[luther]

Originally Posted by Ruff Draft

How would you guys feel about maybe Craig Smith/ McCants/ Filler trade for Varejao? We get a scrappy defensive guy who can back-up our front-court. Cleveland would love more firepower from either one of those guys.

I'd like Varejao here. And I'd be very open to moving Smith especially in a sign-and-trade because even though I know a lot of people here like the idea of keeping him, I don't see that as a great option: he's just too limited in his usefulness, and those strengths are duplicative of our best player's. I don't know what Smith is going to be seeking on the free agent market, but considering Varejao is at something like $5.7, it wouldn't take much. McCants is at $2.6 or so, meaning another $3 million would make it an even match--and it only has to be within 25%. Odd as it sounds coming from me, though, if we could keep McCants, I'd probably prefer to, at least unless we re-sign Snyder (and maybe regardless). We don't have a lot of guys who can hit from the outside and beat their men off the dribble, and he is one.

[Mateo]

I like that deal in January. I don't want to rid of Smith before we know that Love can be a starter and can provide low post scoring.

[jokeaward]

McCants plus Smith or just one?

Anderson Varejao is not McCants better than Smith, be reasonable. Smith doesn't hustle?

[luther]

Originally Posted by jokeaward

Smith doesn't hustle?

I don't think anyone thinks Smith doesn't hustle. But he is a very poor defender (not to mention very short for his position), and he is really selfish offensively. So yes, he's a great post scorer and rebounder, but I believe he's a guy whose stats are better than his game sometimes. I see what Mateo is saying about holding off, but I don't think we can deal him other than in a sign-and-trade. Once a player takes the qualifying offer, he has the power to approve or reject trades and is forced to give up his chance at Bird rights. And if someone else signs him and we match, I believe we cannot trade him for one year.

[Ruff Draft]

Craig Smith is an offesnvie frontcourt guy off the bench. He'll score, and rebound. He is a mini-Randolph with a good head. Maybe one day he'll get a better passing game and focus more on D.

[Ruff Draft]

I could actually take Jason Williams for cheap off the bench. He is great friends with Mike Miller, and would be fine off the bench.

[Mateo]

Jefferson is a mini Randolph, that is a good comparison. But he doesn't get paid like Randolph or have any entitlement problems. I think I'm the only person here who likes Smith, I guess because he's the only draft pick we've had post-Joe Smith that didn't underachieve.

[luther]

You think you're the only one? I think everyone likes him--seems that way to me, anyway. I even like him somewhat, although I've been the biggest proponent to a S/T with him.

[jokeaward]

No, Smith is a mini Randolph. Jefferson is no smaller and is better, though Zach had his seasons.

[luther]

Originally Posted by jokeaward

No, Smith is a mini Randolph. Jefferson is no smaller and is better, though Zach had his seasons.

I think based on context that Mateo meant Smith, too, and just made a typo.

[jokeaward]

Originally Posted by luther

I think based on context that Mateo meant Smith, too, and just made a typo.

Jefferson, Smith... maybe we can throw in a Hamilton; he wrote a lot back then, didn't he?

[Mateo]

I meant Smith, sorry wasn't thinking straight at the moment.

[Damian Necronamous]

So what does Minnesota's roster look like at the moment?

PG: Randy Foye
SG: Rashad McCants
SF: Mike Miller...Corey Brewer...Brian Cardinal
PF: Kevin Love...Ryan Gomes...Craig Smith...Mark Madsen
C: Al Jefferson...Jason Collins...Chris Richard

It's gonna be unreal how bad they are next season. They might as well try to ship out McCants, Smith along with the contracts of Cardinal and Madsen in search of a big expiring. Cleveland might do that for Wally. At least that would make room for Brandon Jennings or DeRozan in 09-10...Minnesota is going to be so bad next year...

[luther]

Originally Posted by Damian Necronamous

So what does Minnesota's roster look like at the moment?

PG: Randy Foye
SG: Rashad McCants
SF: Mike Miller...Corey Brewer...Brian Cardinal
PF: Kevin Love...Ryan Gomes...Craig Smith...Mark Madsen
C: Al Jefferson...Jason Collins...Chris Richard

It's gonna be unreal how bad they are next season. They might as well try to ship out McCants, Smith along with the contracts of Cardinal and Madsen in search of a big expiring. Cleveland might do that for Wally. At least that would make room for Brandon Jennings or DeRozan in 09-10...Minnesota is going to be so bad next year...

Gomes, Smith and Richard are all restricted free agents, and so you can't really quite include them yet. But I don't see any reason to tank in the hopes that the next generation of high school stars could turn anything around. After all, Collins, Jefferson, Love, Miller and McCants were all extremely well regarded as high schoolers, and now they're the guys who you say are horrible. The only thing worse than a proven mediocre player is the mistaken belief in an unproven player, I think. You can't just assume that a guy like Derozan--who seems to be lacking in actual basketball skills, from what I've seen, and mostly just an athlete--is going to be so great. He's certainly not worth tanking for.