Trade idea?

[Mark Piotrowski <markp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A half-formed idea from a coffee-adled early morning mind:

Now that Clips matched the Jazz's offer on Maggette (and having 
missed out on Brand, both Millers, etc.) there is some concern that 
they may have a hard time meeting the minimum team salary.

What might we be able to extract from them say for Walker + Baker + 
Brown (the salaries don't have to match b/c Jazz are below the cap). 
If you're Ainge don't you at least offer Walker & Baker for:


Harpring (2 years left; starting SF)
Ostertag (FA at big money next summer)
Pavlovic (rumored to have been a player Ainge liked)
#1 pick (our chance at a Thorpe-Milicic pick?)

Heck if they agreed to make the #1 pick next year only top 3 
protected then I'd swap, say, Delk or Ewill for Baker -- since I 
think the Jazz are going to be really bad next year even if they 
added Delk/Walker/Brown

Ostertag's exp. salary, along with Ewill, the vanquished Baker & 
Walker contracts will allow us a lot of flexibility next summer to 
sign FA's or, as we've seen this summer, broker trades -- like SA did 
getting Turkoglo + Mercer for Ferry (who may still return as a cut 
player from Ind)

Given that cap flexibilty to add talent next summer, I'd be willing 
to take a future #1 and bank it -- I think the Jazz are going to be 
entering a 10-year down period.  I'd be willing to hold onto it for 
4-5 years in fact until its not lottery protected at all (like the 
Milicic pick).

I'm not saying I'd do this trade right now -- I'd have to think more 
about it and who knows what Utah thinks, but I think Walker and Ewill 
present some interesting possiblities in terms of upgrading talent on 
the C's.

DISCLAIMER:  Like I've said before I'm not a 
trade-Walker-at-all-costs guy but believed (until Ainge took over) 
that he might be our best bet at upgrading the talent level.  With DA 
at the helm I'm more willing to be patient b/c I think that unlike 
the BDT he'll be more creative and less hysterical about finding 
talent in different places.  I guess i suggest trades b/c I like 
thinking about and hearing how others think about the future of our 
team -- how different pieces might fit.  Its easy to say trade Walker 
for Duncan, but that won't ever happen.

(the other) Mark