From: edmunds@vaxb.llnl.gov
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Hakeem trade rumors
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:07:13 GMT
Organization: LLNL_LIS


  * retrac@vesuvius.rice.edu (John Carter) writes:

  * [ good discussion of other possible trades deleted]

  * 4. The Seattle Supersonics send center Benoit Benjamin, forward Derrick
  * McKey, the Rockets choice of any other player except Shawn Kemp, and maybe
  * a #1 pick.
  * 
  * Comments:  Seattle *really* wants to make this deal, which is hardly a
  * 	   surprise given their abundance of good, but not great, players.
  * 	   They'd love to find somebody willing to make a three good for
  * 	   one great player trade.  The Pacers have called off their trade
  * 	   talks with the Sonics concerning trading Schrempf for McKey,
  * 	   but if the Rockets could swing getting Schrempf, Benjamin, and
  * 	   a #1 (toss in another Sonic to sweeten the deal with the Pacers
  * 	   to the extent that they require), the Rockets might listen.
  * 
  * Sticking point: Benoit Benjamin?!?  I'd be glad that I was leaving Houston,
  * 	   because I don't think I could stand the pain of watching Big
  * 	   Ben after years of watching the dream.  Give me Roberts, who
  * 	   might be the next BIG Ben, but then again might not.  Manning
  * 	   and Schrempf are pretty much a wash, if Manning's last season
  * 	   is to be believed.
  * 

  I don't think this trade would be as bad as your making it out.  Obviously
Benjamin isn't at the same level as Olajuwon, but he's well above
average.  McKey is very talented and very athletic.  If Houston was to 
pick Ricky Pierce as the other player, they'd have very good players in
every position, with a lineup of Benjamin, Thorpe, McKey, Pierce, and
Smith.  If they chose Gary Payton, they'd get a guy with a big upside
who plays excellent defense.  They could keep Mad Max and go with a three
guard rotation, or turn around and trade Smith or Payton to get some more
help.  If it was me, not knowing the contract situations, I'd be more
tempted by Benjamin, McKey, and Payton/Pierce than I would by any of
the other possible trades mentioned.  Obtaining Stanley Roberts and some
draft picks would be a crapshoot, given that Roberts has played well for
about 1/3 of a season thus far in his career, and has long shown head case
tendancies (with Benjamin, at least you know up front he's a head case --
"better the head case I know, than the one I don't").  Manning also has no
track record of excellence, and plays the same position as Thorpe.
Schrempf is very good, but Smits isn't the answer at center, and Reggie
Miller and Vernon Maxwell might be a little too much to take at off guard.
The Miami deal, with Seikaly, Miner, and Long, is the only one mentioned
that seems to me to be comparable talent-wise to the Settle offering.

  On the Seattle side, depth is one of their strengths.  Their lineup
would be Olajuwon, Kemp, probably Eddie Johnson, and two out of Pierce, 
Payton, and McMillan, with Michael Cage and Dana Barros coming of the
bench.  The mind boggles at the thought of Olajuwon and Kemp playing
together -- Seattle would unquestionably be the team to beat in the West.
Maybe that's the best reason for Houston not to make the deal....

-- Dave Edmunds
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro