Bonnell's Blog

[CarolinaCash]

Bonnell is throwing a lot of stuff out there in his blog.....Fat you can move this somewhere else is you want. http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_nba/

* Michael Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, writing on the paper's "Memphis Edge" blog.

Before trading for the 20th pick, the Charlotte Bobcats asked Memphis to take anyone on their roster for the No. 5 pick. It's something that hasn't been completely ruled out. Now that Charlotte owns the ninth and 20th picks, don't be shocked if the Griz agreed to take players plus the ninth and 20th picks for the fifth and 28th selections

Actually, it's Ron Tillery, and he's a good reporter. This is the time of year when a LOT is discussed. I do think that Charlotte's veterans are more available for the right price than management wants to let on. Three different league sources have told me in the past 24 hours that Bobcats worked the phones hard, assessing what these vets would bring in trade. Don't confuse that with a fire sale, but change is certainly possible.


*I wrote in today's Observer that if the Bobcats are moving up from the No. 9 pick tonight, their most logical trade partner is the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 5.

If the Bobcats and Grizzlies do business tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if a deal could include forward Gerald Wallace.

The Grizzlies have the cap room to absorb Wallace's $9.5 million salary next season. He'd be attractive to the Grizzlies, who need to get tougher and be more energetic defensively.

Now, you have to ask yourself a question: Is giving up Wallace and one or more of Charlotte's first-round picks (ninth and 20th) worth the chance to draft Russell Westbrook or Kevin Love, plus get some salary-cap relief?


Trade veteran? Here's the scoop

The Bobcats have been assessing the value of their players in trade, a fairly common practice around draft time. Based on the impressions of several NBA sources, the following patterns have emerged:

* If the Bobcats have an untouchable right now, it’s Jason Richardson. They have virtually no willingness to trade him.
* They’re not nearly as interested in moving Raymond Felton as some Felton-bashers might think.
* Gerald Wallace or Emeka Okafor could be had by another team (though with Okafor – a restricted free agent – that would have to be a sign-and-trade). That doesn’t mean either one is being shopped, but they’re available.
* The injured forwards, Sean May and Adam Morrison, could easily be thrown into anything to make a deal work.

Bottom line on all this: Other teams haven’t shown much enthusiasm for giving up much of consequence in trade for the Bobcats’ veterans.
That's something Bobcats management should ponder long and hard before pulling the trigger.

[Walt Cronkite]

Wow. 9+20 + players for 5 & 28

Morrison, May, Wallace and Okafor are all available to be had.

This could be another huge night for our franchise

[W_HAMILTON]

That would be an awful trade.

Hopefully it's yet another one of the many things that Bonnell has incorrectly predicted.

[fatlever]

not a suggestion, just a potential trade idea (in terms of what is probably fair)

wallace for cardinal + #5

gives LB and co. 5,9 and 20 to make more deals if needed.

[fatlever]

that being said... i will be disgusted if we move wallace and a pick just to move up a few spots and select a guy who may end up falling to 9 anyway. as bernie said, you have to be patient as a gm.

[nfcchamp2004]

If MJ gives up the 9, 20 and crash to move up to 5. I'm Done!

[Rich4114]

I'm actually afraid we're going to do something stupid and waste our two picks somehow.

[nfcchamp2004]

I agree

[doc.end]

wallace is worth more than 5th (unless htereis some health concern we don't know about)
okafor too

i can't find a player who should we value hiher then these two guys. draftees are still unproven. I don't want to think about sean may for emeka okafor like trades.