Five pretender-to-contender trades
NOTE: This is an ESPN Insider article. However, one of the 5 suggested trades involves the Warriors dealing Monta Ellis to Portland. Here's the details:
"Portland Trail Blazers - Current TR championship odds: 3.7 percent
TeamRankings.com's Power Ratings have Portland as the third-best team in the West, making them dark horse contenders as is. LaMarcus Aldridge is a bona fide star, but could use some consistent scoring help from the wings. Jamal Crawford was brought in to do that, but his 36.1 FG percentage does far more harm than good.
Needs: Brandon Roy and Greg Oden are clearly missed, because the Blazers' biggest holes are consistent wing scoring and a young big man. Marcus Camby still provides strong defense down low, though, so getting an offensive upgrade at shooting guard might be more important.
Assets: Wesley Matthews and Nic Batum are above-average youngsters who could fit in on many teams.
The trade: Matthews and Camby to Golden State for Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins
This is a downgrade at center and a worse contract for Portland. To give itself a realistic chance to win, however, Portland needs to take a risk on somebody like Ellis. A little shot-selection coaching and some encouraging on the defensive end would really improve his game, and he has much more scoring talent than Matthews or even Crawford. This trade builds a team that can push the pace with small ball, something with which it already has success.
Ray Allen and J.J. Redick could also add the kind of offense the Trail Blazers need." - Austin Link, ESPN
4 months ago
mcwalter44
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Comments
Rather have Batum.
"That was very funny about the old man basketball skills. One is lucky to escape injury when playing against those crafty, crusty sumbitches. And it’s just demoralizing when they demonstrate yet again how to use the backboard from range." - Charlie Custer
by SmittytheCutman on Jan 31, 2012 3:45 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I wouldn't mind either Matthews or Batum
Batum’s length gives him an edge because of defense, but I’ve always liked Matthews’ game and would fit nicely at the 2, still allowing Rush to come off the bench
Totally down with Camby. He may be old but he’s been playing really well lately, huge improvement from Biedrins.
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I'd do this in a heart beat
Makes us a much more well rounded team. Better on the defensive end too. Doing this trade puts our trust completely in Currys hands though. Not saying it’s the wrong move, but risky.
I’m digging Cambys expiring contract too whilst we get rid of 2 players making 10mil a season for the next 2-3 years.
GSW '12 CHAMPS!
My hope is to see an offense that’s not completely in anyone’s hands…
by Missing Barry on Jan 31, 2012 4:11 PM PST up reply actions
sounds good to me
this is just some writers opinion, but I’d me more than happy to flip monta and beans for Wes…
"I am very worried about the Warriors"
-brutusbrutus
yeah they can't coexist on the same team
Both are ball dominant players that love jacking up shots
haha
Portland would be insane to do that deal! Who wrote this crap?
J-RIDAH: Its not 1 player in this draft better than Monta or Lee. Anthony Davis is no different than Al Farouq Aminu. Andre Drummond could be good but he is not impressive at this point at all besides his size. This draft is hella overated.
(JaVale) Mcgee is better than anybody in this draft.
Paul Allen is crazy
Would be the first reason I could think of.
A Sonics fan without a team... but after 7 seasons now of GS Warriors season tickets have convinced me to adopt the boys from Oakland.
how is dumb for us exactly?
J-RIDAH: Its not 1 player in this draft better than Monta or Lee. Anthony Davis is no different than Al Farouq Aminu. Andre Drummond could be good but he is not impressive at this point at all besides his size. This draft is hella overated.
(JaVale) Mcgee is better than anybody in this draft.
this
i also do not see how this is dumb for us
"Anthony Davis is no different than Al Farouq Aminu." - J--Ridah
Me: So who (from the 2011 draft class) compares with (Anthony) Davis?
J-Ridah: Biyombo
well, if you're on the tank wagon
I think Camby and Batum in our starting lineup guarantees we don’t keep out pick this year, yet doesn’t make the team good enough to be considered a legitimate title contender.
it does clear out some bad contracts though
and it’s likely we won’t keep our pick with the current roster also.
"Anthony Davis is no different than Al Farouq Aminu." - J--Ridah
Me: So who (from the 2011 draft class) compares with (Anthony) Davis?
J-Ridah: Biyombo
That's true, would be nice to clear the beans contract...
The only reason I would say no is that I worry that if the team did improve enough to snag an 8 seed the ownership would pat themselves on the back for doing what they said they would instead of feel pressure to keep improving
I’m not worried about that. I truly believe the ownership wants to build a contender, and knows the 8th seed isn’t the goal.
by Missing Barry on Jan 31, 2012 7:38 PM PST up reply actions
He's a Monta fan.
