TwinkieFoot

I've always wanted to work for a NBA front office. Do you mind putting in a good word for me since you apparently have connections with the Bobcat front office? While your at it, ask them if there is any validity to the rumors posted in the past about them wanting a low post presence to compliment Okafor, which oddly matches Randolph's M.O.

Then don't because it obviously does not necessarily effect the game. Rasheed Wallace is considered one of the biggest douche-bag's, of all time yet happened to build a contender and win a title with the Pistons.

Baron Davis before going to the Warriors was considered a locker room cancer as was Paul Pierce; both of whom built terrible reps with the USA Basketball Team officials (a reason why they were never invited back. Ironically both happen to head two of the most successfully NBA teams in the league this season.

And let's not forget the greatest player of all-time Michael Jordan. He was another player considered to be an arrogant, insensitive, a-hole who even made one of his teammates cry due to the inhumane punishment he had practiced on him (Kwame Brown). He's had physical altercations WITH TEAMMATES such as Pete Myer's and Steve Kerr. Mike was also caught up in issues with gambling and alleged built a debt so deep that it has been rumored to have been the cause of the death of his father. Somehow that did not keep the Bulls from being one of the most successful franchises of all-time.


So then why waste both our team and propose something you don't believe can happen?



It was in the papers that several Western Conference teams were interested in Randolph but the Blazers wanted him out of the Conference.



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That's nothing but pure conjecture founded upon what you supposedly heard from contacts with various NBA franchises. There is always a market for talented players which has been evident through trades that included malcontent players as JASON RICHARDSON, Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, Sam Cassell, Glen Robinson, etc. Randolph is actually a young player in this particular case which only helps to bolster his appeal to other teams. The Bobcats have even taken risks before on players with character issues such as JEFF MCINNIS AND JASON RICHARDSON who not so long ago was accussed of battery against a young woman and attempting to dodge child support.

NewAgeBaller

Ask any Portland fan, about 90% will say Zach WAS the problem. How can you build an offence around a guy that doesn't/can't pass? Teams just double-team him and he throws up a shot regardless or turns the ball over.

You said All-star caliber. That means X player is good enough to be an all-star, or he's a capable all-star by talent. But if you were saying he's a player capable of making the All-Star Team because he has good stats, I don't see how that helps your argument. But ok, one player who didn't have impressive offensive stats, like Ben Wallace? Gerald Wallace will make an All-Star game before Zach does again imo.

When exactly has he been given a chance to lead a team, except maybe now? Zach is a proven loser, or if thats too harsh, he's not a guy necessary to a contending team and you definately don't build a team around him. Any championship/contending team would love to have Gerald Wallace, I'm sure close to none would be willing to take on Zach Randolph, even disregarding his contract.

Yes, there appears to be a Gerald Wallace in every draft, doesn't mean they're as good as him.

Iguodala? Well they're both athletic, Iggy's a better offensive player while Gerald's a better defensive and rebounder.
Caron? Comparable but again, Gerald's defence is just better.
Deng? What the.. Gerald's defence is much better than Deng's, and Deng is very inconsistent.
Josh Smith? I guess.
Larry Hughes? No. He can defend the guard, Gerald can defend the 2-4 and occasionally even the point. Hughes can't block shots and he's much more injury-prone and inconsistent.
RJ? His defence doesn't even compare to Gerald's..

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TwinkieFoot

90% probably would say that Rasheed Wallace WAS the problem as well. Doesn't seem to be much of that with the Pistons anymore now does he? Teams have been building offenses around guys who can't pass for years. One of the greatest centers of all-time, Hakeem Olajuwon, was regarded as a ball hog his first few years in the league. By 93-94, however, Olajuwon began seeing the game better and helped turn the Rockets into title contenders. His game was far more advanced than Randolph but you should note that post players are not nearly as readily available now as they were then. Besides, Randolph is still young enough to improve the holes in his game and ironically around the same age Olajuwon began improving his passing skills.

Ben Wallace was the league leader in rebounds and block shots for many years and the only relevant center in the Eastern Conference at the time. Out West, that might have been a different story but I guess I'll accept that answer even though Wallace was much more than just a defensive player. LOL, I don't even know how your complaining about Zach not being an all-star caliber player when he's already made the team and just averaged career highs last year. I don't see the rationale in your argument.


Now? Now has been about 4 seasons since the Bobcats were started. Even now there is room for him to step into the role of being the franchise player/leader of that team and has not be able to fill that role. Again, help me with those contacts you got because they definately should come in handy. If you got none then your just making empty statements.


Yes, there appears to be a Gerald Wallace in every draft, doesn't mean they're as good as him.

Also, inform me when the government actually okay's human cloning because apparently that is what your looking for in this discussion. Once again, DEFENSIVE ORIENTED SMALL FORWARDS, is who we were referring too. That fits quite a number of players as you can see but obviously no two players are almost identically alike. My earlier statement still stands.

NewAgeBaller

If you still believe so firmly Randolph is better for a team than Gerald Wallace (particularly a young up-coming one), then theres no point in trying to convince you. I (and every Charlotte fan) can also pretty much guarantee that Charlotte would never do Gerald for Randolph but according to you it doesn't matter unless theres factual evidence. Shaq for KG is also possible, doesn't mean it's gona happen.

