DeMarcus Cousins for Al Jefferson

While DeMarcus has significant upside and talent, it is frustrating to watch him routinely turn the ball over, take bad shots, and demonstrate a lack of understanding for the game.  Unfortunately, Tyreke Evans and him do not seem be the match that the Kings envisioned when they drafted them the past two years.  They both seem set on isolating and holding or over-dribbling the ball.  When they are both in the game the Kings ball movement seems to disappear.  In addition, DeMarcus does not seem to have the same defensive capabilities as Evans.  He has good strength, but lacks discipline and athleticism.  

I believe that this move would be a great upgrade for the Kings.  With 3 years of dismal performance, it is about time

for the Kings to make a push toward becoming a playoff contender.  Al Jefferson is still young (26 years of age),

but possesses the experience to become a leader on this Kings squad.  He is extremely efficient on the offensive

end, taking good shots and getting to the foul line.  His contract is reasonable (2 years/29 million) for the next couple seasons and he seems to be fully recovered from his knee injury a couple years ago.  During the month of February Jefferson has averaged 23.4ppg on 55% shooting, to go with 9 rebounds and 2 blocked shots per game.  

This deal makes sense for the Jazz because they would be shedding $21.5 dollars over the next couple seasons and moving further into rebuilding mode after the Deron Williams trade.  They would head into the future with a frontline tandem of Millsap, Cousins, and Favors.  The Kings would also receive a large trade exception which they could use to acquire more assets.  They have the cap space to absorb Jefferson's contract and still have plenty of room to make more deals during the offseason.  

What do you think? 

Jefferson Traded

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Hedo Turkoglu Trade

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I understand the basic concept:  it allows a team without cap space to take on more salary than they are giving up in a given trade.  However, I read that if a team is using a trade exception, it has to be greater than the total salaries of the incoming players.  Is this true?  

And if so, then there is only one, maybe two, possible option for a sign-and-trade deal with Villanueva or Sessions.  Denver has a sizable TPE from Iverson, and the Heat have one worth 4.2 mill from the Marcus Banks trade.   

Any further insight you can provide would be helpful, because I am a little unsure of how this whole thing works, thanks. 

I know its hard to think about the draft with all this playoff madness around us.  But if Pritchard doesn't pull the trigger on a move to bring in a vet this offseason, this might be the only way for the Blazers to improve.  I think were going to be right at the top with the Lakers next season, vying for homecourt throughout west playoffs.  So with that, lets take a look at the Blazers draft prospects:

With Blake not getting any younger, it might be a smart move for the Blazers to draft a point guard of the future.  Oh, wait, we already did that last year when we traded up to get Jerryd Bayless at #11.  And with the current bleak outlook for this year's draft class, I dont think that were going to find anything better at #24.  Bayless would probably go in the top five of this year's draft if he had stayed at 'Zona another year. 

Another possibility is small forward, which was looking like our weakest position until Outlaw exploded in the latter half of the regular season.  If Outlaw gets a large contract offer and bolts this offseason, which I dont see happening considering the current economic situation, then we still have last years starting small forward in Martell Webster, along with the up-and-coming prospect Nicolas Batum.  Both are extremely young and have much room for improvement.  Again this draft class isnt exactly chalked full of promising small forwards, so unless someone slips, I dont see us drafting a sf.

I see the position of need as being backup power forward.  Channing Frye should not be playing minutes for our team, and our future stud center is injury prone (sorry I had to say it).  We could use a big body inside, to say the least.  Since we hastilly traded away Ike Diogu without discovering his potential, why dont we pick up a player who has some similar qualities, in Dejuan Blair.  Although, its possible that he wont be around when we draft, but I think with all the talent that we have stockpiled, we could afford to trade away future picks in order to trade up.  This guy would be perfect for our squad.  He has a great attitude and mentality.  He does all the dirty work inside, including cleaning up the offensive glass and using his rediculous 7''3 wingspan to disrupt opposing bigs in the paint.  He just needs to shed a few pounds, get in better shape, and become a little more athletic.  Again this guy is exactly what the Blazers need to complement Aldridge at power forward.

