Peja wants out of Sac. This is awesome. On my season for NBA Live 2004, I traded people to get Peja. He's done well so far in my game. And seeing his demand for a trade makes me excited. I know, I know. It's a slim chance he'll end up with the Mavs. We really don't need another shooter. But he's a decent defender, and he can get some rebounds. It would definitely free up Dirk for more shots, because teams will have to send out their perimeter defenders to Peja.
Jason Terry, Marquis Daniels, Peja, Dirk, Booth. Hmm....
Terry, Finley, Peja, Dirk, Booth. Hmm...
Marquis, Howard, Finley, Peja, Dirk. Hmm....
There's a ton of combinations. I would like to have versatility. Right now, we have one elite star, 2 mid-level stars, and some veterans mixed with projects.
I don't know the numbers on Peja's contract, so if anyone wants to contribute, by all means.
I want to consider trade scenarios.
7 comments:
Dirk ... elite ... not yet. You focus way too much on this guy. MJ, Magic, Bird ... those elite, and if you think Dirk belongs in that category, you're funnier than I thought you were.
Sac will try to keep Peja out of the west if they decide to trade him. Isiah and Ainge may go after him.
Check out this trade: Finley, Howard, Terry, and that 1st rounder in '07 for Peja and Bobby Jackson. What a lineup: Jackson, Daniels, Peja, Dirk, and Booth with Harris and the Vets coming off off the pine. That would make it a good offseason.
When I say elite, I think of the top 7 or 8 players in the game at this moment. I would never put Dirk up with MJ Magic or Bird.
Interestingly, I thought of the same deal. Although I think I left out Howard. I don't know how the salaries work out, especially involving draft picks. But yea, Jackson is a true point guard who could do good things in Dallas. Peja would be an upgrade mainly because he does backdoor cuts.
Will Cuban push for Peja? I know he doesn't have a lucrative deal, so maybe.
Just to be an antagonist ... is Dirk even one of the best 7 or 8 players in the league?
KG (the best player in the league --- best since 2000)
Shaq
Kobe
Duncan
T-Mac
Elton Brand
Jason Kidd
If you include Dirk you have to put in Ray Allen, Vince Carter, AI, Grant Hill (have you ever looked at his career numbers?), Starbury, Jermaine, Paul Pierce, Peja, and C-Webb.
I know you disagree ... now tell me.
Since 2000, Shaq and Kobe got 3 titles. I wouldn't go so far as to say KG is the best since 2000. I might listen if you say since 2002.
Shaq
Kobe
KG
Duncan
Excluding those four, who can you honetly say "We should trade Dirk for them straight up" about? Any GM will laugh at a Brand for Dirk trade. Kidd for Dirk? Ha! Yea right. The only person outside of those four is T-Mac. A Dirk for T-Mac trade would draw interest.
My point is, there are only four players in the league who a GM would trade Dirk for and get better.
You can't argue career numbers because then we should just think about every player from all time. I'm looking at people who are playing right now.
You could make a case for AI or Jermaine. There's my margin of error. So I say he is in the top 8 or so players.
Ray Allen vs Dirk? Dirk has Allen-stroke WITH size. Vince vs Dirk? Dirk is a better shooter and has better size. Vince has better dunks for sure though.
Sorry, but Grant Hill only gets into the elite if he comes back healthier than before he got injured. Ain't gonna happen. Good while it lasted.
Peja and C-Webb I'll have to think about. Whereas Dirk takes his game a step beyond in the post season, C-Webb keeps his pace and Peja flops.
Elite players carry the team on their back. Think about the Portland series of 2002. Not to mention that Dirk plays in the Western Conference...
Wow, we finally got another good discussion going. I guess we agree on one thing: KG, Shaq, Kobe, and Duncan are the best in the league. I take that a step farther and say this: None of those teams would do a 'straight-up' trade for Dirk --- he just isn't enough collateral.
