Posted by tkf:
caseloads, that is crazy man, brand has been on some bad teams and without him they would be even worse, you justify trading a guy like brand who is young and put up all star numbers because of the chance to get a potential allstar player in Chandler is ridiculous. I mean are you telling me that chandler has the potential to be a superstar because he dominated in HS, yet brand dominated in college at duke and is doing it on the pro level, but because he is now old enough to drink that he no longer has potential and chandler does? LOL.. come on man, and to call Artest and miller prospects then to get Rose who was a sure thing is a direct contradiction to why you feel the brand for chandler trade was a good one... which is it caseloads?
tkf, i'll answer all of your questions.
here it is - what has brand done for Chi or LAC? Put up great #'s. The teams have gone no where. Whether that is the organizations' (Chi and LAC) respective faults or if it is more a reflection on Brand can be debated.
Brand is the best solid PF in a while.
But he just doesnt CHANGE or DOMINATE the game, like a Duncan or a Ben Wallace.
He doesnt do the things that his team needs to win.
Leadership. Encouragement. Whatever it is.
The things that takes a player from an outstanding solid player to a superstar/ allstar who changes the game. someone who makes his team better. who makes his team winners. who has his team in the playoff hunt. a player like AK47, odom, guys who's personal #'s and personal professionalism dont reach Brand's outstanding character on and off the court, but add dimension and character to teams that make them better. make them achieve.
Brand does his job but fails to do this.
Maybe the teams Brand was on would be worse without him. However, this is the NBA. A lot of guys can come in and fill in the spots, score some points. Dominate the ball less than Brand does.
Brand is a great role player. He is not a leader. Period. The Bulls realized after two years that he will never be.
That's why they traded for Chandler. A guy who is 7-2, instead of a PF who is listed at 6-8 (and plays with a lot of heart and fire, but is probably 6-7).
Chandler has been hurt often. Chandler has a lot of improvement to do.
Both Brand and Chandler are young. You know this. I know this.
How much better do you think Brand will be than 20-10? 25-15? Sure, if Brand ever does 25-15, that would be fantastic. But he probably wont be the leader, the superstar, the fire and spark, the emotion to take a team to the playoffs, to win something. To make a difference.
Chandler has been hurt often. But when he plays, the guy has a lot of fire. Amazing size and skills. Things Brand doesnt bring. Chandler calls teammates out. Chandler has the potential that Brand doesnt have.
Brand is consistent and that should count for something, which it does. 20-10 consistency is amazing, but when you are losing, how much does anything count for?
Being consistent is great, but not what you want out of your team leader. You want leadership. Look at Marbury. He can slump, but he leads. He does things. He makes the team. He IS the team right now. Can you say Brand IS anything besides solid? Consistency and nothing else is what you call a role player. Even Duncan has been knocked for his lack of leadership. But they have Parker and their Coach for that... But Duncan is a 7 footer who is consistent, at a much higher level than Brand. There is a difference between #'s and wins. Great players bring the wins. As the nike commercials say "greatness equals greatness" - you've got to agree with that. No excuses.
Do you think Brand is a player to build a team around? I dont. I dont think many GMs in the league would think so either, except maybe Pat Riley, who I think lucked out getting Odom, especially at the reduced rate (Odom who arguably had an awful past, tarnished image and multiple injury problems).
You want to know how much I like Chandler? I'd give up ANYONE on our squad for him except for Marbury. Period. Chandler can be THE MAN. That's how GMs in this league look at things. Not emphasis on CAN, but THE MAN. They want to know who has that potential, and go after it. Because they know. You know. I know. You need THE MAN to win. Big guys usually. The bigger the better. If Brand was a 7 footer and dropped 20-10 every night, there would be no discussion. He would be the man already. When he wins something, like some regular season games for starters, that'll mean something (and dont mention Tracy McGrady, whose team had no business being in the lotto this year - Steve Hunter should be decent at the 5 - that's on him and coaching, and if anything Drew Gooden and Howard should have been able to hold down the front court, that's a pure shame).
And why did Chicago do the trade for Rose? They didnt know that Brad Miller would be so solid - even indy didnt know or else they would have paid him. They had Chandler and Curry. Those two were the future at Center and PF and there was the movement to get them pt. Furthermore, they knew Artest was a little out there, which he still is, and he wasnt their focus. So those two for Rose made sense. They thought Rose could teach their team how to win. They needed a vet, but not someone at their PF position who would impede the development of Chandler and Curry. Did that work? Clearly not, but they tried.
Any questions?
3/25/2004 3:58 PM