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trade "rumors"

I don't even know if these would qualify as rumors -- and I'm certainly not going to elevate them to such -- but for draft/free agent geeks like me it's always fun to at least look at them. I like the discussion around "would you do them if you were Ainge and why":

The Celtics' Danny Ainge has been speaking to the Nets about a deal that
would send Tony Delk and the 20th pick to New Jersey for Rodeny Rogers
and the 22nd pick.
I don't really get this at all. Rogers has a year less on his deal -- but would be the only contract expiring that year so it does ment mean much space. The both average about 10 ppg. I guess we have a marginally greater need for a body than a guard but I have come to really like Delk -- if used properly: as a 6th man. I think he could average 15 ppg off the bench if OB didn't just park him out on the 3 pt line.

A wash in my book.

Ainge has also been speaking to Seattle about a deal
that'd send Brent Barry and P. Drabajnvic to Boston in exchange for JR
Bremer and Eric Williams.
Now this one I'd do in a heartbeat for a few reasons -- probably the same ones why Seattle wouldn't do it (i'd put this at 5% possiblity unless picks were thrown in on our side).

- After Payton left, Barry proved to be a decent PG. So Barry for Williams is a avg. starting SF for a decent starting PG.
- Drobjnak started 70 games for Seattle and avg. 10 pp & 4 reb. He'd be a great backup center -- which we need more than a backup PG.
- Finally, Drobjnak's "Manjak's" website would be reason enough to trade everyone but Pierce to the Sonics -- if you haven't seen this go now: http://www.nba.com/sonics/drobnjak/manjaks.html

Everyone's in the last year of their contract so I don't see this happening -- seems we might be able to turn EWill into something valuable but cheaper at the trade deadline to a team looking to dump salary.

Lastly, Danny Ainge is trying effortlessly to
trade Vin Baker somehow. Some teams are interested (Miami, Atlanta,
Bucks) only if Battie and a couple of the first round picks are involved
in the trade. There is one possibility of a good trade involving Baker.
Baker, Battie, Sundov, the 20th pick and Kedrick Brown in a 3 way deal
That'd send Baker, Battie, the 20th pick and a future draft pick to
Atlanta, Kedrick Brown to Houston, Alan Henderson to Houston and Theo
Ratliff, Atlanta's 2nd rd. pick and Glen Rice to Boston.
I would do this in a heartbeat -- since it really for us boils down to:

Battie + #20 pick + [being free of Baker's contract] = Ratliff + Rice

In my mind Battie is better suited for our style of defense than Ratliff -- if only because I think he's a bit more agile and can more consistently hit that 10 foot baseline jumper that he's become adept at. But when healthy (a big "when") Ratliff is one of the best shot-blockers in the league.

On the other hand getting Rice's expiring contract to pair with EWill's would give us significant space next year to sign AT LEAST a mid-level guy, maybe even a real FA! And OB would love to just park Rice out there at the 3pt line.

Of course the best part is that we're rid of Baker's contract around our necks. I can't believe Atlanta would trade Ratliff (even if he is hurt a lot) for Baker & Battie -- but then again I can't believe we traded Kenny Anderson's ending contract for Baker...

It also doesn't make much sense for Houston -- who I assume would just prefer to let Rice's contract run out since Francis' MAX contract kicks in next year. Henderson's on the books for 2 more years at big money.