Hypothetical Situation

[skorff26]

Something I thought about after reading the end of first quarter awards thread and invno1 said we should trade jefferson to OKC

so what if
1) we win the lottery (that's the hypothetical part) 2) OKC gets the #2 pick 3) Griffin continues to establish himself as the top pick.

Then we
1) draft griffin #1 overall
2) trade jefferson to OKC for #2 pick, pho 2010 pick, TE created from their cap space
3) draft rubio, thabeet, or harden
4) use that TE to do some of shrink's favorite trades to either a) accumulate draft picks (like the carney trade) or b) to get more money (like the udrih trade)

so who would do this jefferson to OKC trade?

[stop-n-pop]

I think OKC will be hard to trade with because they could simply take Thabeet and be done with it or call the Wolves' bluff that they'd take another 4 with the top pick. Either way, they don't lose. I think the most intriguing potential lottery teams in terms of dealing with the Wolves are the Clippers, GSW, Sacramento, and Washington. Each of those teams have some decent players that could provide the Wolves value in either a sign-and-trade or a trade/move-down, provided that the Wolves could still get the player they wanted. We're so far out that it's hard to say who would be involved, but I think the best approach for the Wolves is to hold their assets until draft day, target the best point available (probably Jennings or Holiday at this point if Rubio doesn't enter) and see if they could maneuver a trade with one of these lotto teams where they swap picks and players.

I do think that if they move Jefferson they'll need a proven perimeter player in return. It can't be just for picks. Say that the Wolves get the 2nd pick and Sacramento is at 5. Would Harden + Al be enough for Kevin Martin + the 5 pick? I don't know but I think they get the most value out of any trade on draft day in a move with a fellow lotto team...be it with Mike Miller, Al, or whomever. I'd love for them to work out a sign and trade with the Wizards and Caron Butler. Perhaps Miller + Cardinal and the Heat pick to the Wiz for a maxed out Butler extended beyond 2010.

[GopherIt!]

something to think about, Blake Griffin, the best player in the country, plays at Oklahoma University. It's very interesting that Stern & Co. made sure Oklahoma City got an NBA team just in time for them to be a player in the Griffin sweepstakes. One way or another I think they will land him.

[revprodeji]

blake griffin is not a franchise player. a nice mcdyess preinjury 2nd player but not foundation.

I would be cool with a trade down if we got hardin

[southern wolf]

I don't want to be haunted by another draft day trade, no matter how good it sounds it will somehow fail.
Great, just as i'm writing this I looked over to the suns blazers box score and saw Roy with 38 at the end of the third.

[Steve_Holiday]

If the Wolves had a player close to McDyess' pre-injury skill level, I might almost consider purchasing a 3-pack.

[digitaldropoff]

Does anyone out there trully believe without a doubt that Griffin will be better than both AJ and Love? To me...keeping AJ and Love, along with the top pick makes way more sense than to move an established rising star just to start over already. We're going to have at least three picks at this point. We need a PG, an exciting SG or SF and a defensive center. If we draft Griffin, we really might as well trade him for a piece we need..a Rubio or Jennings.....or one of these three, DeRozan, Harden, or Thabeet. You should always draft BPA when drafting as high as we probably will, but we are completely loaded at the four, with arguably much better talent than Griffin has to offer. I thought getting Love last draft was redundant, but taking Griffin and keeping him would be beyond that.

[Zeitgeister]

Does anyone out there trully believe without a doubt that Griffin will be better than both AJ and Love? To me...keeping AJ and Love, along with the top pick makes way more sense than to move an established rising star just to start over already. We're going to have at least three picks at this point. We need a PG, an exciting SG or SF and a defensive center. If we draft Griffin, we really might as well trade him for a piece we need..a Rubio or Jennings.....or one of these three, DeRozan, Harden, or Thabeet. You should always draft BPA when drafting as high as we probably will, but we are completely loaded at the four, with arguably much better talent than Griffin has to offer. I thought getting Love last draft was redundant, but taking Griffin and keeping him would be beyond that.

If we get Griffin, we should look at all possible trade offers for Al or Love. Griffin is going to be special, and he has a higher ceiling then either one of those players. That's not to downplay the other two, but an Al Jefferson/Kevin Love front court just doesn't work. If you had Griffin, you'd at least have an athletic big who could guard the quick power forwards in the league (Bosh, Amare). Its important to keep all options on the table. If nothing worse, trade the pick down and grab Harden and another player?

[Foye]

I have another suggestion if we have the 1st pick and OKC the 2nd


What do you think of:

Blake Griffin + 1st of Miami + McCants/Carney

for

Thabeet + 2010 1st OKC (i hope its still theirs ^^) unprotected

I like this trade for both teams...

Minnesota gets a defensive minded C in Thabeast and also another chance to grab Rubio in 2010 with a high draftpick...since this draft is projected to be not deep we can afford to take the risk that OKC improves during the 2009/10 season and the draft pick will not be that high - i think #10 would be the worst pick we could get.
OKC gets the player they want + draft a Center with Miami's pick - so they could solve their frontcourt problems this offseason...

[Worm Guts]

I have another suggestion if we have the 1st pick and OKC the 2nd


What do you think of:

Blake Griffin + 1st of Miami + McCants/Carney

for

Thabeet + 2010 1st OKC (i hope its still theirs ^^) unprotected

I like this trade for both teams...

Minnesota gets a defensive minded C in Thabeast and also another chance to grab Rubio in 2010 with a high draftpick...since this draft is projected to be not deep we can afford to take the risk that OKC improves during the 2009/10 season and the draft pick will not be that high - i think #10 would be the worst pick we could get.
OKC gets the player they want + draft a Center with Miami's pick - so they could solve their frontcourt problems this offseason...

