2 interesting things in todays Insider

[Diesel]

IF this is the plan.. It makes sense.

#1. Theo is not going to want to play with this group. Theo wants to win.

I imagine him being involved in a deal to NY or Philly or Dallas or Miami. Whoever said Theo has less trade value than SAR is mistaken. Because of the number of years and the amount of Money that Reef makes, he's harder to trade than Theo. First off, he costs a lot. Secondly, you can't build around him because you have to guarantee that you can resign him....and he already cost alot.

However, if we were to go to the market with Theo... There are three trades I can see.....

A. Theo/Hendu to Orlando for Gooden/Hill/Declerq.

This is similar to Brandon. Hill might not play again. Orlando needs a C. A lineup of Theo/Howard/McGrady/GIrcek/Lue could be a winner.

Us, we'd get Gooden. Who for all practical purposes would be a perfect fit at PF.

Look at the younger team:

Drabjnek/Gooden/Radmo/Barry/JT.

I think that team can compete. But I think more importantly, that's the start of a building project.

B. Theo/DD To NY for Thomas/Ward.

Evrey NYer just pissed on himself.

The deal makes sense from this perspective. It's concievable that Both players come off the books next year. That's 11 million dollars in savings along with Barry's 5. I think however, that to entertain this move, Thomas might be seen as more of a keeper. Maybe we can also get a first. I've never been impressed with Thomas but:

Drabjnek/Thomas/Radmo/Barry/JT can compete.

C. Theo/CC to Miami for Grant/Allen.

This is one of those things that make you say... HMMM...

Riley would love Theo. Defensive, Defensive minded.

Theo/Walker/Butler/Jones/Wade could probably be one of the best Defensive teams ever. Add to that Odom at PF and Riley would be happier. Even more interesting is the idea of Riley using Theo to get Wilcox/Odom.

BUT... For us:

Drabjnek/Grant/Radmo/Barry/JT.

The question is... What can Theo get us out of Seattle. I'd take Barry/James/1st from Seattle... Or Barry James/Radmo...

#2. It makes Sense because Barry is in his last year.

That's a fact, Barry is a great Hustle player who would play well with JT, but the fact that he's in the last year of his contract is doubly good. Because if he don't work out, we don't have to keep him and if he do, we can.

#3. It makes Sense because Radmo is a Cheaper SF..

He supposedly has game.

I don't know about Eric Williams. I have never respected his game.

[Diesel]

Players don't put Money above everything else.

I recall when Chicago went all out for FAcy. They had Eddie Jones on the line, KG on the line, and they look like they were going somewhere. Well, Jones went to Miami and KG stayed put. And Chicago had to overpay: Robinson to come.

Chicago had a good plan. Get Picks. Suck. and when FAcy comes Build. The problem was that NOBODY wanted to play for a loser.

Atlanta hasn't had much luck attracting good free agents.

I was thinking, what if this trade is a prelude to us going after a Big Fish.

I mean, what if we were trying to Clear the books... Maybe Lowball Terry, Trade Theo/DD for Thomas/Ward and then Next year:

Release: Ward, & Barry and Go after Kobe....

We'd have the money... We'd be at about 12-15 million to spend on FAs. We'd have some talent. It would be:

Drabjnek, Thomas, Radmo, Kobe, JT...

However, the problem... Who wants to play for us.

If Kobe makes it through his trial, he'd be about the only guy and that's because we'd be the kind of team that would need a Superstar and He could point to our success and say " I did it without Shaq".... BUt that's about the only guy. Minn has done everything it could to make KG happy. McHale is probably GM of the year. Iverson's probably not going anywhere. Allen will probably stick with Seattle.

[Guest]

Drabjnek/Gooden/Radmo/Barry/JT.

I think that team can compete. But I think more importantly, that's the start of a building project."

When JT is your best player, it isn't the start of a good

rebuilding project.Drabjnek can take he and his limited

game someone else.He's a big goof that can't do any

thing but shoot.And that's simply not good enough to

be a starter for a team lacking talent.

[Diesel]

I agree about Drabjnek. I don't think he's any good. I would rather have Stepania. He's a good bargain. He puts up Theo Like numbers in less time for less money.

I don't think JT would be the best player for Long...

That squad would be in perfect position to go for Kobe (if Kobe gets out of his trouble).

JT/Kobe/Radmo/Gooden/Stepania...

NOT Bad.

[CHORO44]

It seems all good on paper but I'm just not for trading Reef. I think the fits exactly what we need to a T, a young power forward that is efficient and consistent. I think it's much easier to find Radmonovics as small forwards are becoming a dime a dozen. Its much easier to dominate a team in the post than the perimeter.

I love Barry's game but am not convinced that trading Reef is worth it. I think we should just resign JT, DJ, and a free agent and ride this thing out.

[Traceman]

Theo is not untradeable by any stretch of the imagination but some of your proposals and your rationale for them make it CLEAR that you just want him traded for ANYTHING, just like the Dog-Haters wanted him traded for ANYTHING. You NEVER liked the Deke trade and you have been on a trade Theo crusade since he got here. It's so obvious that it's pathetic.

You said:

"1. Theo is not going to want to play with this group. Theo wants to win."

Are you implying that Reef does NOT want to win? In addition, why should we trade someone because they want to win?

You said:

"Whoever said Theo has less trade value than SAR is mistaken. Because of the number of years and the amount of Money that Reef makes, he's harder to trade than Theo. First off, he costs a lot. Secondly, you can't build around him because you have to guarantee that you can resign him....and he already cost alot."

