CAP SPACE after Randolph Trade

[TheCage4]

Wallace & Co. now want a 1st round pick to take Randolph. Walsh & Co. want a young player/big expiring in return...hence, stalemate.

The only reason this proposed deal is getting so much attention is because A) Someone actually is considering Randolph, & B) It's the NY media machine. Don't forget the fact that Donny Walsh initiated this possibe trade scenario.

In the end it's all speculation. I don't think either side is overly excited about this deal, & usually that means no deal.

Rest easy Grizz fans.

[supergallinari]

Darko said he's 99% sure he will be traded this week to NY along with Marko.

Marko's been working out with Nate Robinson and David Lee in NY.

A person close to Zach Randolph has said Zach is preparing to play in Memphis this season.

Normally it would be quite easy to dismiss trade rumors but not this one.

As for the 1st rd pick, it would either be a swap or the Knicks 2012 pick.

[Downtown]

Where did you read that Darko was 99% sure he would be trades to New York? The only thing I ever read was through his agent that he would welcome a trade since he think D'Antonio is a great coach and loves the style of basketball that he teaches.

I'm sure Randolph has heard all the rumors and sure, he should be prepared to be traded to Memphis. It could happen. But that certainly doesn't have any meaning that he is sure he will be traded.

There's no doubt that this is one rumour that shouldn't be dismissed, but I wouldn't call it a sure bet to happen.

And personally if it's anything other than a straight Milicic/Jaric for Randolph swap(along with the deferred salary payment and pick) player wise I wouldn't like it from Memphis' side. I would value the young players like Warrick, Lowry, and Crittenton higher than moving them for Zach Randolph. Shuffling big contracts with some length around is one thing but giving up young prospects is another, especially for a team like the Grizzlies who are looking for a piece by piece buildup instead of taking on big money searching for a component that puts them over the top.

[GrizzledGrizzFan]

Where did you read that Darko was 99% sure he would be trades to New York? The only thing I ever read was through his agent that he would welcome a trade since he think D'Antonio is a great coach and loves the style of basketball that he teaches.

From here: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=837346

[#1knickfan]

Darko said he's 99% sure he will be traded this week to NY along with Marko.

Marko's been working out with Nate Robinson and David Lee in NY.

A person close to Zach Randolph has said Zach is preparing to play in Memphis this season.

Normally it would be quite easy to dismiss trade rumors but not this one.

As for the 1st rd pick, it would either be a swap or the Knicks 2012 pick.

It has to be a pick swap because Utah owns an unprotected 2010 NY first and the Knicks are not allowed to trade first rounders in consecutive years. So the Grizzlies would have to make the deal assuming the Knicks would be a worse team and that is something of a risk. Its that kind of risk that is probably holding up the deal because the Knicks are probably asking for a prospect the Grizzlies don't want to give up. Of course I assume its prospect because I am sure the Knicks would prefer Darko to Walker and the Grizzlies would prefer to deal Jaric instead of Walker. As far as I am concerned its probably the prospect that is holding up the deal. I think the Knicks are asking for Lowry and the Grizzlies don't want to give him up in case they actually finish with a more valuable first than NY.

[GrizzledGrizzFan]

Yeah - I honestly don't see that the "demanding the first round pick" is really in play. At best I see it as posturing to allow both sides an "easy way out" of the trade, if both have soured on it. If the board warriors can so easily see that there's no real way for the pick to be in play, I'm sure Wallace and Walsh fully know the this.

Right now the only thing for certain is that we're all (Grizz and Knicks fan) in "sit back and wait" mode.

[don't panac]

It has to be a pick swap because Utah owns an unprotected 2010 NY first and the Knicks are not allowed to trade first rounders in consecutive years. So the Grizzlies would have to make the deal assuming the Knicks would be a worse team and that is something of a risk.
...
. I think the Knicks are asking for Lowry and the Grizzlies don't want to give him up in case they actually finish with a more valuable first than NY.

especially as, according to our bearded friend, moving Randolph automatically adds 10 wins to NY and 10 losses to Memphis

[Hoops23]

A wiretap item says the Grizz are demanding a conditional 1st round pick. I like this move for the Grizz because it takes away the doubt or criticism in the deal for them.

