Real Deal

Prominent scorer? That means standing out among the pack...and I doubt he will ever contend for a scoring title. That's crazy to think so. And I know you were joking, but still...Saer Sene? Give me another offensive big man you can compare Drew to, really. Drew is the third best center in the NBA right now, if you don't consider Amare one (he plays the majority of his minutes at the five, though), behind Howard and Horford. Argue for Bogut because of his exceptional defense this season. Many forget that, a half a season before we brought in Gasol, the Lakers were actually a top team in the conference with Drew averaging 13/10 on 64% FG, over two blocks per game, and that was with under nine shots per game in a triangle offense with Bryant and Odom. I never said he wasn't a good player, I'm saying he's not one that Denver should be chasing to trade away a superstar for. You build around a center, not Chandler. The example I gave to you earlier (with Kevin Martin) showed what happens to a team that builds around a player that's already a "prominent scorer" and nothing more. While Chandler has more to his game, he's not proving to anyone that he can contest for a scoring title. You're telling me Denver should be this high on him? They will end up like the Warriors (Monta), the Rockets (Martin), the Pacers (when Granger was dropping 25's, and he does much more than score), the Kings (Evans), and many others down the road...and this is actually IF Chandler proves he can score 25+ PPG as a primary option, defenses geared to stopping HIM. In 2-3 years, OTR will still be up...and if he turns into that player, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong about him. I'm confident I won't need to. List all of the potential all-star seven-footers you can over the last two decades that have had their careers crushed due to injuries, and I'll make the attempt to match it with seven-footers that have not failed. I'll start off with Shaq, Robinson, Dirk, Hakeem, Gasol, Ewing, and Mutombo (don't play this game, just ignore this part of the post). Here's something crazy: did you ever follow Zydrunas Ilgauskas early in his career? The guy who broke a bone in his right foot in 1996 and completely missed his rookie season. He played one full season, then just 29 games the next two, eventually having surgery to repair a fractured navicular bone in his left foot during that third year...injured AGAIN in December 2000 and was out for the season, and backed up Chris Mihm the following year. After that? He was a two-time all-star, averaging 17/9 with 2+ blocks a game, with a steel pin in his foot and very limited time on the court over the first 5-6 years of his career, had five consecutive seasons of 78+ games played (played 73 games in the sixth, and has played in 50 games for the Heat this year). No. If Drew pans out, they keep him. If not, he expires. Win/win situation as long as they want to try him out for 1 1/2 seasons (which isn't long at all). ------- Let me say just two more things... 1) This trade doesn't have to be FOR Bynum. The Lakers can easily work a third team into the mix, sending Bynum somewhere for something that Denver really, really wants. There are teams out there, like Houston and Golden State, that would love to have Drew. The Warriors have already stated that everyone is on the block, and they have expressed interest in Drew before. Makes sense to grab him from LA, and send Monta Ellis to the Nuggets, Melo to the Lakers? There's a prominent scorer you were talking about, but a proven one, headed to Denver...but that's just an example. 2) If Melo has all of the leverage (this was what everyone has been saying when the Nets were offering, and he obviously didn't want to play there), and he has chosen the Lakers as a destination, and most of his family lives in Los Angeles...why would it matter if Denver is trading him to a contender? Apparently, they don't have any leverage. Melo lets them know what he wants, and they work it out. It's a fact that the Lakers are exploring trades, and it's no surprise that Drew and Ron's names are the first two to come up. Denver actually asked the Lakers about Pau Gasol (in a Gasol-Melo swap), and the Lakers turned them down...reported as true by both sides. This summer, Drew for Melo was talked about...nothing to be surprised at, because the Lakers' FO was pissed at Drew at the time (for the surgery incident). Why would this rumor be false, and why is there absolutely no chance of this happening? That's all I want to know.

Didn't know that most of Melo's family lived in Los Angeles.

