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Predicting the Future?

“Eddie is a New York limo driver and a fanatical follower of the New York Knicks professional basketball team. The team is struggling with a mediocre record when, in mid-season, “Wild Bill” Burgess, the new owner, as a public relations gimmick, stages an ‘honorary coach’ contest, which Eddie wins. The fans love it, so “Wild Bill” fires the coach and hires her. She takes the bunch of overpaid prima donnas that make up the team and turns them around. But the owner hopes to move the team, now the darling of the New York fans, to St. Louis. He may OWN the team, but it BELONGS to the city and the fans!”

-courtesy Internet Movie Data Base

Fan Run Team

If only the Knicks would can Isiah Thomas and hold a contest. Then maybe somebody with some passion could take over this team. While I’m not a Knicks fan, the current state of the team is so embarrassing I feel compelled to do something.

So how does one fix the Knicks? Well, the first step would probably be to get new ownership but that’s not going to happen. Barring that the coach/GM Isiah Thomas needs to be dismissed immediately.

After that, the Knicks need to start dismantling this team from the top down. Anyone with a contract over 3 years or over 25 needs to go. David Lee and Renaldo Balkman form the foundation for the Knicks future, but the Knicks have spent so much so unwisely they may not be able to get those guys back.

I would do anything I could to trade away my big salaries for short term contracts. Forget trying to get talent for talent, the Knicks need to cut the bottom line and start the process of rebuilding. The contenders are a good place to shop.

Teams like the Lakers, Rockets, Raptors, or Wizards are good places to look. They’re all on the edge looking to make that playoff push so they would be willing to turn over some of their bench for a talent guy.

Then once the Knicks have spread their money back over multiple young, semi-talented players they finally begin to move forward. But they’ve got to save some money and pray for a miracle or it could be a long time before we see the Knicks in the playoffs again.

Conclusion

But then again, I’m not a Knicks fan, so I’m more willing to part with hope for a while. So, I’m wondering what others think the Knicks should do. I highly doubt they could get Kobe but maybe you can work out an appropriate scenario. What’s more important for the Knicks, a big splash or building for the future? I guess what I’m asking is, if you ran the Knicks what would you do to get them out of this nightmare?

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Introduction

I'll give you a moment to recover from the brilliance of my title...

Ok, moving on, Kobe Bryant wants out of LA. Early this summer he was screaming about being traded on national radio. Then he'd go on local LA radio and say he wanted to be a Laker for life. Apparently, Kobe hasn't upgraded to the digital age when pretty much anybody can get news from a wold away instantaneously.

Of course, the LA faithful bought everything he was saying. Growing up in Philly as a life long Laker fan? That sounds a little fishy to me but I digress. Kobe Bryant is only concerned with winning the championship and advancing his own career. Therefore, Bryant would love to go anywhere that he feels would give him a better chance to win the title and advance his own career.

So, using the technology of the ESPN trade machine I will try to put together some trades that would benefit everybody. Now, the likelihood of Kobe getting traded are about as good as an environmental activists' of winning the Nobel Peace Prize but it's always fun to speculate. 

Kobe to New York

Obviously, the Knicks have to top the list. For no other reason than that only New York is bigger than LA. New York could absorb Kobe Bryant and welcome him as a new star. My comrade Dudski talked about this in his blog and I concur.

The Knicks certainly have the pieces to make a big trade and I think going to the Knicks would satisfy Kobe's ego. Being able to resurrect Spike Lee's team would provide Kobe with some motivation and the opportunity to play for Isiah Thomas would make Kobe drool.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to New York Knicks for Malik Rose, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Get a tough power forward in Malike Rose, a great shooter in Richardson, and an upgrade at point with Crawford. The three of them could help in Phil's Triangle and are certainly upgrades over the current cast (excluding Kobe, of course). Crawford, Richardson, Rose, Odom, and Walton could make for a high-flying offense but they still have a huge hole in the middle. They would need to go get a center but this lineup is still better than what they'll have (again excluding Kobe) and two picks in '08 would give them a head start.

Knicks: Having Marbury and Bryant on the same team could be problematic. However, it wouldn't take long for Bryant to assert himself and I truly believe Starbury would defer some of his shooting to Bryant (this isn't Steve Francis we're talking about here). The Knicks would also be off to a good start at rebuilding here and could make a serious play in the East.

Kobe to Chicago

This is one of the most popular scenarios. But the specifics are hard to hammer out. Who would the Bulls be willing to part with? That largely depends on what direction the Bulls as an organization want to go. They have a five year deal with Kirk Hinrich and seem to have committed to him as  their point guard. But the rest of the team is really up for grabs so it's the Bulls choice to make.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Chicago Bulls for Chris Duhon, Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Get a decent point guard who still has promise in Duhon, a developing superstar in Ben Gordon, and the show stopper in Ben Wallace. The first round pick is again, a necessity, and this trade would give the Lakers some options.

Wallace would finally provide a presence at the Center spot and both Duhon and Gordon will be free agents after next season. That would give the Lakers to opportunity to resign them or gain some salary cap space. Their youth is also a big plus and they could be paired with who ever the Lakers pick up to rebuild.

