Ricky Davis headed to Miami.

[Martti.]

The Heat will trade Antoine Walker Wednesday to the Minnesota Timberwolves for swingman Ricky Davis, two NBA league sources said.

In the deal, Heat reserve center Michael Doleac and reserve power forward Wayne Simien will be swapped for Minnesota center Mark Blount. The Heat will also send a conditional first round pick. The trade is awaiting league approval and an announcement is expected later Wednesday afternoon.

Walker's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he was put on notice Wednesday morning that a deal would happen shortly. Davis also was informed.

Looks good for the Heat.. Minnesota gets another pick.

[Donatello]

Trading cancer for cancer.... but at least Miami gets the type of player that they're missing, and Minnesota gets another draft pick (though I have no goddamn idea why the Wolves would want Walker). A first rounder seems far too much to be included in such a relatively small deal.

[TheMC5]

Wow. Kevin McHale is officially the stupidest GM in basketball.

[Christopherson]

Kevin McHale is officially the stupidest GM in basketball.

Wow, you just realized that? Was this the straw that broke the camels back?

[TheMC5]

Kevin McHale is officially the stupidest GM in basketball.

Wow, you just realized that? Was this the straw that broke the camels back?

Let me rephrase that. Kevin McHale is the stupidest GM in basketball history. He's done a lot of retarded things, but trading for Antoine Walker, who still has another year on his contract after this one, 2 more if McHale picks up the team option (and I wouldn't put it past him) is approaching a level of stupidity that I can't even fathom.

On the plus side, this probably means more shots for Al Jefferson, which means he's gonna be a total beast for my fantasy team this year.

[hova-]

I think Blount is really underrated. I mean he has has a solid jumpshot and is also able to get those boards Miami needs when Shaq or Zo (did he retire ?) are out.

I dont like Davis though. But with Wade out for at least November I think Davis could play an important role in the first 1-2 months.

The T-Wolves get practically nothing but a first rounder. I dont know why they want Walker. Is he still capable of being a go-to-guy? I dont think so.
Jefferson will have huge room to grow, maybe he will break out even more than everybody is thinking right now.

[grusom]

I think it's an OK move for both teams. Minnesota didn't need Ricky Davis, and the Heat clearly needed another scorer. This way Minnesota can gice their young guys more shots and pt, while having an extra pick in next years strong draft.

[emi_b7]

Wade will help Ricky score like LeBron did

[shadowgrin]

On the plus side, this probably means more shots for Al Jefferson, which means he's gonna be a total beast for my fantasy team this year

I doubt it if Fatoine keeps jacking up threes.

[Sauru]

i dont think its really that bad for minn. on paper it looks like miami is getting a steal here but i dont see it that way. i feel they are better off with davis instead of walker but also feel like davis would just slow the process in minn of rebuilding. he would demand the ball as the only real proven player on the team(though i think jefferson is also proven he needs to be fed the ball).

however i think walker will be the same kind of cancer that davis is except i think its easier to bench a guy like walker. then again maybe kevin is just crazy enough to think walker will help this team lol. the draft pick could turn out to be worthless if miami has a big season.

[Its_asdf]

I think Blount is really underrated. I mean he has has a solid jumpshot and is also able to get those boards Miami needs when Shaq or Zo (did he retire ?) are out.

Oh, I wouldn't count on that. He's probably one of the softest bigs out there in terms of crashing the glass.

I think a lot of you people forget that the Wolves now have a nice swingman rotation of Green, Brewer and McCants. Trading away Davis was probably the right thing to do in terms of helping these players develop.

On the down side for Minnesota.... Antoine Walker. 'Nuff said.

[[Q]]

Trading cancer for cancer.... but at least Miami gets the type of player that they're missing, and Minnesota gets another draft pick (though I have no goddamn idea why the Wolves would want Walker). A first rounder seems far too much to be included in such a relatively small deal.

honestly, i don't think RD is a cancer (now, maybe early in his career) like the media makes him out to be. The triple double attempt has smeared his good name.

[TheMC5]

The triple double attempt has smeared his good name.

Dude, that was the greatest moment in sports history. Anyone who doesn't appreciate that is totally insane. I was laughing about it for like a week straight.

[JT_55]

Good news for the Heat. Whatever happens to them, at least they get to wave goodbye to Antoine.

Another loss of respect to McHale. Although he was in negatives already anyway.

[McDwyane]

Not bad....walker is playing horrible.

[Matt]

this is what will happen.....

