Lakers, bringing Okafer along with him to Golden State to join Ellis would get the Warriors in the playoff picture.(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first installment of a four part examination of what happened after the Knicks’ 18-5 start, during which they were beating opponents by an average of over seven points a game, and whether or not the Knicks can return (in varying degrees) to their early-season form.) If Chris Paul could get the Hornets to win two playoff games against the L. If Mark Jackson really wants defense, then he would definitely get it here. Whether or not this trade would ever happen is questionable at best, but how many trades get both teams to improve their projected win total on ESPN"s trade machine?
Getting another post player in free agency would be a must though. This deal would give the Warriors one of the best point guards in the league and the center they have been searching for all these years. It would make sense for New Orleans to, rather than lose Paul for nothing and for a team that is trying to cut money, trade Biedrins in that Houston Rockets deal and have Curry and Lee with Wright to build around. Kind of a fantasy basketball trade, and the Warriors would have to throw in Charlie Bell to make it work, but it does bring Chris Paul to the Bay Area in the same backcourt with Ellis to form the best backcourt in the NBA. Or get another big name that isn't Greg Oden. Or use the money you would be saving to overpay Nene or Tyson Chandler to pry them to the Bay. How much would you really lose by having a Sheldon Williams type (big stiff) replace Biedrins (stiff) for one year? Go get a Joel Przybilla, Shelden Williams, Theo Ratliff or even Etan Thomas to fill the gap for just one year and free up money for a tremendous 2012 free-agent class. With him gone, the offense would have a better flow, and it's not like whatever he brought to the team couldn't be replaced. Sure, Hill and Thabbet are both stiffs, but getting rid of $27 million and freeing up money in what will become a new way of spending in the NBA, I think you have to make that deal.Įven if Biedrins plays well, which is a big if, the Warriors wouldn't really miss him that much. In a league that is going in to cost-cutting form, reducing salaries and salary cap numbers, the Warriors were given a chance to shed one of their, and the one of the league's worst, contracts, and they turned it down? If both of these trades were to happen, the Warriors would be looking at a lineup of:īench- Thompson, Brooks, Charles Jenkins, Ekpe Udoh, Reggie Williams add a couple pieces in free agency and that is quite an intriguing team. He would provide a great scoring punch for the backcourt-and maybe develop into something more.
Brooks is a homeless man's Monta Ellis right now but with the potential to become a poor man's Ellis. Maybe a trip back would get him back on track, and his contract isn't detrimental.
Anthony Morrow played well in Oakland but got lost in New Jersey. Trading for Ellis should make Williams happy, and with those two on the team, it might make the Nets appealing enough to get Dwight Howard to come with them to Brooklyn.įor the Warriors, it gives them the big man they need, and Lopez would have to be more comfortable playing close to home. If Howard doesn't come on board, Deron Williams is likely to bolt and where would that leave them? New Jersey is in a state where they are going for Dwight Howard or endless years of lottery picks. This would be something to look at by both sides. The Warriors get a defender alongside Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry and have Thompson to ease the pain of the scoring punch they lose by dealing Wright. If the Philadelphia 76ers are that desperate to move Iguodala, why not offer them Wright, which would seemingly give the Sixers their first real three-point threat since the three-point line was introduced and Biedrins who could thrive (well at least play better) with a player like Elton Brand down low. With the Warriors presumably deeper than last year, he shouldn't be playing close to 40 minutes a game again either, so his numbers should go down. With two years and around $9 million left on his deal, why not trade him now? He will be going into a contract year after this year and do you really want to be paying him big free-agent dollars in two years? Wright's name hasn't come up at all in any trade rumors, but Wright's trade value will never be higher than it is right now.
Would it surprise you that if Klay Thompson got exactly the same minutes as Dorell Wright did last year that he would put up similar numbers?