Re: 10 more predictions

[damekmo@teleport.com]

Jeremy...now this is a great post! I have a few comments. (Careful!)

>Since I'm terrible at predicting when lockouts will end, I've decided to
>predict what trades may occur and where big free agents will land when
>the current NBA lockout ends.  The trades are subject to minor players
>being added to balance the salaries.

Since I've predicted twice and, obviously, been wrong each time...you're
not alone.

>1. Elden Campbell to Toronto for Charles Oakley.  This deal was probably
>agreed to before the lockout but couldn't take place until after when
>Oakley's salary jumps from about $2M to $8M.
>
>2.  Latrell Spreewell to Miami for PJ Brown and Voshon Leonard.  No one
>will take Jamal Mashburn off of Riley's hands at this point.  He's
>approaching Pervis Ellison status.  If Hardaway and Spreewell can get
>through a season without killing each other, they'll make a great
>backcourt.

I was thinking today (Careful!) as I was driving around town: What if
Pitino really does want Mashburn, has fallen in love with the idea of Jones
as his cheap power forward, and wants better three point shooting in his
backcourt. He takes Mashburn and Lenard for Walker and ....whatever...fill
in the blank. (Maybe Knight, or maybe Pierce, and depending on how much
Lenard makes...throw in Minor.) That leaves Riley with PJ Brown. He sends
him to Toronto along with...hell...Mark Strickland...are we close to 8 mil
yet?....if not throw in Keith Askins for Oakley. Then...he re-signs Brent
Barry and sends him and Travis Knight who is the "whatever" in the Boston
deal...or perhaps it was Paul Pierce (since Pitino has his small forward in
Mashburn)...to Golden State for Sprewell. Then...The Heat have a starting
five of Oakley, Mourning, Walker, Hardaway and Sprewell. Salaries in these
trades close enough? (I haven't checked.) The Celtics then have Jones,
"fill in the blank," Mashburn, Anderson, Mercer with Lenard coming off the
bench. Pitino gets rid of "The Cancer Man," picks up Mashburn...gets a
three point shooter in the back court. He's happy! You? Stay calm...Just a
thought. (Who cares what Toronto or Golden State end up with. Those two
front offices can be talked into anything.)

>3.  Pierce and Knight to Portland for Kelvin Cato.  I know the Pierce
>lovers (ie WC) will object to this one, but I really don't see Pierce
>staying with the team.  We know Pitino has been talking to Portland,
>watching Pierce play at UCLA, and searching for a durable, young center.
>Cato is a tough interior defender who won't shy away from body to body
>defense and can block shots as well.

I'm not crazy about Cato. He's (seriously) got zero offensive game. (I am
being serious. Perhaps Greg will agree?) I think you can do better than
Cato and ? for Knight and Pierce.

>6.  Pippen and Matt Geiger (about $4M per year) sign with Phoenix, which
>also resigns McDyess.

Pippen and McDyess? In the words of Paul Gaston, "Isn't that gonna cost too
much money?"

>9.  Paul M admits to the list that he is actually a Laker fan who can't
>stop chanting "Kobe Bryant slam dunk giant".

You know, I was driving around yesterday thinking....The Lakers aren't
going to keep both Kobe and Eddie Jones, are they? If the Lakers buy into
the Pierce-thing, why not Pierce for Kobe? Salaries close enough? Sound
good? I knew you'd think so!

>10. If the lockout causes the cancellation of the season, the Celtics,
>still having the tenth lottery position, win the lottery and draft Lamar
>Odom.
>
>Jeremy

Jeremy...trade talk! Nothing better! It's faaaaaaaaan.......!


Paul M.