Memphis paper floats Pau to Atlanta (4 Horford)

[MemphisX]

Grizzlies really want Horford

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The catch, of course, is that Horford might not be around when the Grizzlies make their pick. After Portland takes Greg Oden and Seattle takes Kevin Durant, Atlanta -- and the inscrutable Billy Knight -- could go in any of several directions.

The Hawks could take Conley, leaving Horford for the Grizzlies. Or they could take Horford, figuring they'll get a point guard with their second first round pick at No. 11. Or the Hawks could deal with some team that wants to jump ahead of the Grizzlies to get Horford.

The other scenario is that the Grizzlies could go get the Hawks' pick themselves, sending Gasol to Atlanta for both of the Hawks' first-round picks and a player. The Grizzlies could then draft Horford at No. 3, Conley at No. 4 and someone like USC guard Nick Young (who will join Corey Brewer and Acie Law at the Grizzlies workout Monday) at No. 11.

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[pimp]

If they want Horford so bad , then the Grizz better lower their asking price for Gasol

[Blunt91]

Our GM will not give up both draft picks!! He'll dangle the 3rd pick and a few of our players(Speedy,Chill) but that is all.

[TheDude]

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If they want Horford so bad , then the Grizz better lower their asking price for Gasol

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agreed, it better not happen if both 1sts are included.

[DrReality]

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There was a buzz," said Barone. "The buzz was, 'Oh my gosh, he's bigger than we thought he was.'

So the buzz starts to intensify which is what JWalker has been telling us. It's good to see the publicity to rachet up the demands for his services.

[sturt]

Reality's on it as Jay was/is... Horford's value and the associated value of the #3 pick will peak on June 28...

Gasol's value in the eyes of the Griz may not be coming down, but as long as Horford's keeps going up, the end-result is the same.

So far, it appears the Griz and Bucks potentially could be battling it out for his services, and that's likely to be supplemented by at least one other team before it's all over.

We're in a good, lucrative position here.

[TexasPete]

The Grizz also have to realize that somebody else may move into our spot via trade just to get Horford. The fact that Horford is bigger also intrigues me because if SW is playing the 5 then why can't Horford?

The Hawks needed one guy to really rise above everybody else so that their pick became more valuable. That appears to have happened with AH.

The GRizz really want AH. The price for Gasol just went down, and the price for the 3rd pick just went up.

They can watch as another team snags their man at 3, or they can lower the price for Gasol. They are not getting both the 3 and 11. Dream on.

I can see a 3/Zaza/Speedy type of deal.

[MemphisX]

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I can see a 3/Zaza/Speedy type of deal.

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There is no way we are taking the #3 and two bad contracts for Gasol. Does that even pass the laugh test for you?

Would you take the #4/Stromile Swift/Damon Stoudamire for Joe Johnson? That is how crazy your offer was...

[TexasPete]

Zaza has a great contract. He has two years left at 4M. He is a bargain. Gasol is a soft defender. Horford may end up being a better all around player than Gasol within a couple of years. Horford will actually play defense and realizes that basketball is not just an offensive game like Gasol.

If the Grizz want Horford. and the entire basketball world knows they do, they need our pick. There is no player after Horford that will help the Grizzlies NOW.

The Hawks hold something that you want. Pay up.

[Frenzy]

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If they want Horford so bad , then the Grizz better lower their asking price for Gasol

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i know,both of our first round picks,are they fckn crazy?

[mountain_jim]

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I can see a 3/Zaza/Speedy type of deal.

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There is no way we are taking the #3 and two bad contracts for Gasol. Does that even pass the laugh test for you?

Would you take the #4/Stromile Swift/Damon Stoudamire for Joe Johnson? That is how crazy your offer was...

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MemphisX sure seems determined and hopeful that BK overpays for Gasol - I say it will not happen - the above trade he scoffs at is about as high as we go imho (or sub chills for zaza)

Personally I would rather Memphis keep the pick and get Yi or Horford ourselves for the long term rather than get in contract-hell for a worn-down Gasol.

[mountain_jim]

I meant rather we keep the pick...

[DrReality]

Hopefully we are in a win-win situation where we get Gasol at a reasonable trade or keep the pick. I wouldn't be surprised to see others get into the mix as time goes by. The more the merrier.

[MemphisX]

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I can see a 3/Zaza/Speedy type of deal.

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There is no way we are taking the #3 and two bad contracts for Gasol. Does that even pass the laugh test for you?

