Official Speculation Thread (Pt. XXVIII: Offseason Edition)

[MagicTownBaller]

Raj! We need to play some 2K12.

[Skin]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Detroit has traded Ben Gordon and a protected future first-round pick to Charlotte for Corey Maggette, league sources tell Y! Sports.

Anyone who says it's impossible to trade Turk needs to observe this.

I think trading Turk without Dwight is impossible... but it does serve hope that JRich or Davis are tradeable assets. If we can get rid of one of them and not take back salary, then we could afford Deron this summer. Using #19 as bait is probably our best way to do it.

[ADRajX]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
Detroit has traded Ben Gordon and a protected future first-round pick to Charlotte for Corey Maggette, league sources tell Y! Sports.

Anyone who says it's impossible to trade Turk needs to observe this.

Kemba Walker, meet your ceiling/Ben Gordon. Wtf is Jordan thinking?!

Yeah I think Walker's ceiling will be Gordon as well.


But I think that was a terrible trade for Detroit.

Detroit Ben Gordon was mediocre... but Chicago Ben Gordon was averaging like 17-22ppg on 44% shooting and 13-14 shots on average (4 more shots than he was getting in Detroit). He's still only 28 years old, he really needed to get out of Detroit. He couldn't jell in that back-court imo. That system and environment was hurting him. Yeah his contract is cruddy, but Maggette is declining/aging badly and is on an equally bad contract as well.

Good trade for Charlotte.

EDIT* Nevermind

It was a good trade for both teams. Detroit wasn't getting anything out of Gordon. Gordon wasn't excelling with the Pistons, so in a weird way, yeah Detroit got the best they could in return for him. Charlotte got rid of Maggette, and Ben Gordon gets a fresh start with the Bobcats to return to his Chicago Bulls' form. Everybody wins.

[ADRajX]

Raj! We need to play some 2K12.

lol I know man... I haven't been on it a lot the past couple weeks... I might be on this weekend to play 2k.

[magicfan4life88]

I wonder what we can get mj to give us for turk

[Greenraida]

I wonder what we can get mj to give us for turk

They want picks. package deal with picks might do it. Although who would we take back?

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Ken Berger ‏@KBergCBS

Gordon owed $25.6M over next two years. Maggette has one year left at $10.9M, net savings to Pistons of $14.7M.

If Maggette had one more year left on his contract, why trade him for someone who has 2 more years left AND you have a player in Walker that is almost like Gordon?

Deals like this has me excited, surely Orlando can find someone who is willing to take some of these contracts without resorting to trading Howard. I feel that only because everyone thinks that Dwight want to be traded that no team is willing to trade with us unless Dwight's name is thrown out. However, I think they believe they are still speaking to Otis and not Rob. Rob seems like a no-nonsense type of GM.

[NEM]

Turk and 19 for 31.

Edit: only if we want cap this summer... Otherwise, no

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

[ORLMagicGirl15]

It was a good trade for both teams. Detroit wasn't getting anything out of Gordon. Gordon wasn't excelling with the Pistons, so in a weird way, yeah Detroit got the best they could in return for him. Charlotte got rid of Maggette, and Ben Gordon gets a fresh start with the Bobcats to return to his Chicago Bulls' form. Everybody wins.

Going from one team that has the mentality of tanking to another team with the same mentality won't work out mentally for him unless he can rally the team and get them into a winning attitude. He can go back to his Bulls days if he choose to but it depends if he's doing it for selfish reasons or for the team.

[glennathan]

Maybe Charlotte did the deal to get Gordon because now Kemba Walker is available? I have no info that he is up for trade just a suggestion

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Maybe Charlotte did the deal to get Gordon because now Kemba Walker is available? I have no info that he is up for trade just a suggestion

Why in the world would MJ trade Kemba? He's on a great contract and has potential.

BUT if MJ wants to trade him, I definitely wouldn't mind parting ways with Chris Duhon for him. I mean, it would be tough to see Chris go, but I'll be okay.

[WeAreVenom]

Ken Berger ‏@KBergCBS

Gordon owed $25.6M over next two years. Maggette has one year left at $10.9M, net savings to Pistons of $14.7M.

If Maggette had one more year left on his contract, why trade him for someone who has 2 more years left AND you have a player in Walker that is almost like Gordon?

Deals like this has me excited, surely Orlando can find someone who is willing to take some of these contracts without resorting to trading Howard. I feel that only because everyone thinks that Dwight want to be traded that no team is willing to trade with us unless Dwight's name is thrown out. However, I think they believe they are still speaking to Otis and not Rob. Rob seems like a no-nonsense type of GM.

Can't lie, I'm happy Otis isn't handling this.....Because I'm not so sure he'd even try.

[londoncollin]

Ken Berger ‏@KBergCBS

Gordon owed $25.6M over next two years. Maggette has one year left at $10.9M, net savings to Pistons of $14.7M.

