Wolves/Sixers from ESPN

[TrentTuckerForever]

And I submit to you that Jason Collins is the answer to your prayers.

That or a minor deal for Rasho.

I did not... have... prayerful thoughts for that center... Mr. Collins.

Yeah, a band-aid like Rasho (or even so-mo-Collins, who can still defend the guy closest to him) would help Love. A lot. I have mixed emotions on this possible Dalembert deal... he would be an actual solution, the shot-blocker/rebounder we all thought had to be added to this team's core before Big Al got injured. He's no band-aid.

But he costs more than Al does? Yeeesh....

[dunkonu21]

Craig Smith is not that good of a player. He can provide spot minutes of great offense. But other than that he offers little to the team. Love would have a hard time trying to cover up for Craig's deficiencies in his game and it may cause some confidence issues. It's just a bad idea.

[theGreatRC]

YES PLEASE! OH GOD YES PLEASE.

I fkn love Dalembert

[shrink]

If only we could have kept Jaric's bad contract, because Jaric + Cardinal would have been the right price for me! I would even refuse Jaric + Collins.

BTW, with Chandler going to OKC, there is even more incentive to move Miller + Cardinal for expirings. I think POR will use up Raef LaFrentz, so the market of people with cap space will get smaller and smaller. We need as much room as possible under the cap in 2009.

[foyemyboy]

we should trade pooh richardson

[revprodeji]

is there something wrong with you? Or just no friends?

[foyemyboy]

Why are you following me around? no friends perhaps?

[revprodeji]

It is the whole mod thing...

[Worm Guts]

Why does Love's development suffer from playing with Craig Smith?

Because he's not a center. I think Britt Robson put it well after the Raptor game:

If extreme smallball could have worked against anyone, it was against a Raps frontcourts sans Bosh and featuring an over-the-hill Jermaine O'Neal, a 7-foot disappointment who plays like he's 6-5 in Andrea Bargnani, and the nondescript but hardworking Joey Graham. Instead, this depleted, undersized trio racked up 64 points and 20 rebounds, and really went to town in the second half, when Toronto scored 69 points. The moral of the story seemed to be that occasionally need someone over 6-8 in the pivot if you want to win--in the Big 10, never mind the NBA.

Whole article is here:

http://www.secretsofthecity.com/magazine/blogs/ball

Love isn't a center, and neither is Smith. Asking either of them to muscle up against real NBA bigs (Biedrens and Chandler, let alone Yao, Howard and Shaq) is asking for trouble. Love should play 35 mpg with Jefferson out, but he shouldn't have to play it all at center.

Playing Love and Smith together is bad for the Wolves won-loss record, no doubt. I'm just not sure it's bad for Love's development, maybe it is.

[john2jer]

It is the whole mod thing...

Is that what that means.

TTF, next thing we'll hear is you question the definition of "is". It angers me how much you disrespect the greatest center in Wolves history, Jason Collins. Unfortunately I can almost say that with a straight face.

[revprodeji]

Playing Love and Smith together is bad for the Wolves won-loss record, no doubt. I'm just not sure it's bad for Love's development, maybe it is.

if we long term want Al/Love as the 4/5 then it is normal for Love to get time against centers. Why should Al have to suffer?

[ChazzleDazzle]

From my POV, its not that Dalembert is undesirable, it's that the positives (legit size, questionable impact) don't outweigh the negatives (loss of salary cap flexibility). All that means is that other positives have to be added in.

For example:

Wolves give: Miller, Cardinal, Smith, Bos #1
Wolves receive: Dalembert, Thad Young, Willie Green, Donyell Marshall

Here, Philly chops a year off of Daly, Young AND Green's deals, picks up valuable pieces in Miller and Smith (and the pick). Wolves don't lose any 09 expirings.

I know Philly likes young, but he's essentially playing PF, and only grabbing 5 boards a game. Replacing him with Smith fits the team better. Thad's got better long term potential, obviously, but he and AI2 are somewhat similar. I don't think there's any question Miller is an improvement over Green for them. I'm still not sure they'd do it, but it's closer to a deal that I'd do from the Wolves side. I'd even throw them the Miami pick if necessary.

Tell me I'm wrong.

[theGreatRC]

Thad Young > Marvin Williams or any Small forward FA we could want in FA.

Too bad the Sixers are just as in love with Thad's game as I am.

[revprodeji]

Thad is not that good RC. He is still a project that struggles with defense.

[deeney0]

Thad Young > Marvin Williams or any Small forward FA we could want in FA.

Disagree. Maybe I'll try to write it up in detail later, but I don't think this is true at all, I think Marvin is quite a bit better than Thad

[john2jer]

From my POV, its not that Dalembert is undesirable, it's that the positives (legit size, questionable impact) don't outweigh the negatives (loss of salary cap flexibility). All that means is that other positives have to be added in.

For example:

Wolves give: Miller, Cardinal, Smith, Bos #1
Wolves receive: Dalembert, Thad Young, Willie Green, Donyell Marshall

Here, Philly chops a year off of Daly, Young AND Green's deals, picks up valuable pieces in Miller and Smith (and the pick). Wolves don't lose any 09 expirings.

I know Philly likes young, but he's essentially playing PF, and only grabbing 5 boards a game. Replacing him with Smith fits the team better. Thad's got better long term potential, obviously, but he and AI2 are somewhat similar. I don't think there's any question Miller is an improvement over Green for them. I'm still not sure they'd do it, but it's closer to a deal that I'd do from the Wolves side. I'd even throw them the Miami pick if necessary.

Tell me I'm wrong.

Not sure how the numbers look long term on that deal, but overall I like it, and it's the kind of add-ons needed for me to approve a Dally trade. Willie Green does nothing for me, and wouldn't/shouldn't get minutes with the Wolves, but Dally combined with Thad Young, while trading Miller/Cardinal/Smith for an expiring works for me. We get our 5 and our 3 locked up for a couple years. In the draft we should be looking for 1st a point guard then, preferably of the Holiday/Evans catagory, and a young 5 to take over for Dally when we realize he's a waste of space down the road.

Holiday, Summers, Jordan

5 - Dalembert/Jordan
4 - Jefferson/Love
3 - Young/Summers/Gomes
2 - Foye/Brewer
1 - Holiday/Telfair

What is Thad's defense like?

[john2jer]

And of course I'd prefer Marvin Williams, but that's just a pipe dream unless we can move a combination of Miller/Cardinal/Smith/Madsen/Gomes.

My assumption is Marv's defense is better than Thad's, and perimeter defense, and a SF who can help downlow are very important.

[4ho5ive]

No question in my mind Williams>Thad

[ChazzleDazzle]

Williams (22) - 35mpg = 13.9ppg, 6.4rpg, 1.4apg, 0.9 spg, .6bpg, 45.5%fg, 36.9% 3pt
Young (20) - 34mpg = 13.8ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.2apg, 1.3 spg, .3bpg, 48.0%fg, 33.6% 3pt

[john2jer]

Comparable stats, I think Marvin Williams is greatly considered the better defender with a higher BBIQ, and his added size, while still being just as athletic is much needed for the Wolves.

But I have no problem with Thadeus Young, he'd be a nice addition. Just sucks we would have to eat Dally and Green in the process.