Trade Proposal From a Pistons Fan
by detpistons3 on Jul 2, 2009 2:28 PM EDT
24 comments
As most around the league know, the Pistons made a huge splash in the free agency period by signing both Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Ben Gordon adds a new dimension to the Pistons offense, but it also renders Richard Hamilton expendable. As it stands, the Pistons frontcourt is the weakest area of the team, with only good scorer, but poor defender Charlie Villanueva, and solid-but-standard Kwame Brown in place at the 4 and 5. The Pistons are in desperate need of a good defensive big man. An enforcer that will keep everything out. The first one that came to my mind was Emeka Okafor, I've always been a fan of him mainly for his defensive game and shotblocking, but his offensive game is starting to come into its own as well. He'd be the perfect fit for the Pistons at this point. The question is, what would it take to pry away Okafor from the Bobcats?
Bobcats Acquire
Richard Hamilton
Austin Daye OR Jason Maxiell OR Kwame Brown
Possible draft pick?
Detroit Acquires
Emeka Okafor
Raja Bell OR Desagana Diop OR Vladamir Radmonovic
Rip Hamilton will be reunited with Larry Brown, Charlotte gets a great scorer who can pair with D.J Augustin and form a great backcourt tandem, and a severely underrated defender (he once held Lebron James to 12 points). You also get some great young talent in Austin Daye or Jason Maxiell. Detroit is about 3-5 mil under the cap so it can afford to take a salary dump if needed. (I know little of Charlotte's salary situation, I apologize).
Let me know what you think of the deal, come up with a counter if possible. Please don't respond with "This trade is dumb" let me know why.
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I’m not sure the Pistons have the center we need to replace someone as talented as Emeka, and we just drafted Gerald Henderson to be the SG of the future, so I’m not sure even a player like Hamilton is a good acquisition, but anything that gets Diop’s contract off our books, we have to consider.
Fair Enough
What about Tayshaun Prince? I know you already have G-Force in place, but nothing wrong with too much talent.
We didn't lose the games, we just ran out of time -- Bobby Layne
Okafor is the kind of player Detroit needs
But Detroit really has very little that the Bobcats need. Stuckey would make a nice backup to Augustine if Felton leaves but not at the cost of losing Okafor. Rip is a nice player but no longer someone to build around. Prince is completely redundant on a team with Gerald, Diaw and Vlad as the forwards.
Joe Dumars is building the new Golden State Warriors, a team full of scorers that plays no defense and doesn’t rebound. I’m afraid next winter will be a long and cold one for Pistons fans.
You're Right
The lack of D is scary, Tay and Rip are great defensive stoppers, but Villanueva doesn’t rebound or defend, and Kwame isn’t exactly Marcus Camby. Okafor would be very attractive to the Pistons.
And Dumars has said it before, Stuckey is untouchable.
We didn't lose the games, we just ran out of time -- Bobby Layne
Yes, it looks like Dumars bet the house on Stuckey
He’s a solid player, and hopefully he develops into your long term solution at PG. But from here, he looks a lot like Detroit’s version of Monta without the moped issues – a very good player but still learning how to be a PG.
I think you need to hold your judgment...
Until you know who the coach will be and what system will be run.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 2, 2009 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Never gonna happen.
We’re not gonna give up one of the best centers in the league for an aging SG with nobody who could replace him.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
I don't know
I’m getting some mixed reaction from other Bobcat blogs, it seems feasable, but highly unlikely
We didn't lose the games, we just ran out of time -- Bobby Layne
That's because Bobcats fans don't know what they're talking about.
These people want nothing more than to run one of the four or five active players with a career double-double average straight out of town. Even with his great post defense, people just don’t see why that kind of player could be valuable. I hear he’s an “offensive liability” despite the fact that he was 6th in the league in FG% last year and gets no shots at all because Felton’s jacking up bricks from distance. Maybe you’d like him instead?
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 4, 2009 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Procto!
You’re still an idiot. I guarantee that Raymond Felton & I would kick Okafors’ and your ass at real game of basketball.
Lets hoop it up!
FG %
Okafor’s percentage is high because he doesn’t shoot the ball unless it’s a two footer — not because Felton doesn’t get him the ball. When Okafor does get it, he can’t score unless it’s a dunk or layup.
I like Okafor and don’t want him gone, but he is in no way an elite player. A solid defensive presence and a walking double double? Yes. An offensively gifted talent that opposing defenses must plan to stop? Ha, not quite.
Shot selection is an important part of basketball, last I checked...
If Felton knew he couldn’t shoot, maybe he wouldn’t jack up all those 20-foot bricks and his FG% would be over 40% for his career.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 7, 2009 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
we have one of the best centers in the league???
Okafor is definitely more of a true power forward than a center. And i don’t see much of a drop off from Okafor to Maxiell. However, the only Detroit Piston that i would have been interested in acquiring was Rasheed Wallace. He is exactly the type of player the Cats need: A true low post scoring threat. Okafor has no shot outside of the dunk and Diaw would rather pass the ball than shoot it. Those two NEED a post player with the ability to score consistently from the 8 to 10 foot range to play alongside.
Yeah, Wallace is a TRUE post scoring threat.
Check out all 12 points he had last year. Awesome!
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 7, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Wallace is a scoring THREAT becuase.....
…when he gets the ball in the post he has the skill set to face up to the basket and make a 10 foot jump shot, as well as put the ball on the floor and make a post move to score. He can play with his back to the basket and stretch the D to hit the 3. And when Wallace gets to the foul line he shoots better than 71% for his career and has shot better than 74% the last 4 seasons. Wallace’s skill set makes him a threat to score every time he touches the ball.
