Rumor: Skita for Diaw(ESPN Insider excerpt)

[johnnyde]

"The Hawks have $10.7 million in cash but can't seem to get anyone to take it. They've talked with Erick Dampier and Stromile Swift, but have yet to sign either to a contract. They've also talked to the Nuggets about a deal that would land them Nikoloz Tskitishvili (the Nuggets would like Boris Diaw in return), but they're reluctant to pull the trigger until they know for sure that Dampier and Swift aren't coming to Atlanta."

[Boondocks]

I love Diaw, but with the glut after the draft and the lack of size, I'd do it in a ny minute even without the knowledge whether we get Stro or Damp.

[Packfill]

Interesting. Not sure how I feel about this. I like Boris but if Skita can step it up then he has a ton of upside.

[MoonKnight]

Yep, with our glut of 2/3 type players this would be a low risk/high reward type deal we should make. Skita would get the PT to see if he is a ready for prime time player at the 4 spot. If he fails then we lose little. If he becomes a player then we really win big in this deal.

[OGRat]

I haven't heard or read of anyone referring to Skita as a true PF. Most of what I've read places him at SG or SF.

Does he have a PF game?

[JTFan31]

He is more similar to Nowitski, a perimeter player, with good ball handling skills at 6'10 and can shoot the rock. As far as a low post player, he is not that, just like Nowitski. I will also do this deal.

[OGRat]

Skita would add more offensive skills to the team, but I do wonder about his defensive skills and how he fits into Woodson's defense first mentality.

If Woodson were to say he had a role for him, then I'd be fine with it.

_______________________________

From the Monday Insider post:

TskitishviliStats: 25.7 ppg, 6 rpg, 57 percent from 3 in the Reebok Vegas Summer Shootout

Stats: 13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg at the Rocky Mountain Revue

The skinny: Perhaps spurred on by the Nuggets' decision to trade for Kenyon Martin, a bulked-up Skita put on a show in Vegas, leading all scorers with 25.7 ppg and shooting lights out from behind the 3-point line. His game is improving and he's showing signs that he could turn into a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki. The flaws to Skita's game are still there. He still shies away from contact, spends too much time taking 3s for a 7-footer and doesn't defend the way he should, but he showed some toughness in the paint that had to make Jeff Bzdelik smile. Skita petered off toward the end of the week in Salt Lake City, but it was mostly based on fatigue and reduced minutes. The Nuggets are hoping that his performance here improves his trade value or, at the very least, convinced coach Jeff Bzdelik to give him another chance.

[Packfill]

Well, he is not a good rebounder relative to his height. But the fact that he is a strong shooter makes him a good fit with Al Harrington if Al plays the 3 because he will then have room to work downlow while Skita patrols the periminter.

[TheDude]

these types of deals scare me because in just one year, Diaw has showed a very good allaround game...i could go either way on this one

[Nicholasp27]

i'd rather have diaw, who fits better defensively

skita doesn't have a real post game, so won't be a help down low

boris would prolly defend pfs better than skita

and we have smooth/harrington as our future at 3/4...we need a center and a pg

diaw has a chance to be a pg and can also fit in at sg

skita can stretch to sg, but is really a sf, for which we have smooth/diaw/al/donte/etc

if we do the trade, i'll be upset at losing boris, but won't be too mad, as skita does have upside as well

[AHF]

Skita is taller than 6'10''. Here is the NBAreference on him:

Nikoloz Tsakalidis

Position: F

Height: 7' 0'' Weight: 225

I don't know enough about Skita to know if I like that deal or not. I do like Diaw and think he will be a contributor for years to come so I'd have to really like something about Skita to make the deal.

[Admin]

Get err done! Thats what I say. Skita is a very young player with enormous potential. The Nuggets are 1-2 players away from being able to play with anyone and Diaw could certainly help them get there since he is far more ready and experienced than Skita is. Skita didnt play much overseas and hasnt played much in the NBA, but this kid is every bit as talented as Darko, only with a different type of game. He will likely never be the defensive presence or post presence that his size indicates he could be, but he can really handle the rock and can shoot over anyone.

Would anyone here turn down Dirk for Diaw? Hell no......and while Skita may never be on Dirks level, he certainly has the potential to be a favorably compared player.

[Vol4ever]

I believe that Diaw is a better fit for us. Now this is my opinion and if he is strictly a shooter I'm not sure that is Mike's kind of guy. You will have to playn defense to play for Mike period.

[Nicholasp27]

I think if BK holds out, he may be able to talk them into a Hansen for Skita trade

Hansen can play defense and can provide offense as well

They need a defensive sg more than they need Skita at this point

and they get 2mil in cap space (very helpful after their signings this summer)

if we give them boris for skita, we better get back at least a pick or something to make up for the 2mil in cap space

if they don't do this trade, they'll have to find someone to sign, and spend even more money, so hopefully they'll be more inclined to do hansen for skita than go that route

jt/diaw/ivey

diaw/chill/donta

skita/cc/smooth

harrington/hendu

dampier/collier/hendu

ir: ekezie

[Lascar78]

people who think skita will be dirk are out of their minds. I was highly unimpressed by him in summer league play. Let alone against Nba players...

I would not do this

[Admin]

Wasnt he the leading scorer in the summer league games or something close to that? Supposedly he showed the ability to shoot from anywhere on the court and at 7' and such a young age is only going to become dominant if this summer league is any indicator.

[Traceman]

That is the question for me. Nowitzki may PREFER to be on the perimeter but on the defensive end, at least he rebounds well. On the other hand, Skita hasn't shown the ability (or desire) to rebound consistently well. The guy is 7 feet tall and he only had 3 or 4 boards in several games this summer where he played 30+ minutes. That certainly concerns me.

I just don't know enough about Skita to know if I would do this deal or not. Both guys are very young with a lot of upside (Skita is 21 and Boris is 22). I guess it just depends on who Billy thinks will be the better player.

[Lascar78]

listen man I'm just telling you what I saw in 1 game. Yes he shot enough times to be the leading scorer that game. But he was highly unimpressive. He does have range, but he also blew layups.

Not only is this guy not Dirk, he's not even Gasol. That's not to say he won't be great, but to expect that he will necessarily be better than Diaw is nonsense. I like Diaw better at this point

[Plainview1981]

I'm not that high on Diaw but I wouldn't trade him for Skita...Skita sucks really bad. What has he done the

last two years? Shoot like 30%?

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/nikoloz_tski...x.html?nav=page

Yikes!

[Lascar78]

Im assuming you're saying you WOULDN'T do the trade?