If Maggette had one more year left on his contract, why trade him for someone who has 2 more years left AND you have a player in Walker that is almost like Gordon?

Deals like this has me excited, surely Orlando can find someone who is willing to take some of these contracts without resorting to trading Howard. I feel that only because everyone thinks that Dwight want to be traded that no team is willing to trade with us unless Dwight's name is thrown out. However, I think they believe they are still speaking to Otis and not Rob. Rob seems like a no-nonsense type of GM.

Charlotte did it for the draft pick. They know they aren't going to be good for the next couple years, so Gordon's contract doesn't matter.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Charlotte did it for the draft pick. They know they aren't going to be good for the next couple years, so Gordon's contract doesn't matter.

I see. But the draft pick is top 8 lottery protected though and if Detroit continue staying on the tanking track, it might not be such a good trade but who knows what's going to happen at this point. But I will say this, if Charlotte was going for draft picks, I wish they traded for someone that can help their team for the upcoming season and the continuing future and therefore would have a decent plan in order to create a really strong core. Not saying that Gordon can't be that guy, it's just weird having two guys that are basically the same.

[glennathan]

Maybe Charlotte did the deal to get Gordon because now Kemba Walker is available? I have no info that he is up for trade just a suggestion

Why in the world would MJ trade Kemba? He's on a great contract and has potential.

BUT if MJ wants to trade him, I definitely wouldn't mind parting ways with Chris Duhon for him. I mean, it would be tough to see Chris go, but I'll be okay.

MJ has done dumber things just trying to come up with some reason why they got Ben Gordon

[ADRajX]

It was a good trade for both teams. Detroit wasn't getting anything out of Gordon. Gordon wasn't excelling with the Pistons, so in a weird way, yeah Detroit got the best they could in return for him. Charlotte got rid of Maggette, and Ben Gordon gets a fresh start with the Bobcats to return to his Chicago Bulls' form. Everybody wins.

Going from one team that has the mentality of tanking to another team with the same mentality won't work out mentally for him unless he can rally the team and get them into a winning attitude. He can go back to his Bulls days if he choose to but it depends if he's doing it for selfish reasons or for the team.

+1
Great post... but I disagree slightly on a couple things... Yes Ben Gordon can go back to his "Bulls days", but that's only if the system is conducive for him to be successful (right plays called for him, right teammates, right coaches, right spacing/shots, etc)... Mentally Ben Gordon can only do so much to overcome a bad situation... He was on a bad Bulls team at one point, and he was flourishing statistically... In Ben's case, I don't think it has to do with how bad the team is, but rather if that team has the right staff, chemistry, plays, and teammates for a player to succeed in (whether it's a bad team or good team, that doesn't matter ... bad teams COULD grow into good teams if they are young and full of potential imo... Charlotte has that youth imo.).

I agree that Detroit and Charlotte are both terrible teams with "unhealthy" losing environments for players... but Charlotte can make the case that they are rebuilding w/ decent young players (Walker, Henderson, Augustin, etc) whereas the Pistons only have Greg Monroe to work with, while still having bad contracts and aging players on their roster... Ben Gordon can flourish in a new setting where there is a young mix of talent, and an optimistic outlook to make the playoffs with that young talent. So mentally, I think Ben Gordon would be ecstatic to leave Detroit and join Charlotte.

We've seen players go from a bad team to another bad team and play better... on the other-hand we've seen players go from a bad team to another bad team and play worse... and we have also seen players go from a bad team to another bad team and completely stay the same.

In Ben Gordon's case, I think he'll play better with the Bobcats in the back-court. He was a player known for his scoring in Chicago. I think Charlotte will be the right place for him. His PPG should go up. He's still in his prime.

You're correct about Ben Gordon possibly rallying that Charlotte team . Ben can be their veteran help and leader... but that's up to Ben and his attitude. He's a mature, hard-nosed player from all accounts, so that shouldn't be an issue imo. And you're right... it must be for the team, not for selfish reasons.

[Skin]

Too many people are blaming MJ. Cho has been given full reign to remake this roster. Getting Ben Gordon is a telling sign that they are going to take Thomas Robinson, and the Bradley Beal rumors to #2 should now be put to squash. ...and honestly speaking, Gordon is similar to Beal in a lot of ways.

The next move I foresee is the Bobcats using the Amnesty on Tyrus Thomas. Watch out... the Bobcats are making their move.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

@DJRajX"

+1
Thanks for that and I hope it works out for both teams.

[MagicGirl]

Slightly off-topic but so glad to be a Magic fan. I enjoy reading the boards, and most of the other NBA team boards are like a morgue. It's great to see so many active and interested fans!

I'll be at the draft party Thursday night in Lake Mary (BBD will be in attendance). Who else is going???

[Magicalltheway]

Just saw Antwan Jamison at the airport. Lol was about to say oh God dont tell me you've been traded to Orlando