http://www.hoopshype.com/rumors.htm

Bernie Bickerstaff thinks and hopes the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers are interested in dealing. The Magic and Clippers drew the first and second picks, respectively, in Wednesday's draft lottery. Charlotte Bobcats coach/general manager Bickerstaff plans to contact both teams to gauge their interest in a swap involving the Bobcats' No. 4 pick and other compensation." Charlotte Observer

"John Weisbrod, the team's general manager and chief operating officer, said the Magic will think about trading the pick, but he added, "To even consider it, you'd have to get something pretty special." This No. 1 pick might not have the value of previous ones. Last season, high-school senior LeBron James went first overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers and brought with him a level of hype and marketability the NBA had never witnessed. Past No. 1 picks such as Patrick Ewing, O'Neal and Tim Duncan created similar excitement." Orlando Sentinel

"With Okafor almost certainly out of the realm of possibility, the Bulls will focus on packaging their pick with unwanted players for a trade or taking Deng, a 6-foot-8-inch small forward if he is available at No. 3. Atlanta high school player Dwight Howard also is considered a consensus top-three pick, though the Bulls aren't eager to travel that rout after their Eddie Curry-Tyson Chandler experience." Chicago Tribune

"The Bulls could get someone who is readier to play and score. Perhaps Minnesota's Szczerbiak, Dallas' Antawn Jamison, Memphis' Shane Battier, Indiana's Al Harrington or Portland's Shareef Abdur-Rahim, along with one of the Trail Blazers' draft picks, Nos. 13 or 23. Those guys all should be available. There are several teams with multiple draft picks: Atlanta, Boston, Utah and Portland. Go get one of their players and one of their picks." Chicago Tribune

man, how i would love for Isiah to somehow get 1 of those top 4 lotto picks!

maybe offer Chicago a package of TT, KT & the #53 pick (from HOU) for Antonio Davis, JYD & their #3 lottery pick?

then:
- draft Luol Deng or Josh Smith w/the #3 pick
- draft Romain Sato w/the #45 pick
- use a portion of the MLE to sign Chris Anderson
- trade Harrington, Mutombo & Trybanski's ending contacts for any 1 player w/a bigger ending contract that his team is looking to unload & get cheaper players to fill roster spots (ATL's Alan Henderson & a future 2nd round pick?)

new look team:
C - Mohammed / Anderson
PF - Sweetney / Davis / JYD
SF - Penny / Luol Deng or Josh Smith?
SG - Houston / Anderson / Sato
PG - Marbury / Frank
IR - Moochie / DerMarr / Henderson

that's a very young team w/some good veterans to keep them a playoff contender, w/lots of upside potential as well...i just don't see last year's team as really improving much on last year if they stand pat...they need to make some kind of radical move like this to really set the future up well for this franchise imo.

[Edited by - TMS on 05/27/2004 11:27:20]

what, no opinions on this idea at all?

now that's the type of indepth analysis of my thread worth waiting for!

I agree with tkf on this one, what is the point of moving up in this draft? This is one of those drafts where you can take someone with pick 15 who ends up being better than the number 1 pick. I really like Josh Smith put I wouldn't pick him with the 3rd pick (why trade KT and TT for the number 3 pick when you could probably pick Josh with a lower pick?). This is one of those draft years where I wouldn't want to take the number 1 pick, I would rather have a pick in the teens where you could take the best available player and not have to pay him a whole lot. I honestly don't think a lot of teams are gonna want to move up in this draft (except for the Bobcats). I still think Josh Smith is gonna be a very good pro. However, the Knicks are in a win-now mentality and I can't see Isiah trading KT and TT to get this guy.

[Edited by - s3231 on 05/27/2004 19:34:24]

[Edited by - s3231 on 05/27/2004 19:35:03]

thanks for the feedback guys...

my reasoning behind this deal is this...i still think that deal leaves the Knicks w/enough talent to be competitive in the East next season...& it sets up the future for this franchise alot better than what it is now imo...i don't think TT or KT are the keys to franchise success going into the future...they are nice players to have if you want to make the playoffs every year, but our goal needs to be focused on putting together a championship winning formula...losing KT & TT & replacing them w/Davis & JYD, you aren't really losing all that much in terms of talent when you consider the upside potential that the #3 pick will get you as well...actually, the rebounding & defense would probably even improve in the frontcourt w/that trade...the scoring would take a bit of a hit obviously, but hopefully Sweetney or Nazr can help make up some of that w/improved post games next season...& there's also the possibility that Penny will be able to put up at least 14-16 points a night starting at SF, which is really not that much of a drop off at all from TT's averages...& the team gets alot more athletic w/the additions of Chris Anderson & Romain Sato as well as the #3 lottery pick, Deng or Smith.

anyway, it was just a wild idea i wanted to throw at you guys...but i think it's a deal worth considering since that's the type of deal i think would help the Knicks going forward, not just for the now.