Now here's a deal I'd do

[mark at 10thumbs.org]

Peter --

Regardless of whether we could add Navaro, I would love to add Antonio
Daniels and either Etan Thomas (my preference) or Brendan Haywood.  They
would address both of our most pressing needs in one deal.

However....

Doing a Ratliff/Picks for Daniels/Thomas or Haywood puts us (assuming big
but not max extension for Big Al, MLE-type extension for Gomes -- these
are my basic assumptions always) nearly $11 M over the LUX TAX next
season. I just don't see that happening.  Now if we let Gomes walk or
included him in the deal that would still mean about $5M over the LUX TAX.

(i personally have no problems with the team going over the luxury tax and
don't see it as an unwise investment, but i'm assuming the owners feel
differently -- esp. for gusy like Daniels & Thomas)

2 options:

1. as you stated, if Washington is trying to move Daniels, Haywood or
Thomas we might be able to interest them in a combination of Scal,
Telfiar, Green (if we got a pick back) and picks for one  of them.


2. If Miami really wants Navarro but not Daniels/Haywood/Thomas -- maybe
there's a 3-way deal where we'd get one of those guys send Telfair + Scal
to Miami who sends Dorrell Wright & Doleac to WAS (those players are sort
of off the top of my head... the idea is a 3-way with MIA)

(the other) mark





------------------
Miami Herald reporting that the Heat and Wizards are
talking about Navarro in exchange for future draft
picks. The Wiz reportedly also wants whoever gets
Navarro to take on the contracts of either Haywood,
Thomas or Antonio Daniels.

You could ship Ratliff for Daniels and either Haywood
or Thomas. You'd get a veteran backup at the point
(who put up nice numbers in the playoffs) and a big
man who averaged 6 boards and more than one block a
game, regardless of which of the bigs you took.
Washington could enjoy the salary cap savings when
Ratliff's deal expires next year. If Navarro turns
into a stud, so much the better. Considering what
Ainge has done with our recent draft picks, I'd argue
that you could do worse than dangle a protected pick
and Theo's salary to see if we could fill our two
biggest needs in one fell swoop, while still retaining
enough flexibility to extend Al and perhaps Tony next
year.

Alternatively, if Washington only wants to get rid of,
say, Haywood, Boston could send Scabs and Telfair.
That would be an upgrade.

Thoughts? I try not to engage in completely idle trade
speculation, but this one is kinda interesting.