Last season Okafor played 1 minute a game more than Wallace and got 1 point and 2.5 rebounds more per game. Per game, Okafor also had 1 less assist than Wallace and double the turnovers, while shooting less than 60% from the FT line. You can’t give the ball to Okafor in the crunch and say, “Go get it done big Fella.” He’s a liability at the foul line and can’t make any shot outside of two-feet consistently.
In crunch time situations, in the NBA, teams need a post player that they can feed the ball down low and let them work. Face it. Okafor does not bring that ability. I like Okafor as a solid defensive anchor and i like Boris Diaw’s game too as a big guy who can distribute the ball. But Wallace would have been that post scoring threat the Bobcats have always lacked. That’s why teams weer literally beating down his door for him to join their team! Too bad the Bobcats couldn’t afford to enter that bidding war.
If not for Nazr Mohahammed's contract it might have been feasible. When you look
When you consider the money Nazr makes for his contributions, Felton at 5.5 million is a steal!
Yes, decent players on rookie deals tend to be pretty affordable.
But the Nazr deal was terrible from the start. He had never been good, and he was somehow supposed to be a frontcourt savior for us.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 8, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
How many big men don't have bad A:TO ratios?
Further, comparing their stats is a bit silly given they have different games at different positions. Would he have added offensive versatility? Sure, but he’s not exactly a defensive powerhouse, and he probably wouldn’t have been happy as a backup for a fringe playoff team. The Bobcats absolutely could have afforded to have Wallace at the MLE deal he got, they just couldn’t compete for him with the role he’d play and where this team is going relative to the Celtics, Spurs, etc., who are championship threats without him. We’re not even close to that even with him.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 8, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I would take Hamilton Maxwell and a draft pick for that. But i doubt it happens
by Heyward is the next crime dog on Jul 2, 2009 11:51 PM EDT reply actions
Doesn't sound like a good trade to me.
Okafor is a beast and would be very hard to replace. I am not saying that it wouldnt be nice to see Rip in Charlotte because it would but I just dont see the Bobcats making any big moves this year unless they step up and sign A.I.
Justin
I'd hate to see him go ...
but if we could get Max and RIP or possibly walter herman for Bell and Okafor in there some how i think it would do us some good. Max is a legit low post treat and he’s only gettings better. Rip is an aging SG but he give us the go to scorer we desperatly need without losing a defensive presence a the 2 spot. Henderson is more than likely our future sg but having a vet like RIP is nothing but an asset for a young defensive sg like him. who knows he may even be able to teach him to shoot. We have a defensive C in Diop. yes he’s a liability on offense but with the fire poer well have in RIP and Max he wont be aske to score more than 5 pts a game off put backs dunks or offensive rebounds. I say again that i would hate to see #50 playin for any one but the cats but truch be told… outside of Crash and possibly Felton we dont have any valuable trading pieces and id pull for the Lakers before i see Crash traded. We gotta make some moves this season or well be stuck at the bottom of eastern conferance. the east has gotten better and we are just hangin out
by Ball Above All on Jul 10, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions
Herrmann is an FA.
And if Maxiell is getting better, why can’t Okafor be? He’s only 26 and hasn’t had a pass-first PG to feed him the ball in a little bit. As for Hamilton as our “go-to” scorer, I wonder. Given the guy’s only scored 20 PPG once in his career, is he truly a great all-around scorer, or is he a product of opposing defenses not having to focus on him with all the talent in Detroit? Finally, what is your goal for this team? Even if we pull off a big trade and also improve relative to the conference, where will that put us? No better than a low-end playoff team. Is it really worth that to blow up our core when they can probably get there without it?
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 10, 2009 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
but it doesnt look like we are gonna be able to land any free agents that will be able to impact our roster. Yeah it would be great if we could land AI but its doubtful it will happen and if we did somehow nab him do you think he will accept a back up roll. it looks like we are gonna end up resigning either juwan howard or sean may to back up diaw. if that happens the only change we would have made to our roster would have been signing henderson. we need low post scoring. we need someone that can demand a double team once in a while. Okafor isnt that now and i have no doubt that he will be in a couple years but the fans are waiting for a something to happen and waiting for Okafor isnt it. With the strong run we made last season the players and the fans are set on making the playoffs this years. We deserve it. Even if its the 8th seed we made it to the post season and that would be someting to celebrate. That would hopefully make the Queen’s City a legit NBA city again. If we can keep Crash and Okafor that would be awesome but we dont have anything else of value to any other team. I’d hate to see charolette basketball fall because we didnt make any pre season moves. its great to get those huge mid season trades but going into a new improved eastern conferance the same as we were last season… all we can do is hope for the best. Any suggestions on trades w/o Okafor or Crash?
We pretty much screwed ourselves...
In trading short-term contracts like Herrmann, Brezec, Dudley, Morrison, Brown, etc. for overpriced anchor contracts like Mohammed, Diop, and Diaw. So the only option really is to wait out those deals’ expirations so we can finally get back out on the FA market. Personally, I think this team’s planning went downhill when Bickerstaff was pushed out the door. He was always focused on building slowly through affordable young players, as is working so well in places like Portland. When Higgins and Jordan took over, they started making trades that screwed us long-term in the hopes of a marginal improvement in the short-term. Oh well. Should we really be surprised after Jordan’s tenure in Washington?
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 10, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions
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