Official Trade Thread XV: 12/22/10 - 5/3/11

[DMVleGeND]

To be honest with you, I wouldn't even trade Blatche for Hickson. He's young and showed a lot of promise last season, but he's been disappointing this season and I think his upside is as a fringe-starter. I think Blatche will be the better player by the time both of their careers are done.

As for Varejao, I wouldn't trade Blatche for him either. He would improve or team now because he would improve our interior-D and is the ultimate hustle player, but I want a player that has a chance to be a cornerstone for the team in Wall's prime, and I don't think Verajao can be that player because he's 28. We aren't concerned for wins right now.

[Wizardspride]

To be honest with you, I wouldn't even trade Blatche for Hickson. He's young and showed a lot of promise last season, but he's been disappointing this season and I think his upside is as a fringe-starter. I think Blatche will be the better player by the time both of their careers are done.

As for Varejao, I wouldn't trade Blatche for him either. He would improve or team now because he would improve our interior-D and is the ultimate hustle player, but I want a player that has a chance to be a cornerstone for the team in Wall's prime, and I don't think Verajao can be that player because he's 28. We aren't concerned for wins right now.

I couldn't agree more.

[dangermouse]

+1 right here as well

id much rather we look at getting pick/prospect BOYD deals back for blatche. hes young, on a good contract, showed promise last year, he is worth that at least. if no one is willing, we dont trade him. selling low on another player again would be hard to take.

[Dat2U]

To be honest with you, I wouldn't even trade Blatche for Hickson. He's young and showed a lot of promise last season, but he's been disappointing this season and I think his upside is as a fringe-starter. I think Blatche will be the better player by the time both of their careers are done.

As for Varejao, I wouldn't trade Blatche for him either. He would improve or team now because he would improve our interior-D and is the ultimate hustle player, but I want a player that has a chance to be a cornerstone for the team in Wall's prime, and I don't think Verajao can be that player because he's 28. We aren't concerned for wins right now.

But can you expect to receive a cornerstone for a guy who the Wizards and the rest of the league perceives as not being one? I'm torn honestly. I wouldn't give away Andray for junk but I would strongly consider a deal for Varejao. He's the type of veteran I'd like to add in the front court. One that were sorely lacking. Varejao might also provide a "Haywood effect". Similar to what we experienced with and without Brendan over his career here. A lot of these games were losing might turn into wins with a Varejao/McGee frontline. Will that sacrifice our draft standing? Certainly. But it would make a dramatic difference in the locker room and improve the culture surrounding the team.

Again, I'm not for giving Blatche away, but day by day this team's future looks to be about three players, Wall, McGee & Young. Every other piece is replaceable. Dray even if he has legitimate excuses may not have the makeup to be a guy we want to build with over the long term.

[Ruzious]

A front line made up of Varejao, McGee, Seraphin, and Booker would have far too little offensive skill to even get by in the NBA. Javale might be the most skilled of them. And V hardly comes across as a leader.

Now that Butler may be out for the season, and with the Wiz having excess 3's, there's an opportunity there. We could do KHoney and Thornton for Butler (expiring) and Dom Jones. Try to squeeze them for Beaubois, as well. I think they're walking on thin ice expecting DSteve and Barea to shoulder the backup guard minutes behind the old guard tandem of Kidd & Terry.

[Dat2U]

A front line made up of Varejao, McGee, Seraphin, and Booker would have far too little offensive skill to even get by in the NBA. Javale might be the most skilled of them. And V hardly comes across as a leader.

Now that Butler may be out for the season, and with the Wiz having excess 3's, there's an opportunity there. We could do KHoney and Thornton for Butler (expiring) and Dom Jones. Try to squeeze them for Beaubois, as well. I think they're walking on thin ice expecting DSteve and Barea to shoulder the backup guard minutes behind the old guard tandem of Kidd & Terry.

