Post by A2J on Mar 3, 2008 7:57:52 GMT -5
SF - RIchard Jefferson (Received with Kenyon Martin, 3 Firsts for Stephon Marbury)
RJ has been one of the gems of this T-Wolves team and has looked like a very solid prospect since his move into the starting lineup throughout this season. His offensive numbers are efficient (14.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG on 47.0 FG%) and his ratings show the potential to become something very special one day, already solid and well rounded. Jefferson's young age and success in TC makes him a prime candidate for Reward Camps and future development.
PG - Theo Papaloukas (Received for Kenyon Martin, 2 Firsts)
Two of the firsts and the expiring contract of K-Mart all received in the Marbury deal were shipped off for Theo, making the trade essentially Theo, RJ and a future first for Marbury. Theo's play at the point has not greatly diminished since arriving on the Wolves, as he puts up a solid 16.1 PPG, 8.2 APG, 3.8 RPG and 2.1 SPG on 45.8% from the field. While his turnovers (3.1) are slightly problematic, a PG with his size and skill is difficult to find, and poor TOs are something that can be absorbed. Locked up on a reasonable contract, Theo looks to be the starting PG for the T-Wolves for a long time.
SF - Kenny Thomas (Received for a future first round pick
With a nice set of ratings that looks applicable to both the 3 and the 4, Thomas was made to be a 6th man style of player. He's not a great shot blocker or ball stealer, but while starting gets close to 1 a game of each. His offense and rebounding are nothing special, but are still very solid - he averages 8.2 PPG ad 6.8 RPG on 46.8% from the field, and turning the ball over a paltry 0.9 times a game. His solid contribution while taking nothing away from the table will make him a valuable contributor for years to come.
SF - Hedo Turkoglu (Received for a future first round pick)
Seen as an overpayment, Hedo was received for the last pick acquired in the Marbury deal, a future first rounder from the Houston Rockets. While the Rockets look to be in good shape for the future, the pick had so little certainty around it that it seemed to be a risk worth taking in comparison to the low-reward player that Hedo seems to be. However, several key components of his game make him a desirable bench contributor - he has one more year after this on his rookie contract, he has shown improvement in TC, his controls his turnovers very well despite a poor handling rating and he's shown the ability to score on offense without taking too many shots. With some Reward Camps to aid his quickness, and hopefully remedy his low handles rating, Hedo could quite easily be a very strong bench contributor for years to come.
Overall Assessment: After trading Stephon Marbury, the Wolves have proceeded to move everything received in his deal as well as an additional pick for prospects and contributors. While it remains to be seen if such a strategy will pay off for the team, it has a strong set of roleplayers to build around three above average starters (Theo, Mason and RJ), a slew of cap space and a lottery first round pick in this year's very stacked draft. As a result, the Wolves appear prime to contend and make the playoffs in the very near future.
RJ has been one of the gems of this T-Wolves team and has looked like a very solid prospect since his move into the starting lineup throughout this season. His offensive numbers are efficient (14.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG on 47.0 FG%) and his ratings show the potential to become something very special one day, already solid and well rounded. Jefferson's young age and success in TC makes him a prime candidate for Reward Camps and future development.
PG - Theo Papaloukas (Received for Kenyon Martin, 2 Firsts)
Two of the firsts and the expiring contract of K-Mart all received in the Marbury deal were shipped off for Theo, making the trade essentially Theo, RJ and a future first for Marbury. Theo's play at the point has not greatly diminished since arriving on the Wolves, as he puts up a solid 16.1 PPG, 8.2 APG, 3.8 RPG and 2.1 SPG on 45.8% from the field. While his turnovers (3.1) are slightly problematic, a PG with his size and skill is difficult to find, and poor TOs are something that can be absorbed. Locked up on a reasonable contract, Theo looks to be the starting PG for the T-Wolves for a long time.
SF - Kenny Thomas (Received for a future first round pick
With a nice set of ratings that looks applicable to both the 3 and the 4, Thomas was made to be a 6th man style of player. He's not a great shot blocker or ball stealer, but while starting gets close to 1 a game of each. His offense and rebounding are nothing special, but are still very solid - he averages 8.2 PPG ad 6.8 RPG on 46.8% from the field, and turning the ball over a paltry 0.9 times a game. His solid contribution while taking nothing away from the table will make him a valuable contributor for years to come.
SF - Hedo Turkoglu (Received for a future first round pick)
Seen as an overpayment, Hedo was received for the last pick acquired in the Marbury deal, a future first rounder from the Houston Rockets. While the Rockets look to be in good shape for the future, the pick had so little certainty around it that it seemed to be a risk worth taking in comparison to the low-reward player that Hedo seems to be. However, several key components of his game make him a desirable bench contributor - he has one more year after this on his rookie contract, he has shown improvement in TC, his controls his turnovers very well despite a poor handling rating and he's shown the ability to score on offense without taking too many shots. With some Reward Camps to aid his quickness, and hopefully remedy his low handles rating, Hedo could quite easily be a very strong bench contributor for years to come.
Overall Assessment: After trading Stephon Marbury, the Wolves have proceeded to move everything received in his deal as well as an additional pick for prospects and contributors. While it remains to be seen if such a strategy will pay off for the team, it has a strong set of roleplayers to build around three above average starters (Theo, Mason and RJ), a slew of cap space and a lottery first round pick in this year's very stacked draft. As a result, the Wolves appear prime to contend and make the playoffs in the very near future.
