Does Washington getting the top pick make them a destination for max level FAs?

[wiley]

Well, if we're talking about desperate franchises, what about the Cavs?

Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson for Arenas. LeBron gets a legit assassin sidekick.

I think you've solved it.  That's exactly what should happen, with Washington getting the Cav's 1st rounder this year...

Then Washington should dump everyone and start over from scratch.....Wall, Bosh the free agent, plus 3 other 1st round picks via trading off everything....plus a bench (acquired in the trades as well)....

Cav's lineup:  DWest, Arenas, Lebron, Hickson, Varejao, etc....

[BballTim]

Well, if we're talking about desperate franchises, what about the Cavs?

Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson for Arenas. LeBron gets a legit assassin sidekick.

  Unless Gilbert is going to recover further from his knee injury than he already has I don't know that he'd really qualify as a legit sidekick, let alone a legit assassin sidekick. He's not the same player he was.

[indeedproceed]

Well, if we're talking about desperate franchises, what about the Cavs?

Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson for Arenas. LeBron gets a legit assassin sidekick.

  Unless Gilbert is going to recover further from his knee injury than he already has I don't know that he'd really qualify as a legit sidekick, let alone a legit assassin sidekick. He's not the same player he was.

Thinking Gilbert is going to be traded is kinda like when we were praying for Greg Oden..it's possible, but not likely. The rationality is fools gold. Simply way too much risk for a type of player that can be found elsewhere. He might be bargain bin but you get what you pay for kinda thing.

And sometime around Jan next year someone will post this and say "How is 24ppg and 7 assists replaceable?!"

[kg is king]

Arenas when healthy is one of the best players in the game! He trained with the same trainer Wade trained with after his knee surgery, so I think it is too premature to keep out the possibility that Arenas will make a strong come back. This past season he has shown flashes of his old-self, and now with all this rest his knee will recover even more.

With that said, I think Washington definitely has a legitimate chance to land a max free agent. It is a fairly big market team down there in DC. Ownership seems dedicated to winning, Blatche is evolving into a all-star caliber level player (I think he averaged 20 points after the all-star break). Josh Howard is still a very solid player, as is Thornton. Flip is a good enough coach. McGee has the potential to be that defensive anchor with his shot blocking ability and athleticism. They also have the mid-level exception to be used on other rotation players (probably another big)So I think the pieces are there for Washington.

[Who]

Well, if we're talking about desperate franchises, what about the Cavs?

Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson for Arenas. LeBron gets a legit assassin sidekick.

  Unless Gilbert is going to recover further from his knee injury than he already has I don't know that he'd really qualify as a legit sidekick, let alone a legit assassin sidekick. He's not the same player he was.

Thinking Gilbert is going to be traded is kinda like when we were praying for Greg Oden..it's possible, but not likely. The rationality is fools gold. Simply way too much risk for a type of player that can be found elsewhere. He might be bargain bin but you get what you pay for kinda thing.

And sometime around Jan next year someone will post this and say "How is 24ppg and 7 assists replaceable?!"

That is the exact reason why some team will be willing to take that large risk -- 24ppg and 7apg is awful tempting.

[Moranis]

I think Cleveland actually makes a lot of sense for Arenas.

Mo Williams and filler (boobie, sign and trade shaq, etc) for Arenas. 

It would give the team a legit #2 guy and from what I've read Jamison and Arenas got along fairly well so there shouldn't be issues on that front.

Cavs next year with Arenas, West, Lebron, Jamison, and Varejao, with Big Z, Hickson, Parker, and Moon coming off the bench is a better team then they had this year.  They could then use the MLE to get some solid veterans to fill in the gaps (Al Harrington, TMac, Rafer Alston, or guys of similar stature wouldn't be bad additions).

[Kwhit10]

If Washington keeps Arenas what a waste of a first overall pick.  Wall will be stuck on a team with the ball hog Arenas (when ever he plays) while he also takes up so much cap space.

[moiso]

I don't think Arenas is a fit at all for the Cavs.  Actually, I don't see him as much of a fit for any team whose goal is to win basketball games.

[wdleehi]

Three big steps left to become attractive.


1) Get the sale of the team to Ted over with.  He should be a good owner.

2) Get rid of Gilbert.  I think he is top FA kryptonite.  Not to mention, do you want him teaching Wall the NBA?

3) Get rid of Blatche.  Same as with Gilbert, a player that I would want to get away from Wall as he is learning the NBA.

[moiso]

Three big steps left to become attractive.


1) Get the sale of the team to Ted over with.  He should be a good owner.

2) Get rid of Gilbert.  I think he is top FA kryptonite.  Not to mention, do you want him teaching Wall the NBA?

3) Get rid of Blatche.  Same as with Gilbert, a player that I would want to get away from Wall as he is learning the NBA.

I agree.  Arenas  and Blatche are cancers.  Funny that they unloaded their better character players, and kept the jerks.  Seems a little backwards for a rebuilding team.

[wdleehi]

Three big steps left to become attractive.


1) Get the sale of the team to Ted over with.  He should be a good owner.

2) Get rid of Gilbert.  I think he is top FA kryptonite.  Not to mention, do you want him teaching Wall the NBA?

3) Get rid of Blatche.  Same as with Gilbert, a player that I would want to get away from Wall as he is learning the NBA.

I agree.  Arenas  and Blatche are cancers.  Funny that they unloaded their better character players, and kept the jerks.  Seems a little backwards for a rebuilding team.

They traded the guys that could bring a return.


Arenas and Blatche had negative trade values at that point.

I am not sure how much those values have improved.

[nickagneta]

This subject was broached on Around the Horn and apparently they all dismissed outright the chance of Lebron going to Washington but Kevin Blackistone reported that Bosh to Washington is a VERY likely case. Bosh has a daughter who goes to school in Washington that he is very close with and Blackistone said Bosh is in the city visiting her a lot and likes it there.

Take it for what it is worth but I thought that interesting. A Blatche/Bosh/Thornton/Arenas/Wall starting lineup has potential. All young, all athletic. A very good coach in Flip Saunders.

[wdleehi]

This subject was broached on Around the Horn and apparently they all dismissed outright the chance of Lebron going to Washington but Kevin Blackistone reported that Bosh to Washington is a VERY likely case. Bosh has a daughter who goes to school in Washington that he is very close with and Blackistone said Bosh is in the city visiting her a lot and likes it there.

Take it for what it is worth but I thought that interesting. A Blatche/Bosh/Thornton/Arenas/Wall starting lineup has potential. All young, all athletic. A very good coach in Flip Saunders.

That would be good for them.


Still need to to do the list of three.