Hey I'd do it. No question. Only thing is, how do we convince Lee to accept a trade to go there? He's holding all the cards on us with his option to refuse a trade -- How do we sell it to him? If anything ever got serious, I guess we'd start by giving Washington permission to talk to Lee directly and then let them make their pitch -- let them explain to him how he's the missing piece, the idea of playing with a star like Arenas should make him even better, the idea of seriously making the playoffs (whereas over here it looks like a pipedream already even after only 8 games), how they want to lock him up long-term (hopefully they'd feel that way - that's a big key on Lee going anywhere I would think), etc.. I would think Wash. may have to cough up that extra million bucks we were going to give him for making the playoffs, kind of as a sweetener - or maybe Wash. gives it to him and we kick it back to them [I know, probably illegal, plus Nate would bitch about getting his million then] -- still don't understand how the Knicks we're able to do that anyway - doesn't it circumvent the cap in a way??). Washington's not that far from NY too, maybe that helps the cause a little. I don't know man. Not impossible I guess, but I think Washington would be a tough sell...
I think the top two places Lee would approve to go would be Portland and Orlando. Both teams are young and loaded with talent. Both teams are good with bright futures. Portland wanted Lee, that much is clear. He was the first guy they offered a contract to this past offseason before they threw money at Paul Millsap as a 2nd choice (who then resigned with Utah) and settled on Andre Miller (choice #3). That frontcourt void Portland thinks they have is still there though - they did nothing to address it. There would be immediate dialogue between Donnie & Pritchard no matter who called who - it all boils down to Pritchard's willingness to give up at least one young piece in the deal (Bayless or Fernandez) and not just Blake and Outlaw. I think this deal would've gotten done over the summer but Pritchard refused to give up Fernandez who Donnie insisted on having...We'll have to see if Portland ever relents..
Orlando's another destination that might make some sense. Best team in the Eastern Conference, I think, with a legit chance to beat the Lakers and win it all, maybe with Lee's help. That's gotta be appealing right there...Something like Lee for Adonal Foyle's expiring contract, Ryan Anderson, JJ Redick & cash might work. Works for me -- we'd get a nice younger piece to move ahead with at the PF spot and finally a legit 2-guard in Redick (Anderson & Redick along with Gallo would now give D'Antoni 3 really good outside shooters to work with). For Orlando, Lee takes Anderson's spot and would be a tremendous complement to Howard, Anderson's perimeter offense is covered once Lewis gets back and Redick is really behind Vince Carter and Pietrus at the 2 once everyone's healthy anyway. You figure Florida is an easy sell on destination alone (many normal working-class folks can only dream about moving there when they retire) and I think Howard and Lee are friends (weren't they in that ESPN commercial together not too long ago??). I could see the Magic going either way on a proposal like this -- either they'd welcome the idea of adding Lee thinking he could help them (they are very close, why not go for it -- how many perimeter players can one team have anyway? It's a little overkill down there right now) or they may pass, thinking Anderson alone is younger and more talented and that Gortat can give them basically what Lee would when they decide to go big with Howard & Gortat on the floor at the same time. I wonder how they'd look at something like this..
Another option that makes a ton of sense would be Lee to Golden State. That team's whole frontcourt is banged up right now and they have a surplus of young backcourt talent that could help us. I won't even bother discussing guys like Randolph and Curry, they're not giving those guys up let's face it, but I'd love to get my hands on guys like Anthony Morrow, Acie Law and/or CJ Watson. Those guys can play and 2 of the 3, Law and Watson, are really buried on the depth chart right now. Like Washington, GS would be a tough sell for Lee though I suppose (it's all the way across the country and Nellie's crazy -- there's talk now that management may buy him out of the last couple of years of his deal where he'd then turn around and go to Maui to retire or some crap)...Still, there's a lot of talent there and Lee would fill a gigantic hole...
Anyone think of anything else?
11/10/2009 11:40 PM
