How do you feel about the Cleveland trade now?

[slamtheking]

waiting to see then end results to begin feeling better about it.

Still think Semih could have been of help this season.  If Murphy, Pavlovic and Arroyo make contributions that get the title this year, then the deal was worth it.  If Erden or Luke turn out to be really solid bench players down the road, we'll be wondering if we really needed to trade them.

[Bozo]

I have some doubt that we would have been able to land Murphy had we held on to two bigs.  It would have been harder to convince him that he would get significant playing time.  Secondly, I think we had too many bigs.  That they were were getting injured right and left doesn't necessarily mean we should get even More bigs.  Maybe a couple of healthy bigs is the answer.  I think the trade was done to land Murphy.  It was a gamble, and at the end of the day, Danny could make a convincing argument to get Murphy to come here.  (Even with the trade, Murphy considered Miami.)  Without the trade, I think Murphy would have decided the other way. 

[Bozo]

Murphy is an upgrade over either/and or both Erden and Gody.  And he can play either position. 

[Roy H.]

I have some doubt that we would have been able to land Murphy had we held on to two bigs.  It would have been harder to convince him that he would get significant playing time. Secondly, I think we had too many bigs.  That they were were getting injured right and left doesn't necessarily mean we should get even More bigs.  Maybe a couple of healthy bigs is the answer.  I think the trade was done to land Murphy.  It was a gamble, and at the end of the day, Danny could make a convincing argument to get Murphy to come here.  (Even with the trade, Murphy considered Miami.)  Without the trade, I think Murphy would have decided the other way. 

I don't necessarily buy that.  I think it would be pretty easy to convince Murphy that he'd see time over Semih and Luke, neither of whom was seeing a lot of time recently.  It's a legitimate question about roster balance, and if two many roster slots would have been spent on big men.  However, I think Murphy would have been here regardless.

[Jon]

I really feel that Danny had a commitment from Murphy's agent prior to even making the deal that Murphy would come here when he was bought out. 

If he didn't have some assurance along those lines, I don't see why he gives away Luke and Semih.  Semih, while limited, did actually help this year. 

[guava_wrench]

I have some doubt that we would have been able to land Murphy had we held on to two bigs.  It would have been harder to convince him that he would get significant playing time. Secondly, I think we had too many bigs.  That they were were getting injured right and left doesn't necessarily mean we should get even More bigs.  Maybe a couple of healthy bigs is the answer.  I think the trade was done to land Murphy.  It was a gamble, and at the end of the day, Danny could make a convincing argument to get Murphy to come here.  (Even with the trade, Murphy considered Miami.)  Without the trade, I think Murphy would have decided the other way. 

I don't necessarily buy that.  I think it would be pretty easy to convince Murphy that he'd see time over Semih and Luke, neither of whom was seeing a lot of time recently.  It's a legitimate question about roster balance, and if two many roster slots would have been spent on big men.  However, I think Murphy would have been here regardless.

Add to that the fact that Murphy knew he wasn't at the top of his game and the fact that he prefers our team-oriented system to Miami's star-oriented.

The problem with Semih and Luke remaining is that we would need to spend that single roster spot on a different position like backup PG.

[gar]

While Semih lacks Murphy's ability to play two positions; Luke really does not have a position. He can put up big numbers as be demonstrated with the Cavs recently; but the fact that would could not play him with BBD was a real limitation. Erden will be a good player and both may stay in the league for a while; but neither was going to see any minutes in the playoffs and Troy will - is that simple.

[Spoon]

A no brainer. Semih won't be in the league when we make that pick. I laughed when someone compared him to Kristic. He doesn't have 1/4 of his talent. The point is Semih at best is a 15th man on the roster and can make a lot more money starting in Europe. He'll be on a Euro club in 2012.

Luke is an nonathletic shooter without a position that can't guard a chair. Hard work only gets you a bench spot in this league. A poor man's Scalabrini. Hell, even Scabs could put up 18 in his heyday against the Knicks. He'll be out of the league in a few years.

Ainge took two non-players and turned them into something. We tend to overrate our own in Celtic Nation.