Can anyone confirm the Amare,Josh Smith trade rumors I heard on ESPN this morning.

[Dragitoff]

I'm back and forth on getting Amare. He's not a back-to-the-basket post player, but he at least can face up to his man and get to the basket. That's one huge offensive advantage he has over Smoove.

As for defense, neither or good defenders in the post. Both can block shots well enough, but Smoove does have more presence and timing on blocking shots so he does get the edge defensively.

The only way I see this trade as being a good move for us is if we do the following:

Trade Chillz and Smoove for Amare

Re-sign Marvin, Flip, ZaZa, Mario, and Othello

Sign another athletic, FA big like Chris Anderson (longshot, but he would fit this scheme perfectly)

Make this team a running team.

Crawford/Teague

Johnson/Flip/West

Williams/Evans

Stoudamire/FA Big/Hunter

Horford/Pachulia

We'll probably give up a fair amount of PPG, but we should be able to score with ANYONE in the league with that lineup. We'd still have our ability to swap coverages because of size so maybe our defense isn't much worse than it is now. In fact, the +/- of Bibby vs. Crawford and Smoove vs. Amare might be in the middle. Crawford's not a good defender either, but at least he's got size that Bibby doesn't have. Billy Knight's dream has finally come true! lol.

[Dsinner]

We'll probably give up a fair amount of PPG, but we should be able to score with ANYONE in the league with that lineup

Not sure if you heard our coach last year but he doesn't want a team that gives up 100+. Ever. So, even with the appropriate pawns you will never see us have a running team under Woody. The man has to go if we are ever going to see Smith/Teams full potential.

[cwill1410]

anything new since prior to 12 this morning?

[exodus]

The funny thing about Smoove is that he has a higher ceiling than Amare even offensively. But of course his basketball IQ will prevent him from ever realizing it.

No way does Smith have a chance to be as effective on offense as Amare. He is a consistent 20 ppg + player and one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. Amare's TS% of 61.7% is tied with Gasol and one of the highest in the league even though he was better in the previous two seasons.

If Horford was a 7 footer, I'd more than consider it. But again with an undersized Center, we absolutely need Smoove's presence defensively.

Having Horford at C should be no detriment at all to getting Amare. You don't build your team around role players and that is what Horford is. You build your team around stars and Amare is a legit star. If we trade for amare then we will have to find a way to get a big defensive C to play next to him.

[Joker]

Amare can play Center, he was one of the best in the league when he did. In fact, he was the best Center in the league when he did.

[Frenzy]

i thought Amare said that he didnt want to play C?

but besides,arent Dwight and Amare the same height?

Edited June 27, 2009 by falconfrenzy