Your thoughts + draft suggestions   

Assuming nothing improbable happens in the lottery, do we know what pick will the bucks have in the draft?  They are tied with New Jersey as the 10th worst team in the nba.  And as we all know, even the slightest discrepancy in draft order can make a huge difference. 

I think that the Bucks are actually in a good position right now.  We can pick and choose from the talent that remains after the early lottery.  Who knows, maybe somebody slips farther than expected and we end up with an impact player.  In this draft, after the number 1 pick there is a large drop-off in quality, so having the 10th or 11th pick is almost as good as having the 2nd or 3rd.

The Kings have secured at least a top four pick in this years draft with their pathetic performance down the stretch, so here's my list of the top four players that the kings want on their roster next season:

1. Blake Griffin--consensus number 1 pick and the only surefire all-star in this class.  He has nba athleticism and utterly dominated the college game last season.  He needs to develop some effective post moves, but he has shown the ability to improve.  Check out his college stats: Freshman-14.7ppg, 9.1rpg, 56.8 ft%; Sophomore-22.7ppg, 14.4rpg, 65.4%.

2. Ricky Rubio--at age 18, already posesses refined game.  Has all the tools to become quality nba point guard, and has proved it by competing at a high level internationally (both in Europe and at the Olympics).  He may lack nba athleticism, so do steve nash and jose calderon, but he has the skill to make up for it.

3. Hasheem Thabeet--possibly the best defensive player of this decade, in college basketball.  He has the size to make an immediate impact in the nba on the defensive side of the ball.  Lacks quality low post moves and strength inside, but has only been playing basketball for a short time, so there's room for improvement.  Has made great progress during his time at UCONN.

4. DeMar DeRozan--might be a little bit of a reach, but definitely fills a position of need for the Kings.  Has the skill set, athleticism, and potential to become a vince carter-type wing at the next level.  At times looks very raw and inexperienced, but his game took off at the end of last season as USC made a strong late-season run.  Close call between him and Brandon Jennings for this fourth spot. 

It looks like the bucks will be forced to let go of Charlie V or Sessions this offseason to avoid going over the luxery tax limit.  It would have made much more sense to trade Charlie V for an expiring contract and some young, developing talent or a pick.  Instead, the bucks are going to let one of their top five players go while paying Gadzuric and Luke over $6 million a piece.  This SUCKS!!!!

Is there any possibility of a sign-and-trade deal or maybe using our mo williams trade exception?

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=519165

Here's a link to a report from sporting news which explains that the Rockets are entertaining thoughts of aquiring the struggling but talented point guard, Baron Davis, from the Clippers.  The article mentions the possibility that T-Mac could be included in this deal, and I immediatly explored some ideas on ESPN NBA Trade Machine.  Here's what I came up with:

Houston Trades- G T. McGrady ($20 mill/2 years), G R. Alston ($5 mill/2 years), and F C. Hayes ($2 mill/2 years)

Los Angeles Trades- G B. Davis ($11 mill/5 years) and F Z. Randolph ($15 mill/3 years) 

This deal would provide Houston with two explosive scorers to fill the point guard and power forward positions.  Although both Davis and Randolph are headcases, when healthy, they have the ability to take over games.  

Randolph gives the Rockets an additional low-post scorer to ease the pressure on Yao and a accomplished passing and shooting big man (ala Chris Webber) to fit in nicely with Rick Aldeman's system.  

Davis is a point guard who can push the tempo and take over in late-game situations.  I think that his production would increase under Aldeman's guidance, as opposed to Dunleavey who overcoaches and keeps Baron on a tight leash. 

