AI Meets With Sixers; Bobcats Looking for Big Man Help
by David A. Arnott on Nov 30, 2009 5:01 PM EST
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PrintTwo developing stories are popping up today that deserve some attention. First, Allen Iverson has reportedly met with Sixers management. I'm generally concerned about AI as a fan of the league, but more specifically concerned with his plans because he and Larry Brown seem to have a professional relationship without closure. Bringing in AI won't further any of our goals, so I hope all this AI commentary that Brown's doing really is just his way of encouraging Iverson to keep plugging away and is not his way of hinting to others in the Bobcats brass that they need to move one of the other guards to make room for him.
Second, speaking of the front office, Adrian Wojnarowski's Twitter feed has this nugget:
Golden State and Charlotte front office's still scouring landscape for bigs, league execs say, but struggling to find do-able deals.
(Via GSoM)
What does that mean? I have no idea. If we're going to trade Diop for a power forward type, who could we possibly get, considering Diop's got one of the worst contracts in the league? Really, if we're looking for big man help, there's an entire minor league with semi-competent to competent big men to fill out the rotation. This is what ten-day contracts are for! (Ten-day contracts can't be offered yet, so...) Or, other than the Robert Swifts and Rob Kurzes and Rod Bensons of the world, they could seek out any of the freely available guys who are floating out there, hoping against hope for a workout or fresh start with an NBA team. Mark Blount is persona non grata in Timberwolf land. Darius Miles might have something left in the tank. There are options outside of making a trade.
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anthony randolph please
from marc stein’s weekend dime
It’s thus incumbent on Nelson and Ellis to get past their recent head-butting. Of equal interest, as always, is Nelson’s coexistence with young forward Anthony Randolph, who would appear to have an opportunity to seize more of a prominent role with Jackson in Charlotte, assuming Nelson is open to it.
he did call the jackson trade, is there any way that we dump another contract on them for an upset Randolph?
They won't just dump talent because a player's unhappy.
They got cap relief by getting rid of Jackson and his huge contract, but they’re not going to dump a cheap, young player with a ton of upside just for kicks.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:42 AM EST up reply actions
This is scary
The Cats aren’t going to make a trade for a quality big without giving up someone from our core. Unless they find someone to bite on Chandler’s high end contract it means we’re likely to lose Diaw or Wallace.
They can’t shop Jackson yet so it pretty much limits things. Unless they plan on trying to unload several guards in a package deal. The notable thing about that tweet though, is that he says that they’re having trouble finding doable deals. It should be no secret the Cats are looking for some tall beef, but I don’t think the FO wants to break up the chemistry that’s finally gelled with the Jackson deal. My guess is they are looking to steal someone without coughing up quality or taking on a long-term contract.
I buy the idea that Diaw is being shopped
I don’t believe we’d be shopping Wallace though. I hope I’m wrong there.
I don’t think we should be shopping him given Raymond’s contract situation, but I would believe that D.J. may be on the trading block soon. Unless he turns his game around I’ll be saying good riddance.
Trade away the only player in your short existence
That has potential to be an all star. That would be ridiculous.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Not so long ago I would have said the same thing about trading Okafor
I agree Wallace should be untouchable, but that doesn’t mean he is. Hopefully the FO realizes that trading the team’s leading rebounder for a big man is at best a lateral move.
he plays like a big man on the boards
but like a SG on offense
Gerald Wallace is the best player the Bobcats will have..... EVER
And trading Okafor has clearly been a ridiculous move.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:47 AM EST up reply actions
I understand what you're saying ourdaywillcome,
but I remember thinking ‘The Cats wont be able to get Stephen Jackson without giving someone up from our core’ and look how that worked out.
Crazy things happen in the NBA, I think we will be able to steal a decent player.
The true trade target people should be looking at isn’t Boris Diaw, it’s DJ Augustin. As much as I love DJ and think he’s the future, if LB thinks Felton can be his man then DJ becomes wholly expendable without jepordizing the core.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
by James Dator on Nov 30, 2009 10:45 PM EST up reply actions
I'll be honest with you James
I loathe the idea of losing Wallace and I think we’d be out of our minds to make any plan that takes Jacks out of a Bobcats uniform before the end of the season.