Gambino is a mastermind...
by GovernorStephCurry on Jan 31, 2012 8:10 PM PST up reply actions
It's true, Monta is my favorite Warriors
But at the end of the day I’m a Ws fan. I bought my ticket for the tank train a long time ago, I just wanna see them stockpile some picks and try to become relevant by having more chances to luck into a superstar. Marcus Camby and Nicholas Batum or Wesley Matthews are not that. I’m saying they make this team enough better that they guarantee we lose our pick this year, but not good enough to be relevant.
I'm also a Stephen Curry fan.
and an Andris Biedrins fan. And a David Lee fan. And interestingly enough, a Wesley Mathews fan. But none of that matters to you.
http://nbawarriors.wordpress.com/
do you cheer when he scores?
or blocks a shot?
if so, you’re gross too lol
http://nbawarriors.wordpress.com/
hahaha, +1....here's me

"I am very worried about the Warriors"
-brutusbrutus
by Duby Dub Dubs on Feb 1, 2012 2:45 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
here's another good one

"I am very worried about the Warriors"
-brutusbrutus
by Duby Dub Dubs on Feb 1, 2012 4:40 PM PST up reply actions
Matthews is a good player to fit into a well put-together team.
We aren’t that. A lot of his value is lost coming here, as he’ll be forced to handle the ball more, and he’s not really a play-maker. Obviously he has the size, strength and defense at the 2 that Monta does not, but he’s much better fit on a team like Portland, which has a player that functions as a true point guard, as well as a legitimate post up threat and Gerald Wallace (whatever kind of offensive weapon you call him, kind of too versatile for me to give him a label really). We’re really no better on the offensive end of the floor anywhere but point guard, but even there, you kind of lose some ball-handling, which I already said, would hurt us.
I guess I’m not really looking at it as a way to dump Biedrins, but I wouldn’t trade Monta for Mathews heads up, and I don’t see how it moves us in the right direction at all, so losing the Biedrins contract wouldn’t help us that much anyway.
Basically, Mathews is a good starting SG. Not necessarily a difference-maker anywhere on the court. Monta, however, is a play-maker on a regular basis. I think he’s significantly more valuable to us than a guy like Mathews.
http://nbawarriors.wordpress.com/
Talk about a rip off
People write these scenarios that are so one sided. The Warriors wouldn’t touch this trade. Substitute Batum for Matthews and maybe that’s a conversation starter.
how is it one sided?
we dump beans’ contract and get a more efficient scorer than monta…
oh i see now, one-sided for the warriors
"Anthony Davis is no different than Al Farouq Aminu." - J--Ridah
Me: So who (from the 2011 draft class) compares with (Anthony) Davis?
J-Ridah: Biyombo
I guess you're not on the tank wagon
What I see is getting rid of 2 of our 3 biggest contracts for a young player and an expiring contract… Thats exactly what you’re supposed to do as a tank.
Except the problem is that expiring is actually a solid player that fills a position of need. Out with Camby in with Felton?!?!…?
by Missing Barry on Jan 31, 2012 8:14 PM PST up reply actions
Talk about a rip off
For Portland.
Gambino is a mastermind...
by GovernorStephCurry on Jan 31, 2012 8:11 PM PST up reply actions
If we were forced to deal with them
I’d actually prefer Matthews, not Batum.
Batum has “potential,” but Matthews has shown he’s good enough to contribute positively in a number of ways. He’s the kind of player that always tends to bring positive value to a team, even on a bad shooting night. He’s not going to be a star, or a play-maker, but he’s a smart starting SG who can a little of everything.
http://nbawarriors.wordpress.com/
Camby
has made it clear he would retire before playing for anyone not contending. So this trade would be the gentleman’s agreement to buy-out or cut Camby, and he resigns with the Blazers, and we would be benefiting by acquiring Matthews and also losing Beins…but Ellis is better than Matthews, so that’s why we do this.
I'm with you on this
Camby would be a buyout candidate. So really your giving up 20 million dollars in 12-13 and other 20 million in 13-14 (though both are player options) in return for 3 years of control of Mathews at 6.5, 6.0 and 7.3 million through 14-15 season plug whatever buyout you get Camby to agree to.
Hell just losing one season of Beans and Monta covers Mathews and Camby should cost us too much since this type of deal wouldn’t happen until the deadline.
A Sonics fan without a team... but after 7 seasons now of GS Warriors season tickets have convinced me to adopt the boys from Oakland.
We should have traded Ellis and Curry for expirings, young talent and or picks
After Curry’s rookie year. Sure Curry may have a reoccurring ankle problem like he does now but we would have other young players, maybe more picks and a better salary future anyway. Either way the team isn’t going to be a contender for a few more years at least. We should have just pulled the band-aid off fast but instead we are pulling it off slowly and painfully.
Do these salaries work?
Camby and Mathews are like $17.5 mil combined. Biedrins and Monta are $20 mil combined.




























