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Let's put the Kiki-bashing in perspective. When Kiki got to Denver, the team sucked, they had a bunch of past-their-prime guys, and they were capped out for years to come. Less than three years later, they're full of exciting, young players and they look like they can challenge for homecourt in the first round, in the deepest conference in NBA history.
I'm not saying Kiki is above criticism, but at least give him his props. He's an incredible GM.
I think the people who don't like this trade are overrating the value of draft picks. First of all Denver wasn't going to get to use these picks for a year or two, and even then it would take two or three years to develop the players they got there. By then who knows whether Andre Miller or Marcus Camby would still be any good. Sometimes you have to be patient but I think that was just too long for Denver to have to way.
That said, really the only way to get a great player in the draft is to have a top five pick. Of course you can find guys like Amare, Kobe, Dirk or Pierce who fell through the cracks but USUALLY if you draft after about eight or nine, you're getting either a role player or a bust. The only way to have a really good chance at a great player is to have a top five pick.
Now how good were the picks that Denver gave up, really? Their own pick is going to be in the 20's. It's garbage. If the Clips get Kobe then their pick won't be that good either, but if they don't get Kobe then the pick MIGHT be really good. I think the Wizards will be in the lottery but they should at least win 30 games so that pick will be around eighth or ninth. Pretty good but not great.
So Denver gave up one very good pick, one pretty good pick, and one awful pick, for an All-Star PF, who gives them the defensive presence they desperately needed.
I have a feeling that the Nets wouldn't have matched this contract, so Denver gave up all those picks for nothing. So yeah, they probably did give up too much. But who knows? If the Nets would have matched it, Denver's cap space would have been wasted. Then, 2005 would be their last chance to use the cap space before Nene was up for an extension and the cap space would be gone forever. It's just too big of a risk. If I was a Nuggets fan I wouldn't be one bit upset.
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If they think we're going into the stands again, then they have the I.Q. of a rabbit. - Stephen Jackson
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