I would forget the idea of building a team around Wade and Marion for a year, and go for the coolest draft ever and start planning my championship parades for 2011-2014. Wade is injury prone, and Marion is about to be a huge flop. Get what you can now.
First, trade Dwayne Wade to the Chicago Bulls (where he's probably going to end up after two seasons anyway). Get the first pick, and another piece either 2010 first round pick or Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah, whatever you can get. Also, you'll have to take on Larry Hughes' contract (about 13 million a year for two years, but it runs out before the 2010 free agency).
Trading Marion is a bit tougher, since it's hard to find a team with a decent pick that would want him. The idea is to take on decent players that will be gone by 2010, along with getting a pick to secure DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M 7'0" center, solid defender that can develop). Some possible teams:
The Clippers: Depending on how they feel about Livingston and if Elton Brand stays, they could sign a couple decent guards to go with Kaman, Thornton, Marion, and Brand.
Marion for the number 7 pick, Tim Thomas (6 million one year), and Cuttino Mobley (9-10 million/2 years, but runs out before 2010 free agency)
The Knicks: Don't be fooled by the front office change. Donnie Walsh isn't that great either. Reunite Marion and D'Antoni for Jerome James (terrible center, 6.6 million/2 years, up in 2010), Quentin Richardson (9 million/2 years) and the 6th pick.
The Pacers: Take Jermain O'Neal off there hands (21-23 million/2 years), 11th pick. This won't happen. I see the Pacers taking Augustine or Westbrook.
Marion could still opt out this year, which would make all of this impossible.
The Heat could trade down from the 6 or 7th pick and still get DeAndre Jordan (around 10 or 11).
Miami then would have Rose, Beasley, DeAndre Jordan, Daequan Cook, Marcus Banks, Marc Blount, Smush Parker and Udonis Haslem. Along with Larry Hughes, maybe Thomas/Noah, Tim Thomas/Jerome James, and Richardson/Mobley.
This team would most likely be terrible. Sorry, Erik Spoelstra, but this sets up nicely for Pat Riley to return to the bench in a couple years (after you step aside for family reasons) when they are championship contenders. Plus they get another good pick in 2009.
The Heat would then go into the 2010 Free Agency with a little under 30 million on the books (rookie contracts are cheap, top picks get about 6 million in year 3). The NBA salary cap probably will be around 55 million for that year. Leaving them plenty of room to sign LeBron or someone else.
2010-2011 Roster:
PG Derrick Rose
SG Daequan Cook
SF LeBron James
PF Michael Beasley
C DeAndre Jordan
Bench: Marcus Banks (defensive guard), Tyrus Thomas/Joakim Noah, 2009 draft pick (high energy scorer), ,Veteran Foward, Mid-level exception free agent (3-pt shooter), Veteran Guard Buyout, 2010 draft pick, Robert Horry
Coach: Pat Riley/Phil Jackson
*I don't know what Pat Riley could get for Marion. Probably more than #6 and one decent player and one terrible player.
**ESPN trade machine hasn't been updated yet, so I'll check these at the end of the playoffs.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment