Pops not drinking the Gasol trade swill b.s.

[Reality]

You Krishnas may not comprehend.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/02/08/popovich.grizzlies/index.html

NEW YORK -- Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace went on the offensive against his critics on Thursday, calling the unattributed criticism of the Pau Gasol trade from other general managers "pillow talk" and daring any league executives to go on the record against the deal.

Before Friday night's game against the Knicks, Spurs president and head coach Gregg Popovich did just that.

"What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," said Popovich. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committe that oversees NBA trades. I'd like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade."

When told that Wallace had challenged executives to criticize the deal publicly, Popovich replied, "Well, there you go. I'm on the record."

[Skandery]

Popovich gets a humongous boost in respect from me.  No nonsense, no politics-straight out.

[WayOutWest]

Like Pop would have told the Grizz no thanks, the Spurs are not interesting aquiring Gasol for next to nothing.    What I would like to hear is how Pop, or any other GM, would have turned down a similar trade for the good of the league.  I won't hold my breath on that one.

It's not pillow talk, it's jilted girlfriend talk.  So Pop has gone from a hard nosed coach who speaks his mind to a crying beeyotch.  How can someone be as dellusional as Pop in thinking they know how everything is going to turn out in the end and have the power to veto a trade?  What a moronic-Barkley-like comment to make.  The Lakers-Miami Shaq trade was widely viewed as a horrid one sided trade, yet it netted the Lakers Odom, Gasol and to a degree Bynum.  Would I trade Shaq for those three 2 1/2 years ago?  Probably yes if I knew it would allow me to keep Kobe.  Hindsight is 20/20 so it's easy to make that call now.

[rickortreat]

Nonsense!

Pop is evaluating the trade not on the basis of potential outcomes, (which no one can be certain of) but on the basis of what any team could reasonably expect in return for Gasol.

Based on that, the trade was very one-sided, and the GM for the Grizzlies obviously did not do his due diligence, or the Grizzlies would have gotten far more for Gasol then they did from the Lakers.

He's not crying, he's trying to comprehend how such an incompetant got such a job in the NBA following Jerry West.  Pop is a straight shooter, always has been.  Not necessarily the sharpest tack in the box, but a very good coach who learned from the best.

Only a Yellow and Purple blinded fan could see it any other way!

[Randy]

Okay -- but if Pop wants that then fair is fair -- no teams getting into the lottery simply because their two All-Stars are injured get the ping pong ball for the most complete big man to ever come out of college.  Take away the ping pong ball from SA and give it to the next team who really deserves and needs it more.

Bet Pop wouldn't want that, would he?  Memphis made a STUPID trade -- and it made the Lakers an instant championship contender -- hmm, doesn't that sound familiar?  The Spurs ping pong ball went against all odds and made the Spurs an instant championship favorite. 

After all if we are really TRYING to be FAIR -- then let's be fair -- Philly really NEEDED a player like TD -- he could have turned their team around.  The Spurs had injury problems for ONE year, slipped in the lottery and overcame the odds to get the top pick.  If Pop wants to be fair, he should trade TD to the Sixers for Dalembert and call it even!

[Lurker]

Actually the same qote is in teh SA papers...and they explained that Pop was rolling his eyes and definately "playing around" with the reporters.

But then Pop's sense of humor is lost on most of those media types.

[Reality]

^^ You got quotes from these explainers?

I was told Pop was definitely not playing around.
Kori Ellis.

[WayOutWest]

Actually the same qote is in teh SA papers...and they explained that Pop was rolling his eyes and definately "playing around" with the reporters.

But then Pop's sense of humor is lost on most of those media types.

Well then he's briliant.  Otherwise it sour grapes.

[WayOutWest]

Pop is evaluating the trade not on the basis of potential outcomes, (which no one can be certain of) but on the basis of what any team could reasonably expect in return for Gasol.

Did you not read my post?  Look at the TWO stupid trades the Lakers made.  First Shaq then Caron, SINCE nobody knew that those trades would land the Lakers Gasol, how could you MAKE an evalution "on the basis of what any team could reasonably expect in return..."?  Stupid NOW turned into smart LATER.

Do you NOW see the point? 

[Reality]

^^ rick he's one of our "endless supply" catagorie Laker Winning Juice customers.

Imagine if a similar trade this exremely lopsided was done for any team other then the Krishnas.  They would agree 100% it was collusion.

[westkoast]

Popovich gets a humongous boost in respect from me.  No nonsense, no politics-straight out.

 

I like Greg Popavich but I think he should have just ignored his chance to make a comment. vTo hear him say that makes me a bit happy.  I think it proves that he is a tad bit worried about the trade.  Not saying hes shaking in his boots but if he made a statement like that then he's unhappy about that trade obviously.
It makes another team in the conference stronger and I think he has to pay attention to that.

If only there was an NBA lottery committee similar to his proposed trade committee...I wonder if he would have been on that in the late 90s 

[ziggy]

Okay -- but if Pop wants that then fair is fair -- no teams getting into the lottery simply because their two All-Stars are injured get the ping pong ball for the most complete big man to ever come out of college.  Take away the ping pong ball from SA and give it to the next team who really deserves and needs it more.

Bet Pop wouldn't want that, would he?  Memphis made a STUPID trade -- and it made the Lakers an instant championship contender -- hmm, doesn't that sound familiar?  The Spurs ping pong ball went against all odds and made the Spurs an instant championship favorite. 

After all if we are really TRYING to be FAIR -- then let's be fair -- Philly really NEEDED a player like TD -- he could have turned their team around.  The Spurs had injury problems for ONE year, slipped in the lottery and overcame the odds to get the top pick.  If Pop wants to be fair, he should trade TD to the Sixers for Dalembert and call it even!

Come on Randy what you posted was just plain STUPID.  Pop made a comment about teams making obviously MORONIC decisions, and how it impacts the leagues competitive spirit.  Nowhere in his quote did he talk about FAIRNESS.  To bring up the luck of the draw in a draft has ABSOLUTELY NO RELEVANCE.  You don't get it, he was pounding Memphis for being stupid.  Bowie Kuhn overturned some trades in baseball (A's and Yanks, and A's Bo Sox), in the BEST INTERESTS OF THE GAME.  That is basically what Pop was talking about. 

I happen to think that the idea of a trade review committee is SILLY, and that last thing we need is for David Stern to get more ABSOLUTE POWERS.  The Lakers made a great trade, more power to them.  The Griz made a HORRIBLE trade, and Chris Wallace was a FOOL for doing the deal.  At the same time they have their goals and motivations, and Micheal Heisley has some plan so it is his money and his team, so let him screw it up if he wants to.

BTW glad to have you back.  It is too bad you chose to HIDE when the Lakers sucked, and only chose to come back once they pull off the trade of the century.

[rickortreat]

Pop is evaluating the trade not on the basis of potential outcomes, (which no one can be certain of) but on the basis of what any team could reasonably expect in return for Gasol.

Did you not read my post?  Look at the TWO stupid trades the Lakers made.  First Shaq then Caron, SINCE nobody knew that those trades would land the Lakers Gasol, how could you MAKE an evalution "on the basis of what any team could reasonably expect in return..."?  Stupid NOW turned into smart LATER.

Do you NOW see the point? 

Nimrod. You do not see the point.  A trade is only about what you actually get now- future considerations like a pick to be named later have a very uncertain value- a value of course, but nothing that you can quantify beyond very basic criteria at the time of the trade. At the time the Lakers traded Shaq, they had no idea it would lead to Gasol, because it didn't!  What about Shaq's trade had any specific impact on Gasol?  NONE!

THE POINT- is that Memphis got next to nothing from LA for Gasol, so little that not only Pop, but the entire friggin league is saying the Memphis GM is a bozo, or something else is going on.  Now, the Memphis GM claims he was going his work, and had contacted everybody and dared any GM to call him on it.  Well, Pop called him on it- meaning he never got contacted about a possible trade for Gasol.

AND everyone thinks that LA got over on Memphis.


