SA traded either the pick or the rights to Barbosa last year for their #1 this year. So the Spurs had 2 #1s this year, theirs and the Suns from the Barbosa trade. Along with Rose we got the Pho pick this year and the Spurs own pick next year.

kwame is starting to come on - especially on the boards. but like you said, NOT having nazr this summer really hurts us in going after these type of players.

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by crzymdups:

fish, I think the Wiz would want the lotto pick for Kwame.

I agree but they have to be careful with how they go about this situation. If they set the asking price for Kwame this offseason and let him come back next year, where's the guy going to play? I know he was the first pick in the draft but Washington is not a team that can just sit around and wait for players to emerge anymore, they have a good group of core players and are seemingly in Win-Now mode.

To me it looks like Kwame wants out of Washington and he'll bolt after next year without a doubt, due to playing time and for a fresh start. If Washington asks for a lottopick, I'm not quite sure how many teams would budge on that AND having to overpay him for potential.

True, but it's not like our lotto pick is going to be all that great. We'll probably have the 10th or 11th pick at this rate. It's hard to get a good player in that range. Ernie Grunfeld is a savy GM, he's not going to give away an asset like Kwame.

Sometimes I think firing Ernie was the worst mistake this franchise ever made.

Posted by fishmike:

how about JYD + $3mm, 2005 Pho pick and our 2006 #1 pick for Kwame in a sign and trade?

Thats two (I admit not great) picks for Kwame and the cash will offset some of JYD so he only costs them about $4mm a year for the next 2.

Nazr is the perfet fit for this trade but thats not an option.

I don't mind giving up this year's Phoenix pick for Kwame but we have to stop trading away first round draft picks. I honestly think Kurt Thomas would be a awesome fit for Washington right now alongside Brendan Haywood. I'm not totally sure if the Wiz want to trade away their former first pick for Kurt Thomas and a draft pick though.

True that we don't have a lot of assets to get Kwame, but I certainly would be happy if we were able to find a package to get him. I think any package for a young frontcourt player starts with Kurt and a draft pick. If Kurt and the 2005 #29 pick isn't enough, I'm not sure what else we could put together for a shot at Kwame.

getting kwame would be like getting crawford - paying $45+ million for a lottery pick. they both were/are really unproven. since we didn't accumulate lottery picks lately and couldn't draft players like this, we have to trade for them at big $$$. i guess it's a twisted way to make up for trading all those previous #1 picks. these two are the EXACT type of players this team should've been drafting over the years but gave up the opportunity to by giving those picks away.

to me, personally, sweetney is off the block. i don't care that we have 5 PF's - none of them are as good or will be as good as sweetney can - AND he's cheap. you do not trade players like that away regardless of the roster situation. i would rather suffer through 2 more years of 5 PF's and enjoy the next 6-8 years of sweetney after it than getting rid of him now.

i'm not sure isiah and ernie could work something out b/c, you know, ernie is good and will not take back any of our bad deals unless major picks are thrown in - and we are not in a position to do that.

Posted by nyk4ever:

I think one thing we're all forgetting here is that Kwame is a restricted free-agent so if he wants the Knicks mid-level exception then he'll take it, we'll just have to send Washington compensation. In my mind Kwame does not deserve more then the mid-level exception and I'm not sure how many teams would offer him more then that.

If Kwame signs the MLE all Washington has to do is match it. Then they can wait 60 days and trade him anywhere they want. Giving Kwame the MLE sounds like a good idea until you realize it's actually a PAY CUT from his rookie contract since he was the number one pick.

I think the only way we can get Kwame is if for some reason Washington covets Kurt and would take a pick. Again, I really think it would have to be our lotto pick this year.

the appeal of nazr is that he's a serviceable center (which are rare) and has only 1 more year @5.5 mil. so any team that gets him can re-sign him cheap to be a backup C or trade him at the break and get some picks in return, like we did. his value is at it's highest this summer and next trade deadline.

back to kwame - out of all those guys, curry, chandler, etc, kwame would be my #1 choice b/c i see the skills to be dominant on both sides of the ball. dalembert is a close second b/c his defense is SICK and changes the game on the defensive end.

Man I would love Kwame over Curry and Chandler. Kwame proved last year when he played really well that he can at least average 12 & 8 as a 21yr old. If our Center for years to come can be Kwame instead of Steven Hunter or Nazr I will do cartwheels before every Knick game!!!