cdash wrote:DGrangeRx33 wrote:Grang33r wrote:This is what worries me. I think they gotta deal him now. if the Hinrich/Thomas for O'Neal deal is still on the table i'd do it right now. No reason to wait. His value can only drop. I don't think it will rise at all.
For once we disagree man. I think his value can only rise. I don't see how his trade value could drop much further. I mean, even if he gets injured again this year, he is still a 20 mil expiring the next. This is as low as I imagine his trade value can possibly go.
I agree. Unless someone blows us away with an offer (not likely), I'd just assume keep him. If he plays 20 or 25 games injury free and looks spry, we deal high on him. Or if we are winning, we keep him, and we get to say "f*** you!" to all these Laker and Bulls fans who come over here saying JO is worthless.
Couple things-
1. When is the last time there was a mid-season trade that worked so well for both teams? In the NBA, more times then not, teams make the big deals in the off-season. If O'Neal's value increases after 20-25 games as you say, why in the world would the Bulls deal a Hinrich and Thomas? They'd want O'Neal to join their team in a run for the title, ala Lakers trading garbage for Pau Gasol. If you trade for a O'Neal mid-season it means you're serious about the playoffs and won't give up too much, therefore his "value" dropped, and thats what i meant.
2. If it is true to what Larry Bird is saying that we want a 2nd first round pick, and we don't have a PG and the guys we want (Augustin and Westbrook) may be taken by the 11th pick, we'll have 2 rookies and no PG. I do think we'll find a PG somewhere even if it is a trade. So, having a new PG and 2 rookies, i'm sorry but even if O'Neal is having a great season we wouldn't be great. How many rookies actually have impact right away? Then we are into next off-season, O'Neal a year older, and Pacers ready to roll, and that would be O'Neals last season, year older, value dropped again.
I'm not saying we trade him for the sake of trading him, i'm saying if a deal like a Hinrich/Thomas/2nd round for O'Neal/whatever it was said to be, is on the table, we gotta pull the trigger.
If he's on our roster by opening day then we will either keep him for remainder of his contract or get a VERY weak return on any trade.