The only player on the Cats that’s getting regular minutes that I wouldn’t mind losing is Chandler. I don’t even want to lose Nazr or DJ. But if it means we get quality I can deal with losing one of our “regulars” whether they are starters or off the bench. I believe Wallace and Jackson are the immediate future of the Bobcats.
But I also know that this team would deal anyone and anything at any time without pausing to explain or even give a hint of a reason to the fans or the local press.
by Ourdaywillcome on Nov 30, 2009 11:01 PM EST up reply actions
felton is not the future anything except maybe a partnership between the bench and his butt
Gerald Wallace is the best player the Bobcats will have..... EVER
I didn't say Felton
I said Wallace and Jax are the immediate future. I agree with you about Felton. I call him Sushiman because he’s as good as trade bait.
by Ourdaywillcome on Dec 1, 2009 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
i woulnd't be surprised if one of the contenders would take him
not to say we won’t be contenders (i hope we are) but we really don’t lose much by playing DJ, Flip, or Acie Law.
Gerald Wallace is the best player the Bobcats will have..... EVER
You'd really be willing to allow Felton at $10 million a year to be our franchise PG?
I think I’d rather slit my wrists with a rusty spoon.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:49 AM EST up reply actions
And given their track record...
That’s just not gonna happen. Some FOs can pull off deals like that, but not ours.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:46 AM EST up reply actions
Diop is the only trade that makes sense
He played well last year, but due to Nazr’s rebirth, can’t get any minutes. Plus they didn’t draft Pepe LaPew to keep him in the D-League. He’s just there because there are too many guys in front of him.
It sounds like Golden State has some expendable, decent role players. So if they need a Center bad enough, it could happen.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Who would Golden State give up for Diop though?
He doesn’t fit Nelson’s system at all.
Diop has always and always will be a stiff.
He did not play well last year and has never played well anywhere.
He played well enough for a limited backup
Especially for a team that doesn’t have many options… Centers are hard to find.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
he is a good defensive center
many teams need extra defense. Completely unrelated but think if we could get Monta Ellis and get rid of Felton and someone else. We would have a great team.
Gerald Wallace is the best player the Bobcats will have..... EVER
Yeah.
It would just mean we’d have to get rid of Wallace. And then, yeah, we wouldn’t be very good all over again.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:56 AM EST up reply actions
They drafted Ajinca hoping he'd someday be something he's not.
He’s in the D-League because he’s not an NBA player, and at this point, I don’t see that we’ve been given any reason to believe he ever will be.
And GS won’t need a center at all unless Nellie departs.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:55 AM EST up reply actions
Plus GS has a very good center
If Nellie sometimes has problems playing Biedrins enough, I can’t imagine he’d be too interested in any of the Bobcats’ centers. Diop may be able to defend other 7 footers, but when have the W’s ever valued that?
Completely agree about Ajinca. He’s in the D-League because that’s what his ability dictates right now. And the odds would seem to be against him ever being a productive NBA rotation player.
Too bad the Cats didn’t pick the more obvious project center, DeAndre Jordan. He may not have been ready for the NBA either, but he was clearly bigger, stronger and a better prospect than Aninca, who hadn’t achieved anything even in France.
Every year NBA GM’s overthink the draft, and at least one obvious NBA frontcourt talent falls to the 2nd round – Millsap, Landry, Jordan and Blair in the last four years. It’s a shame that just once the Bobcats don’t draft that kind of player even if they have to do it in the 1st round. If I can see that these guys are legit players, then surely the Bobcats’ FO should be able to.
10-day contracts can't be signed until January
Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation | Brandon Bass: "I just play hard."
My bad. Thanks for the correction. Total brain fart. I’ll correct it in the main post.
by David A. Arnott on Nov 30, 2009 7:57 PM EST up reply actions
LB just needs to calm down for a bit
The guys addicted to trading. I mean he’s been great moving guys thus far… but how long can it last. We have the 3rd largest win streak in the league, we just had our most lopsided win in team history… If it aint broke, don’t fix it LB!!!
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
AGREED
Look, we don’t need anymore upheavals. This team’s changed so much since LB took the helm. I know it’s early, but stuff seems to be working pretty well in this incarnation. Let’s see what happens with these guys, who’ll only get better as they get more and more familiar with one another. My humble opinion.
We'll know pretty soon if the last 4 games were a fluke
Teams will start game planning for us. At least see if these guys can keep it up when teams are gunning for them
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
You're kidding.
