Woud You Trade: Josh Smith for Elton Brand?

[Seano]

I probably would trade Smoove for Brand, assuming his medical report checks out. It'd be a difficult decision, though. As a player, Smoove is still a work in progress and is still developing. He's not at his peak yet- and how high that peak might go, who knows? To me he's still more about potential, whereas Brand is a finished and highly polished product who would make us a better team immediately, and make us an instant contender in a weak Eastern conference.

So you're kind of trading Josh Smith's future for Elton Brand's present. It's risky business- but I want to win now, so I would probably do this trade. I'd agonize over it though. Really tough call.....

[Plainview1981]

Contenders? What has Elton Brand accomplished in the NBA? He has been a loser most of his career. On top of that, I'm not 100% sure you can depend on him to be healthy.

[TruJerz]

i would do Brand for Josh Smith only if they include a 2nd round pick also as some insurance..just incase Brand isnt the same after the injury we have something to look forward to because this year's draft looks really deep..we could get a steal

[atlien]

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Contenders? What has Elton Brand accomplished in the NBA? He has been a loser most of his career. On top of that, I'm not 100% sure you can depend on him to be healthy.

Im sorry, but anyone who`s been following basketball closely for the last 5 years or so knows just how ridiculous that statement is. If you have a problem with trading for Brand because of the injury, then fine, I can understand that. That`s a legit point (altho I must say, Im on the west coast and I saw a lot of the Clips game the other night, and Brand looked damn good putting up 19/8 with 4 blocks im 30 minutes in his SECOND game back from the injury). But, calling Brand a `loser` is ludicrous. He hasnt had a lot of talent around him in either Chicago or with the Clips (altho that one Clips team 2 years back was pretty decent). That doesnt change the fact that the dude is a top tier talent who has been playing at a very elite level for a while now.

Brand makes the All Star EVERY year if not injured. He`s consistently in the top 5 or so in rebounding, he has a great offensive repetoire and he`s one of the best front court defenders in the league. Very few big men are good in ALL aspects of the game. He is. He brings a lot and really takes nothing away.

Again, a Smoove/Horf front-court MIGHT lead us to the promise land. But I KNOW a Brand/Horf one would. That team would be very well built. They`d dominate the glass. We`d have 2 guys playing very solid interior D. We`d have potent low post offense. Throw in the guard and forward play of Joe, Bibby, Marv and Chill, and that`s a legit team.

But, maybe Ive just seen Brand play more than yall are something. He`s more underrated than I thought. (Diesel, Kaman isnt near the force Brand is)

[Plainview1981]

Brand has rarely made his team a PLAYOFF team. He's been the league a decade and has made the playoffs ONCE?

Last year the Clippers had loads of talent. The Bulls had some talent back in the day, but I do understand that Artest, Crawford, and Brad Miller were not developed back then so you can't really throw the blame on him. He is a solid 20/10 player, but no, he has NOT proven he can put a team over the top. Btw, he has only made 2 allstar teams.

[Peoriabird]

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. Btw, he has only made 2 allstar teams.

Another example of Hawk fan self hate! Every other guy in the league is so much better than a player on the Hawks team! Way to bust that guy's bubble Hots!

[Plainview1981]

I'm tired of hearing about how "underrated" Elton Brand is.

Elton is very good and he had a great year 2 years ago, but otherwise he is a been a solid 20/10 guy that doesn't take a team to the next level.

Btw, he should be closing in on the big 30 before long.

[jhay610]

This is the type of trade you make when you think you can make a run at the chip. If you think pairing Elton Brand w Horf and keeping the rest of the team as is will take you from the 8th spot in the league to possibly first, then you pull the trigger. It's similar to what the Celtics did last year w Jeff/KG and the Heat did for shaq.

The ONLY way it's worth it though is if you think you can make a run. It's not enough to move up to #4 in the East and have a couple of second round exits, because you are mortgaging your future for (perceived) immediate success. Brand will be declining in a couple of years, and he may be already due to injuries. I think it's a little bit of a reach.

It would definitely make us better next year and probably the year after that, but the window will close quickly and you'll be in a situation similar to the Heat in a few years, back in rebuilding mode. You've stockpiled a lot of young talent and that gives you the flexibility to entertain these types of trade ideas, however.

Brand is not a loser. He had a lot of success at Duke. Was Barkley a loser? Ewing? Nique? It takes many pieces to have success in the NBA. Every team Brand has been on since he came into the league has been deficient in some way, but he never complains and he gets you 20 and 10 every night. I already know someone is going to bring up Shareef now for a comparison, but honestly, Reef cant hold Brand's jock, assuming he comes back healthy.

But again, with the injury problems, on balance, I say no. And, as someone else pointed out, I dont think you can do two sign-and-trades in one deal? Not sure about that one...

[bonethugz]

assume brand be can back to his old form, three things

1)horford at 5 and brand at 4 is short but size isn't always matter. i remember mourning and larry johnson was great when they were playing together.

2)either brand a great player or not, he's a 20/10 big that can play good defense. do we need him to be our leader? no we don't but that would be nice since we got both joe johnson and mike bibby.

3)bibby and johnson can be great for another 2 to 3 years. shouldn't we take this chance?

now, giving up smith is hard. he could be a 20/10 guy too and he's from here. i don't know but i'm leaning towards no. can we ask marvin, zaza and somebody to make the money match for brand?

