Re: The Blazers are going to be trading soon.

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:
Remember the days when everybody on this list would've traded
Walker for Rasheed? Anybody want to make that trade today? How about one of
our "points" for the 5' 10" Damon Stoudamire? He's apparently a real point
guard. 
--- end of quote ---

Rasheed's still much more talented than Walker, but obviously, what ultimately
matters is how much you get out of your talent. The proverbial upside is only
good for something when it's actually achieved. There's no question that Toine
has fulfilled much more of his potential than 'Sheed ever has or will. 
But with any "would you trade Toine for him?" comparison, , there's the
question of who could replace Toine on the Celtics. Who has the combination of
skills that he has? Garnett and Webber? More talented physically, good passers,
and better in the PF aspects of the game, but could they essentially play point
guard? I don't think so. Jalen Rose? But he couldn't play PF, even part-time.
You essentially need two players to replace Toine - a big guy and a
distributor, and one of them better be a scorer, too. So, if you could only
trade Toine and no one else of import, you really couldn't get equal value for
him, unless you're talking Shaq, Kidd or Duncan. Those three would work,
because they would make the team so much better in some aspects of the game
that they would offset the loss of Toine in other areas. Pierce would be much
easier to replace - Kobe, McGrady, even Carter, Ray Allen, and Stack would work
with minor adjustments.    
As for Stoudamire, never thought much of him. He's sort of the Vinnie Baker of
PGs, except Vinnie might be slightly more useful for the money because he's
still 6-11. Stoudamire at the height of his career was traded for Kenny, who
was already sliding in Portland - doesn't that tell you all you need know? 
Kestas