offseason trade speculation

["Thomas Murphy" <tfmiii@worldnet.att.net>]

My first suggestion is by far the more feasible of the two. Since it seems
that Pitino has determined that Danny has no future here, at least we could
try and salvage something in an off-season sign and trade. How about Danny
for Derek Anderson? (I'd imagine a similar salary for each, somewhat above
the 2 mil exception but less than 4 mil a year). I think the benefits for us
are fairly clear so let's address the potential problems.

1) Why would Danny agree to go to the hell that is the Clippers? Well, he'd
get plenty of PT with Mo Taylor leaving town, and IF the rumors linking
Lenny Wilkens to the clips are true (with complete control) this could be
the beginning of a true turn-around in clipperland. Plus Danny could score
bigger bucks via the sign and trade.

2) Why would the clips do it? The west has all the real PFs. They will need
someone to bank nightly. Danny would come relatively cheap given the
battering his trade value has taken. Plus, a front-line of Olowokandi,
Fortson and Odom should complement Danny's game. If Wilkens does go to the
clips and if he can secure a decent PG in a sign-and-trade for Taylor they
could really have something.

3) How do we do it? Danny would be BYC. We would only be able to take back
half his salary. Answer: we send a player who has only one year left (Dana
Barros?) and the max of $3 mil cash to take away the sting of that player's
salary. We get the cap room to complete the deal, they get an additional
player for one year virtually free (Sterling's got to love that), and if
Barros goes Derek A. gets the minutes at primary back-up PG in addition to
his minutes at SG.

Second scenario:
Saw an interesting column by Vecsey on NBATalk. The rest of this e-mail
could be considered a special treat for Josh (since he's fingered Kenny A as
our problem).

>>JASON BECOMING PAIN IN THE PASS
By PETER VECSEY

WITHIN the space of a couple months, Jason Williams has gone from the
league's most appealing playmaker its most appalling play breaker. Kings
coach Rick Adelman must reprimand and rein him in soon, or face his career
counselor, er, the consequences. From what I'm told, Williams' teammates are
relieved when Jon Barry replaces him to settle things down. They're becoming
increasingly frustrated by his compulsion to captivate the audience with
untimely freaky no-looks.

For instance, at one point during Sunday three-point loss to the Lakers,
Williams could've easily scored off a fast break. All he had to do was lay
the ball in with a second left on the shot clock. Instead, he flipped a
fancy pass backward to the trailer as time expired.

"What's going on in the game is, we're glorifying everything colorful and
forgetting the basics of the game," says the Suns' Scott Skiles, an
exceptionally colorful passer himself before turning to coaching. "I think
there's a whole generation of kids who think Jason Williams is better than
John Stockton. And I think that's just terrible."<<
http://www.nypostonline.com/sports/1822.htm

I know this is idle speculation with close to zero probability of happening
(so tune out now if that turns you off), but Sacto is a solid playoff team
that is looking to advance further whereas we are still scrapping just to
get out of LottoLand. It sounds as if Sacto could use a little more maturity
at the point. Also, Nick Anderson (Jason W's pal) has not impressed. He's
shooting 40% and takes time away from Stojakovic and Barry. His contract is
up in '01 (with two years option based on incentives?)

A swap of Nick Anderson and Jason Williams for Kenny Anderson would work
cap-wise (5 mil + 1.8 mil versus 6.6 mil). Would Sacto dare to do it in
order to mature more quickly/ advance deep into the playoffs? Kenny is
nothing if not protective of the ball. With all the talented passers on
Sacto a little veteran caution at the point might be just the ticket for
them. Plus, Kenny not only shoots better than Jason, right now he is playing
better defense too.

I imagine Boston would have to include a draft pick to balance the
youth/potential angle of the deal. Would we dare to do it in order to
instill more movement/enthusiasm into the offense? Jason would certainly
help "unleash the speed" as Heinie is wont to say. On a young team the kind
of enthusiasm generated by spectacular fast-breaks can feed the intensity
and effort on defense. Jason W would certainly be a risk, given his youth
and poor numbers (36 fg%, 27.5 3pt%, 3.8 to/g), but it would certainly be
fast-paced and entertaining (two more promises that Pitino has yet to
deliver)! Imagine the fights that could break out over who gets to shoot the
3 more - Twon or Jason! More seriously, passing can be infectious and Jason
sure loves to pass the rock. Risky, but Boston gains in terms of potential
and fit at the point.

Nick A playing 2-guard would enable Pierce to move back to the 3, where he
is more effective roughing it up under the hoop and taking it strong. The
experiment of turning Pierce into a 3-pt specialist has not panned out - and
to think it was done to accommodate Twon at the 3? (It kills me when
otherwise intelligent commentators like the BSG complain that Pierce hasn't
"progressed" like Vince Carter - even Jordan didn't progress like Vince!
Where is the patience? He has improved in most statistical categories. BSG
points to Pierce's decline in rpg and whines. It seems that he has forgotten
that Pierce has had to learn an entirely new position - in Pitino's system
no less - something neither Vince has had to do nor Twon was able to do -
according to Rick, that is ;).

Nick A %s indicate that he may be winding down but he can still provide the
kind of veteran leadership and hard-nosed defense that Pitino claims to
crave. This risky trade wouldn't address problems with the front line, but
as long as Twon is penciled in for 40 at the 4 I don't see that we can do
much. Maybe if our youthful players had a bit more fun on the offensive end
the energy could carry over to the rebounding and D. Perhaps this would be
just the kind of big gamble that Alex was talking about.

-TomM