Hate it. I think we're losing value.

[Foye]

why are we losing value?

this years first round pick of miami (value is not very high because draft is probably not deep) is exchanged with a possible top 5 pick next year.

thabeets value may be lower than griffins but in exchange we get another high-lotterry pick and since miamis probably won't be in the lottery this year we get back sth for sending griffin to OKC...

So if it turns out as I project Minnesota gets pick #2 2009 and another at least top 10 pick 2010 for pick #1, Miami 1st non-lottery and McCants or Carney who have no real value at all...

McCants is the next Ricky Davis and Carney is also nobody that can help us to compete.

[Devilzsidewalk]

if we trade Jefferson then we have no inside scoring. Until Love shows something on the block, that's not an option I'd consider. I haven't given up on the Love/Jefferson frontcourt. There's scoring and rebounding, and Al is even becoming a respectable man defender and shotblocker.

The huge problem is lateral slowness and Love is still finding his offense.
Especially the help defense though, guys get all the way to the rim and shoot layups with no worries.
I'd rather Love and Jefferson go for a shotblock and club the hell out of them then give up a layup. Sometimes Al starts blocking out his man and hoping the guy will miss the layup rather than go balls out for the challenge.

Not to take away that the perimeter defenders shouldn't be letting them repeatedly get in the paint like that, but overall it's a lack of an attacking team defense.

I think McHale should show some videos of Timberwolves in the wild hunting their prey.
"THAT'S teamwork! That's what being TIMBERWOLVES is all about!"

I'm fired up just thinking about it, that's beaucoup inspirational.

[john2jer]

I have another suggestion if we have the 1st pick and OKC the 2nd


What do you think of:

Blake Griffin + 1st of Miami + McCants/Carney

for

Thabeet + 2010 1st OKC (i hope its still theirs ^^) unprotected

I like this trade for both teams...

Minnesota gets a defensive minded C in Thabeast and also another chance to grab Rubio in 2010 with a high draftpick...since this draft is projected to be not deep we can afford to take the risk that OKC improves during the 2009/10 season and the draft pick will not be that high - i think #10 would be the worst pick we could get.
OKC gets the player they want + draft a Center with Miami's pick - so they could solve their frontcourt problems this offseason...

McCants and Carney are both expiring deals. Can't pair them with the rights to players that have been drafted, as this deal would have to happen around draft time.

[PeeDee]

This team is not trading Al Jefferson until they fail to put a good cast around him for at least 10 years, then they will trade him.

Seriously though, Blake f'ing Griffin is not worth trading Jefferson for. Big Al is a cornerstone and if you put a good team around him, the wins will come... too bad he's our only good player. If we land Griffin it'll be either him or Love leaving, if any.

[Foye]

well then send another of our scrappy role players to OKC we have enough of them, Telfair for example -.-

[Worm Guts]

why are we losing value?

this years first round pick of miami (value is not very high because draft is probably not deep) is exchanged with a possible top 5 pick next year.

thabeets value may be lower than griffins but in exchange we get another high-lotterry pick and since miamis probably won't be in the lottery this year we get back sth for sending griffin to OKC...

So if it turns out as I project Minnesota gets pick #2 2009 and another at least top 10 pick 2010 for pick #1, Miami 1st non-lottery and McCants or Carney who have no real value at all...

McCants is the next Ricky Davis and Carney is also nobody that can help us to compete.

I think Griffin is a lot better prospect than Thabeet and you never know where teams are going to draft in the following year. Current picks always have more value than future picks.
Aren't McCants and Carney both expiring? If they are, they can't be traded at draft time and if they aren't OKC would have to match salary.

[Worm Guts]

if we trade Jefferson then we have no inside scoring.

Griffin can score inside.

I might be willing to trade Jefferson if we got Griffin, but I definitely would not do it for another pick in this draft. Right now, Griffin is the only prospect I have any confidence in.

[Foye]

yeah both are expiring...sorry my fault.
just put in one of our other scrappy players and an even worse player of okc then everything will be fine...don't think OKC would have to match salaries anyways because they will probably be way under the cap after this year.
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/oklahoma_city.htm

i know this trade has risks but do you want to rebuild or do you want to stagnate? Sometimes u have to take a risk...and i think getting 2 for 1 high first round picks is worth the risk. I agree that Griffin is better than Thabeet but we have no use for him so we have to find a way to bring in other potential starters....Thabeet and another Top 5-10 pick is fair value in my eyes for Griffin. I don't expect OKC to attract a big name FA in 2009 and even if they do I don't think they could be a playoff team so we will get value in return

[Worm Guts]

yeah both are expiring...sorry my fault.
just put in one of our other scrappy players and an even worse player of okc then everything will be fine...don't think OKC would have to match salaries anyways because they will probably be way under the cap after this year.
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/oklahoma_city.htm

Why are we throwing in players anyway? I don't think another mediocre player is going to make or break the trade.

i know this trade has risks but do you want to rebuild or do you want to stagnate? Sometimes u have to take a risk...and i think getting 2 for 1 high first round picks is worth the risk. I agree that Griffin is better than Thabeet but we have no use for him so we have to find a way to bring in other potential starters....Thabeet and another Top 5-10 pick is fair value in my eyes for Griffin. I don't expect OKC to attract a big name FA in 2009 and even if they do I don't think they could be a playoff team

It wouldn't just be 2 for 1, your trade was 2 for 2. The Miami pick is going to be around number 15. With Durant, Griffin, and Westbrook it's possible they could improve to 8,9,10. It's not a significant upgrade.

[Foye]

i just wanted to get rid of some players that won't help us...xD

My trade is 2 for 1 HIGH draft picks - i don't consider a non-lottery pick as high.

Anyway it was just a proposal...