Knicks GM: Surprise Star Player Now Being Shopped

[HeatSince88]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Donnie Walsh's eyes widened when talk of tomorrow's NBA draft moved to talk of some of the surprising veteran names that have been mentioned in trade conversations.

"I'm not going to say who it is, but I heard it today, I was like, 'No, there's no way,'" Walsh said. When his scouts confirmed the star player in mention was being offered around, Walsh replied, "You're kidding me."

Walsh said he hadn't made any calls on it as of yet, but added, "When I leave here, I will check it out."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/bask ... 4639.story

This sounds like someone of significant star power given the level of Walsh's shock. Remember, he's an old pro and probably hears about the second-tier guys like Marion being shopped all the time. And given that he just heard about it today, that eliminates guys like Melo and Brand who people have heard about for weeks.

So who is it? What shocking star talent is now being shopped the day before the draft?

Alright, I'll get to the point. This report happens to coincide with Bucher today reviving the Wade-to-Chicago rumors. I'm not saying I definitely think it's Wade, but he does seem to fit the profile here, so this is making me nervous. And there's no reason for Walsh to be lying here, so it has to be someone very surprising.

Even if it's not a Heater, this is significant in that it opens up a possibility in a trade for #2. A star who is being shopped, and Walsh is shocked to hear his name out there? Well, we're sitting on Beasley plus Marion and his expiring deal, so this could be someone to target. Let's hope so.

For goodness sake, let's hope it's not Wade. Any other names? Please?

[Lane1974]

this is why I have had watery stool for the last 24 hours

[Heat11114]

How would it be a surprise if this has been "rumored" for weeks now?

[HeatSince88]

How would it be a surprise if this has been "rumored" for weeks now?

When the rumor was first out there, it just came across as dumb .... VERY dumb ... speculation by a bad reporter. I'm sure everyone in their right mind, including Walsh, dismissed it as such.

What Walsh is shocked about is that a particular star player is now being shopped. Not just that a reporter speculated something. But that his scouts have confirmed a particular star is now being shopped around the league.

In my estimation, when people heard the Wade rumors brought up by Poop-for-Brains Mitchell, everyone laughed it off and figured no way Miami is shopping Wade. So if Walsh just confirmed through his scouts *today* that Miami is now shopping Wade, that would be quite a surprise to everyone I think.

But again, I'm not saying it is Wade. Just that some things seem to be adding up in a way I don't like. Who else could it be?

Even if it's not a Wade trade, it's still important news to us, with Riley trying to trade for everyone under the sun.

[CRHeel94]

It has to be a top 20 guy wh no one thought would be shopped..no inkling. Let's throw out a few:

Rumored Before
-Amare
-TMac (both rumored..would it be a surprise?)
-Micahel redd (has been rumored...really a surprise?)
-Baron Davis
-Wade

Are they Really Stars?
-Josh Smith (is he really a star?)
-Gerald Wallace
-Billups

Left Field
-Ginobili
-Arenas
-Bosh
-Boozer

[CB4MiamiHeat]

If Riley really is serious about trading the pick, then this is good news...i doubt its Wade.

[pramis123]

stop posting this in every thread, let's keep the discussion on this to the original thread, ok? -Lane

[HeatSince88]

It has to be a top 20 guy wh no one thought would be shopped..no inkling. Let's throw out a few:

Rumored Before
-Amare
-TMac (both rumored..would it be a surprise?)
-Micahel redd (has been rumored...really a surprise?)
-Baron Davis
-Wade

Are they Really Stars?
-Josh Smith (is he really a star?)
-Gerald Wallace
-Billups

Left Field
-Ginobili
-Arenas
-Bosh
-Boozer

You gotta subtract Josh Smith and Arenas -- both are free agents as of July 1 and can't be traded. I would subtract Redd, it's no secret that he would be moved for cap flexibility in the right deal - certainly not fitting for a shocking star like Walsh made it out to be. Billups is iffy as it seems he's been shopped for weeks now (for Melo, for someone else IRRC).