[Diesel]

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This is the type of trade you make when you think you can make a run at the chip. If you think pairing Elton Brand w Horf and keeping the rest of the team as is will take you from the 8th spot in the league to possibly first, then you pull the trigger. It's similar to what the Celtics did last year w Jeff/KG and the Heat did for shaq.

The ONLY way it's worth it though is if you think you can make a run. It's not enough to move up to #4 in the East and have a couple of second round exits, because you are mortgaging your future for (perceived) immediate success. Brand will be declining in a couple of years, and he may be already due to injuries. I think it's a little bit of a reach.

It would definitely make us better next year and probably the year after that, but the window will close quickly and you'll be in a situation similar to the Heat in a few years, back in rebuilding mode. You've stockpiled a lot of young talent and that gives you the flexibility to entertain these types of trade ideas, however.

Brand is not a loser. He had a lot of success at Duke. Was Barkley a loser? Ewing? Nique? It takes many pieces to have success in the NBA. Every team Brand has been on since he came into the league has been deficient in some way, but he never complains and he gets you 20 and 10 every night. I already know someone is going to bring up Shareef now for a comparison, but honestly, Reef cant hold Brand's jock, assuming he comes back healthy.

But again, with the injury problems, on balance, I say no. And, as someone else pointed out, I dont think you can do two sign-and-trades in one deal? Not sure about that one...

My memory is not so good.. What success did Brand have a DUKE? And how is that relative? Didn't Battier have success at Duke?

[atlien]

Guys, don't get me wrong, I really like Smoove and would think long and hard about trading him. But Elton Brand is one of a very short list of big men who bring something in ALL aspects of the game. That is extremely rare. I'd much rather give him a max deal than Smoove.

[Iman]

If I remember correctly, both Smoove and Brand are free agents. Smoove is restricted as is Okafor, all of who will be the top PF's taking bids this summer. I'm betting Brand and then Okafor will get offered the max before Smoove. If the Clippers match then someone might offer the max to Smoove but it's not like hardly any teams will be able to make that kind of offer anyways.

So that means we'll probably get Smoove for a few $million less. So I'd keep Smoove. If the salaries were the same I'd take Brand. Another factor to keeping Smoove is the hometown thing.

I don't think Kaman is as good as Smoove or Brand, but I would trade Smoove for Kaman and Livingston or their first this year.

[Johnnybravo4]

I am sure you would. Maybe we should wait until Pryzbilla's hand heals.

[jhay610]

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My memory is not so good.. What success did Brand have a DUKE? And how is that relative? Didn't Battier have success at Duke?

well, he won national player of the year and led his team to the finals, where they lost to Conn. It is not relevant to this discussion, really, except as a defense to the charge brought on by Hotlanta that he is an out-and-out "loser".

I shouldn't have responded to that aspect of the thread anyway, cuz we all know that Hot is just a Salt-Shaker-Hater in pretty much every thread that he contributes (detracts?) to. My bad.

[Plainview1981]

College basketball accomplishments don't mean a d@mn thing to me. That's the kiddie league. THat's where the little boys and the most inferior talent plays.

[jhay610]

I'm not even going to respond to you anymore. I recognize that you are incapable of rational thought, and that I would be better served trying to coax logical feedback out of this fork I am eating with.

I can't count how many times someone (myself included) has presented a reasonable argument, only to have you retort how you don't recognize it because you don't like it.

Hypothetical:

Any HSer: JJ is a great scorer. He won eastern conference player of the month for March, and just pulled in conf player of the week!

You: He's not a great scorer. He sucks because I don't like him. He would be a third or fourth option on any other team in the league except this band of rejects. He only scores against the Knicks. JJ sucks and he will never win MVP.

Hser: I didnt say he would win MVP. I just said he won some awards and I like him.

You: He's not as good as Kobe, or CP3 and he sucks. You are an idiot for liking him.

Seriously, I just laugh when I read your stuff, now. Nothing personal

[Plainview1981]

College accomplishments have nothing to do with the NBA. Why should what you do against INFERIOR talent matter in the NBA? I hate college basketball and it has nothing to do with accomplishments in the NBA. Leattner hit one of the biggest shots in college basketball history, but who gives a d@mn about his pro career?

Answer:Nobdy

What has Elton lead a team to in the NBA? Brand is like Reef. A more productive Reef, but like Reef just the same. A good player that gets good stats, but he is not a number 1 guy and you can't expect him to put you over the top.

[mrhonline]

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Guys, don't get me wrong, I really like Smoove and would think long and hard about trading him. But Elton Brand is one of a very short list of big men who bring something in ALL aspects of the game. That is extremely rare. I'd much rather give him a max deal than Smoove.

He's one of my favorite players in the league, and an absolute stud on the court.

I was so hoping the Spurs would get him a couple of years ago. Could you imagine that team?

[jhay610]

ok i know this won't make a bit of difference, but....

rookie of the year, 2 all star teams, nearly 25 and 10 in 05-06

20, 10 and 2 his whole career. But you're right he is a bum...

[Plainview1981]

20, 10 and 2 his whole career. But you're right he is a bum...

Earlier he was supposed to be an all star every year. Might have been another poster that said that. I never said he was bum... I said he can't put a team over the top and he doesn't because is a Robin and not a Batman.