Varejao can step out and hit the 15 footer. No its not the most skilled front line but it's got length & rebounding in spades. I'm not saying its a playoff worthy front line but it reminds me a little bit of the old HoGrant/Cartwright or Dale & Antonio Davis frontcourts. I recognize that it's not a perfect fix but when dealt lemons you try to make lemonade. Varejao is definite upgrade at this stage and even if he's not in the long term plans (and I don't think 28 is all that old) he's got solid trade value going forward. Many a playoff team would love to add Varejao to the puzzle. The same can't be said for Blatche right now.

As for you Butler/Dom Jones suggestion. I'd be down for it. Any deal that turns Keith Hinrich into another young asset is fine by me.

[507Mack]

What direction is this team headed in? Are we still willing to lose games for a high draft pick? From what I've seen, there's no one that really jumps out from the upcoming draft class. Are we stil trying to clear cap space? None of the upcoming free agents really make me want to sit through more losing seasons.

Right now, the Wiz are playing much better D. In fact, they are playing some of the best D in the NBA. It is strange to say that our strength is defense and our weakness is offense, but that would seem to be the case. Bringing in Varejao would only improve our D further, and potentially give us some sort of identity. Why not build upon it? Why are we so intent on tanking the season? I don't want to watch that kind of basketball anymore. By no means am I saying that Varejao is going to make us a contender or even get us many more wins, I just think we need to use this season to put in place a foundation. I like Varejao's defense, and I think that Booker/Seraphin could learn a lot more by playing against him in practice instead of just throwing them in the game while getting blown out.

I understand not wanting to trade Blatche because of his youth and what he has shown us in the past. I know he's "still getting over broken foot". He has loads of potential, but let's keep things in perspective. What do we realistically think we can get for Blatche? I feel like other teams aren't really coveting him like we think they do. I liken him to guys like Marc JAckson (the forward, not the PG) or Magloire or Ike Austin- all guys who had a one or two good seasons, but ultimatley sucked once they got paid. Blatche had one good HALF season. We may have to come to grips with the idea that he has peaked as a Washington Wizard and needs a trade to another team to allow him to reach his full potential. I'd feel less inclined to trade him if he wasn't still doing jackass things during the season, but it is evident that he isn't doing everything he can to get better. I'm sick of that attitude.

[507Mack]

...but I do support his solicitation of prostitutes, because that is hilarious.

[WizarDynasty]

Dray isn't going anywhere, there is not a 24 year or younger powerforward as skilled as he is and he's all the intangibles to get better. Unless I am getting a two way allstar big man back, dray isn't leaving my team.

[Hoopalotta]

Now that Butler may be out for the season, and with the Wiz having excess 3's, there's an opportunity there. We could do KHoney and Thornton for Butler (expiring) and Dom Jones. Try to squeeze them for Beaubois, as well. I think they're walking on thin ice expecting DSteve and Barea to shoulder the backup guard minutes behind the old guard tandem of Kidd & Terry.

I was thinking about something like that too. Call up Marc Cuban and say "Marc, only Al Thornton can save your season!". I watched a bit of Cleveland and Dallas and let me tell you, with Dirk out too, those Brian Cardinal Isolation plays were something special.

Actually, the thought had occurred to me. If they deal Haywood (some rumblings there), they might like Hilton incoming too.

I hadn't thought about the Hine-Hound; not sure how Dallas feels there. They've got Barea at 20 minutes and Kidd at 33, so maybe there's something doing.

[Hoopalotta]

+1 right here as well

id much rather we look at getting pick/prospect BOYD deals back for blatche. hes young, on a good contract, showed promise last year, he is worth that at least. if no one is willing, we dont trade him. selling low on another player again would be hard to take.

That's my position too with the BOYD scenario of us taking back bad salary seeming to be the only way to pull off real value there. "Gauging interest around the league" sounds the right mindset too as the most we want to do is put the word out and sample the flavor of the offers as there's really not many ways that his value could drop any further than it has already.