[SD2042]

Yeah - I honestly don't see that the "demanding the first round pick" is really in play. At best I see it as posturing to allow both sides an "easy way out" of the trade, if both have soured on it. If the board warriors can so easily see that there's no real way for the pick to be in play, I'm sure Wallace and Walsh fully know the this.

Right now the only thing for certain is that we're all (Grizz and Knicks fan) in "sit back and wait" mode.

It really should be sit back and pass on the deal.

[Downtown]

I'm in agreement with the sit back and pass belief. Check out my post in the trades thread. I threw out a short list of lower paid, second tier power forwards that could be an option for a plan B.

Kris Humphries
Sean May
Sheldon Williams
Paul Milsap
Ike Diogu
Darius Songalia

These players could be decent stopgap measures for a while. I don't imagine they are overvalued by their respective teams and might be available for a fair price, although I don't know what their value would be. But this is the kind of thing I would turn my attention to for the start of the season, although I did say perhaps they should just go with Warrick and Arthur and see how the season develops and make a move at the trade deadline.

If Gasol ends up to be a solid starter, and Haddai looks capable of providing backup, then I imagine there will be a number of teams that could use someone like Milicic for a playoff run and his value could be pretty good.

[grizzleGM]

Of that group Diogu is the one I would go after.

[bgassassin]

I would prefer Millsap first, then Diogu. He's a pretty good rebounder and shot blocker for his size and would seem to get better with more PT.

[Downtown]

I remember a few years ago reading an issue of Sports Illistrated that had the cover story about Diogu. He was touted as the best big man in the country in college at the time. The story was about the trend towards smaller, but powerful and quicker power forwards and centers in college basketball. It talked about how a number of colleges weren't even going after taller(6'11" and above) highschool players because they knew that they would either be drafted right after highschool, or at best would be gone after their freshman year, thus it wasn't worth concentrating so much effort into a one year and gone player. I remember thinking that he was going to be quite the talented NBA player. Now he's on his third team already and is going to be quite a ways down the depth chart in Portland with the likes of Alderidge and Frye ahead of him.

He's one player I think may just need to be on the right team at the right time, although I'm already wrong about him stepping into the league and having an impact.

Two sleepers on my list are Kris Humphries and Sheldon Williams. Being from Cananda I watched alot of Raptors games and Humphries improved immemsely last year. What he lacks in pure skill and talent he makes up in grit, heart, and strength. Williams had it a little tough in Atlanta, first behind Josh Smith and last season behind Al Horford. I can see him being a solid contributor. He was a very good college player and is as strong as they come.

But I have to wonder if any of these guys offers anything more, other than experience, that Warrick and Arthur can't. Maybe if the price was right adding that experience might be worth having them around.

[SD2042]

Although the list is slim, I can see the Grizz going after Diogu or Milsap. Both are tough smaller PF who are capable of hittin the glass and make life tough in the post for the opponents. These players have to be use right in system that fits them well. Otherwise, they play a role where they just bang against the best PFs of the league, expect them to burnout when they hit 30yrs old like Malik Rose, Brian Grant, and Lorenzen Wright.

[Walton'sBeard!]

Congrats Memphis fan, it looks like you have dodged a HUGE bullet. You guys will remain my third most interesting team next year.

On Diogu. in case you missed it Channing Frye will miss around 10 to 15 games for Portland to start the year and Raef LaFrenz is gone for the year. This means that Diogu and Outlaw will see lots of minutes at backup PF in November. We should be able to see if Ike is the real deal. At the end of the year I think the Blazers are going to have to decide between Frye and Diogu.

[realfung]

What I think of Grizz is another year of lottery

[SD2042]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... _randolph/

We're officially out of the Zach Randolph express.