Post#7 » by Bucky O'Hare » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:38 am
With the news coming out that J.O. looks stronger than he has in a few years, and with his contract finally winding down, we need to just keep him, unless we're given an offer we can't refuse.
If he comes back to All-Star level J.O., or even 16/9/3/3 bpg J.O., we will have traded our best player to a conference rival for their table scraps. That's not the way to build a successful team. Well, not your own successful team anyways.
#19 picks rarely produce anything worthwhile, and are used as filler in major deals, not as primary pieces.
Let's take a look at two of the major deals over the past 12 months, Kidd to Dallas and Allen to Boston.
Jason Kidd is 5 years older than J.O., just as overpaid, couldn't get a talented Nets team out of mediocrity in the crappy East, has shooting percentages that would embarrass Jamaal Tinsley, and has had more than his fair share of injuries. Yet look what he got the Nets - a very promising 23 year old point guard, expiring contracts, and multiple first-rounders.
Ray Allen is, I believe, 3 years older than J.O., has had quite a few injuries himself, couldn't lead the Sonics anywhere playing alongside a fellow All-Star (Lewis), has a bigger contract than J.O.'s (total salary), yet he fetched the #5 pick in what was considered a great draft, as well as a few decent prospects (West).
So sorry, but the Cavs table scraps and a mediocre 1st round pick just doesn't excite me very much. Not for a 6-time All-Star big man, one that plays elite level defense, even if he has been banged up the past few years.