Dumbest trade of this off-season

[Phantom]

you could essentially say they lost Keon Clark for Brad Miller.

Isn't it funny? They essentially traded away a backup C/PF who would become a starter upon Divac's retirement for another backup C/PF who will become a starter upon Divac's retirement.

In the process, they also gained a huge 68+ million contract.

The level of management in the NBA makes me a hopeful fella. Maybe I'm good enough to do it someday...

[magius]

are you telling me you think brad miller and keon clark are the same thing?

[Phantom]

Nope, they are not the same thing.

Miller is better offensively, and Clark is better defensively.

BTW, we must remember Miller was playing in the Leastern Conference. I'll be keenly interested in seeing how Pollard does if he starts for the Pacers (he should).

And, unless Divac plays a lot less minutes or Chris Webber gets injured again, Miller will be playing a number of MPG similar to what Keon had this past season. We'll see how well he does as a backup in the West.

[Shep]

theres no way that pollard should start. the starting frontling should be:

C J.O'Neal
PF A.Harrington
SF R.Mercer

[Vins15]

Ron Mercer is shipped to Spurs....the lineup should look like this...

C Pollard or Bender
PF O'neal
SF Artest
SG Carl English j/k...Reggie Miller
PG Tinsley...although they're in the market searching for a better one....

[Shep]

yeh my bad, i meant artest at the SF

[LeBron James]

theres no way that pollard should start. the starting frontling should be:

C J.O'Neal
PF A.Harrington
SF R.Mercer

lol ron mercer is in spurs.

[magius]

Nope, they are not the same thing.

Miller is better offensively, and Clark is better defensively.

BTW, we must remember Miller was playing in the Leastern Conference. I'll be keenly interested in seeing how Pollard does if he starts for the Pacers (he should).

And, unless Divac plays a lot less minutes or Chris Webber gets injured again, Miller will be playing a number of MPG similar to what Keon had this past season. We'll see how well he does as a backup in the West.

you forgot miller's an all star and clark isnt clarks a good help defender, but he doesnt have the stature to hold his own against the bigger c's and pf's. miller also has very underrated passing ability for a big man. i'd prefer brad miller if only because he has pure-centre body type. plus divac will retire soon, and contrary to popular belief keon clark is not fit to be a starting centre.... maybe a starting pf on a poor team. plus we all know sac's stocking up on white people

but i could see how this come to bite sac in the a$$. losing clark AND pollard really hurts their defenisve intensity and energy. on the other hand, they had to give up clark to resign jim jackson.

i dont think indiana should start pollard, bender has loads of potential, but he is kind of, uh, skinny. jermaine o'neal is already very skinny-like, they will get bossed around inside. but they might as well try.

[alexboom]

it seems that the kings wanted to avoid the luxuary cap by all means. and one of the rare teams (maybe the lonely team ?) who had enough space to get Clark was Utah. So Utah could put the rules in the deal as they were in the best position.

[Phantom]

you forgot miller's an all star and clark isnt

So what? Yao Ming was an all-star last year, but was he really the best center in the west?

Brad got his all-star nomination because, again, he played in the Least. If he was out west this past season, he'd be lucky to get a single vote in the election.

clarks a good help defender, but he doesnt have the stature to hold his own against the bigger c's and pf's.

Clark may be skinny, but he is 6'11" (just an inch smaller than Brad), and he knows how to play defense, which Brad doesn't. In a team that can score basically at will, like the Kings, I'd much rather have a backup who can defend than one who can score.

miller also has very underrated passing ability for a big man. i'd prefer brad miller if only because he has pure-centre body type. plus divac will retire soon, and contrary to popular belief keon clark is not fit to be a starting centre.... maybe a starting pf on a poor team. plus we all know sac's stocking up on white people

If the Kings had kept Pollard, he would divide minutes at center with Keon. I'd rather have Pollard/Clark than Miller.

The thing with white guys seems to be the norm in the whole NBA right now, what with all those euros coming in...

but i could see how this come to bite sac in the a$$. losing clark AND pollard really hurts their defenisve intensity and energy. on the other hand, they had to give up clark to resign jim jackson.

Yeah, as I said, they have lots of guys who can score, but few who can ably defend. Kinda like a Super-Mavs.

