The more we keep playing .500 ball the more likely a rebuild is coming. No owner enjoys paying $98M for a team that is a 6-8 seed or a lottery team. It's just bad business and as much as people might hate on Stan Kroenke, I think there's little doubt he has a pretty sharp business acumen. So this is my Armageddon, blow it up, let's move on with our lives, rebuild plan. I have them listed in order of priority.
1) Move Melo to the Nets. Assuming he's willing which I believe he would be with an ultimatum, we move Melo for whatever offer is "on the table" from the Nets. Assuming it's a similar incarnation of the previous trade offer we heard about before the season, I'll take anything that's built around Derrick Favors, GS's 2012 1st, and a Nets 1st (or T-Will, or Damion James as a substitute for the last part). Whatever rest goes in there to make salaries match, I don't care so long as Travis Outlaw doesn't come back in the deal. Preferably it's Troy Murphy as he's expiring but I'm not adamant on this part (except no Outlaw).
2) Move Chauncey for anything expiring and a 1st. I don't even care if it's a lottery-protected first for a year or two. I'm also willing to accept a solid youngster in his rookie year or 2nd year in lieu of the draft pick. I'd also be willing to accept a solid big man with a longer contract who's still in his mid-late 20's like Biedrins or Varejao.
3) Move JR Smith for any sort of "high potential" youngster, preferably a big man but I'm not adamant on that. I'm not picky here. Jason Thompson would be my first choice. I'd be fine with Aminu if LAC is willing to part with him. Carl Landry, Glen Davis, Brandan Wright, etc. are all perfectly acceptable.
4) Give Birdman and Balkman to anybody for anything expiring. If we can get a second round pick along with it, great. If not, fine.
5) Trade Al Harrington for some combination of an expiring and a young player or two/or a decent 1st rounder. His contract is pretty team friendly as the last couple of years aren't fully guaranteed and he's likely to keep putting up the same numbers he has been. He is who he is. Fringe playoff contenders or better looking for a boost off their bench could do far worse. New Orleans looks like a decent landing spot with some combination of: Bayless, Thornton, Smith, and Pondexter coming back would be fine. Illysova and Larry Sanders from Milwaukee would also work. Udoh or Wright with Amundson works.
Yea, I imagine 2011 will likely be pretty painful but we can use the rest of 2010 and 2011 to see which players to keep out of the haul we'll get in addition to our likely top 5-6 pick in the 2012 draft (and maybe 2013 draft, hello Austin Rivers). Not to mention whatever draft picks we acquire through these deals. We'll have at least one player to really pin our hopes on with Favors.
