Barbosa to Portland?

[F-Dog]

Interesting tidbit, courtesy of Hoopshype:

http://fans.blazers.com/blogs/mike_barrett/2006/08/summer-is-slow-time.html

Mike Barrett
Television play-by-play voice of the Blazers on KGW-TV 8 and Fox Sports Net

...

One last thing. With last week's news that the Phoenix Suns had signed Leandro Barbosa to a new 5-year, 33-million dollar deal, I was reminded how timing is everything in this league and how sometimes events that seem insignificant at the time can have huge ramifications on the future. I've mentioned this before, but I'm not sure if many fans realize how close Barbosa was to becoming a Trail Blazer last summer. Basically, if the trade of Shareef Abdur-Rahim to New Jersey hadn't fallen through at the last minute (the Nets said he flunked his physical) the Blazers would have used the second-round pick they would have gained in that trade, to trade to the Suns for Barbosa. The deal was basically done, and then everything fell apart when the Nets voided the Abdur-Rahim trade. He then signed a free-agent deal with Sacramento. In the end the situation worked out for the Blazers, and Barbosa. Obviously, Barbosa had a career year and got this huge contract. The Blazers, still needing a back-up point guard, signed Steve Blake instead. Blake had a terrific season, and the Blazers traded him for Jamaal Magloire last week. There are a lot of stories like this in the league from time to time, this is just reminder of how quickly things can change. A last-minute decision by the Nets, turned into Magloire in a Blazer uniform a year later.

Ahh, the dark side of Trader Bryan--trying to dump Barbosa for a second-round pick, on the eve of his breakout season. I swear, he has the worst case of ants-in-pants of any executive in the league.



I've forgotten the timeline, but if they'd received the Nets pick from 2005, there were some interesting players available there--Andray Blatche and Mickael Gelabale, Martynas Andriuskevicius, and also Ryan Gomes, who would probably have been the pick (if BC didn't have the opportunity to swap it for future considerations).

This year's Nets 2nd-round pick was used on Hassan Adams...it was probably worth less than $1m, so not much of a return on the Suns' initial investment.

 

[Gaddabout]

Ahh, the dark side of Trader Bryan--trying to dump Barbosa for a second-round pick, on the eve of his breakout season. I swear, he has the worst case of ants-in-pants of any executive in the league.

I always got the feeling BC didn't really have time for a social life, so he called up other NBA GMs for some immitation human warmth. The deals were secondary to BC getting in some chit chat with a real live person.

 

[carey]

I always got the feeling BC didn't really have time for a social life, so he called up other NBA GMs for some immitation human warmth. The deals were secondary to BC getting in some chit chat with a real live person.

Really? I've heard the exact opposite regarding his social life. I heard he was a bit excessive at times.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Really? I've heard the exact opposite regarding his social life. I heard he was a bit excessive at times.

Damn I would be too. I can't think of a job I would rather have. I would be in Scottsdale everynight regaling the girls at E4 about the time i drafted Amare Stoudamire with the number nine pick and about my crazy nights out with Richard Dumas and Sir Charles in the mid-nineties....

 

[George O'Brien]

We only have this writer's claim that they almost got Leandro. I presume they needed the SAR TE to make the deal, but I suppose the proposed deal was during the time the Suns were shedding contracts to pay for JJ.

 

[Gaddabout]

Really? I've heard the exact opposite regarding his social life. I heard he was a bit excessive at times.

I was joking. I have no idea about BC's personal life, except I once witnessed him nearly kiss Roy Williams' rings. He definitely knows everybody in this game.