Four wins in a row—barely a week’s worth of games—mean the roster is perfect and can’t be improved. Hilarious.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:57 AM EST up reply actions
Drama in Cleveland
Check out this one:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-cavaliers-ilgauskas&prov=ap&type=lgns
Ilgauskas is in the final year of his contract and it’s worth just under $11 million.
He’s reportedly talking about retirement after this year.
He’s also posting numbers not too dissimilar to those of Tyson Chandler.
The Cats could work out a deal that will give the Cavs a center that will give them several more years of solid play not unlike what they have at present. In return we get a contract worth approximately the same amount of money and likely free up our cap at the end of the season in a BIG way. It will also give us a player with a lot of playoff experience who knows how to play into position for the team’s sake.
This would be one hell of a deal and the Cats could even toss DJ or Felton in as the cherry on top to make the deal work. What y’all think???
I think I would be fine with that
Just as long Illgauskas doesn’t suddenly start injuring himself. I think he also would be a great veteran for our team.
Just as long as we keep Gerald Wallace, I’ll happy. Crash is a very important member of this franchise, on many different levels, and both on and off the court. He needs to stay.
by Roger, Roger on Nov 30, 2009 9:43 PM EST up reply actions
eh we could do worse
I don’t really see why we trade for Z other than the fact that he may retire next year. I don’t think it makes us better this year really.
I hate the idea of getting Ilgauskas
Don’t get me wrong, I love Z…. but at what cost?
We trade Chandler, get Z, make the playoffs.
Then Z retires, our 1st round pick goes to the T’Wolves. Now we have just Nazr and Diop for the 5 and no way of getting a prospect at the position. Forcing us to gamble in a cut throat free agent pool where teams who miss out on LBJ, Wade or Bosh will be looking to overspend.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
by James Dator on Nov 30, 2009 10:48 PM EST up reply actions
It looks that way right now James but...
If Z is happy and the team makes a run with him I think Jordan and Brown will be able to talk him into hanging around for a “goodbye to the league” season. Respect is important to Z and the lack of it is what has made him unhappy with his present situation. We could also sign someone(s) out of the D league to a 10 day contract that could be worth keeping on if Z does decide to pack it in at the end of the season.
I’m not saying that these things WILL happen – shoot the trade talk is just speculation right now on its own. My sole point here is that a lot can change from the day Z dons the blue pinstriped uni and the day we break for the summer. If there’s one thing that LB and the FO have shown us is that they don’t hesitate to make changes. Most importantly from a business perspective is the financial upside offered by this deal, and it’s MASSIVE.
by Ourdaywillcome on Nov 30, 2009 11:08 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, I guess.
There are just a few too many ‘ifs’ for me to really buy into it yet. Even for someone as desperate for a center as I am.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
by James Dator on Nov 30, 2009 11:11 PM EST up reply actions
lol I feel you my Feline fan friend
But all you have to do to eliminate 90% of the posts on ANY NBA blog is to ban discussion of the “ifs.”
by Ourdaywillcome on Nov 30, 2009 11:16 PM EST up reply actions
This sounds terrible
This season already is his “goodbye to the league” season. He’s deteriorating fast. One thing that has stood out over this win streak is how much better we are when we’re running. Ilgauskus doesn’t fit into that at all. And as stated previously, we have no draft pick if we make the playoffs. Cap relief only goes as far as the attractiveness of the franchise. We’re not getting anyone to fill that void, at least not yet.
Honestly, why do we need another PF so bad? I like when we play small and Derrick Brown is more than just the default because we lack a better option. He’s solid. He provides a ton of energy off the bench. If he starts hitting that 15-18 footer he’ll fall right into that role.
I just don’t see how Ilgauskus helps us out at all, short or long-term. Chandler is getting better each game. It’s a little soon to be calling for his head. Sports are naturally passionate, but you’ve got to be reasonable about it.
According to the tweet
The Cats are shopping.
That means we have to give up someone to get the big man we’re looking for.
Chandler is the most expendable and Z is a big AND a center. If we can manage an even swap it means we drop almost 13 million bucks off the cap (Chandler’s projected salary if he’s with us next season) if Z retires. If he decides to play 1 more year, we’ll be able to sign Z for a lot less than the 11 million he’s going to make this season. They get a Center with comparable numbers and 2 more years on his paper instead of having to go shopping and we stay about the same stats-wise and save a bundle of coin. We know already the Bobcats Brass loves to squeeze a buck until Washington’s eyes bulge so it’s the direction they would look to move in.
