Back-to-back: Durant wins HORSE again

@Keith
Expiring contracts and a pick or two might also be enough for Camby. Swapping for Thomas and our first rounder and Minni's second rounder would save them a couple mill this year and give them additional picks in the late 20's and early thirties. They honestly have no reason NOT to accept such an offer. I can't imagine them trying to re-sign him. He will pull down at least 7mill per for the next year or two (probably a bit more), and thats a lot to be paying for a back-up 5/4 behind Kamen and Griffin. Also don't see who would/could be offering them more. If push comes to shove, I'd be willing to part with PHX's pick as well to get a deal done for Biedrins.

THE SUNS ARE SENDING AMARE TO THE CAVS FOR J.J. HICKSON AND BIG Z. IT’S A DONE DEAL.

@Steve H
It's just figuring out how to get those guys. GS may not require more than expiring contracts and a pick for Biedrins. But what about Camby? He's already on an expiring deal, and I can't imagine the Clips really want to lock into much future salary, but they also want some equal talent if they are just going to swap expirings.

My money is on Presti picking up either Camby or Biedrins. I think the perception of Presti as "conservative" is a bit off the mark. There was nothing conservative about his initial move of entirely blowing up the Sonic's roster. Nor was dealing for a big contract like Chandler's a "conservative" move. That he backed out of it when Tyson failed his physical doesn't make him "conservative"- just responsible. (Would any of YOU like to explain dismissing the doctor's assessment to your boss after his multi-million dollar expenditure goes down the tubes?) I think it is much more accurate to describe Presti as "opportunistic", and as such, he would be passing on a major opportunity to let the deadline slide by without adding a new starting center to our roster. We don't really need any of our 4 or 5 picks this summer- and will not be re-signing the expiring contracts of Thomas, Ollie or Harpring. If we don't package these assets together to fill the last big hole on the roster, we will be letting them go to waste- and that does NOT match up with what I have seen from Presti so far. It will be interesting to see if he can land a starting C witout giving up our PHX pick- If they really do wind up dealing away Amare and J. Rich, those guys will slide right out of contention and into the lottery. Wouldn't MIND stashing away a center prospect for future development- or a third string SF like X. Henry- but either possibility would just be gravy on top of what we really need- a starting center.

@Sammy

I agree with Sammy. If a trade goes down either Krstic is being dealt or benched.

Unless the trade is a strategy move that will ensure a higher draft pick or more cap space options. The Chucky Atkins trade last year is a perfect example of such a move. We essentially picked up a non-guaranteed short term contract and a first round draft pick for Johan Petro. Of course that pick got traded for Thabo. Presti is a stinking genius.

Since the dunk contest has been stale for a while (except for a few years), why don't they combine HORSE with the dunk contest...in that get the best players, and not only do trick shots, but creative dunks? It would be a lot more interesting to watch, and you would only have one chance to dunk, and not keep repeating dunks, like in the Dunk Contest

way to go, KD! hey, i think HORSE is fun.. and i love that KD is the two time winner.. i do agree that next year, KD's competition shouldn't be quiet guys.. need a couple of trash talkers in there.. just to spice it up.. Royce, is OKC well represented among fans? i want KD, Russ and Harden to feel the love from Thunder fans..

The problem with the dunk contest isn't the stars, it's the quality/creativity of the dunks. They don't even need to come up with the dunks on their own. Just steal em from youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yglNvKCCZfI

I thought the shootout portion at the end between KD and Rondo was the most entertaining part of the competition. It was cool just to see two high level players hitting shot after shot. That was better than the trick shots they came up with.

Also, wouldn't HORSE be more fun if there were more players around? Instead of three quiet players and Barkley and Kenny Smith making jokes, what if you had KD getting tips from the other West All-Stars while Rondo got tips from the other East All-Stars and Casspi got tips from the rookie team? It would add something to it I think. Otherwise, just get rid of it, because no one cares as it is right now. ESPN barely recognizes it as part of the weekend, and if the Worldwide Leader doens't talk about, no one else is going to.

The problem with a trade for a contributing role player is, at this point, there's nowhere to play him. You get into a situation like the blazers have where you have too much talent for the minutes. We're already seeing that a bit with white and weaver, players who in limited minutes have produced well but who have been pushed to the bottom of the depth chart by maynor, harden, and ibaka.

