Chris Wallace

[tb727]

I just need somewhere to vent about this.  Watching this Nuggets-Lakers game, and seeing how much Gasol helps them, it just sickens me to think of how right when the Celts were on the cusp of being dominant when the Lakers were down (like vice versa from the early 2000s) our wonderful former general manager gift wraps Gasol to them for nothing.  At least the T-Wolves got Jefferson who is a 20-10 guy for KG.

I detest Wallace.  He botched so many things up for the Celtics when he was there (e.g. taking the Nuggets pick instead of waiting for the Anthony draft; giving Joe Johnson instead of Kedrick Brown when Brown is who the Suns wanted; the awful drafting of Joe Forte and Moiso (I know Pitino was involved in the latter too).

Those Laker teams that were a 7th seed getting knocked out in the first round- they were never going to be much better than that without having to give up something quality unless a bonehead GM did exactly what Wallace did.  I mean come on Chris, couldn't you at least not do something dumb like that?

Ugh!  Bottom line- Chris Wallace, you SUCK.

Feel free to discuss I have nothing else to say on this.

[PosImpos]

Can you refresh my memory on exactly what the trade was?  I do seem to remember that it was ridiculous...the Lakers get a All-Star big guy and the Grizzlies get...what exactly?  They still suck and the Lakers are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA.

[Roy Hobbs]

Can you refresh my memory on exactly what the trade was?  I do seem to remember that it was ridiculous...the Lakers get a All-Star big guy and the Grizzlies get...what exactly?  They still suck and the Lakers are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA.

It was Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol, Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown (expiring), Aaron McKie (expiring), and two #1s (2008 and 2010).  The 2008 #1 was used on Dontae Greene, who was then swapped for Darrel Arthur.

The trade worked out better than it looked like it was going to, because Marc Gasol is a legitimate prospect.  Still, it was a poor trade, with Memphis' ownership later saying he that they should have talked to more teams to gauge trade value.

[johnnyrondo]

I love how when the Celtics asked for Gasol they were asked to give up a minimum of Jefferson and ratliff's contract, but the Lakers got him for just an expiring contract essentially. If anything wallace shood of hooked the C's up?

OP, are you saying the C's could have had Carmelo, Wade, or Bosh if they waited a yr for that Denver pick?

[tb727]

I love how when the Celtics asked for Gasol they were asked to give up a minimum of Jefferson and ratliff's contract, but the Lakers got him for just an expiring contract essentially. If anything wallace shood of hooked the C's up?

OP, are you saying the C's could have had Carmelo, Wade, or Bosh if they waited a yr for that Denver pick?

I believe the Celts had to pick 1 of 3 years, since the Anthony draft was 2 years after.  Still even if it was only a year, they could've had the #5 pick the following year when Stoudamire was available.  Then again Wallace would've probably picked Tskitishvili too 

[PosImpos]

Can you refresh my memory on exactly what the trade was?  I do seem to remember that it was ridiculous...the Lakers get a All-Star big guy and the Grizzlies get...what exactly?  They still suck and the Lakers are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA.

It was Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol, Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown (expiring), Aaron McKie (expiring), and two #1s (2008 and 2010).  The 2008 #1 was used on Dontae Greene, who was then swapped for Darrel Arthur.

The trade worked out better than it looked like it was going to, because Marc Gasol is a legitimate prospect.  Still, it was a poor trade, with Memphis' ownership later saying he that they should have talked to more teams to gauge trade value.

I'm confused.  I thought Marc Gasol was a rookie this year?

[johnnyrondo]

Can you refresh my memory on exactly what the trade was?  I do seem to remember that it was ridiculous...the Lakers get a All-Star big guy and the Grizzlies get...what exactly?  They still suck and the Lakers are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA.

It was Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol, Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown (expiring), Aaron McKie (expiring), and two #1s (2008 and 2010).  The 2008 #1 was used on Dontae Greene, who was then swapped for Darrel Arthur.

The trade worked out better than it looked like it was going to, because Marc Gasol is a legitimate prospect.  Still, it was a poor trade, with Memphis' ownership later saying he that they should have talked to more teams to gauge trade value.

I'm confused.  I thought Marc Gasol was a rookie this year?

He was, but he was drafted 2 yrs ago. Just didn't come over til this yr. Lakers traded his rights.

[Tradetime]

I feel bad for Memphis, because they have to deal with Chris's boneheadedness now.  They will have Mayo and Gay, both of whom I feel have already reached their ceilings. They got all of the run they wanted to last year, and Gay has for the past 3 yrs and it has amounted to a 20-something win team each year.