Why are some of the Knicks fans acting so pissed off? Didn't you guys do this when Carmelo was close to getting traded with the Nets, also, before he declined to meet with Mikhail? Geez. Even members over at TLN are laughing at all of the Knicks fans right now. And all of you hate the Heat, also. I bet I know why. Rumor isn't true? Okay, I believe you... Randolph isn't a big, he's a weaker Lamar Odom that doesn't use his size for anything. He's a "tall guy playing like a two-guard" and it leads to pathetic shots, soft play, absolutely no defense, and no future. You still believe in Randolph, huh? The Lakers don't believe it's broken? I just gave you 3-4 different things that say otherwise. If they didn't, Mitch would've never said a word about exploring trades, Phil wouldn't be talking, and Magic would've never suggested it. Many other things to mention, but come on... Overloaded at the SF position? We're exploring trades for Ron (proven). Brown is expendable, and that could move Barnes down to the two (Kobe playing just 33 MPG this season, it makes sense). Don't make it too complicated for us...too much depth is only a positive for the Lakers. Wilson Chandler missed over a half a season his rookie year, had a full season after that, missed 17 games last season, and has only started a little over half of them this season. Why are we talking like Chandler is a big deal, again? Two seasons of injuries, four total seasons, one current season on and off the bench? Didn't want to do it, but Chandler isn't a big deal. Denver would've already pulled the trigger, otherwise. They want the guy that is forcing Chandler to the bench, Landry Fields. Drew is a center. He's more valuable. He's healed up right now and producing. Two of his three major injuries came from freak accidents, our players' faults. Oden is a different story. And as far as the cap-strapping goes, again, Drew is signed for just two years. If the Nuggets didn't want him after next season, he's a MASSIVE expiring contract, bigger than Curry's. Denver is rebuilding if they lose Melo, so two years means nothing...they will be more irrelevant trying to build around Wilson Chandler, draft picks that aren't guaranteeing them a top five pick in the draft, and cap space that means nothing because Denver isn't the biggest market, or a contender. You really don't have to care what I say, honestly. I know you took that approach with the LeBron rumors as well, and it's a fact that the Lakers came out and stated they were not trading for Pau Gasol right before, well...they traded for Pau Gasol. The NBA is just a big tease, I guess. This isn't really that big of a deal to me, though. I don't like the fact that the Knicks have a better chance, but I do like the fact that this move isn't exactly a do-or-die situation, for our current state OR our future. Given the history, the family running it, the team itself...we won't fret if we don't land him, we'll just look to Howard or CP3 when it's time, and if the team plays like they want to win (which means we do it in the playoffs), we'll be in the Finals again, Melo or Drew in a Lakers jersey.

I'd be against this if it wasn't someone like Garnett. Phil is too tall and too intimidating, so even if Jackson was still playing, Kevin wouldn't do a damn thing.

Blake always has his head in the clouds.

Denver is going to look at a team like the Rockets, and they'll wonder why they were even shooting for Chandler. Look at Kevin Martin. Not going to compare them, but it shows that you have to go above and beyond to bring in size. Injuries exist, but Drew played 65 games last year. Before getting traded to the Heat, there were MAJOR concerns about Shaq being healthy (and Lakers fans remember this all too well, including his comment about getting surgery on company time). In those last three seasons as a Laker, Shaq never played over 67 games. The first season with the Heat, Shaq was a 23/10 guy. Same with Amare. 2003-04: 55 games 2006-06: 3 games 2008-09: 53 games Same with Grant Hill, who became an all-star after one of the most devastating injuries (and a near death experience) a player could face. There are other examples, but I'm sure you guys get the picture. Denver wants a big. If they get a chance on Drew and feel like they will lose Melo no matter what, it's a shot they will take if they can't get Favors or Lopez from New Jersey, or Amare from the Knicks (which will not happen). I never knew there was interest in Bynum, which is why I always dismissed this idea. However, since news came out that there was interest over the summer and now, it's something that hit me in the face unexpectedly, and when you put it all together and look at Denver's contracts, it makes a ton of sense. The Nuggets were said to be after Jordan Hill and other players. They wanted Favors or Lopez. They went out and got Al Harrington, who turned out to be a waste. They gave Birdman a long contract, thinking he was going to be a big part of their future. It's highly unlikely they would get Sullinger with any pick traded to them. With KU playing the way they are, Marcus Morris is only going to rise on the draft board, away from Denver, a player that they have had their eyes on. They want a big. With Melo saying he'd sign an extension in Los Angeles (the Lakers being one of his teams), it only puts more pressure on Denver to pull the trigger. I'm not saying that the Lakers have a bigger chance, but I'm saying that they have the second biggest chance right now...and they have forced New York to push a bit harder. If the Knicks weren't concerned, they'd wait it out and get him for a second-rounder, like Miami did both of their players.

Two things about Drew that make this deal look good for Denver: 1) He's a big that can produce 20/10 as a primary or secondary option. 2) After next season, he's a $15 million expiring if the Nuggets choose not to bring him back for the 2012/13 season. Not that far away. The draft could be weak this year, and the Nuggets could be thinking about all of the picks they could potentially get in deals for the rest of their players...some expiring contracts (K-Mart's $16.5 million, Billups' $13.1 million), some contributing role players (ex. JR Smith, Nene). Looking at the payroll, Denver shouldn't care about getting back any expiring contracts because they have two that are worth a combined $29.6 million, and JR Smith's $6 million can also come off the books. If Drew doesn't pan out for them, they only have to keep him for the rest of this season AND the following...that's it. After that, it's another $15 million. The Nuggets are stuck with Al Harrington for five seasons. They want Afflalo to develop into a very good starter, and they feel he's capable of being an all-star reserve level player. If they keep Smith, keep Lawson, keep Nene...what's the use for Chandler? Denver would rather have a big, which is why they were so high on Favors. K-Mart is going to expire, and after that, it's just Harrington...who is a true SF. They want to drop him to his natural position, possibly drop Nene to the four. Bynum makes sense. Chandler puts up better numbers right now, but Drew is also a 5th-6th option on the Lakers, looking at FGA per game (6th if I recall correctly, behind Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Artest and Brown). Primary option, or second option, and he's far, far better than Chandler. Injury-free, of course. The only reason Denver takes Chandler over Drew? The injuries. Other than that, they would be insane to.