You know just about everyone would agree that Charlotte would want Gerald more than Zach (you can ask any Charlotte fan or even the general board if you want), so I don't see why you're trying to argue otherwise..

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TwinkieFoot

...Because the majority does not gaurantee factuality. Alot of people thought the world was flat at one point, alot of people think that evolution is not credible despite mounting evidence otherwise, alot of people thought going into Iraq was a good idea, alot of people think leaving Iraq right now is a good idea. Like I said earlier, the majority does not mean anything...only facts do.

P.S., Shaq for KG is possible but ludcrious simply because of the talent drop off from KG to Shaq. In this trade, you'd be acquiring productive players for productive players; the Knicks just happen to be losing the most productive one in the trade.

Zuca

I firmly believe that Gooden is a way better fit with his defensive mind to play with Curry than Randolph. And I believe that Randolph is a way better fit to Adelman system than Battier (who was a JVG type of player)

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Resume

Then how come we got rid of Zach, got even YOUNGER players (meaning NO veterans) and now our team is one of the best in the league?

Face it. You got stole on this deal. Zach = Team Killer

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seifer0406

I'm not saying that Zach isn't an "all-star" caliber player, I'm saying that you won't get a potential all-star in return for him. Just remember who you gave up to get Randolph, Steve Francis and Channing Fyre, no allstars there. If Randolph was worth that much 6 months ago, what exactly did he do in the past 6 months to elevate his trade value? Just imagine this, 6 months ago, Portland's GM already called every other GM asking if they are interested in trading for Randolph and the Knicks trade was the best they could come up with. Now, 6 months later, what makes you think that now with a desperate Isiah on the phone, a GM that's the joke of the league, people would suddenly be more interested in Zach than 6 months ago? It's unlikely, and moreover if some sucker indeed purpose a better offer, the obvious question would be why didn't you get Randolph for cheap 6 months ago and why are you now getting taken advantaged by a retard. It doesn't look good, in fact, it looks pretty darn moronic, or should I say "Isiah-esque".

The need for the Blazers to trade Randolph 6 months ago is at least comparable with the need that the Knicks need to get rid of Randolph. It's not like NY is all of a sudden on higher trading grounds because their team is satisfied with or without the trade. Zach and Eddy do not fit on the same team, it's not working now and it's not going to work later. They need to get rid of Zach, everyone in the league knows it. With the recent locker room fiasco, I would say that Randolph might worth less than when he was in Portland. The fact that the Blazers made the drastic improvement this year with basically the same team as last year -Randolph would make him seems even less worthy of his gigantic contract.

I still stand by my statement earlier. Only way that a team would want Randolph is if the team is either in need of short term fix/has injury problems/mediocre and has other overpaid/expiring/misfitting players. They might roll the dice and gamble on someone like Randolph. Otherwise, nobody is going to trade an integral piece of a franchise for someone like him. Some Knicks homer might disagree, but this isn't NBA-Live and GMs aren't idiots, at least GMs outside NY aren't. In a video game you'd trade a 86 rating guy and get a 86 back, but this isn't a game.

TwinkieFoot

I definately don't disagree that Gooden is a better fit than Randolph. I actually believe he's a pretty good fit to Eddy Curry period. I just don't think that Randolph is a fit next to Ming for the same reason he isn't a fit next to Eddy.

TwinkieFoot

The same thing basically happened with the Hornets after they got rid of Baron Davis and drafted Chris Paul. This is a game of fits and sometimes there can be such a thing as being too talented in a particular system. As you can see, Baron and the Warriors are playing very well right now as a result of ech other.

TwinkieFoot

The Nets got Vince Carter for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning (who made it clear he would not play for Toronto) and some first round picks. Vince has made the all-star game every season since. Baron Davis was traded for Speedy Claxton (who the Warriors let go soon thereafter) and Dale Davis (an expiring contract).Hell, Wilt Chamberlain was traded in his prime for a bunch of guys whose names no one really remember. Moral of the story is that the players you are traded for, especially in the world of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap's, do not determine your worth as a player.

Portland had two things on its agenda if they moved Randolph: cap flexibility and/or young players. Months leading up to the draft, it focused much of it's energy moving Randolph for the 3rd pick to select Mike Conley Jr. but failed. With him being unavailable, they went to the next best option that also kept Randolph out of the Western Conference. That happened to be the package the Knicks had.

The Knicks have a different agenda on their list when they attempt to move Randolph. I personally believe it will be for a compliment to Eddy Curry which Gerald Wallace certainly is. As we've seen in the past, teams are alway willing to take a chance on young productive talent so I think the Bobcats pull the trigger.

Just because your talented does not mean you will be a perfect fit in any given system. We've guys in very similar positions to Randolph lose in certain situations but be the main reason behind the teams success in others. The list includes Baron Davis, Rasheed Wallace, Jason Terry, etc.

Funny thing is that at 17-26 (Knicks are 14-28), I think it's safe to say that the Bobcats fit your description. I don't think they just gave up a lottery pick for Jason Richardson to win later. Unfortunately for them, they are not good enough at the moment to do so and likely would be willing to make a move for a young player who has not seen his best game yet.