO from the guaranteed salaries next year and gives MIN a chance to draft a better prospect although I really hate to see Smith leave. I'm not sure if Tucker fits into the Sun's longterm plans.

What does anyone else think? Is the deal fair or are there any other opportunities to move the 2nds for a 1st?

I like this trade a lot.

Let me mention one other benefit to trading one of our rfa pups to PHO. They are perhaps one of the least likely teams to match their salaries next season. If you guys wanted to get Smith (or Gomes) back, we could use the MLE to make it happen. We just need to make sure the player leaves on good terms .. and two months playing for a contender isn't like we screwed em.

[eloper]

I think if they move Gerald it'll be after the dunk contest (which obviously doesn't leave a whole lot of time to do so), where his stock could perhaps rise a bit. I'm curious to see if the Wolves would cut Gerald after the deadline if they're unable to move him.

[karch34]

MIN gets: Alando Tucker, 08 ATL 1st
PHO gets: Craig Smith, 08 MIN 2nd, 08 MIA 2nd

I think that's a good deal with Phoenix's cap situation. I think something like a little cap relief and two non-guaranteed contracts for a late 1st is reasonable.

[the_bruce]

-= original quote snipped =-

MIN gets: Alando Tucker, 08 ATL 1st
PHO gets: Craig Smith, 08 MIN 2nd, 08 MIA 2nd

not a bad idea

[Dewey]

I want Okafor along-side Jefferson, but can't come up with a fair package.

Charlotte - Incoming Players:

Craig Smith
6-7 PF from Boston College
9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.4 apg in 20.8 minutes
Rashad McCants
6-4 SG from North Carolina
14.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg in 27.7 minutes
Sebastian Telfair
6-0 PG from Abraham Lincoln (HS)
9.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 6.0 apg in 32.4 minutes
Theo Ratliff
6-10 C from Wyoming
8.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.8 apg in 26.8 minutes
Conditional 1st round pick

Minnesota Incoming Players:

Emeka Okafor
6-10 PF / C from Connecticut
13.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 0.8 apg in 33.7 minutes
Jason Richardson
6-6 SG from Michigan State
20.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg in 37.6 minutes

[deeney0]

Okafor would have to be a s&t in the offseason.

[karch34]

Okafor would have to be a s&t in the offseason.

Agreed. Depending on the draft if we got a Rose or Beasley type, Okafor would be a target. If we got Hibbert, Thabeet, or Lopez type then maybe Iguodala or Deng. I could see some package of McCants, Walker, Buckner, and Miami/Boston pick being part of a deal.

The ideas I liked so far for deadline trades are(all board trades, no factual interest as far as I know):

-Smith and two 2nds for Tucker and the Atl 1st. If Phoenix is really interested in saving some cap money next year.

-Walker for Newble and Marshall. Keeps Cleveland in the luxury tax, but Walker would give them some bench scoring, so not improbable.

-Jason Williams for Jaric, Green, and some kind of pick. I'd prefer either our two 2nd rounders or the Boston pick, rather than giving them their 1st back or a pick swap. Not sure if that's enough for Miami, but it was discussed on the general tradeboard as having some interest for Miami with Jaric's versatility.