I have some time this morning, so I am starting this thread a few weeks earlier than the one year anniversary.
I thought it might be interesting to take a new look at the trade involving the Warriors and the Pacers. Let me say upfront that I will not debate the reasons why the trade had to happen or even if it was a good trade or bad trade. I only plan to look at the 5 players still on the teams they were traded to. (so no talk of Saras, Powell, or Mcloud)
Whenever I look at a trade, I always start with the best player that was traded. And as much as I might hate to admit it, the best of the 5 players for his current team is clearly Stephen Jackson . He is clearly the second most important player on a team that is currently 17-12. And then when you consider he was out the first handful of games and look at their record since he's been back Jackson has a real chance of being an allstar this season. The trade has saved his career. And I have no problem with that , I swish him well except when he plays the Pacers.
OK, now lets move to the second best player in that trade. Mike Dunleavy. He won't make the allstar team and he isn't the most important player on the Pacers team. He isn't the second most important player either. I call him the guy that makes things work. He the type of player (except in the Knicks game) where you don't really notice him that much when he's on the floor. It is when he goes to the bench that you realize his true value. So many times this season I'll be watching a game and the team is struggling, going through one of their bad runs within a game - it seems with rare exceptions that bad stretches occur when Mike is on the bench.
I clearly think Mike is more valuable than Granger at this time - he's most important to our success. It is strange because there will be times during the game, when I'll think, we need Rush's shooting ability, Granger's defense, Williams athleticism, Daniels all around play and there will be times when I almost forget about Mike - but he's the only one of those guys that makes other players better. He makes the team better just by being on the floor. Mike is perfect in this offensive system, and if the pacers do have an allstar player, Mike should be the only who makes it.
After those two guys there is a dropoff to Al Harrington . It seems a little strange that Nelson is the 3rd head coach he's had that thinks he's best as a 6th man. I realize he is starting right now and might very well continue to start the rest of the season, but it just seems all of his coaches (except in Atlanta) think he is better coming off the bench. When the trade was made, I considered Al the best player in the trade, now I think he's clearly the 3rd best player. At this point in his career I think he is what he is. A poor rebounder, a streaker scorer, a decent defender - a nice player to have around, but nothing more.
Let's move to Troy Murphy . Yes he can shoot, yes he has good hands, he's not a horrible passer, he can rebound (although he doesn't very much) he IMO is just an average player - not that there is anything wrong with that (well except for his salary) His team defense is really not bad, his one-on-one defense is often bad beyond discription. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, he is slow and small for a power forward - that is a bad combination.
Ike Diogu anyone else notice how many people are starting to call him Ike Diogo, it seems like Quinn started it, now Slick calls him that and even O'Brien has called him that. Ike is not the type of post player that you can just throw him the ball and have him go to work. Against bigger players he has trouble getting his shot off. He needs to get more face-up shots though and post ups after ball reversals and misdirection plays. I like Ike, whenever he plays big minutes he scores and rebounds.
Who has this trade helped more the Pacers or Warriors. At first glance it has helped the Warriors more - no doubt. Does that mean I wish the trade had never taken place, absolutely not - the trade had to be made and the trade also helped the Pacers - it wasn't going to work with Al and Jax here.
I thought it might be interesting to take a new look at the trade involving the Warriors and the Pacers. Let me say upfront that I will not debate the reasons why the trade had to happen or even if it was a good trade or bad trade. I only plan to look at the 5 players still on the teams they were traded to. (so no talk of Saras, Powell, or Mcloud)
Whenever I look at a trade, I always start with the best player that was traded. And as much as I might hate to admit it, the best of the 5 players for his current team is clearly Stephen Jackson . He is clearly the second most important player on a team that is currently 17-12. And then when you consider he was out the first handful of games and look at their record since he's been back Jackson has a real chance of being an allstar this season. The trade has saved his career. And I have no problem with that , I swish him well except when he plays the Pacers.
OK, now lets move to the second best player in that trade. Mike Dunleavy. He won't make the allstar team and he isn't the most important player on the Pacers team. He isn't the second most important player either. I call him the guy that makes things work. He the type of player (except in the Knicks game) where you don't really notice him that much when he's on the floor. It is when he goes to the bench that you realize his true value. So many times this season I'll be watching a game and the team is struggling, going through one of their bad runs within a game - it seems with rare exceptions that bad stretches occur when Mike is on the bench.
I clearly think Mike is more valuable than Granger at this time - he's most important to our success. It is strange because there will be times during the game, when I'll think, we need Rush's shooting ability, Granger's defense, Williams athleticism, Daniels all around play and there will be times when I almost forget about Mike - but he's the only one of those guys that makes other players better. He makes the team better just by being on the floor. Mike is perfect in this offensive system, and if the pacers do have an allstar player, Mike should be the only who makes it.
After those two guys there is a dropoff to Al Harrington . It seems a little strange that Nelson is the 3rd head coach he's had that thinks he's best as a 6th man. I realize he is starting right now and might very well continue to start the rest of the season, but it just seems all of his coaches (except in Atlanta) think he is better coming off the bench. When the trade was made, I considered Al the best player in the trade, now I think he's clearly the 3rd best player. At this point in his career I think he is what he is. A poor rebounder, a streaker scorer, a decent defender - a nice player to have around, but nothing more.
Let's move to Troy Murphy . Yes he can shoot, yes he has good hands, he's not a horrible passer, he can rebound (although he doesn't very much) he IMO is just an average player - not that there is anything wrong with that (well except for his salary) His team defense is really not bad, his one-on-one defense is often bad beyond discription. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, he is slow and small for a power forward - that is a bad combination.
Ike Diogu anyone else notice how many people are starting to call him Ike Diogo, it seems like Quinn started it, now Slick calls him that and even O'Brien has called him that. Ike is not the type of post player that you can just throw him the ball and have him go to work. Against bigger players he has trouble getting his shot off. He needs to get more face-up shots though and post ups after ball reversals and misdirection plays. I like Ike, whenever he plays big minutes he scores and rebounds.
Who has this trade helped more the Pacers or Warriors. At first glance it has helped the Warriors more - no doubt. Does that mean I wish the trade had never taken place, absolutely not - the trade had to be made and the trade also helped the Pacers - it wasn't going to work with Al and Jax here.
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