trade proposal (Heat)

[elindholm]

Phoenix gets
Eddie Jones ($12,320,000, 2007)
LaPhonso Ellis ($3,400,000, 2004)

Miami gets
Anfernee Hardaway ($13,500,000, 2006)
rights to Zarko Cabarkapa (about $1,000,000, 2006/7)

Why Phoenix does it:
They took Cabarkapa because they couldn't come up with a better idea, but not because he will have a true role on the Suns. Hardaway, while valueable for his experience, doesn't have the athleticism to fit in with the current Suns; with the acquisition of Barbosa, Hardaway's time as the backup point guard figures to be slashed. Ellis can provide spot duty at small forward for one year while the Suns continue to wait on Joe Johnson.

Why Miami does it:
Pat Riley's unconvincing interview after Dwayne Wade was drafted says it all -- the Heat don't really know how they're going to accommodate Wade, Jones, and Caron Butler. What they do know is that they need a change of personnel and a point guard. Hardaway's best years were as a point guard in the Eastern Conference, and now that he appears healthy, he could benefit from a return to that role. Cabarkapa gives the Heat another near-lottery pick with a potential to address their greatest need -- quality big men. Finally, they get out of Jones's big salary one year early, which will be just in time to extend Caron Butler.

 

[Chaplin]

Terrible trade. Just terrible Eric. Sure, it saves us some money, but it also returns us some overpaid old men. One overpaid old man for 2 overpaid old men does not a good trade make.

If you really don't like Zarko, there are other ways to go about getting rid of him, although I think you should at least try to give him a chance.

 

[elindholm]

Jones is only 31. He may be overpaid, but he makes less than Hardaway and is a much better player. He'd give the Suns exactly what they need at SG -- someone content to be the third or fourth option, but who can step up when needed and flat out shoot.

It isn't that I don't like Cabarkapa, it's just that I don't see him getting a lot of minutes behind Marion and Stoudemire.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by elindholm

It isn't that I don't like Cabarkapa, it's just that I don't see him getting a lot of minutes behind Marion and Stoudemire.

Then here's a question for ya... Who do you think WOULD have gotten a lot of minutes behind Marion and Stoudemire? I would wager there was nobody available, not David West, not Brian Cook, not even Lampe, who would get more minutes behind Marino and Amare. So my question to you is, what's the point in following the draft in the first place? Just so you know, that's more hypothetical, since using simple deductive logic, it appears you wouldn't have liked any of the forwards that were available to us at 17 because they simply weren't going to get the minutes.

 

[elindholm]

Just so you know, that's more hypothetical, since using simple deductive logic, it appears you wouldn't have liked any of the forwards that were available to us at 17 because they simply weren't going to get the minutes.

That's basically correct. I thought that they should have taken a center, or, if they didn't like any of the center prospects (which apparently they didn't), trade the pick. That's all I'm advocating now -- that they trade the pick with a player attached to it. I don't have anything against Cabarkapa.

Had they found a SF/SG that they liked a lot, that would have made sense too, since Hardaway isn't part of the team's long-term future and Joe Johnson is still a huge question mark.

But yes, I would have had the same complaints about Cook, West, Lampe, etc. as I have about Cabarkapa. It's nothing against the player, just the decision to add him to the roster for four years.

 

[PhxGametime]

With selection of Barbosa (another athlete) we can gamble on size and Z has a role on team with skill ball but he could struggle early on - I wanted another young athlete in draft and could've been disappointed with just Z but overall upside potential draft hehe errrrrr good draft.

 

[Joe Mama]

The fact is Zarko will get his minutes at all three of the frontcourt positions. And there will be times when he will play power forward while Amare Stoudemire is playing center. It said, he probably won't play more than 10-15 minutes per game next season, and most likely it will be less.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

Nice quote by Zarko at the draft:

"I think the fans and organization are going to have one 7-footer who can run the floor, is excellent in transition, who likes to pass and is an excellent 3-point shooter," Cabarkapa said through his interpreter-agent Rade Filipovich. "I'm also one of the few Europeans who likes to dunk the ball."

Of course he's hyping himself, but hey, it's nice to read...