I think T-Mac's a very good guess, as well as a few others you have. Perhaps Josh Howard or even ... Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs could have a TON of cap space next offseason and perhaps rebuild around, say, Beasley and J-Howard and two max free agents. OK, that's crazy talk. But who knows?

[miamiballer]

chris paul

[ChilliWilly15]

My guess would be Amare or Dirk.

[vincent]

this is why I have had watery stool for the last 24 hours

MUdd Butt^^

Guys and gals i going out of my mind

to trade or not to trade

I say the star player being offer is Nash or Dirk
good guess

[True Warrior Zo]

And out of left field i think it's Dirk. Nothing to back it up, but dallas seems to be done.

[BennyGfromFL]

I can only think of a handful of players that would deserve that kind of incredulous, "OMGz, No way!" response. Lebron? Dwight Howard? Chris Paul? Deron? Dwyane? Duncan? You'd have to think it couldn't be any of those. I don't even think Dwyane should deserve that type of response since his name has been floated around in rumors for a few weeks now by idiotic media outlets. Amare and Carmelo have long had their names in trade rumors, so that wouldn't make me fall out of chair either.

If it's a guy like Boozer or something, Donny Walsh needs to chill out.

[vincent]

How about if Riley is offer this trade

Marion ,2nd PicK,Blount for Dirk,Stackhouse

pg Banks /Quinn
SG Wade /Cook
SF Stackhouse /Dw1
pf Haslem / ?
C Dirk /zo

maybe not......

[JoeHova]

Duncan or Yao. Those would be the guys I would be most shocked if they were traded (other than LeBron or Dwight). Wade would normally be on that list too, but who knows what Riley's "plan" is. None of what has been rumored seems to make much sense, so I can't say I'd be shocked (except at the stupidity) if Wade were traded.

[JoeHova]

I just had another thought: what if it's one of the Celtics Big 3? I could see Walsh being shocked that they weren't going to try to repeat with the same nucleus.

[Lane1974]

whats the point in trading all that for Kidd and then giving up Dirk?

[GameTime_3]

Tommorw never seemed so long. This is the weirdist draft in a long,long time.

[HeatSince88]

whats the point in trading all that for Kidd and then giving up Dirk?

The Kidd trade didn't work ... they're basically a borderline playoff team now. So the theory goes that they could now be looking at him as cap space for next offseason rather than the missing piece to a championship.

So, for instance, if Dallas was able to get expirings and a young stud (let's say Beasley) for Nowitzki plus either Terry or Dampier, they'd be looking at ...

- M. Beasley
- J. Howard
- Top 5 pick 2009 since they'd suck
- $30 million in cap space for next offseason: Boozer, Brand, B-Davis, Iverson, Marion, Odom, Bogut (plus whatever players just sign 1-year tenders this year out of: Josh Smith, A Iguadoloa, Emeka Okafor, L Deng, B Gordon, M Ellis, A Biedrins)

So with just one big Nowitzki-for-Beasley-and-cap-space trade, they could literally looking like this in 13 months:

PG - Brandon Jennings (2009 pick)
SG - Ben Gordon
SF - Josh Howard
PF - Michael Beasley
C - Emeka Okafor

That's an effing MONSTER.

[JoeHova]

PG - Brandon Jennings (2009 pick)
SG - Ben Gordon
SF - Josh Howard
PF - Michael Beasley
C - Emeka Okafor

That's an effing MONSTER.

I kind of disagree. It's a nice team, but I don't think it's a title favorite unless Beasley develops into the best player in the league quicker than expected. I mean, how is that really much different from their 2006 or 2007 team? Beasley takes Dirk's spot, Gordon is similar to Terry, and Jennings is similar to Harris. Okafor is better than any C they had, but he's not as good as people expected him to be.

I don't know, I think if that team was a monster, it has to do with Beasley becoming great more than what the other guys do, so for that reason I hope the Heat hang onto Beasley. If he has a good chance to be better than Dirk, he shouldn't be passed on, even for Dirk himself.