BS! Theo DEFINITELY has less trade value than Reef and Reef would be MUCH easier to trade for the same package. Besides the fact that Reef is CLEARLY a better player, they both have the same number of years left on thier contracts. Number of years is not an issue. The salary difference is not an issue either. An extra player (or players) can be added to the deal to make the salaries work. Third, why do you have to guarantee that he will resign or that you can build around him? If he doesn't resign, you just cleared $14.5 million off your salary cap to pursue another FA or to get cap relief.

Now on to your proposals. You proposed:

"A. Theo/Hendu to Orlando for Gooden/Hill/Declerq."

Hill MIGHT not play again but he WILL count against our cap through 2006/2007. Meanwhile, Theo is a FA after 04/05. We'd be in much better shape keeping Theo and Hendu and rebuilding in 05/06 when their combined $18 million comes off the books rather than paying Hill saome $16 million in 05/06. BAD deal!

"B. Theo/DD To NY for Thomas/Ward."

You said:

"Drabjnek/Thomas/Radmo/Barry/JT can compete."

Compete for what? Theo/Reef/CC/Glove/JT would kick their butts because your squad that supposedly could compete couldn't defend anybody and wouldn't score much either.

"C. Theo/CC to Miami for Grant/Allen."

You said:

"This is one of those things that make you say... HMMM..."

I say it is one of those things that makes me say what the [censored]? Grant has a TERRIBLE contract that extends WELL beyond 04/05 plus he's not as good as Theo. What exactly does this proposal do for us? All it does is further illustrate the fact that you want Theo gone at all costs.

You say you can't understand us wanting to give Dog away and yet you turn around and want to do the same with Theo! The bottom line is that unless someone offers us a great deal for Theo, we are better off keeping him and retooling in 05/06.

[Diesel]

I would rather trade Theo than Reef.

I wouldn't trade Theo for anything but rather either for a Player with a future or a player who can help us now.

The reason I wouldn't keep Theo is simple. We don't have a defensive team. I don't see Theo staying with us pass his current contract. Had he had the chance, he would have excercised his option this year.

I don't believe that we should wait to rebuild... but rather we should look for good pieces now.

If Theo/CC could get us Finley, I'd strongly consider it.

If we decided to rebuild around JT, I would definitely consider sending Theo to NY for Thomas/Ward. It's as simple as Money from ward and a decent player in Thomas.

[drzachary]

BRING ON DROBNJAK!

His website is the best thing ever. (it's located off nba.com/sonics somewhere)

[jezmund]

I know this trade isn't an actual rumor but I'm still going to break down why I was for this trade.

1.)

JT/Dickau

Barry/Hansen

Williams/Diaw

Radmonovic/Hendu

Theo/Nazr

2.)

JT/Dickau

DG?/Hansen

Diaw/CC

SAR/Hendu

Theo/Nazr

I look at both of those and I have to say that #1 looks so much all-around better than the 2nd. I know how we all learned after getting Glenn Robinson that what your team looks like on paper has nothing to do with anything but I just feel that although we don't have the star player in SAR, we have a much more versatile team. We would have players that are capable of a lot of things. I think Eric Williams is just like Newble but probably even better. Both Barry and Radmonovic can handle the ball and shoot from outside. We would definitely be missing that inside post prescence but I feel we'd win just as many games as we would with the team we currently have. Would we really be willing to give SAR $15+M in 2 years?

On the subject of salary cap and the space we were planning on having in 2 years, this deal wouldn't hurt that one bit. No long term deals.

The real difference maker, in my opinion, is Chicago's 1st. That's almost a definite top 10 pick. If we are talking about rebuilding, how bad would it be to have our own and Chicago's 1st rounder next season. I'm thinking Emeka Okafor. That's who I want filling in that PF void. Move Radmonovic over to SF where most say he is suppose to play. I could see a future with JT/Barry/Radmo/Okafor/Ratliff.

1st on the list, though, is to get a Head Coach in here.

[Traceman]

pick. That team has a legitimate chance to make the playoffs in the East and they may not be through dealing.

Curry/Baxter

Chandler/Marshall

Pippen/Robinson

Rose/Hassell

Crawford/Hinrich

That is a solid lineup that could be scary good in 2 years. It could be good enough right now to be a playoff team.

As for a lineup of:

JT/Dickau

Barry/Hansen

Williams/Diaw

Radmonovic/Hendu

Theo/Nazr

That team is not going to win jack and it will eliminate the possibility of having Reef as a part of our rebuilding effort in 05/06. Theo will be 33 in 05/06. That is a little old for an injury prone player to begin a rebuilding effort and Barry is no spring chicken either.

As for Okafor, I like him too and it will be interesting to see how he develops over the next year or so. That being said, I'd rather bring him in with JT, Reef and Theo already in place, than with Barry, Radmanovic, JT and Theo in place.

[jezmund]

Chicago could be extremely good. I think they are perhaps the most talented team in the East along with NJ. They just don't have the experience, I think Pippen will help a lot. On the note of Okafor, we wouldn't need both SAR/Ratliff if we had him. He would probably fit in Ratliff's spot better anyways. I don't know, we need to make some sort of move. 1st should be the sale/coach-GM decisions.

[Traceman]

I don't know what any coach or GM can do with this mess we have for the next 2 years but at least it would be a start.