Would you take the #4/Stromile Swift/Damon Stoudamire for Joe Johnson? That is how crazy your offer was...

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MemphisX sure seems determined and hopeful that BK overpays for Gasol - I say it will not happen - the above trade he scoffs at is about as high as we go imho (or sub chills for zaza)

Personally I would rather Memphis keep the pick and get Yi or Horford ourselves for the long term rather than get in contract-hell for a worn-down Gasol.

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Actually I do not want to trade Gasol at all because he is the easiest path out of the lottery. So unless there is an absolute, no-brainer type deal then I would not want to trade him. Much easier to build with him than to rebuild after trading him.

[mountain_jim]

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I can see a 3/Zaza/Speedy type of deal.

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There is no way we are taking the #3 and two bad contracts for Gasol. Does that even pass the laugh test for you?

Would you take the #4/Stromile Swift/Damon Stoudamire for Joe Johnson? That is how crazy your offer was...

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MemphisX sure seems determined and hopeful that BK overpays for Gasol - I say it will not happen - the above trade he scoffs at is about as high as we go imho (or sub chills for zaza)

Personally I would rather Memphis keep the pick and get Yi or Horford ourselves for the long term rather than get in contract-hell for a worn-down Gasol.

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Actually I do not want to trade Gasol at all because he is the easiest path out of the lottery. So unless there is an absolute, no-brainer type deal then I would not want to trade him. Much easier to build with him than to rebuild after trading him.

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That's not how your 27 posts since you joined here 12 days ago have appeared to me - your focus has appeared all about how much you hope and expect to get from us for Gasol.

I believe you are over-valuing him compared to the value of our 3 in the current market, and that if Memphis values him as you do then you will get to keep him. As I prefer.

[MemphisX]

My guess is that people on this board wouldn't even trade Josh Smith for te #3 pick in this draft but you want to try and convince yourself that the #3 pick is worth Gasol.

Actually, I have stated what I thought was fair for Gasol (Josh Smith/#11) and yes it is in my best interest to have the Hawks over pay for him.

[ATL22]

I'd give Memphis both our first rounders and a player for Gasol but Memphis isn't keeping their first round pick in that deal. If they want all that then they have to give up Gasol and the #4 pick. Then they can get Horford at 3, get the PG we would have gotten at 11 and whatever player it takes to balance the salaries. The Hawks then get Gasol as their big man and draft Conley or Law at #4. Both teams fill needs then.

[sturt]

Memphis X:

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Actually I do not want to trade Gasol at all because he is the easiest path out of the lottery. So unless there is an absolute, no-brainer type deal then I would not want to trade him. Much easier to build with him than to rebuild after trading him.

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It's all about whether the Griz consider 06-07 a fluke, or if they believe they're in rebuilding mode.

If they're expecting to compete next season, Gasol is on board, and any trade would have to be clearly market value or better.

If they're not... and MemphisX appears to accept the rebuilding mode, as do many other fans and beat writers from whom we've heard...

...then, Gasol's spoken to that: he's basically said, "If you're rebuilding, I'm not interested in giving my late 20's years in the NBA toward that effort... get what you can out of me now from a club that's expecting to compete in 07-08."

Thus, the paradigm morphs from only trading for "market value or better" to trading for the best deal available at the most opportune time before the season begins.

The difference is much like deciding to market your product in a glitsy department store, or to market your product on eBay... on the one, if you sell it, you'll get a premium price; on the other, if you sell it, you'll get what the market will bear (though, that could still be a premium price depending on demand--which is certainly affected in this instance by another market condition called the salary cap).

If Horford is coveted, and no better alternatives are identified, that certainly ratchets up the likelihood that the Hawks are in an enhanced position to offer to the Griz the "best deal available."

I can be wrong, of course, but this Gasol thing wouldn't appear to die until either (a) Gasol changes his mind and announces publicly that he can live with what the Griz are doing, or (b) the Hawks pull the trigger on another, more appealing option, or © until June 28.

[WraithSentinel]

They don't know what the Hawks will do. They will do something. That paper sure did clear things up. I only heard of those scenarios about a billion times since draft lottery night.

[DJlaysitup]

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...MemphisX sure seems determined and hopeful that BK overpays for Gasol - I say it will not happen...

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I hope you are right M-J...but we sure as hell overpaid for JJ...a guy that BK had in his sights. We got lucky with the ping-pong balls but we overpaid with that last 1st round pick.

Will BK be frugal now or do it again?