Bulls: Obviously getting Kobe would dramatically improve this team. Hinrich is a creative passer and Kobe is excellent moving without the ball. Those two could mesh beautifully and be a dynamic duo for the Bulls. Again, the middle is exposed without Wallace but this team would be a serious threat in the East.

Kobe to Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks are a very opportunistic team. Mark Cuban is obviously not afraid to spend but he would never execute this trade. Regardless, it's a trade that's possible and makes a degree of sense. But neither the Lakers nor Mavs would willingly make the other better.

This trade I think would also require a little more from the Lakers end to compensate the Mavericks and make the salaries work. Again, the first round pick is a given but if I was the Lakers I would also demand the rising star Josh Howard before I would even consider a trade with Dallas.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kober Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Dallas Mavericks for Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would obviously get two great pieces for their offense. Dirk Nowitski creates serious match up problems and paired with Obom could cause fits for opposing big men on the offensive side. Also, Josh Howard is getting nothing but better and adds a threat on both sides of the court. He's a guard-forward and a solid player. Again, two first round picks would give them some flexibility to build around their Nowitzki-Odom-Howard core.

Mavericks: The Mavs would lose two big pieces of their team but would gain arguably the best player in the league. Bryant would add some offense and some defense and Radmanovic can be counted on as the outside scoring big man. However, he is no Nowitzki and would definitely be a bench player. If Bryant could play like we know he can then this could be a serious upgrade over their current roster.

Now to get a little less conventional.

Kobe to Phoenix

I was thinking about Kobe Bryan in a Suns uniform and I think I like it. He would be a great fit for that offense and would add a dynamic option for them on both sides of the court. If the Suns could get somebody who could slow down opposing offenses then Kobe would easily put them over the top.

Shawn Marion is obviously the key part of any trade between Phoenix and LA but the Suns would have to do quite a bit to sweeten the deal.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion, Raja Bell, a 2008 First Round Pick and a 2009 Second Round Pick

Lakers: Marion for Bryant is not a good trade. However, Bell would add some toughness to the Lakers and could add some potency to their defense. They're not going to score more points with this trade unless they sign a decent point guard. However, getting two picks would give them some serious flexibility and Marion's athleticism would add a new dimension to the Lakers offense. Plus, Bell and Marion would work very well with the players already on the team and the Lakers could actually be a decent team.

Suns: Championship. Hands down. Nash+Stoudemire+Bryant+Diaw=Unstoppable. Plus, Hill off the bench will do great things. I didn't include the fifth man because he would be irrelevant. This trade would land the Suns the championship now and give them an easy chance to repeat next season. The Suns would give up some very big picks over the next couple years but their window is closing and they need to do something to win now.

Kobe to Washington

The Wizards are a team that are on the cusp of glory in the East. If they made a move for Bryant they would significantly increase their chances and get far better on the defensive side of the ball. Meanwhile, the Lakers would get two great components for the Triangle.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Washington Wizards for Antwane Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and a 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would get two great scoring options and two great pieces for the Triangle. Gilbert Arenas is classified as a point guard and would be a huge upgrade over what the Lakers have. Pairing him with Fisher (similar to how the Mavs pair Terry and Harris) could be great. Meanwhile, Jamison has a good inside-outside game and this team could run the floor with the best of them. While they wouldn't improve on defense they would be dynamic on offense and could use that pick to get a true Center. Plus Arenas and Jamison both have short contracts and that would free up a ton of cap room for the Lakers if they chose not to resign them.

Wizards: This would significantly improve the Wizards, especially on the defensive side of the ball. It would give them the best scorer in the league and an extra option in Radmanovic. The Wizards still have Stevenson and Haywood and this would be a good foundation on which to build. In a couple seasons the Wizards could be real contenders.

Kobe to Houston

Here's another team that I could really see Kobe going to. Again, this trade is  far less likely than the already very unlikely trades mentioned above. However, I think a trade between the two could benefit both sides. I said a long time ago the Lakers should've traded Kobe to Orlando for McGrady and I'm thinking maybe they can still do it. McGrady is still a great shooting guard and with the right team can do some great things.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Houston Rockets for Tracy McGrady, Bonzi Wells, Mike James, and 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: Mike James provides and instant upgrade at point guard. Again, he could be paired with Derek Fisher and provide a good option at the two spot. McGrady is one of the best guard-forwards in the league and is behind maybe only Kobe in skill. Things haven't panned out with Yao so maybe a change of scenery will revive him. Bonzi Wells only has a season left on his contract and could free up some cap space. In the meantime, he has flashes of brilliance on both sides of the ball and would add some toughness to the Lakers.

Rockets: The Rockets would get a breath of fresh air. Kobe's worked with a high-caliber center before and maybe he can help Yao get back to what he was promised to be. He can certainly score and play defense and again, a change in scenery could help revive him. Radmanovic would again be a third scoring option and I think could be a bigger threat with defenses keying on Ming and Bryant.

