Anyone else scratching their head about this trade

[Guest_Randy]

Minny gets:  Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and two conditional second-round draft picks.

Boston gets:  Szczerbiak, Olowokandi, Dwayne Jones and a future first round pick.


Does this make sense to ANYONE?  Minnesota is giving up a first round draft pick to trade Davis for Szczerbiak?  Granted Blount might be an upgrade for the worthless Olowokandi but I'm not sure that Szczerbiak isn't just a hair better than Davis.

 :huh: This is a trade that I just DON'T understand!!!

[Skandery]

I have to agree Randy:

-There are those times when one team really makes out like bandit.  

-There are those times when one team improves itself slightly more than the other.

-There are those occasions when two enlightened teams pull off a trade that's great for all concerned.

-And then there are truly "special" occasions when two teams really try and screw each other over.

This is definitely the fourth one.  Color me confused!

[jn]

I'm trying to figure out all the potential reasons for this trade and here's what I've come up with.

McHale has always like Davis.  In fact the Wolves signed him to an offer sheet in 2002, which the Cavs matched before eventually trading him to Boston.  If McHale liked him then it's natural that he would like him even more now as Davis is in his prime agewise and seems at least somewhat more mature. Also, if I understand this correctly, it helps the Wolves somewhat capwise.

What Ainge gets out of that is less clear to me.  Wally is playing by far the best ball of his career but he isn't going to turn Boston around.  

As to the big men it looks like Ainge picked up Kandi just to clear cap space at the end of the year.  I'm assuming the Wolves traded Kandi to prevent McHale, KG or someone like me from murdering him.

Banks would have been a nice pickup IF FLIP WAS STILL COACHING!  I have no idea if Casey has the chops to turn him into a solid PG, which the Wolves desperately need.

As to the 1st round picke it is apparently "Lottery Protected", a concept I do not understand.  Anyone?  

To quote Bill Simmons aka the Sports Guy from an earlier article about the Wolves "This would never have happened if Kevin McHale was still alive"

[Derek Bodner]

Davis is a much better player than Wally right now.  Ricky's improved lightyears since he's cleveland days, IMO, particularly on the defensive end.

[Joe Vancil]

Actually, I understand this trade.

It started out with a call from Boston to Kevin McHale that went something like this:

"Hey, Kevin - how would you like to throw a monkey-wrench into the plans of Archangel's Red Team in fantasy basketball?"

No - seriously, I understand this trade.  Minnesota wants to dump Olowakandi at all costs.  Boston wants to dump Blount.  Minnesota also gets an athlete in Davis - and they're trying to play an athletic game, which doesn't fit Szczerbiak.  

Boston gets a better pure shooter in Szczerbiak, plus clears money off the cap faster (Olowakandi), plus gets an additional first round draft pick to continue their youth movement.  Paul Pierce is likely to be shipped out next.  But this is a team being built for the FUTURE.  Ricky Davis doesn't fit that plan, as he has an attitude that tends to creep up on you from time to time.

 

[westkoast]

Okay they get a jump shooter in Wally but how many jump shooters does that make for them?!  Now you have Wally taking his 10 or so shots a game from the perimeter teamed up with Pierces 15 or so shots from the outside a game....hmmm.

When I saw the trade on ESPN last night I was certain the Wolves were just dying to dump Olawakandi at all costs.  The question is why did Boston give up a solid rebounder in Blount for a "project" that has been failed for I cant even count how many seasons now.

[Reality]

Minnesota wants to dump Olowakandi at all costs.  

Paul Pierce is likely to be shipped out next.

 :nod:  

[Derek Bodner]

The question is why did Boston give up a solid rebounder in Blount

hm.....?

What Blount are you looking at?

At 4.2 rebounds in 28 minutes/game, Blount is one of the worst rebounding C's in the league.

[Skandery]

"Hey, Kevin - how would you like to throw a monkey-wrench into the plans of Archangel's Red Team in fantasy basketball?"

Ah...Visions of my beloved Shareef Abdur-Rahim two years ago in Atlanta playing for the #1 ranked Generation Hexxed in all-star form.  Why don't we trade him to Portland to sit Mo's bench... :cry:

On a serious note:

Banks would have been a nice pickup IF FLIP WAS STILL COACHING! I have no idea if Casey has the chops to turn him into a solid PG, which the Wolves desperately need.

