Trade Deadline or Earlier---My Prediction

["Peter Judd" <juddfam@worldnet.att.net>]

Don't be too suprised to see AW gone by this season's trade deadline.  We
already have the 3 position covered with Mills, Bowen, and Mercer can swing
there too.  RP has beefed up the 4 with the additions of DeClercq and
Massenburg.  If (and it's the size of the "if" that counts) the C's
management find themselves with a fairly reasonable, IMHO, offer such as AW
and either DB in exchange for Vin Baker, I don't see how they could pass it
up.  I don't know how the salaries fit exactly, but Baker did come in
before the Rookie Salary Cap, so it is quite realistic that the numbers
would match up.  And take into consideration AW's downsides: 1) too small
for the 4, 2) doesn't shoot the j's well enough to play 3, and 3) his agent
is David Falk, who is certainly going to demand a 7yr/$100mil type deal
when the time comes.

With this trade the team would go something like this:

1) Billups, Edney
2) Mercer, Brown or Barros, Minor
3) Mills, Bowen
4) Baker, Massenburg, DeClercq
5) Knight, Ellison

We would only have to count on 2 players developing into All-stars, instead
of 3.  I'd pull the trigger, but unfortunately the gun's not mine.

Later,
peej  >;)