What the thunder need to do is consolidate their talent, which is why a trade for dalembert would make sense (especially if you get rid of krstic in the process). I don't think the org would let any regular right now go lightly, save the serb. Doing an expiring for a minor thabo-like player is stocking the coffers in an area where this team is already overflowing.

from the (Dallas) Star-Telegram:

Kevin Durant is center stage this weekend

2010 HORSE champ!

NBA.com's H.O.R.S.E. recap

I like this video from newsok:

Thunder making noise at All-Star Media Day

In fact, it was too short. They shoulda got a few more quotes and some more practice clips. And more of Kevin speaking Chinese!

@Keith
Exactly, though identifying what a small piece that would add to the team, without hurting the progress of some of the players could be hard to find. For example, while it would seem that the Thunder could use a 3pt specialist is it really worth having them on the team instead of trying to get Harden or someone else to step up and fill that role on the team. Plus how many teams that aren't contenders have a 3pt specialist we could acquire small.

@Paul
Good point, which is why I think a Thabo level trade will go down before the deadline, and something bigger will happen in the offseason. It will give plenty of time for everyone to acclimate to the new player.

Another thing to remember in trades isn't just a physical presence. You have to remember that Dallas has been in a slump and if making this trade gives them a new mental idea, such as Kidd and Dirk being energized. Attitude and effort are something that can change a lot in a basketball game. If the Thunder are going to make a move they have to be aware of the roles of all the rotation players involved, and make sure they aren't going to do something that could disrupt the balance of the team. Which is why I think the Thunder probably won't rock the boat too much and will probably go with just a specialist player either another 3 pt shooter or another defensive big guy.

Lately I've begun wondering at what age a player is too old to be worth a trade. Earlier, it was as young as 27. Now that we've seen what this team can do, is it worth it to pick up someone whose main use will only be the next 3 years? We could conceivably be contenders by next year with a strong post presence. Would it kill us if that guy only had a few good years left? Or, must a player be in his prime the next half decade for him to be worth the effort?

justin :@Vega

His payroll is low, attendance is high. Last season when the team stank a big trade would have been a shot in the arm. This year, does he need to do it?

He may be conservative, but he also manages for the long-term. If a deal comes along that will get us a player who will be a contributor for years in to the future, I can certainly see him doing it.

@Vega

It's not a guarantee at all.. Sam Presti is very conservative as a manager. The team is winning, presumably doing well (as well as the economy permits, at least). His payroll is low, attendance is high. Last season when the team stank a big trade would have been a shot in the arm. This year, does he need to do it?

If Presti takes back any salary beyong next season I'd be shocked. I wouldn't be surprised if he made a trade for some salary next year, or moved expirings for expirings in some kind of lateral move. The biggest kind of trade that I think has a shot of happening is something for Sam Dalembert..

@Vega
I could definitely see Presti waiting for the offseason, but I think something will happen before the deadline. We are doing very well, but it couldn't hurt to flip one of the guys who don't play (Etan, Harpring, pick) for something more useful both short and long term. Something closer to the Thabo deal last year than the Chandler deal. I imagine Brooks and Presti might be more open to accommodating a high minute, high impact player in an offseason than mid-playoff hunt.

@Vega

Dallas had to take back some worthless $$$ (Stevenson) and although I think Butler will turn it around, Keith is right that this season Butler isn't playing that much better than Howard, must less Shawn Marion (whose place in the starting lineup I assume Butler is usurping).

Does anyone here think that we won't make a trade? I think that with all of the assets we have, it is a guarantee that we do something.

@Keith
Dude, this trade that we're talking about was made with expiring contracts! Granted, you won't get a premier player like Pau with just expirings, but you could definitely get a contributor, like a Hinrich or Maggette, for nothing. (I'm not saying they should trade for Hinrich or Maggette. Those were just the two guys who came to mind.)

Unless we make a trade!

Side note: I think this trade may actually improve our chances against Dallas next week since they will only just have joined and the team will be more dysfunctional than normal.

@Keith

No, you're right. It improves them but not enough to get them over that hump.

@Vega
We could throw in White, Mullens, Weaver, and 2 better picks. I think just expiring contracts are being a little overrated this year. Everyone expects a great player to get thrown away like Pau, but it's obvious teams aren't budging for it that easily.