Dirk is a great shooter and a natural scorer. He has speed for his size and his greatest defensive attribute are his quick hands: steals and blocks. But his hands do not complement his lead brick feet on defense. He has stints where he has 'carried' his team, but he is not a true leader yet: he did so traces by calling out 'Toine'.
T-Mac and Dirk are on the same level: almost there. Brand is a hoss and actually has a better efficiency rating than Dirk.
Brand: 20.0 pt/g; 10.3 r/g; 3.3 ast/g; 25.01 eff. rate.
Dirk: 21.8 pt/g; 8.7 r/g; 2.7 ast/g; +24.17 eff. rate.
Those stats and he is younger than Dirk. I would love to build my team around Brand. Defense wins championships. Brand and his 2.23 blocks/game would be a nice cornerstone. He also is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, contributing to his good FG%.
One the leader note, Peja did in fact carry his team last year while C-Webb was out. Peja was second in the league in scoring last year. C-Webb may be on his wy down, and I am learning to accept that.
I would take Dirk over AI because of size, but that is not to say Dirk is the better player. AI can always get his, and he is learning how to give other players their's: 6.8 ast/game. He had his worse shoting year last season and the most 2nd most to/game in his career last season, but I think that will change with him being healthy this upcoming year. All in all, AI is more elite than Dirk.
Jermaine: 20 and 10 last season. He does two more of those and he will be among the best ever. I'll give to to you on this one though, Dirk over Jermaine.
Vince is better than Dirk, but see how the last two seasons have gone, I will agree with you once again. But, that may change next season.
As much as we both hate Kidd, you cannot dismiss what he does ... always around 16 pt/g, 9 ast/g, and 7 r/g. Almost Oscar-like, but Kidd's 59 career triple-doubles looks petty compared to Oscar's 181. Kidd his growing old though, but I disagree with you. Kidd is among the elite players in the league, more so than Dirk anyhow.
I'll give you Ray Allen and Grant Hill, they were just thrown in for the sake of debate.
Glad we agree on the four.
Calling out 'Toine was a great sign of leadership. What better way to motivate someone than to call them pouty? If Dirk is going to grab a hold of this team, he needs to step up more and call people out.
It's easy for Brand to fill up those rebound stats. He is planted in or near the paint, whereas Dirk spends a majority of his time outside that area.
It's easy to put up scoring numbers when you're on a terrible team. Ask T-Mac.
Peja did carry the team and was earnign MVP whisperings. But alas, he fizzled. Maybe he was just worn out from playing ball year-round. C-Webb was coming back from a serious injury, and he may never be the ol' Webb again. Still, great hands and low post.
The AI assist numbers actually surprised me. Who else did he have on that team? So there's some magic for him. Getting healthy next year? After not taking a break this summer? Everyone on the olympic team is going to feel the effects come January and February.
Jermaine 20 and 10? Isn't it supposed to be 9.8 something? Eh, if he does it two more times, he'll be mentioned briefly as a top 100 player. If he does it two more years for Indy, and then 2 more years for a Western team, then top 50. Playing in the East isn't that noteworthy.
Kidd is the elite point guard, but he has no shot of any kind. His regular FG% sucks, and so does his 3pt pct. Great defense though. Don't compare Kidd to big-O. O had year averages of 30 and 10 not once, not twice, but 5 TIMES. Kidd hasn't even had ONE season of 20 and 10. O's FG pct? His lowest in a year was 45%. Kidd's lowest was 37%.
Surprised you haven't gone after me about calling Finley a "mid-level star."
Good lor, 30 and 10.
About Finn-Dog, you know how I feel about him and his ability --- on the same token I know how you feel. We no longer need to argue that point.
I didn't mean to offend you when I put Big O' in the mix. He was the man in the 50s and 60s, as far as doing anything and everything. Then there was Wilt in the 60s and 70s. Along came Magic in the 80s and 90s and now the torch has been passed to Kidd. Number wise, he is the best at doing it all in our era, although in 2 years it'll be KG.
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