ESPN: Chad Ford's trade suggestion: Lakers land Boozer & either Francis or Marbury

[iml84myd8s]

Sorry if this was already posted. I actually enjoy Chad's NBA draft coverage. However, he's posted an interesting (to say the least) trade suggestion that involves the Lakers.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=2341042
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

Turn around and trade either Francis or Stephon Marbury. (Francis can be re-traded immediately as long as he's traded by himself.) I think Marbury's a better player, but perhaps Larry Brown's had enough of him and I'm sure Marbury's had enough of Larry.

Could they move either guy? It wouldn't be easy. Neither is much of a hot commodity now.

But I wonder about the Lakers. Clearly the idea that they were after Francis is coming from somewhere. If they were after Francis, wouldn't Marbury be an even better fit? And, if it's true they are no longer high on Lamar Odom, which is what just about every GM in the league that I talk to believes, then there's a deal there.


Here's the deal:

Lakers send Odom to New York; Kwame Brown and Smush Parker to Atlanta; and Devean George, Stanislav Medvedenko and Laron Profit to Utah.


Utah sends Carlos Boozer to Lakers.

New York sends either Marbury or Francis to the Lakers.

Atlanta sends Josh Childress to Utah and Tyronn Lue and Donta Smith to the Lakers.


Here's why this might work:


The Knicks would do this to turn Steve Francis or Stephon Marbury into Lamar Odom. Everyone knows that Francis and Marbury are not going to work well together in the backcourt. The Knicks have too many me-first, shoot-first players, especially on the perimeter.

Odom is the opposite, a team guy who can play multiple positions and does what's best for his team. He's not going to drop 30 on you too often, but that's exactly the attitude Larry Brown needs on his roster right now.

I know Lakers coach Phil Jackson isn't thrilled about the idea of losing Odom in midseason, but this one could pay off in the long-term. The Lakers need to get two players for Odom to make something like this work -- a guard and a rebounder, at least. Francis (or Marbury) and Boozer are overpaid, but they should serve their roles just fine as long as both can stay healthy.

The downside for the Lakers is that they would lose any cap flexibility they were going to have in the summer of 2007. However, the cap flexibility isn't going to be much because the Lakers would have to waive all but three players on their roster to get far enough under the cap to sign one max player. I seriously doubt the Lakers are considering putting eight minimum players on their roster in 2007.

This deal would give the Lakers more balance, more scoring and more star power. Whether Kobe would ever pass the ball to the new guys is a different story altogether, though you would have to believe that Marbury in particular would be more adamant about asking for it.

The Jazz basically would be giving away Boozer for cap flexibility and a nice, young two guard with some potential. With the development of Mehmet Okur this year, the Jazz don't really need Boozer -- Okur, Andrei Kirilenko and Greg Ostertag have the frontline covered.

That move would also put the Jazz roughly $13 million under the cap going into the summer, allowing them to use their cap space this summer to either find a two guard who can create his own shot (kind of like they guy they gave away, Kirk Snyder) in the draft, via free agency or with a sign-and-trade.

The Hawks might do it to try out Kwame (who hails from the Atlanta area) for the next season and a half. He would not be a long-term commitment and this summer's free agent market is short on bigs.

Parker is also interesting. He's had some success in L.A. this year and might be a good fit in the backcourt next to Joe Johnson.

Childress has shown potential, but the Hawks have a huge logjam at the wing position.

[SirRunnethOfSoCal]

Chad Ford manages to throw in a cheap shot against Kobe in that article:

" ...Whether Kobe would ever pass the ball to the new guys is a different story altogether ..."


As I recall, this is the same guy who placed the Lakers at 13th place in the West at the end of this season in his pre-season predictions on BSPN. He's a joke.

[LakerLove]

We don't have Profit anymore

[FredG]

[msb212]

ford proves his complete ignorance once again. we wanted francis to try to get tmac.

[RMurphy_22]

msb212 do you know anything, you seem to be on things pretty well.

GO Lakers

[STiG909]

[kobenbynum]

Wait so the Lakers would get Marbury, Boozer, Lue and Donta Smith?

I'd do that deal in a heart beat.

[msb212]

nothing at all...mitch was at the table for tmac as of 7ish. last I heard about it. some other deals being discussed. I was told about Boozer being a possibility yesterday. but that was a second option.

who knows. I am bitter and nervous and depressed and terrified that PHX gets kg cause if they do, even if we get Tmac we are in deep ish for years to come.

[Mike@LG]

Shows how much I wasn't a fan of the cap space idea.
_________________
Resident Car Nut.

https://lakersdraft.substack.com/

I am not an economic advisor nor do I advise economic strategies or plans.

[RMurphy_22]

No doubt, when I heard the KG for Marion deal (with his 44 tonight) that scared me more than us doing nothing. It's going to be suck a mountain to climb if they get him, do you know if the decision makers pull all nighters or are people sleeping on things now.

Go Lakers

[msb212]

no clue

[critical_beatdown]

[Ziggy]

[sodapoppenski]

PHX isn't getting KG.

They're happy with what they have.

The ONLY move legitimately rumored that they've considered is moving
James Jones in order to open up the cap-space to extend/re-sign House.

That's it.

(although yes, KG and Amare with Nash at the point would decimate)

[FredG]

Yeah but is Amare really coming back? And will he ever be the same again? Chris Webber-like maybe.

[jack13]

Steve Francis is officially NY Knicks
_________________
"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess." Kobe Bryant

[critical_beatdown]

Nash, Amare, and KG would be frightening. If this happens, Colangelo may as well just send the Suns to the Olympics. The team would be in a league of their own.

I mean, Phoenix already looks scary as good as they're playing without Amare...if he's healthy for the playoffs, they're going to blow creaky old San Antonio out of the water. Detroit too.

Still, we have our own scary lineup emerging if we add one more key piece and Bynum and Smush keep developing. We could end up with 4 quality scorers (one being the best in the NBA) in Kobe, Boozer, Smush, and Bynum, and have Mr. Lamar Odom as the x-man 5th man who greases all the wheels and delivers great looks. That team would be pretty f'in scary too if Bynum and Smush develop as they seem to be capable, and if we can land Boozer or another 4 like him. And we'd probably still have Kwame off the bench getting a little better each year.

[sodapoppenski]

[sodapoppenski]

[insidepresence]

Horrible deal...laughable...but like some people said, if the suns get KG...they will walk away with the championship the next couple of years. Nash running a 3 on 1 with KG and Amare on the wings...yikes...I'm scared thinking about it

[Aphex Twin]

Who would the Suns give up for KG? Surely they wouldn't want Marion when they can get someone a lot younger for KG. Plus, the Suns are in the same conference. They would be better off trading him to Dallas for Howard, Daniels, Harris, etc.

[ncaugnit]

This trade scenario in a word.........Horreriful.
_________________
The Squeaky Wheel Gets Gasol.
Thanks Kobe.
GO LAKERS!!!!!

[KB8SD]

I'd find it hard to believe that the Lakers would ditch the 2007 cap space plan and trade for Francis and Boozer's huge long term deals.Isaih isnt running the Lakers also.

[sodapoppenski]

I agree. Especially with Francis.