Jim really got the better end of it all. He turned from forgotten player to desired commodity in the offseason, all due to his play for the Kings.

i dont think indiana should start pollard, bender has loads of potential, but he is kind of, uh, skinny. jermaine o'neal is already very skinny-like, they will get bossed around inside. but they might as well try.

I most certainly wouldn't start Bender. Pollard could rule the other Leastern centers with enough minutes. His plus-minus would certainly be better than that of someone as powerful as Bender.

[Swoosh]

Djeez man, pollard and clark are gone now, im afraid u will have to get over it, though u are right about the defensive aspect of the trade, brad miller cant be underestimated either, my guess is he will do okay

[Phantom]

Get over it? I am practically jumping for joy, being a Lakers fan and all...

[Phantom]

Just to clear up some points.

I am/was bitching about the situation because, unlike some other fans, I like tough competition.

A victory over a worthy opponent is much more celebrated than one over some nobody. A loss to a powerful team is always nicer to shed a tear about than one to, you know, cleveland ( ).

If there is anything I remember distinctly about the earliest times of my Lakers fandom, it is easily how tough and beautiful were those wins (and losses) to that marvelous Celtics team. And how marvelous was that white guy with a bent spine who could kill you over and over again.

With this situation, I fear Sac-Town has just absolutely closed its window on any title dreams. One less opponent to really be worried about, in an offseason that had already added one (Wolves) and removed one (Mavs).

Hope this clears up the mud a bit.

[Vins15]

Just to clear up some points.

With this situation, I fear Sac-Town has just absolutely closed its window on any title dreams. One less opponent to really be worried about, in an offseason that had already added one (Wolves) and removed one (Mavs).

don't think so...Dallas still has a chance at the western finals..just give them one more quality fa...if they could get Stephen Jackson it'll give them either a starting player at sf or a backup at sg/sf....and those great additions doesn't necessarily mean that T-Wolves guarrenteed past the first rd..besides..look at LA Clipps last year...ppl think they'll finally make to the playoffs...end of the year they were in the lottery again...maybe the chemistry will not work with wolves..having such many and big additions this offseason..u can't garrentee that Olowakandi,Spree,Cassell will all work well with KG...

[Phantom]

Yeah, but I can certainly guarantee that a Wolves team with Olowokandi, Cassell and Spree is more of a threat than if they were not there.

KG is so unselfish that there shouldn't be a problem. Or at least not too big of a problem to handle.

About the Mavs...ppfffftt....


P.S.: I hope "ppfffftt" has thoroughly expressed my feelings about how I rate the Mavs right now. I know the word is not in a dictionary, hey, I know it's not even a word, but i believe it conveys my message. Or at least I hope so.

[magius]

yeah, i guess we'll have to see how brad does, i like his size though, and defense can be taught (though i dont know if a kings team is the ideal team to teach it ). brad has the pure centre size though!!!! keon's almost like a converted small forward that cant shoot. pollard is intense, but i dont think he has the talent to be a legit #1, he may prove me wrong though since indy might have no choice or he just might be really good with minutes.

i prefer brad miller starting over pollard/clark splitting, because i prefer a starting centre to 2 bench players. yao ming was the 2nd best centre in the west, so he should be on the all star team albeit 2nd. its not like the fans are voting scott pollard on to the all star team y'know everyone on the all star team is basically good.

sac is still looking good, last year they were TOO deep, now they are still deep, but arguably more quality deep. funderburke looks like he could be alright.

brad miller
lawrence funderburke
gerald wallace
jim jackson
bobby jackson

not too shabby 3 out of them 5 are legit starters.

as long as doug christie is around they wont be a dallas, his defensive intesnity is the sort that spreads, and cweb is a better defender than dirk.

mavs are still okay, the only reason everyone's counting them out is because everyoine is bored by them cuz they didnt make any deals. sometimes its better to stand pat, dirk is still developing (i heard nelly wants to make him play some pg!!!), and i'm sure there are deals to come.

[Phantom]

Oh, it's very nice standing pat when you are basically good (the mavs are), and the rest of your conference doesn't do any major upgrades (not true in this offseason).

Therefore, the Mavs have fallen in my very own personal power ranking.

Christie is a great player, I believe he is still one of the top defenders of the league, and he can also hit the right shots. Unfortunately, he is only one, and although he can spread his influence, he cannot play defense for everyone in the roster.

I believe the Kings are still a viable team. They can still duke it out with the other westerners. But I also believe they are shutting themselves out from true competition.