Walker gets released and signs with Boston, hehehe

[Cazm]

either TimberWovles are on crack or The Heat have some kind of persuasion either way its a steal for the Heat

[Dan's Brain]

Walker gets released and signs with Boston, hehehe

That's probably not that far-fetched. My initial thought when i read that was "Oh Minnesota's just doing a contract dump and getting a pick out of it" I cannot see why you'd want to have someone like Antoine Walker to mentor a team full of young guys while PJ Brown is still out there.

[Matthew]

I can't even fathom.

Like that's difficult to do.

Minnesota made the deal so they can open up playing time for their young guards, like Roy and Green plus they will probably save some money with a buyout.

Keeping Ricky Davis didn't help them in the longterm, and getting an additional pick in the future is no detriment.

[TheMC5]

I can't even fathom.

Like that's difficult to do.

Minnesota made the deal so they can open up playing time for their young guards, like Roy and Green plus they will probably save some money with a buyout.

Keeping Ricky Davis didn't help them in the longterm, and getting an additional pick in the future is no detriment.

And acquiring Antoine Walker helps you long term how? The pick could be beneficial, but to my understanding it's a conditional pick, which likely means if it's high enough be of any real value, Miami probably keeps it. And you can only stockpile youth for so long. Eventually you need to bring in some vets to win. Plus, Ricky Davis has the expiring contract. McHale might have actually been able to get a decent player for him.

I still think it was superbly stupid move by McHale, unless Fatoine gets bought out.

[Fresh8]

As X told me, the Wolves made the move due to Blount and Jefferson not seeing eye to eye on some things.

The Heat got the better end of the deal IMO. Davis will hopefully be a reliable third option scorer (wonder how that will dent his ego - although I've read that Davis wasn't keen on staying in Minnesota without KG being around) and Blount is a good big man. As hova- stated, Blount is underrated. He has range on his jumper and adds depth to a talent-deprived Heat team.

Walker, on the other hand, has one year less than Blount left on his contract. It's better than nothing I guess. It probably shows that Minnesota just didn't want any problems happening between Blount and Jefferson (Apparently they had issues in Boston).

Good trade for Miami but i still don't see them making the playoffs but should make a push at a low seeding. As for Minnesota, it was a move to make Jefferson happy. And it was a move to confirm which players are really the new cornerstones of the franchise.

Only other move I'm waiting for the Wolves to make is to get Juwan Howard to another team.

[[Q]]

Minnesota made the deal so they can open up playing time for their young guards, like Roy and Green plus they will probably save some money with a buyout.

Roy? you mean Foye right?

it'll be interesting to see what role RD will have on the Heat. he'll probably be the 1st/2nd scoring option at first with Wade out. but with Wade back, he'll probably be a playmaker.

[Laxation]

How long will Ricky "BUCKETS" Davis be ok with being a playmaker...

I would have thought Wade would play point, if anything... but then again, they did get parker

[[Q]]

don't forget about Penny's breakout season

[---]

Wade will help Ricky score like LeBron did

Nice one.

this is what will happen.....

Walker gets released and signs with Boston, hehehe

Yeah I wouldn't be suprised, I smell a buyout.

Anyway, it's a good deal for both teams. Minny had no need for Ricky - he was only hampering Foye, Brewer and McCants development because he was the better player and taking most of the playing time. However, they don't need a good player right now unless it's a really young guy, because it's pretty obvious that the player will go to waste because they won't be winning. The trade netted them a first round pick to help them with their youth movement, and Antione Walker who's contract expires in in two seasons time and will clear a cool $9.3 mil off the books, which happens to be the same time their young guys will be looking for those massive extensions and a number of other guys contracts will be up (eg. Juwan Howards $7 mil contract.

Another thing this trade did was get rid of Mark Blounts terrible contract - the one that pays him $8 mil in 09/10. That money would of been needed for extensions for their young guys - which they now have for getting rid of Blount's contract and getting Antoine's which expires much sooner.

For Miami, it's obvious. They're aging quickly, the small forward position was a huge weakness to them. Jason Kapono became somewhat of a star as a SF in Miami - that's how bad it was. Now they exchange a Dorrell Wright/Antoine Walker tandem (one of the worst in the league?) for a Ricky Davis/Dorrell Wrigth tandem. Obviously they're in win-now mode and needed a scorer outside of Wade, and they got their man in Davis.

Makes sense to me for both teams. I think this is one of the better deals McHale has pulled the trigger on.