It was confirmed that the Lakers had an offer on the table back in the summer, and Jim Buss waived it off. It wouldn't surprise me if this is a legit rumor, the Lakers revisiting this idea, because of our recent struggles and Ron's inability to produce. By record, we are a better team without Drew this season, and last season, Gasol's numbers were better at the center position than they were at the PF spot. Hard for me to really dismiss this at the time...especially with Phil taking a shot at Drew the other day, his displeasure with Gasol, Kobe having to talk to Gasol about being more physical and taking the load off of him, the Lakers contacting the Bobcats about Ron, Mitch telling everyone he will explore trades LONG before there was talk about Melo coming here, and Magic also saying the Lakers needed to make a move.

If LA trades for Melo, they'll shop a SF for a big, or will try and bring in a big with Melo (ex. Birdman). The Lakers called the Bobcats about a possible trade with Ron Artest, so they aren't shopping just Drew. Kupchak has made some excellent deals as of late, so it wouldn't worry me if we take this one, because I believe he'd work a second deal, or use our TPE, something.

An unselfish Iggy makes for a good Sixers team, that's for sure.

I don't think that was going to happen without Melo meeting up with Prokhorov, and he declined. The Knicks were far more important to Melo at the time, or so it seemed.

Melo will fit into the triangle, and it won't take long to implement him into it. He's the ideal player at the three. Trading Bynum means we start Odom...and people don't get how significant that is. Odom is a legitimate all-star...and, even coming off the bench for the last month or so, the dude was STILL close to making the game. He's very difficult for opposing PF's to defend. Drew is a potential 20/10 guy on a struggling team. Injuries aside, he's an all-star center. Injuries aside. I do this trade over and over again, but I said on TLN that this would never happen. Hope I'm wrong. A frontcourt of Gasol (who, last season, had his best numbers at the center position), Odom and Melo would be incredibly tough to stop, and that's not considering Bryant, and Ron/Barnes playing defense off the bench, and Brown becoming a little more efficient again due to less responsibility (was a 50/40/90 shooter for a month or so in the season). The fact is, Drew is an average defensive player that makes mistakes over and over again, especially rotating over and in pick and roll situations. Phil Jackson has stated this over and over again, and it's evident just by watching. He's a black hole when he gets the ball in the post, which shuts off all ball movement in the triangle...he hardly ever passes out of the post. To say that his presence will be missed, well, you must not know how much his presence has been missed for years.

It'll be Fisher's hand. Him and Fish go at it all the time, and it seems like they have this hate for each other anyway. Kobe will be guarding Rondo, which is something he's done since Rondo decided to become a standout PG that can light Fisher up.

I thought this was funny as hell. Basically, he was pissed off at Hogan for something (you current wrestling fans will have to talk about it, because I had already stopped watching), and Michaels was overselling every move/punch Hogan gave to him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyN5sAShqOA Again, not really sure why...but when he was older, and right before I stopped watching wrestling, Hogan wouldn't sell anything. He refused to "put wrestlers over" and didn't want "Hulkamania" to die. I'm assuming this is what it was about. Funniest part is the big boot at the end...had me rolling.

Man, I'm a fan of GSP...but this just isn't good. I'm not really sure how he's going to win the fight. In the stand-up, GSP will get killed. Will he even be able to take Silva down? I don't know.

Portland fans were almost as loud as the Lakers fans were when Kobe scored 81, haha. Great game by Aldridge, against one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

Aldridge is playing a monster game again. Gibson can't defend that.

Found this funny, so I did some research. In his 15-season career...in 1,073 career games...Ray Allen has shot 17 or more FGA and just two or less 3PTA five times. http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199803130IND.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199803160SAS.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199803310GSW.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199904110MIA.html http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199912070MIL.html And...he hasn't done it since 12/7/1999. Tonight: 9-17 FG, 2-2 3PT. He's just two away from breaking the all-time three-point record, and his next game is against the Lakers on Thursday, on TNT. Coincidence?

Didn't get to see the game...what happened to Billups? Nine minutes, and no foul trouble?

Same guy?

You forgot: leadership basketball IQ primacy offensive awareness clutch factor killer instinct mental stability brains So, basically, he can do a 360 layup and can make a nice little pass every 25 games, and he can rebound (because he can jump). So he could probably be the best player in the NBA if he really tried, correct? If he wasn't so damn stubborn?

Those satellites (or whatever the hell they are) look a little big next to the sun. If the sun is around 109 times larger than the Earth (in diameter), those satellites are...far bigger than continents? Of course, they aren't right next to the sun...but still. EDIT: Stupid post...hell of a camera...should probably consider that.

Needs a bit more of an update (wherever you got those numbers, they didn't take into account the game against the Magic). Allen: 2,557-6,423 (.398) Next two games: @Charlotte (Monday), vs. LA Lakers (Thursday on TNT)

Pacers are on a roll, win their fourth-straight game under the new coach. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20110206_IND@NJ