Extreme Makeover

The blogosphere is ripe with rumors preceding the draft...that's not unusual.  At the end of the day, a few trades involving picks are made and every team moves towards the next phase of summer activity in July.  But this year has a different feel, and I would argue is ripe with opportunity.  Already, Richard Jefferson has been moved for spare parts (i.e. cap relief), the Wiz traded away the #5 pick, Minny now has a bunch of first round picks, but most importantly many teams seem to be interested in moving pieces, either for financial relief or in anticipation of the 2010 "summer of love."  

Just a few of the names frequently tossed around:  Rondo, Ray Allen, Bosh, Shaq, Amare, Josh Smith, Josh Howard, David Lee, Tyrus Thomas, Kirk Heinrich, Sessions, Villanueva, Rafer Alston, Chandler, not to mention the FA's that are beyond our cap space as our roster sits today - Ariza, Hedo, Boozer, Gordon, etc. 

So, is this an opportunity for an "extreme makeover" as opposed to "building for the future."  It appears that the plan is to hope Spencer is a pretty good center, hope JT is a pretty good 4, hope Donte is a pretty good 3, know that KMart is a pretty good 2 and hope Draft #4 is a pretty good PG.  We won't know the answer to any of those 4 questions for the next two or three years (and maybe longer as it relates to this year's draft pick).  So we lose a bunch of games  for the next couple years (continuing to get good draft picks along the way) and hopefully either the team grows into something pretty good (the current portland model), or the assets are moved for in a couple years to make a big play for veterans (the boston model).  Both are viable options.

But with the state of the league right now, my question is whether there is an opportunity to change course and make a move now?  It would certainly require the Maloofs to open the wallets and allow GP to take salary up to at least near the luxury tax threshold. 

I think it might be time to strike.  I like the guys on our team, but I honestly don't think we have the makings of a 60 win team in the next two or three years.  Isn't that the goal?  (I say that because I think the goal is to be a contender, I think its a false goal to say "win the title" because its clear to me that 9 out of 10 times the title is one by one of the 3 or 4 best players in the world, and we don't have any of those). 

I am not making any proposal here, but am intrigued by the possibility of getting a complete makeover:  So if we had to move KMart and JT and Cisco and expirings and picks to end up with Rondo, Allen, and Tyrus Thomas and Tyreke Evans, or maybe D. Lee, I would go into next season a lot happier than wondering how our 18 or 19 year old point guard is going to do next season as we win 26 games.