Jetset wrote:^ Who are you? Are you a Laker fan? And where have you been, because I haven't seen you around at all.
If anything Felton is underrated, you saying he's overrated is overrated. He's the perfect fit, yeah it would hurt getting rid of the versatility Odom provides but we desperately need a PG, and we're getting a serviceable backup C in the deal as well.
Why does it matter "who" I am? It's exceedingly likely that anything I say will result in "bandwagoner" invectives. Knowmesayin'?
Felton is definitely not underrated. He's real quick, and has great strength for his position, but he's a substandard play-maker, and a tremendously streaky shooter. Sure, he's a monumental upgrade over Fisher, but the loss of Odom is strikingly injurious to this team. A serviceable back up center can be obtained through the MLE. Joel Przybilla's name comes to mind, and there's a considerable horde that follows.
P.S., If Gasol goes down, or Bynum, you'll be praying Odom was still around. *Wink*.
AI-in-LA wrote:The only thing I would disagree on is the statement that the team that wins every trade is the team that gets the best player in return. I would agree that such is generally true, maybe even 80+% of the time, but not always.
Toronto won the Vince Carter to Nets trade (for financial reasons) despite the Nets getting the best player. We won the Shaq to Miami trade. The Suns murdered the Magic on the Hedo trade despite Hedo being the best player involved and landing in Orlando. I even believe that the Nuggets absolutely raped the Knicks on the Melo deal ... I could go on.
If we could get Felton, the Birdman and the #22 for Odom and Blake I would feel very confident that we won that trade even though Odom was the best playher involved and we'd be losing him.
Likewise, had I been Pat Riley this yerar I would have absolutely traded Wade and Mike Miller to the Nuggets for Felton, Nene, J.R. Smith and the #22 pick ... and I'd be enjoying my Finals sweep by this time
The Raptors definitely did not win that trade. The Raptors traded Vince Carter for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, and Alonzo Mourning (who refused to show)-- Chaperoning those absolutely mediocre players were two first-round draft picks from New Jersey, which translated to Joey Graham (tankest scrub). How is that fair, at all? Did New Jersey lose anyone/anything of value? I don't see it. . .
The Lakers lost Shaquille O'Neal, who was still the most dominant center in the league, for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and a first-round draft pick (Jordan Farmar). This trade was "fairer"-- However, Miami's instant dominance suggests the Lakers had at least two more championships on the horizon, which they eventually won, anyway. Could've gotten more for the most dominant player of his time though, no?
I won't elaborate extensively on the Magic-Suns trade, 'cause Hedo Turkoglu wasn't the best player involved. That dubious honor is extended to Jason Richardson. I think the Magic won that trade, statistically. There's no definitive winner, or loser, in this trade, though. The Magic were plagued with atrocious contracts before the trade, and they accumulated atrocious contracts after the trade. No team lost anyone of real value.
The Knicks-Nuggets trade was as even as they come. The Nuggets gained an absolutely ridiculous amount of depth; the Knicks gained the most offensively complete player in the NBA, today. Now, here's the tangent that's absolutely significant-- The Knicks can replace the players they lost if they remained as dormant as possible. How will Denver replace Carmelo Anthony? What's most important to note is. . . They're actually on the verge of losing a substantial amount of that depth, this off-season. ; ]
