Francis trade

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

>Speculation is the Pistons have offered Vaught and guard Jerry Stackhouse to
Vancouver for
                          >Francis, Lee Mayberry, Michael Smith, Doug West and
Rodrick Rhodes. Detroit would also return
                          >a draft pick it received from Vancouver in the
trade for Otis Thorpe. 

I may have posted this before, but this strikes me as such a one-sided deal.
Stackhouse hasn't amounted to anything and Vaught may not be able to play
again. Meanwhile, Detroit would get a potential star in Francis, a solid young
rebounder in Smith, a young  swingman who has shown some promise (Rhodes, who
the Rockets were very high on for a while), a decent veteran backup PG in
Mayberry and another veteran guard (West) who has a reputation as a good
locker-room guy and a better than 48% career FG percentage.

Vancouver should have moved this guy much, much sooner, right after draft
night when his stock was high. Anybody who thought he and Bibby would work
together in the backcourt was kidding themselves ... especially after Francis'
draft-night reaction. And I'm sure whatever bombshell he's planning to drop
this Friday at his press conference ("I'm joining Master P?") will just reduce
Vancouver's leverage even further. 

Then again, maybe the Grizzlies are planning to sign Magic after he makes his
big comeback in Sweden.

One more note about bad decisions: add Charles Oakley's name to the Dominique
Wilkins/Mitch Richmond "Show me the Ring, I mean the Money" club.