That is a very big contrast with the recent Shaq trade, where some think that Miami made out big time and others think the Suns ripped off Miami.  There's a lot of disagreement there- even NBA analysts can't come to a consensus on whether or not this trade will work for Phoenix.  The opposite has happened with the Gasol trade.

[WayOutWest]

Nimrod.

LOL, this comming from the second dumbest poster on this board!    Funny how you begin the debate with name calling.  Didn't even have to post much to have you fall off a cliff with the name calling.  Fine dopey, we'll keep it simple.

You do not see the point.  A trade is only about what you actually get now- future considerations like a pick to be named later have a very uncertain value- a value of course, but nothing that you can quantify beyond very basic criteria at the time of the trade. At the time the Lakers traded Shaq, they had no idea it would lead to Gasol, because it didn't!  What about Shaq's trade had any specific impact on Gasol?  NONE!

Dopey,

The Grizz's primary goal was for flexibility, that's why they went after the "biggest expiring contract out there".  The Grizz notion of "value" is not the same as everyone else.  They are trying to sell the team, the have been for a while and they are trying to minimize thier payroll.  I don't know what they are thinking about their long term future but it looks they they are trying to free up a ton of cap space since they could not get "player/personnel" value for Gasol, maybe they can throw money at some FA down the road. 

THE POINT- is that Memphis got next to nothing from LA for Gasol, so little that not only Pop, but the entire friggin league is saying the Memphis GM is a bozo, or something else is going on.  Now, the Memphis GM claims he was going his work, and had contacted everybody and dared any GM to call him on it.  Well, Pop called him on it- meaning he never got contacted about a possible trade for Gasol.

They were saying the same thing about the Lakers with the Shaq trade, probably said the same thing about the Bucks with the Kareem trade.  It happens.  Sounds like sour grapes to me, every other GM missed out or could not put the right package together.  Maybe some GM's are as DUMB as you are in regards to the value of thier players and were unwilling to give up much in "player/personnel" value so the Grizz got desperate and went after "expiring contract" value.  I know a few GM's are pissed because they felt they offered up way more than the Lakers for Gasol, problem is the Grizz were not expecting equal value in a player, nor do I believe they were offered that, so the Grizz set their sites on an expiring contract.  I'm 100% sure other teams offered player 100X better than Kwame but I doubt those players were more valuable to the Grizz than Kwame's contract.

AND everyone thinks that LA got over on Memphis.


That is a very big contrast with the recent Shaq trade, where some think that Miami made out big time and others think the Suns ripped off Miami.  There's a lot of disagreement there- even NBA analysts can't come to a consensus on whether or not this trade will work for Phoenix.  The opposite has happened with the Gasol trade.

While the concenseus is not 100% like the Gasol trade, the MAJORITY of the NBA thinks that not only did the Heat make out on this trade BUT the Suns actually hurt themselves in the process.

[rickortreat]

You started this nonsense, Nimrod.

So what you are saying is that no-one could offer an expiring contract as big as LA's and that's why LA got the deal?  I'm not up on all the expiring contracts out there, but I have to believe there are a few others with large contracts besides Kwame's that are coming due.  And what free agent is going to want to run to the Grizzlies when there's no one else there to play with?

Besides, an expiring contract turns into a player eventually, and the idea that the Grizzlies are easier to sell without a star seems like a bunch of crap.  I mean, who wants a team that doesn't have a star and can't compete- sounds like a recipe for EMPTY STANDS to me!  And Empty stands for quite some time into the future too.

So the story out of the Grizzlies just doesn't add up.  It stinks and the rest of the NBA is crying about it.  Sour Grapes?  Or is is true that Pop never got a call, along with Ed Stefanski of the Sixers or anyone else with players to trade or expiring contracts!?

In fact, even trading Gasol has to make me wonder.  It is hard to get equal value in trade, so why trade- no one was forcing the Grizzlies to do anything.  This move doesn't make sense unless this is all being driven by financial considerations, like the present owner doesn't want to pay players to keep people in the stands while he tries to sell the team.

There is no question that the Grizzlies are worth less today with the expiring contract and no star than they were with Gasol.  If the owner wants to gut the team, he's sure going about it the right way!