Got bored, so I revised my trade ideas. I
italicized any new players involved.
1.) We'd have to make this deal first, to get the trade exception necessary to make the subsequent deal work. It'd be a three team trade between the Celtics, Clippers and Knicks:
BOS gets Raymond Felton, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan, James White (to waive) and Quentin Richardson (to waive),
LAC gets Tyson Chandler and $1.5 million (from the Knicks)
NYK gets Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee and a $3 million trade exception
I think the deal works for the same reasons. BOS is able to stay competitive but gets younger building blocks to move forward with.
LAC is able to upgrade their center position with a more "reliable" big man that also has fewer, more benign liabilities. They've made Bledsoe available in the trades and should be the bridge in value between Chandler and Jordan.
We make the deal for obvious reasons. We need a steady hand and more capable handle at PG and Rondo's one of the best in the league. It'll likely take him all season to recover, if not the entire season, but we probably could not get him unless we did so while there is uncertainty surrounding his health. I added Courtney Lee to this deal because we'll be losing Iman Shumpert in the following one. I've always liked Lee's game and his ability to move without the ball should make him an excellent fit next to Rondo AND Melo. I also think he is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league, which spares us some of the pain of losing Shumpert. For the record, I don't think we can get Courtney Lee if he didn't fall out of the rotation toward the end of this season.
2.)Same deal as before, we could do a 4 team trade with the Lakers, Suns and Hawks:
LAL receives Josh Smith, Steve Novak and a $4 million trade exception;
PHX receives Zaza Pachulia (sign and trade), Iman Shumpert and Chris Copeland (sign and trade);
ATL receives Marcin Gortat and Marcus Camby;
NYKreceives Pau Gasol and Wesley Johnson
The same rationale goes into this deal happening.
LAL is looking to save money and also keep Dwight Howard. This move accomplishes both by bringing in a more inexpensive PF that fits their system (ala Shawn Marion), who just so happens to be Dwight's best friend. They also add Steve Novak to space the floor, a skill they desperately need/want and a favorite of D'Antoni. I think it is highly probable that the Lakers would bite at this package.
PHX is planning to rebuild, which makes a 28 year old veteran like Gortat expendable. I know they've have had a significant amount of interest in Shumpert, since he was drafted so I think they'd be amendable to making the deal. Pachulia fills the vacancy at the 5 spot left behind by Gortat and Copeland adds depth. If there is any team stupid enough out there to give Copeland more than $3 million/yr (which is necessary to make the deal work), its the Phoenix Suns.
ATL does not plan on retaining Smith, so this is an attempt to get value for him and remain competitive. Gortat accomplishes both and allows Al Horford to play at his natural position, PF. With Ivan Johnson and Marcus Camby off the bench, I actually think they'd have one of the better big man rotations in the league.
NYK needs a player like Gasol to be the offensive compliment to Melo. He gives us a much needed post presence and playoff savvy. He's no doubt soft, as Amare so "brilliantly" articulated in 2010 but we could start Kenyon Martin with him to help offset some of that. I also think having a Spanish speaker on the team, will help us re-sign Prigioni, who seemed a bit uncomfortable around his teammates this season. I'm also intrigued by what Wesley Johnson might be able to bring. I liked him a lot coming out of college but he had the great misfortune of playing for the Wolves and then of getting buried behind an armada of forwards in Phoenix. If he fulfills some of his promise, I think he can be a lengthier and more athletic Shane Battier/better Rasual Butler. Its a low-risk/high reward move, so why not. Assuming we re-sign Prigioni, Kenyon Martin, JR Smith and Earl Barron, while making a few low budget additions.
NYK STARTERS
[PG]: Rajon Rondo
[SG]: Courtney Lee
[SF]: Carmelo Anthony
[PF]: Kenyon Martin
[C]: Pau Gasol
NYK BENCH ROTATION
[PG]: Pablo Prigioni
[G]: Jason Kidd
[G/F]: JR Smith
[F/C]: Amar'e Stoudemire
[F/C]: Jermaine O'Neal/ Samuel Dalembert/ Dante Cunningham/ Anthony Tolliver/Marvin Williams
NYK BENCH FODDER
[G]: Chris Smith (this dude sucks but is the compromise we make for keeping JR)
[G/F]: Wesley Johnson
[C]: Earl Barron
Our 24th pick
