wolfenstein wrote:
Ha, too late. He's emerged. They won't do it now.

Apparently this deal is held up because Portland doesn't want Blake, just the draft pick. I don't blame them, I wouldn't want Blake either.

wolfenstein wrote: Evan Turner is a total baller stud. Wanted us to trade for him/that draft pick before/during/after the draft sooooooooo bad, but of course was totally slammed for that idea.

roundhouse wrote: Blake is terrible. I don't know why anyone would want him.

College Wolf wrote:
Nobody slammed you, they just acknowledged that it was never going to happen because the drop off in talent or maturity was so great between Turner and Favors/Johnson/Cousins.

I think we universally wanted Turner. If we were offered Turner for the #2 this year and turned it down, however, I would cut someone.

wolfenstein wrote:
No, Philly was rumored to be shopping the pick. I came up with multiple trades that could have worked out (us taking Iggy + pick, Brand + pick, etc etc)... but let's just say they were not well received.

The latest this morning from Hoopshype:

John Canzano: Source directly involved in the Jamal Crawford trade said the deal should be done in the morning. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
Frank Isola: Lakers getting Beasley, Jamal Crawford to Minnesota and and Steve Blake to Portland is getting close, the News Mitch Lawrence reports Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
Marc J. Spears: While Blazers holding it up, sources close to MIN-LAL-POR deal expect it to go down. Crawford to MIN, Blake to POR Beasley to LAL & more. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
The Lakers revisited talks to acquire Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley on Wednesday, multiple league sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com. Several variations of the trade have been discussed. One would land Beasley on the Lakers in a three-team deal that would send Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford to the Wolves and Luke Ridnour from Minnesota to Portland. Los Angeles would give up one of its two 2012 first-round draft picks in the deal and use its $8.9 million trade exception, acquired when it traded Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks in December, to absorb Beasley's approximate $6.3 million salary. Portland would also receive the Lakers' first-round pick. As of late Wednesday night no deal was completed, but a source familiar with the negotiations said, "the sides have momentum." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
Alex Kennedy: Source close to the situation on Lakers-Wolves-Blazers talks: "It could go down any time." Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
John Canzano: Source close to Crawford trade tells me, deal "not done yet." Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
Joe Freeman: Source: Jamal Crawford has right knee tendonitis and did not play because of the combination of that and fact that he's in trade talks. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Trade, Michael Beasley, Steve Blake, Jamal Crawford | share
Chris Haynes: Source says all parties involved agreed to hold Jamal Crawford out (right knee tendonitis) in light of recent trade discussions. Twitter

...And these gem-like Beasley quotes from Zgoda's blog this morning:

The question is, will he still be a Timberwolf this time tomorrow?

"Twenty-four hours from now? Whooooo," Beasley said, his voice rising when asked if he still expected to wear a Wolves uniform Thursday night at Utah. "I mean, of course. But if I'm not, I'm not.

"I'm just a pawn in this game. L.A. Boston, New Jersey, Orlando, anywhere they decide to move me, then I've got to go. I'm not saying I want to, but that's something I have no control over. I'd love to stay here. It don't make it no easier if I've got to up and move. I got a nice-sized house with a lot of things inside of it, but I'd rather stay. If I've got to go, it's just business."

Beasley said he talked with Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn but said Kahn made no promises either way if he'd be traded or not.

"Nothing important," he said about their conversation. "We'll see what happens."

He said he has talked to his agent, Jeff Schwartz.

"I heard a little bit, but nothing so far," Beasley said. "I'll just wait to hear from him. I don't watch the sports channels or read the newspapers."Asked if he updates his Twitter account regularly to follow the latest rumors, he said, "Nah, I try to stay out of the world."

I feel bad for Mike Beasley. He was adjusting really nicely to his role and now he gets to replace a worthless backup biotch point guard and play the same role on the Lakers. Wish he'd stay, but we do need help at the wing.

www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2012/03/h...n_players_brace.html

So NOH is now willing to move Ariza. He would be perfect, and while everyone blew up about his contract, he makes the same amount as Wes + Randolph, so you could basically do something like:

Miller + Randolph + Second Rounder(s) for Ariza. Not a super flashy trade, but fairly realistic.

The League saves money, gets more hope to sell the poor fans.

Combine that with a move for a guy like Crawford and now you're talking.

espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6r66j8a

We can do better than Ariza with a contract of that size.

I like Arizia. Plays good D, and is athletic. He just has to be the 4th or 5th scoring option on a team to succeed (as shown in his time with the lakers where he is the 4th behind Pau, Kobe and Bynum)

I'd like it a lot. Hope we go after him.

As several other teams use expiring contracts, trade exceptions, rights to Euro dudes and draft picks to acquire talented players, the Wolves/Lakers/Blazers deal appears to be dead. I liked the deal from a roster balance standpoint but recognize it was probably lateral overall.

F-you Kahn, this is why you are so hard to like. $11 million in expiring contracts, some young players that HAVE value, and multiple 1st and 2nd round picks, draft right to players. Yet, nothing. Awesome.

(I maintain the right to reverse the above for next 92 minutes)

WallyWorld wrote:
Imagine if we had turned Randolph, Beasley, some second rounders, etc. into Trevor Ariza and Sam Young?

I mean, that would immediately make us so much more competitive not only for the rest of this year but next year also.