Kobe to New Jersey

Bryant really wanted to play with Jason Kidd. What player wouldn't? Besides Nash he is the most creative point guard in the league and wants to get his scores the ball. Vince Carter is untradable (not because he's better than Kobe, because he has a Trade Restriction) so they'd have to give up Richard Jefferson. They'd also have to give up some promising players and again that first round pick. However, a team with Carter-Kidd-Bryant would be unstoppable in the East and maybe even unstoppable against the west.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Kobe Bryant to the New Jersey Nets for Richard  Jefferson, Sean Williams, Nenad Krstic, Bostjan Nachbar, and a 2008 First Round Pick

Lakers: The Lakers would get Richard Jefferson to keep their scoring up and a promising young point guard to help lead the team. Krstic has been a surprise and could be a real asset to the Triangle. Nachbar also shows some promise but would open up a couple million in cap space if the Lakers decided not to resign him after next season. 

New Jersey Nets: This would set up an epic match up between the Nets and Celtics in the playoffs. Which big three would succeed? I don't know. The Celtics would have a hard time stopping Kobe and Carter plus the Nets have something the Celts don't: a true point guard. I think the Nets would come out on top and challenge for the championship. Again, the Nets window is closing and they need to do something to win now.

Conclusion

None of these trades will happen. However, it's always fun to speculate. My favorite trade is with the Suns because I believe that would spell championship. However, I would also like the Nets trade simply because it would be fun to watch them obliterate the East. All in all, Kobe will simply walk away in 2009 and the Lakers will struggle to rebuild. Buss should try to get something for him now but they will never get equal value for him.

So these are some random scenarios. Let me know what you think but I'm really interested to see if there are any other interesting trades you would have in mind (be creative!). Peace.

In the spirit of labeling teams I've decided to hand out some awards/titles for the teams in the early part of the NBA season. While we've got plenty more basketball before all the good teams reveal themselves and the flops rear their ugly heads, I think the beginning of the season has been fairly interesting.

Surprise Team of the Year:
Los Angeles Clippers
If you thought the Clippers would lead the Pacific Division please raise your hand. If you're raising your hand use it to slap yourself now because you're a liar! Granted a few die-hard Clips fans really thought "this is the year" but haven't they been thinking that ever year for the last, well forever! Everyone thought Sam Cassell was being traded to the Clippers to continue to smoulder in defeat and then quietly move from team to team until retirement. Suddenly, the Clippers are the elite team in LA and the Clippers are looking, if not good, at least not so bad.
In the running: New Jersy Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves

Biggest Bust Team of the Year:
New York Knicks
I had trouble with this one. The Kings were supposed to be at least as good as they were last year and still one of the best teams in the West (they're not). Then I almost selected Indiana because they finally get themselves into some real championship talk and then one player goes and ruins their chances (apparently). This seems to be a pattern and I think they'll be better without Artest. But I think the Knicks take the cake. The Knicks, while not supposed to be the second coming of the Bulls or anything, were supposed to be one of the better teams of the season. Maybe, we were giving Larry Brown too much credit (the Pistons are doing better without him) or maybe the Knicks just aren't as talented as they appear on paper. At any rate I expected a lot more from the new New York Knicks.
In the running: Sacremento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets

In Your Face Experts! Team of the Year:
Pheonix Suns
When Amare Stoudemire went down the league's leading mouths preached doom and gloom for the Suns. Even those that felt the Suns had a chance said they would struggle to stay at .500. They said the Suns would have to hope they could remain either at .500 or just below it when Amare got back. Well, I belive the Suns are above .500 now. I also believe they're playing some pretty good ball with out they're most dynamic player. The Suns have proven while they're not terribly deep they're certainly deeper than one player.
In the running: Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers

We're Gonna Crash! Team of the Year:
Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers
They do every year. They start strong with AI leading the charge. Then he gets hurt and the team plummets. Why? Because they're so used to Iverson controling the ball when he's not there their chemistry is so off they can't rebound (figuratively speaking). They struggle scoring and somehow there's a mental block whenever Iverson isn't in the game. This isn't a knock on Iverson, he actually has quite a few assists in addition to his points (though I still think he tries to create too much for himself). Just like always this team will wear out and may slip out of the playoff hunt.
In the running: Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Seattle Sonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, NOklahoma City Hornets

Championship Team of the Year:
Dallas Mavericks
Mainly because I'm a Mavs fan. But beyond that the Mavericks have actually developed a fairly stingy defense. They've beaten the best of the East (Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers) and have the second best record in the league. They were winning convincingly without Jerry Stackhouse. While he's not neccessarily a differnece maker he adds even more depth to the Mavs bench which is oh so important come playoff time. The Mavs finally look like they may have the right combination of Offense and Defense. It would be a great all around series between the Pistons and Mavs as both teams have improved on their "weaknesses" and appear as solid all around teams.
In the running: San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat

So there you have it! My fake, completely biased yet strangely supported awards/titles what have you. Agree, disagree? Have a category I should have had or want to know why some of the "In the running" teams are there? Well, just leave a comment and I'll get back to ya.