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Last minute rumors before the 2009 Draft: Amare, Hinrich, Carter, T-Mac and Ainge dissin’ Rondo. By John Nguyen
06.27.2009 - Updated on 06.27.2009
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By the time anyone reads this, the draft is already over and none of these guys were moved. It’s worth discussing about before the draft though, which is already hitting high suspense. People will DVR this thing, but it does not measure up watching it live. The excitement and suspense of not knowing what can happen is unreal. Unpredictability is great especially when it involves team’s and player’s fortunes. Some trades occur, some players slide, and some things just do not happen. The hype machine is in full effect.
Before the draft, some moves were already made with Shaq and Richard Jefferson among others that are not so notable. Of course, before every draft, cell phones are ringing off the hook with much aplomb from agents and general managers wheeling and dealing. Die-hard fans are trying to push their way through the door to get seats or some kind of standing room even at this weak draft. It’s the last busiest day of the NBA and some noise will be made. Presents and futures are changed forever.
Kirk Hinrich really believes that Portland is interested in pairing him up with Brandon Roy. He’s a very tough defensive player and, like I’ve written before, he deserves to be starting somewhere. The rumored deal is Hinrich for Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw. Supposedly Chicago was also offered another deal from the Milwaukee Bucks; Hinrich for Luke Ridnour, Fransisco Elson, and the 10th pick.
Amare Stoudemire has a solid to good chance of being dealt. The rumored deal is Stoudemire and Barbosa to Houston for Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry, and Aaron Brooks. Another deal is Stoudemire heading to the Golden State Warriors for Andris Biedrins and the number 7 pick. This just sounds like Kerr is rebuilding the Phoenix Suns.
Larry Bird and the Pacers are shopping around TJ Ford. I guess that experiment is over. Also, the Philadelphia 76ers is quietly shopping around Elton Brand. We should not be surprised with this either. Like I’ve written before, Brand is not much of a difference maker. If only he was consistently healthy then the Sixers would be a force.
Half-man half-season Vince Carter is on the trading block as well in a rumored deal to go to Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. I can imagine it’s difficult to give up a promising prospect in Lee, who blew a game winning layup in the Finals against Kobe’s Lakers, but they are getting back a star in Carter. This leads to another dilemma; what happens to Hedo Turkoglu? Is he staying or not? Hedo is consistently healthy while Carter usually suffers from some kind of ankle sprain.
Finally, Danny Ainge went on WEEI’s "Dennis and Callahan" and said, “I think it’s a good goal for Rondo to have just from a monetary standpoint, but to be that kind of player that warrants a max contract — I certainly don’t see Rondo as a max-contract player today.”
Ouch.
Rondo is not a max contract player? Why isn’t he? Didn’t he just average a triple double in the first round of the playoffs? Let’s debate.
It just sucks that none of these rumors will probably not come true, but it’s great to discuss the possibilities.
[image:http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/2310485393/] |
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Posted by
on 06.30.2009 | y so serious? . | Posted by
on 06.30.2009 | well for one thing it isnt the nuggets. lol  . | Posted by
melo boy
on 06.30.2009 | yeah? And lets here about your team there alexb . | Posted by
alexb
on 06.28.2009 | who cares about the nuggets they all choked in game 6 vs the lakers the only one who KIND OF showed up waz jr smith. melo and billups were absent and they are the all stars of the team..TRASH. . | Posted by
melo boy
on 06.27.2009 | HA who cares! the nuggets got ty lawson . | Posted by
alexb
on 06.25.2009 | i kant beleive how dum kerr iz. amare iz not evn old kerr talks bout rebuildn aroun gud players bt he wants to get rid off amare evn tho amare iz da best player on da team and lyk probly the 3rd youngest. i dont c y he jst duznt get rid of amare n rebilds aroun him . | Posted by
Dave
on 06.25.2009 | As much as I dislike the way Vince Carter’s career ended in Toronto, I think that we need to find different critiques of him. In a possible 870 games that Vince Carter could have played in 11 years ( 50 only in the lockout 99 season) he has played in 777 or 90% of them. He missed 40 games in 02-03, and 22 games in 01-02. We should question his heart and dedication but playing in 90% of your games is a tad more than half the season so I’d cut him some slack there. Still like the article though . | Posted by
617 all day
on 06.25.2009 | Rondo’s not a max contract player because defenders are still playing off of him, which led them to doubling Ray and Paul in the payoffs. dont get me wrong..im a huge Rondo fan but he still cant knock down that jump shot consistently. once he develops that into his game then id say he is. Doc has also said it before. . | Posted by
on 06.25.2009 | nguyen on the grind every day this week. . |
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