This doesn't get them a championship, though. That team is basically a mess, they don't shoot well enough to win and don't defend well enough either. They're very average. They're a poor rebounding team and B. Haywood should help with that. Maybe Caron Butler can help with their average shooting efficiency if he can get his game back. I like the upgrade in talent, but I don't know what it does for them long term since they won't win a title this year.

Cuban wants to win I don't think he cares about the $$$.

@justin
True enough. Still, I can't see him being the difference between the 4th seed (current) and a championship, by any means.

@Keith
I agree. Haywood and Butler are nice pieces, but they're not enough to get them past Denver or the Lakers. They need to use Dampier to get something else. Maybe Corey Maggette, or Kevin Martin, or Kirk Hinrich, or any number of other guys.

@Keith
Money means absolutely nothing to Cuban, and they could throw J.J. Barea and a future pick in a deal if necessary.

@Vega
Even Cuban has to realize that money is worth something. They are probably better off just letting Dampier go themselves, as we've already seen that teams want more than an expiring contract for impact players.

If it was that easy, we would have done it already.

@Keith

Caron Butler went from being a productive player to unproductive virtually overnight.. you really think he'll continue to shoot that poorly? He's only 29, barely has 20,000 NBA minutes. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I also think the same is true with Josh Howard. Both guys needed to get in a different situation, they aren't really at the point where their physical abilities should be eroding.. unless their injuries took their toll.

@KB
They got the better end on talent, I don't think anyone can argue that. But, they didn't suddenly get players that make them better than the teams above them.

@justin
Butler will probably be better, but I can't imagine all that much. It's not like he was all that great last year either.

I like the move for Dallas, and they still have Dampier's big expiring contract to use to get yet another piece. I don't think they're done dealing yet.

@Alex
Why does no one realize Butler is shooting 42% from the field this year, 26% from three? He also hasn't defended anyone in two years. Howard was unhappy and having a bad year, but Butler is an objectively bad player this year, he's not a huge upgrade over almost anyone.

I've said that Haywood is a good piece. And yes, he's much better than Dampier now, but how much will he improve the team? He's still useless on offense.

We shall see. I just know that Dirk and Jason Kidd really wanted the trade to go down and are pumped about it.

Haywood's better than Dampier. I think Butler will be better for Dallas than Howard was despite the crappy year he's having. He needed a change of scenery, I don't think he just fell off the table..

Stevenson is worthless.

Haywood is the big piece here, though..

@KB
Caron being terrible on a terrible team only means to me that he can't play well even when he has every opportunity. I think any faith in Stevenson is misguided remembrance of him 3 years ago. Stevenson hasn't been able to shoot since 07, and his defensive role has been rather overrated. Haywood is the only useful piece Dallas got, and even he is a one-way player.

@Keith No...Haywood is a legit NBA center, which Damp is not, and Butler is an obvious upgrade over Josh Howard...Plus, they didn't have to give up Barea or Beaubois, which is ridiculous...I don't see how you could say this wasn't a huge steal for Dallas?

Also Butler has been terrible on a terrible team. Moving to a title contender will probably light a fire in him. IMO they just positioned themselves as most suitable in the West to take down the Lake Show.

I think it makes them better. Deshawn Stevenson is another guy that can contribute and make them tougher.

On another note, I swear Gerald Wallace was high during the dunk contest. Not jumping high like he should have been. But high.

By the way, I hope you didn't have a pregame primer written up early Royce, since the Dallas team we'll be facing has changed. Howard for Butler and Haywood. I don't think it appreciably changes our chance of winning as Butler has been terrible this year and Haywood is just going to take Dampier's minutes. It will still be about stopping Dirk or losing.

Does anyone else think Dallas just locked themselves into the luxury tax for almost no reason?

I don't really know what everyone was expecting, All-Star Saturday has been pretty terrible since... well since real dunkers stopped showing up for the dunk contest.

Worst All Star Saturday I can remember.. real bad dunk contest, Gerald Wallace in particular was horrible. Don't think any of these guys took it seriously.

Hopefully KD puts on a show tomorrow.

There were 2 good dunks (1 by Nate and 1 by DeMar), Barkely was hilarious, and our guys were dressed awesome. Those are the goods.

I will have to admit that Barkley was hilarious. I think he was a tad drunk.

That duck contest was so bad, no one should have won.

Let shanon dunk .com my A## he went out there lookin like a tatooed gremlin That guys only dunk is a tomahawk

Whoo Durant! You rule man!