I realize that this deal ties up the Rocket's cap space down the road, but Houston is built to contend this year, and this trade puts them in a position to do just that.  The deal provides the Rockets with two all-star caliber players still in their primes, while giving up very little (McGrady is only going to decline, if he can even get on the court after microfracture knee surgery, while Alston is barely a servicable starter and Hayes struggles to get playing time).  Here's the Rockets adjusted rotation:

PG  Starter-Baron Davis, Backup-Aaron Brooks, 3rd-Luther Head

SG  Starter-Von Wafer, Backup-Brent Berry, 3rd-Luther Head

SF  Starter-Ron Artest, Backup-Shane Battier

PF  Starter-Zach Randolph, Backup-Carl Landry, 3rd-Joey Dorsey

C    Starter-Yao Ming, Backup-Luis Scola, 3rd-Dikembe Mutombo

The Clippers might have to deal with some critisism from their shrinking fan base after this trade, but many think that Davis and Randolph are simply holding back the development of young guns Eric Gordon and Al Thornton.  At 13-42, the Clips are heading towards a top-five pick in this summer's draft.  

The aquisitions of Davis and Randolph have not helped the bleak situation, and owner Donald Sterling has shifted back into cost-cutting mode.  The players that they would recieve in return have contracts that will expire by the summer of 2010, as does Marcus Camby and his $10 mill per year deal.  This would provide the Clips with loads of cap space to sign Gordon and Thornton to multiyear deals and pursue a quality free-agent big man (can you say Amare) looking for a bigger market.  

Although the actual players that Los Angeles aquires will not contribute significantly, barring a comeback from T-Mac, the financial benefits of this deal is simply too good to pass up on.  Here's the Clippers adjusted rotation:

PG  Starter-Rafer Alston, Backup-Mardy Collins, 3rd-Jason Hart

SG  Starter-Eric Gordon, Backup-Fred Jones, 3rd-Ricky Davis

SF  Starter-Al Thornton, Backup-Steve Novak, 3rd-Ricky Davis

PF  Starter-Marcus Camby, Backup-Chuck Hayes, 3rd-Brian Skinner

C    Starter-Chris Kamen, Backup-DeAndre Jordon

Please read it over and tell me what you think.

Thanks  

The playoff situation in the Western Conference is changing day-by-day, with the only constant being the Lakers who are seemingly entrenched at the #1 spot.  The Blazers are currently occupying the #4 seed in the West, but are within striking distance of the Spurs (3 games ahead) and Nuggets (3 1/2 games up).  Trade rumors are swirling as Portland is in the market for a small foward (Butler, Jefferson, Carter, Wallace, and Salmons until he got traded).  They have assets, including LaFrentz, Rodriguez, Batum, and Outlaw, and are willing to take on bad contracts in order to aquire an impact player.  I agree that a deal must be made, so as to not waste the best expiring contract in the league, but I am not so sure that the Blazers need a major renovation.  The small forwards previously mentioned would all drastically change the Blazer's offensive shceme, which in my opinion, is not a positive.  It may be asking to much of a young roster to adjust to the needs of a veteren scorer midseason.  Now that the Hornets seem more commited to dumping salary than contending for a championship, I think the Blazers could make a move at James Posey, and his well-documented clutch defense and shooting.  He has shown the ability to fit flawlessly into almost any situation, and he is widely considered to be one of the top perimeter defenders in the league.  He could guard many of the premier scorers in the West during the playoffs, including Kobe, Manu, and Carmelo, as well as improve the Blazer's outside shooting capabilities, spreading the floor for B-Roy to penetrate.  Here's my trade suggestion:

LaFrentz (12.7 mill/1 year) and Rodriguez (.9 mill/2 years) in exchange for

Posey (5.6 mill/4 years) and Morris Peterson (5.6 mill/3 years)

The proposed deal would give the Hornets the giant expiring contract that they crave, as well as a developing point guard to back up CP3.  The Blazers get two veterens with playoff experience who can shoot the long ball, but will not drastically change Portland's team chemistry.  A couple of underated aspects of this deal for the Blazers:

1) It opens up room for Bayless to continue to get minutes after Steve Blake returns from injury.

2) Posey can move down to the Power Forward position, giving the Blazers the ability to play small ball and create mismatches, as the Celtics utilized during last years playoffs.