Yeah, he gave away Billups and Joe Johnson, and gave away probably Chris Bosh from the '03 draft (we needed a big).


I think what you're saying is that Kobe is basically having it HANDED to him to have repeat trips to the finals. There was no rebuilding by the Lakers the traditional way of draft picks that played well enough to be somebody in the league; Chris just handed them Pau and told them to have a nice playoff run, hypothetically.

[tb727]

I feel bad for Memphis, because they have to deal with Chris's boneheadedness now.  They will have Mayo and Gay, both of whom I feel have already reached their ceilings. They got all of the run they wanted to last year, and Gay has for the past 3 yrs and it has amounted to a 20-something win team each year.

Yeah, he gave away Billups and Joe Johnson, and gave away probably Chris Bosh from the '03 draft (we needed a big).


I think what you're saying is that Kobe is basically having it HANDED to him to have repeat trips to the finals. There was no rebuilding by the Lakers the traditional way of draft picks that played well enough to be somebody in the league; Chris just handed them Pau and told them to have a nice playoff run, hypothetically.

Precisely.  I mean yes give credit to a shrewd GM (Kupchak) when they're able to capitalize on this and speed up the rebuilding process.  But still of ALL the teams to give him to, they gave him to the Celts' biggest enemy.  Couldn't he give him to someone else?  I mean is his every intention in life to screw the Celtics lol??

[PosImpos]

Can you refresh my memory on exactly what the trade was?  I do seem to remember that it was ridiculous...the Lakers get a All-Star big guy and the Grizzlies get...what exactly?  They still suck and the Lakers are clearly one of the best teams in the NBA.

It was Pau Gasol for Marc Gasol, Javaris Crittenton, Kwame Brown (expiring), Aaron McKie (expiring), and two #1s (2008 and 2010).  The 2008 #1 was used on Dontae Greene, who was then swapped for Darrel Arthur.

The trade worked out better than it looked like it was going to, because Marc Gasol is a legitimate prospect.  Still, it was a poor trade, with Memphis' ownership later saying he that they should have talked to more teams to gauge trade value.

I'm confused.  I thought Marc Gasol was a rookie this year?

He was, but he was drafted 2 yrs ago. Just didn't come over til this yr. Lakers traded his rights.

Ah okay, figured it was something like that.

[clover]

Chris Wallace, the anti-McHale?

[tb727]

Funny QA from Simmons on this:

Q: Lemme ask you something: How many GMs were responsible for all four Finals teams in a two-year span? No way the Lakers make it twice without Pau Gasol. I made that one possible by accepting 30 cents on the dollar for someone who immediately became one of the best 10-12 guys in basketball. No way Orlando makes it without Rafer Alston. I made that one possible by agreeing to turn Kyle Lowry into a late first-rounder in the worst draft in nine years when you can now buy a late first-rounder for $200 on PayPal. And no way the Celtics win last season unless I screwed things up to the point that they bottomed out midway through the decade and gained enough assets to acquire KG and Ray Allen. That's right baby, 4-for-4! I am the gift that keeps on giving.
-- C. Wallace, Memphis

SG: Yes, you are. At the very least, you've earned a four-year deal to be an ESPN or TNT analyst when you get fired.

[JSD]

The Celtics never had a shot at a high pick in the "03" Draft. The Nuggets started "blowing it up" after the Celtics exercised that pick. That "01" Nuggets team went 40-42 and had Antonio McDyess (pre-injury), a young Raef LaFrentz, James Posey and Nick Van Exel as its core. They were a team a tweak or two away from the playoffs that went the opposite direction for the Lebron James Sweepstakes.

If the C's held off the Nuggets would have been a playoff cusp team = no Carmelo, Bosh or Wade.

[BadNewsBarnes]

tb727, you are preaching to the choir on this one.  I hate Chris Wallace for resurrecting the Lakers. 

It's just laughable when the Faker fans complain that we got Garnett on the cheap.  I think the T-Wolves got good value in Big Al & Gomes.

The whole Gasol deal seemed very suspicious.  Weren't there some rumors that Jerry West had some involvement as well? 

[jambr380]

He's definitely the Matt Millen of the NBA (or maybe it is the other way around). When that deal went down, it was very suspect. Granted, it doesn't look quite as bad right now because M. Gasol has turned out 'okay', but he is nowhere near his brother-and if we all remember, he was not a prospect anyone really wanted a part of. People laughed when it was suggested we should take him in the 2nd round the year he was drafted. Had we only known that's all it would take to get Pau...

No sour grapes, as we got a championship, but geez, you are right, it is like Wallace has it out for us...