Again, the Bobcats are already shopping for a deal on a center. If not Chandler, who would you give up? He’s the only starter (apart from Diaw who has limited marketability right now because of his health and/or slump) we can afford to lose.
I can see the argument for giving up a couple of our guards, but that would really mess with the system the team has gelled around since Jacks arrived.
I think SOME kind of deal is about guaranteed or they wouldn’t have opened up a slot by shipping Ajinca to the D league. The front office be plottin’ and all we can do is hope for the best.
by Ourdaywillcome on Dec 1, 2009 2:13 AM EST up reply actions
Technically
They had the slot before they moved Ajinca. The Bobs have been playing a 14 man roster.
If anyone gets moved I hope its Diop, but again, who wants Diop?
If we're LOOKING for a big man...
Why would we trade a big man to get one?
And why would you suppose that Ilgauskas would just automatically sign with us if he decided to play next year. There will be plenty of teams with more money to offer in more attractive markets who have better rosters. Guys at his stage in a career don’t want to chase 5th seeds and conference semifinals appearances.
And, as a1d mentioned, there was no slot opened by moving Ajinca to the NBDL. We had 14 players under contract, and we still do.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:07 AM EST up reply actions
Ha.
Yeah, I’m sure Ilgauskas will bow down to the throne of MJ and Brown and keep playing solely because they want him to.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:00 AM EST up reply actions
The Cavaliers hate having an overpaid underproducer on their roster at center.
Why would they make a trade that locked them into having one on it for several more years?
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 1:59 AM EST up reply actions
Alot
I think it would take someone from our core and a prospect. I’m thinking Diaw and Augustin.
Randolph is ready to be a Lamarcus Aldridge type player. He would be a great pickup, but even that trade scenario is pretty conservative.
By the way, here are Randolph’s per 36 stats:
19.3 ppg, 10.9 ppg, 1.8 bpg
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I was actually thinking the same...
I actually wouldn’t mind taking Randolph and possibly developing Law…I feel like Law could be lot better then how he has produced so far in his NBA career if giving some mins…Plus hes gonna work extra hard knowing the fact that he might done with the NBA if he doesn’t work hard this year…
As far Randolph goes hes a beast in making and could be a prominent PF in couple of years…i have one question about Randolph though, can he shoot mid range jumpers? never seen shoot the ball
i would love to get him and then get rid of felton and Diop somewhere
Gerald Wallace is the best player the Bobcats will have..... EVER
I would love to trade in my '93 Toyota for a BMW....
but that’s not happening either.
Blogging at Ridiculous Upside, where my terrible writing meets people's eyes.
by Aisander D on Dec 1, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
This.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:09 AM EST up reply actions
Randolph has a great mid-range game.
His offensive game is very diverse.
As for Law, though, he’s had his chances to get minutes as a former first-rounder, and three teams have now decided he’s not worth them.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:09 AM EST up reply actions
I doubt GS wants D.J.
They already have Curry and Monta. Would have to be another scenario to get Randolph.
Good point
I see no way of making the contracts work.
Randolph is still on a cheap rookie deal and we don’t really have a comparable player to send. I also don’t think they have a contract so bad they’re willing to part with Randolph to get it off their books.
Only player remotely close is Andris Biedrins on a 4 years, $9 million per deal… but it’s highly doubtful they’d trade him.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
Biedrins would immediately become the best post player on this roster.
I’d take him over Diaw or Chandler any day.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:10 AM EST up reply actions
Although Ellis could just be on his way out the door.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:09 AM EST up reply actions
I bet we could get him for less than that...
But yes, he’s going to be a good player if he ever gets away from Nellie.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
by MichaelProcton on Dec 2, 2009 2:07 AM EST up reply actions
No thank you on Miles...
Poor work ethic, drug issues (an arrest this summer after he was suspended just last year), and poor relationships with young players (notably O.J. Mayo.) Blount could be worth a look if he was an FA, but there’s no chance he could possibly be worth his $8 million salary.
Remember when the Panthers had a good offensive line? Yeah, me too.
--Darin Gantt
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