Re: Walker trade

[Kestutis.Kveraga@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kestutis Kveraga)]

--- You wrote:
Count me as one who thinks (thought?) that Toine probably needed to go 
for us to make the finals -- but only for equal talent.  I don't think 
i'd put Lafrentz in that category.
--- end of quote ---

Two things here: first, you're assuming that you CAN get equal talent for
Walker. I don't think it's  a tenable assumption at all. I was surprised we got
this much. Two, Lafrentz may be a lesser talent - although he's certainly a
better shotblocker and shooter than Walker. But sometimes a lesser talent who
plays within his capabilities is preferrable to a guy like Walker, who not only
is out control 90% of the time, but also severely distort the make-up of the
team. I'm pretty sure Lafrentz won't say that it's impossible for him to play
traditional PF and that "guys who are brought in have to fit into ME and Paul".
I bet DA just loved it when he heard that.  

--- You wrote:
IMHO if you're gonna move Walker you want to get either a monster 
rebounder (A. Davis, Brian Grant, etc.) or a all-star point guard (I 
almost would have rather do a Toine for Van Exel trade if Dallas was 
looking to deal).
--- end of quote ---

Lafrentz is fairly young, skilled, "long" (in the basketball sense :>), and can
play C. Davis, Grant and Van Exel, though talented in their own ways, are not
all that.Plus, we don't even know if these deals were available, and even if
they were, I don't know if I'd prefer them to the current one. I guess it
depends on the other details. 

--- You wrote:
the biggest thing though that worries me is LaFrentz's Potapenko-like 5 
year contract.  just when you thought you could see the light at the 
end of the tunnel that is Baker's deal (which incidently was just when 
we could see the ligth at the end of the Potapenko/Anderson deals) here 
comes  Lafrentz's contract.
--- end of quote ---

Toines' cap situation had to be dealt with anyway: he either had to renewed, in
which case we're talking an even bigger and longer contract, or he had to be
traded, meaning salaries had to match within 15% (I don't think letting him
just leave after his contract expired  was considered). 
If you wanted expiring contracts, you'd get crap for players. If you wanted
better players in return, you'd get long contracts. You weren't expecting to
trade Toine for expiring contracts AND "equal value", were you? 

--- You wrote:
i just can't believe Lafrentz + #1 pick (low if its the Mav's) is the 
best we could do -- since Welsch for Delk is a wash.  I guess we get 
some cap room next summer with Mills, but ehhhh.....i'm worried.
--- end of quote ---

Well, somewhere there may (have) exist(ed) that perfect deal that would satisfy
all the criteria that one looks for in a deal (equal or better talent, shorter,
smaller salaries, high draft picks etc.). I just don't think we would have
found it in our lifetime. From all accounts, Danny tried his darndest all
summer long. At this point, I'm just happy that TwanObie's full Nelson on the
team has been finally broken (I know, stupid pun). 

The only thing I'm a little concerned about regarding Lafrentz is his perceived
softness, but I'm sure Tam will set me straight on that account. As we all
know, KU alumni are perfect :> We'll have to see how another famous Jayhawk
deals with the news that the "ME" in the "ME and Paul" union has been enrolled
in a team basketball boot camp. This is so interesting on so many fronts: will
Twan ever start playing the Mavericks brand of team basketball, or will he try
to pull "ME and Dirk" now? Will PP go "underwater" in protest, like in the
twilight days of the Pitino regime? Will Obie burst a blood vessel in his brain
resulting in a stroke, and will Danny have to bring in the good Brain Doc to
assess Obie's new brain type and declare it unsuitable for coaching? Lots o'
good questions waiting to be answered...
Kestas