Re: Could Ainge trade Walker?

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

If these are the best you can do for Antoine, you probably don't trade him.
The exceptions are the Kwame Brown deal, because I agree his upside is much
higher than Antoine's and Hughes and Laettner are good additions to a thin
bench; and maybe the Cassell/Kukoc deal. I like both, but Antoine still is
the best player. If you could get something else with this one-maybe one of
their young big guys or their first-rounder, you might talk me into this
one. But probably not.

It depends on what kind of player Ainge would target. I think it obviously
would be a power forward and/or point guard, and point guard probably is the
higher priority. If you start looking at point guards, the names you'd talk
about would be Baron Davis, Andre Miller, Cassell, Jamaal Crawford/Jay
Williams, Jamaal Tinsley (as part of a significantly bigger package), Tony
Parker (if the Spurs get Kidd) and maybe Steve Nash (very unlikely). I would
think those are the kinds of impact point guards you'd be talking about if
you wanted to trade Antoine. As for power forwards, you're probably looking
at Elton Brand, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Rasheed Wallace, Troy Murphy
(again, as part of a much larger package), Zach Randolph (ditto), Shareef
and, maybe, Gasol (probably wishful thinking). I'm just talking about guys
that could be available and might be in the ballpark.

Mark

P.S. On Josh's post about firing Obie before trading Antoine... I'm
certainly not opposed to firing Obie, but let's be realistic about Antoine.
How long have we been saying we'd like to see him at small forward? Since
the day he was drafted? It's not going to happen. Like Kestas says, Antoine
wants to pick and choose the parts of each position that he wants to play,
and defending small forwards isn't one of the things he has chosen. Antoine
ran Pitino out of town. Obie didn't want to be next, so he made a "pact with
the devil." So you expect some other coach to come in here, suddenly tell
Antoine to play small forward and post up all the time, and Toine's going to
go for it? Did you read the quote from Jordan yesterday about there being
"so much defiance" in Antoine? He's not going to change. He's not going to
be coached. Antoine wants to win, but he wants to do it his way. If ever a
coach had the power to handle Antoine, it was Pitino, and you see how well
he fared. It's time to make him someone else's problem.

And you absolutely can't blame Obie for Vin Baker. That's Wallace all the
way. The guy couldn't/can't play! What would you have Obie do? Baker was a
disaster, and everyone but you can see that, Josh. It has nothing to do with
how he was/wasn't used. He was terrible. Forget about the reasons. When he
was on the floor, he was terrible. Why on earth would any coach play him
when he's that awful? 


--- --- ---

(the other) Mark wrote:

Walker & Delk for Dale Davis & Derek Anderson -- O'Brien knows DA from
Kentucky and DA is not afraid to shoot the 3 (35% on 330 shots). Davis gives
us some muscle alongside Battie. For Portland it gives them a ridiculous
starting 5 of Pippen/Wells (moves over from 3)/Walker/Randolph/Wallace
(moves to 5). Davis isn't getting any younger. Longshot but I think I'd do
it.

Walker for Dale Davis & Bonzi Wells -- Wells is still BYC, but I think that
ends some point this summer. I think Portland is less likely to let Wells
go, but still intriguing. Both of these are less likely to happen now that
Whitsett's gone I think.

Walker for Sam Cassell/Toni Kukoc -- the beauty of this is (a) Cassell's
contract expires with Vin Baker, Battie, Delk and Kedrick making us major
players in 3 years (b) Kukoc expires with Eric Williams giving us some room
next year and (c) both are players that would fit into our system and
Cassell fits that need for a point. Milwaukee arguably gets the better
player. It allows them to move Tim Thomas for another point maybe? Or draft
TJ Ford/Kirk Hinrich

Walker for Antonio Davis -- Davis alongside Battie is a nice thought and his
contract expires with that Baker/Battie/Delk/Brown group. Toronto again gets
the better talent, of course why would they do this if they end up with
Carmelo Anthony. Although Walker allows them to bring him along slowly.

Walker/Sundov for Kwame Brown/Larry Hughes/Christian Laettner -- A gamble
and less likely to happen now that Jordan is gone (b/c I imagine Brown
becomes the focal point of the Wizards) but doens't it seem like Brown is
where Jermaine O'Neal was when Pitino tried to get him for the 3 picks?
Wizards can then build around Walker and Stackhouse (if they resign him).

Wallace/Battie for Rasheed Wallace -- I don't know that either team would do
this or that it necessarily benefits either team, but Wallce becomes a free
agent after this season so if it doesn't work he could also fetch some
talent at the trade deadline. Leaves us really thin up front but maybe we
could go:

Bremer
Pierce
E. Williams
Wallace
Blount

Walker for PJ Brown (sign & trade)/David Wesley*/Kirk Haston*/Bryce Drew --2
starters for 1 -- fills 2 needs for us PF and PG. I think Wesley would be
the type of PG to fit in OBrien's ssytem. His contract expires with the
Baker/Battie/Delk/Brown group too. PJ gives us a legit starting PF and a
lineup of:

Wesley
Pierce
E. Williams
Brown
Battie


Walker/Baker for Sprewell/McDyess -- Essentially Walker for Sprewell minus 2
years of non-PF play. Maybe NY is so desperate for talent they take the
extra 2 years on Bakers contract for McDyess'. Gives us some cap room next
year with McDyess' and Williams' contracts coming off.