OKC - CLE - MIN

[cpfsf]

OKC
+Szczerbiak
-Watson
-Wilcox

Why: Expiring contract

CLE
+Wilcox
+Miller
-Szczerbiak

Why: Mike Miller can be the unselfish shooter Cleveland needs (especially with their recent injury problems) and Wilcox is an expiring that can still pull down decent numbers.

MIN
+Watson
+2009 Cle first
-Miller

Why: We get a first round pick and get another option at the PG position (who btw plays defense). Watson's contract is cheaper.

[B Calrissian]

Could Telfair and Swift be added? OKC would need a back up pg and the Wolves need a big man. Plus there is no reason to have Telfair and Watson both under contract for next season with the variety of PGs the Wolves could get in the draft.

[foyemyboy]

Good idea, but I keep getting the feeling that the wolves want to keep Miller

[shrink]

I don't put much value on the CLE 1st, so I'd rather keep Miller, or use him in a different trade.

[TrentTuckerForever]

Good trade, cp. I would expand this to inclue McCants (another expiring for OKC) and Sene (who's now healthy, and could get some experience next to Love to finish this year.) Watson is a good platoon point who would improve the Wolves' perimeter defense. And the deal is salary neutral - Watson, like Miller, expires in 2010. Lineup for the remainder of this year:

Gomes/Carney
Love/Cardinal
Sene/Madsen
Foye
Telfair/Watson

Watson would essentially take over Miller's minutes as a 3rd guard, with more frontcourt minutes being opened up for Carney (since Gomes would have to play some at the 4.) Sene is an ideal on-paper frontcourt partner for Love and Jefferson - if he shows signs in the last 30-odd games, great, still on his rookie deal. If not, the Wolves have a better idea of their roster's strengths and weaknesses going into the offseason.

I think a deal like this (adding a PG and C) will help us more realistically evaluate where the Wolves are at. What would you really learn about Kevin Love by playing him 35 minutes per night out of position for the rest of the season? Same thing with Foye... let's change the roster to emphasize his strengths as a scorer, not force him into more minutes on the ball.

[B Calrissian]

TTF, you think Telfair would start over Watson when he didn't start over Ollie? If Watson were to be on the team I would hope that Telfair's minutes would be below 20. But it is moot anyways. I guess I need to meniton again that this would leave the Thunder without a back up point and they don't a player like Foye that can play pg when needed.

[TrentTuckerForever]

TTF, you think Telfair would start over Watson when he didn't start over Ollie? If Watson were to be on the team I would hope that Telfair's minutes would be below 20. But it is moot anyways. I guess I need to meniton again that this would leave the Thunder without a back up point and they don't a player like Foye that can play pg when needed.

You're probably right. I think Telfair and Watson are a wash, talent-wise. Watson is a better shooter and defender than Telfair, but Telfair has made non-statistical contributions to this team in terms of pace and flow that you can't really measure (I guess it shows up in +/-, which I'm not really a fan of.) Watson may be a better fit with the starters. But regardless of whether Watson starts or comes off the bench, the Wolves are better with Foye off the ball, and that's why they do this deal.

OKC solves their backup point problem via the D league, or the Wolves can throw in Ollie. That's the least of their issues - this deal is to clear cap space, move two players who aren't in their long-term plans. They're not trying to win now, they're trying to build around their core (Westbrook, Green, Durant.) If the Wolves can get a prospect like Sene for facilitating the deal, I think it works for everyone.

Most of the Wolves "keeper" role players (Gomes, Carney, Brewer when he gets back) are wing guys. They need ballhandlers and defenders, especially post defenders, to complement Jefferson, Love and Foye. Watson and (potentially) Sene fit the bill.

[TrentTuckerForever]

Plus there is no reason to have Telfair and Watson both under contract for next season with the variety of PGs the Wolves could get in the draft.

The Wolves could still draft a point guard after making this deal - both Telfair and Watson have reasonable contracts and could be thrown into another deal. My hope, however, would be that the Wolves make my deal (Miller for Watson/Sene or Watson/Swift) and use the rest of this season to solve the either the PG or C problem. I'm not so optimistic to think that both Watson and Sene would be perfect fits, but if one of them is, they Wolves have one less need going into the draft, and then free agency.

Say Sene shows promise in the 2nd half of this season - plays 20 mpg next to Love, starts to assert himself in the paint with 6-8 rebounds per game, 1+ blocks. The Wolves can draft a PG and enter free agency looking to upgrade at other spots (say a big SF, or another shooter.) If Watson works well with Telfair, Love and Foye, then the Wolves can draft a center.

[cpfsf]

I don't put much value on the CLE 1st, so I'd rather keep Miller, or use him in a different trade.

We don't have to keep it either. I was thinking that it could become a valuable trade asset along with our other picks and expiring contracts. If there was a player we thought could help us, then go ahead and take him, McHale isn't picking now anyway.

TTF, you think Telfair would start over Watson when he didn't start over Ollie? If Watson were to be on the team I would hope that Telfair's minutes would be below 20. But it is moot anyways. I guess I need to meniton again that this would leave the Thunder without a back up point and they don't a player like Foye that can play pg when needed.

Both Watson and Telfair have the abilities to start, however I would prefer Watson to start right away because we need a defensive player more than ever since Brewer, Ollie, and Jefferson are injured. Regardless, I would be content (for this season anyway) if Watson or Telfair had to come off the bench.

[B Calrissian]

I forgot that they traded for Atkins so I retract what I said about them not having a back up pg.