NetIncome

Collins shut down Zach Randolph last night. Randolph was held to 9 points, 2 boards and 2 foul shots, all way below his averages. In fact, the Blazers entire front court contingent--Randolph, Khryapa, Przybilla and Ratliff--scored a total of 20 points. Collins and Robinson did a hell of a job. That said, how do you let Steve Blake and Juan Dixon beat you when the front court is not a factor.

Frank still doesnt know what to do with the rotation. Planinic gets no time, then gets a key role. Padgett gets a lot of time, then NONE. Yes he has played mediocre the last couple of weeks, but no time whatsoever. The starters were beat by game end, in part because Frank wasn't using his bench effectively. He has trust in only two players now: Robinson and Vaughn...and Vaughn played poorly.

The Nets are hamstrung in trade talks until they decide they will give up one of those first round picks. The Nets are admittedly in a difficult position. With a top-heavy salary structure, their only real assets are the draft picks. Only one other team has two unprotected first round picks this year: the Hornets. And only the Nets and the Hornets have two unprotected first round picks this year and their own picks in 2007 and 2008. It's great that the Nets harbor those picks, but no significant deal will get done unless the Nets are willing to deal them...and right now, they aren't.

I see Thorn reiterated what Stefanski said last summer: that the Nets would not give up the rights to Ilic in the Abdur-Rahim trade. Yet another asset that few teams have: a second round pick now viewed as a "first round equivalent". And his value actually goes up after this year...unless FMP sells him to another European team that gives up a new contract...his contract runs out in July 2007.

Mr.Montross

That the Nets' 1st round picks are 'unprotected' really doesn't mean a whole lot, being they almost asssuredly non-lottery picks.

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When you got to shoot, shoot, don't talk-Tuco

NetIncome

Depends on what the protections are. The Nuggets pick traded to the Raptors in the Carter deal has protections through 2008. And it's always better to have unprotected picks than picks with none. If the Clipper pick had been unprotected last year, the Nets could have used it to get a much better pick. It increases your flexibility.

Mr.Montross

That's nice, but we are talking about the Nets picks, and I'm saying that there unprotected status means very little to a team willing to deal for them.

__________________
When you got to shoot, shoot, don't talk-Tuco

NetIncome

Again, one more time, it's better to have unprotected picks when making a deal than protected picks. Your assumption appears to be that the only kind of protections are lottery protections when in fact the number of protections associated with picks can involve a lot more than lottery protections.

7M3

Did you not watch this game? Randolph did whatever he wanted against Collins, and that's what, in part, propelled the Blazers to the big early lead. The reason Zach Randolph stopped scoring is because the pace of the game increased, and the Blazers stopped giving him the ball.

Collins was atrocious defensively last night, on his man and off.

Mr.Montross

Well, naturally Nets own pick is unprotected. It can only become protected IF IT'S TRADED.

Clips pick looks like it will be in the 20-22 range.

Are there any traded picks out ther that are protected past the # 20 slot?

__________________
When you got to shoot, shoot, don't talk-Tuco