You know jn, I think Dwayne Casey could use a PG like this.  Marcus Banks never gets enough credit for the pressure defense he plays.  I think Casey will like this guy.  

As to the 1st round picke it is apparently "Lottery Protected", a concept I do not understand. Anyone?

"Lottery Protected" means that should Minnesota be in the lottery with their first round pick, Boston can't have it.

Davis is a much better player than Wally right now. Ricky's improved lightyears since he's cleveland days, IMO, particularly on the defensive end.

Bods, I agree Ricky's improved by leaps and bounds but his +/- numbers suggest that his defense is a bit overrated.  

No - seriously, I understand this trade. Minnesota wants to dump Olowakandi at all costs. Boston wants to dump Blount. Minnesota also gets an athlete in Davis - and they're trying to play an athletic game, which doesn't fit Szczerbiak.

So Minnesota plays an athletic game and Boston DOESN'T?? :huh:

Plus all the reasons Minnesota hates Olowokandi for, they're gonna hate Mark Blount for and he's got a much longer contract??  :bash:  

Boston gave up the ONLY player Doc likes and Minnesota gave up the ONLY player on the roster that could give KG room to work.  I'm still confused??



 

[Joe Vancil]

All the reasons that Minnesota hates Olowakandi for, they're going to *LOVE* Mark Blount for.  Blount is a big man in search of a team that can use him.  Olowakandi is an unmotivated oxygen-waster with just enough talent to frustrate everyone with his play.

Doc isn't a big man's coach.  Blount couldn't play for him.  He'll play for Casey.

And Boston is glad to get rid of a player they can't use in order to get cap relief sooner.

And Minnesota gets a sleeper in Banks.  You're right on the money, Skander - Dwane Casey is gonna love this kid.

By the way, Skander - latest rumor is that Gilbert Arenas is being shopped to Atlanta in a three way deal with Utah:  Joe Johnson and Zaza Pachulia to Utah, Kirilenko to Washington, and Gilbert Arenas to Atlanta.

Just keepin' you on your toes.

 

[JoMal]

The question is why did Boston give up a solid rebounder in Blount

hm.....?

What Blount are you looking at?

At 4.2 rebounds in 28 minutes/game, Blount is one of the worst rebounding C's in the league.

No kidding. The Celtics a few years back hired some experts to track Blount's rebounding tendencies and what they reported back to the Boston executives was that Blount does not possess rebounding instincts. Apparently, these instincts are formed when you are young and impressionable, because Ben Wallace said he learned how to rebound by playing his seven older brothers in pick-up games and the only way he got to shoot the ball was if he got the rebound.

Blount apparently played against a bunch of midget girl basketball players when he was learning the craft.  

[westkoast]

The question is why did Boston give up a solid rebounder in Blount

hm.....?

What Blount are you looking at?

At 4.2 rebounds in 28 minutes/game, Blount is one of the worst rebounding C's in the league.

I'll use the Shaq reasoning we have on the board

"If he played more minutes you would see those numbers double"

I actually mixed him up with Battie who is a better rebounder than he is.  Plays less minutes but gets more rebounds.  That was my mistake.

[Skandery]

I think I just read the best summary of this trade on www.fanball.com when Christian Peterson, Senior Editor wrote:

"In other words, both teams have essentially given up hope that their current rosters can get it done, so why not just exchange a couple of players, a few million bucks, and a draft pick or two and hope it all works itself out?"

http://www.fanball.com/ph/article.cfm/ID.5428
 

[Guest_Randy]

I see TWO GM's that are DESPERATE to do something to show that they have things under control and they are pulling the trigger so that fans will see that they ARE doing something to better there team -- the problem is that they are just swapping players.  I think Wally World is a better shooter -- but Davis is a better defender (albeit not by much in either of these categories) -- Blount for the Candyman are two teams TIRED of their big men and they hope they will like the new guy better than the old guy (or at least they get to look at a different face).

I think this trade is more about changing parts you DON'T like than acquiring parts that you DO like!  Both McHale and Ainge are desperate to show their fans (and the world) that they know exactly what they are doing -- the problem is that I think both are showing that they DON'T have a clue!