Thoughts on KG and draft of 96

HeatFanSince87 · Post #1 » by **HeatFanSince87** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:52 am

What's up fellas...

As a Heat fan, been a tough year, and of course I look around who we are battling for that top pick. I really love the core you got going there with Foye, Al, Brewer and McCants...if you guys and a Rose or Beasly...look out(I want either for us)

I am sure it has been brought up, but have you guys ever thought back to 96 and wondered was KG's close friendship at the time the reason the Wolves made the Ray for Stephon trade? I can't help but wonder what that duo would have done together back then...and how different things may have been. You can of course say that about many things...but this one just stood out because both of those guys have had such great careers over the long haul...

By the way...it was great seeing the ovation KG got from you guys...made me think of how we think of Zo in Miami.

Good luck to you guys the rest of the way...

shrink · Post #2 » by **shrink** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:37 am

Thanks for posting.

KG has always played best with a good PG, and I think that's been evident throughout his career, with Marbury, Brandon, Billups briefly and Cassell. I believe that was the thinking that led to the draft day trade of Marbury for Ray Allen. Both turned out to be spectacular players -- I just wish Marbury hadn't gone all egotist and wrecked a pretty amazing pairing.

Post #3 » by **Calinks** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:06 am

KG would have had an even better career with either guy playing with him long term. If Marbs had his head in the right place they would have been terrors for years. I think KG was at his best when he had a strong scorer/finisher playing alongside. Marbs and Ray could have given him that.

I almost wish KG and Marbs never met or did meet and disliked each other. I think we might have kept Ray Allen if that was the case.

4ho5ive · Post #4 » by **4ho5ive** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:51 am

I think that line of thinking also led us to trade for Foye in 06. KG has been prone to doing everything short of scoring in the 4th quarter of games, Marbury, Brandon, Billups, Cassell and now 4th quarter Foye. He has always excelled with that scoring guard in the 4th quarter.

Im not mad we took Marbury, a PG who could distribute as well as score who had a fantastic pre-existing relationship with our Star seemed like the better choice. Nobody saw Marbury becoming the bag of crazy he is now.

Post #5 » by **Worm Guts** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:20 pm

Calinks3 wrote:
I almost wish KG and Marbs never met or did meet and disliked each other. I think we might have kept Ray Allen if that was the case.

According to Chad Hartman, McHale didn't like Ray Allen. He would have picked Kerry Kittles or Antoine Walker if he was picking for the Wolves.

Post #6 » by **Basti** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:46 pm

Worm Guts wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

According to Chad Hartman, McHale didn't like Ray Allen. He would have picked Kerry Kittles or Antoine Walker if he was picking for the Wolves.

imagine prime antoine walker and KG together...

anyway I was too young to follow that draft day back then but when I read the first time that we originally drafted ray allen I was actually really mad at McHale that he traded him away. but after reading that KG and Starbury had this really close friendship and great chemistry I didn't mind that trade then and I can't put the blame on McHale that Starbury went nuts later.

Post #7 » by **TheFranchise21** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:32 pm

I'm pretty sure KG and Steph were only acquaintances or just friends before the draft. They knew each other and spoke on a weekly basis but they weren't best buds or anything. The friendship blossomed when Steph arrived.

I think Marbury at the time was clearly the better prospect at a premium position. A PG was needed because Terry Porter was old.

I would liken it a lot to this year's draft. Say the Wolves get the 4th pick and Rose goes right in front of us and we are left with Eric Gordon. While Eric Gordon will probably be a good player, our bigger need is at C or PG (a distributor) thus we would try to trade for Jordan or Rose.

horaceworthy · Post #8 » by **horaceworthy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:16 pm

Speaking to each other on a weekly basis indicates a pretty good friendship, though (remember, this was before e-mail, cell phones and IM's became so common). All indications were that KG and Marbury were fairly good friends before Marbs got here.

Marbury was the better prospect at the time. Younger, more explosive, played a premium position, as you pointed out. He was pretty clear the guy the Wolves were targeting going into the draft, and I think part of the reason the Wolves wanted him so bad was because he and Kg had such a good relationship.