I will say though that I'm about 98% convinced that Dray and Javale is not a complimentary pairing going forward with the starting lineup given that we're 29th in the league in defensive rebounding and 3rd worst in OP-FG% at the rim. The two together might improve some (particularly Javale with more throw weight), but there's only so much potential to move beyond somewhere around average.

You at least have to question if Dray's worth it culturally if you're going to see him as the third big if the behind the scenes angles are as bad as some suspect; very disconcerting to see him not carry on any momentum in the effort/professionalism department after the Houston game given the suspension/booing/trade rumors. He's probably right at the cusp of an uptick, but I won't have the same faith in it when it comes as I would have if it had happened about two weeks ago.

[GhostsOfGil]

blatche and 2nd round pick for jeff greene and filler?

[nate33]

blatche and 2nd round pick for jeff greene and filler?

Green will be a free agent this summer who will likely cost even more than Blatche. Besides, Green is basically the same guy as Rashard Lewis: an unselfish tweener forward who can hit threes. He's redundant. Green is a better defender than Lewis, but it's not like he's a lockdown guy or anything.

Again, we run into the same problems we always run into when trading Blatche. If we get rid of Blatche, we'll need a better PF to replace him. But why would another team trade a better PF for Blatche?

Bottom line: we should keep Blatche for now. His trade value is too low. Basically, if we trade him, we're really only talking about a salary dump, and there's no need for a salary dump at this juncture. Salary cap room won't be useful until 2012 when Lewis comes off the books and better free agents are available.

[AceDegenerate]

Bottom line: we should keep Blatche for now. His trade value is too low. Basically, if we trade him, we're really only talking about a salary dump, and there's no need for a salary dump at this juncture.

In other words, Ernie is just about to trade him for a player with 1 less year on his contract who produces half as much.

[gesa2]

Blatche and Thornton to Sacramento for Casspi, Carl Landry, and Francisco Garcia. Sure we get stuck with 3 years of overpaid Garcia, but we get a budget developmental 3 in Casspi (shooting 40% on 3's this year) and a look at Landry (low post offense for the first time in years).

[LyricalRico]

Blatche and Thornton to Sacramento for Casspi, Carl Landry, and Francisco Garcia. Sure we get stuck with 3 years of overpaid Garcia, but we get a budget developmental 3 in Casspi (shooting 40% on 3's this year) and a look at Landry (low post offense for the first time in years).

Not terribly excited about adding Garcia's contract, but I really like the concept of Blatche for Landry+Casspi. Not sure Sacto goes for it, though. Maybe we include a third team who gets Garcia and our expirings while sending a bigger but shorter contract?

[closg00]

Omri Casspi for Booker also works, I'd do that trade.

[verbal8]

Blatche and Thornton to Sacramento for Casspi, Carl Landry, and Francisco Garcia. Sure we get stuck with 3 years of overpaid Garcia, but we get a budget developmental 3 in Casspi (shooting 40% on 3's this year) and a look at Landry (low post offense for the first time in years).

Not terribly excited about adding Garcia's contract, but I really like the concept of Blatche for Landry+Casspi. Not sure Sacto goes for it, though. Maybe we include a third team who gets Garcia and our expirings while sending a bigger but shorter contract?

I think swapping Landry for Thornton might be a good deal for both sides. Landry is the better player, but his trade value takes a hit because he is unlikely to resign. Thornton is also expiring, but is young enough he could be kept if he outplays Donte Green. The Kings have gotten really poor performance from the SF position and the Wizards really need help at PF.

Casspi is intriguing, but I think the cost for the Wizards would be too high. Also the Wizards have an excess of SFs currently.

[nate33]

I think we'd have to throw in a little extra - at least a 2nd round pick or something. Both Landry and Thornton are expiring contracts so the sweetener won't have to be much, but Landry is better. A straight up trade doesn't seem fair from Sacramento's end.

[LyricalRico]

Blatche+Hinrich for Landry+Casspi+Thompson+Udrih