The look on my face when I saw the name Drew Gooden would have been an internet meme.
Hey, I don't love it either but I have a hard time imagining how we dump one-sided Thornton while taking something back. I have thought of four other deals for MT that might be a little more amenable to the forum. Here goes:
DEAL #1:
To PHX: Marcus Thornton
To SAC: PF/C Marcin Gortat
Why: PHX could be looking at a big with 5, particularly Len, Bennett, or Zeller. It's also possible they could take Oladipo, lessening the need for another guard like MT. Still, rumor has it Hornacek wants to play a more up-tempo system and could value even a one-dimensional scorer with range like MT. The cost for that is Gortat, who they have wanted to move for awhile to no avail. We get a nice utility big man that can spot start who could pair well with DMC and save one extra contract year.
DEAL #2:
To DEN: Marcus Thornton
To SAC: PG Andre Miller, PF Anthony Randolph
Why: DEN is in disarray and could use simplification in their guard situation with a more traditional 2 that can purely score. With Iggy's seeming impending departure, their starting SG would likely be either Chandler or a re-signed Brewer; now consider with Gallo out they will need cover at the 3 as well, and the depth at the 2, on roster now, is basically Fournier. The Kings provide scoring, youth, and depth to DEN and get a nice starting PG and roster filler. Miller has been a consummate pro and could go a long ways towards "changing the culture" and showing these guys how to play, act, and think like a competitive team. I have admired his playmaking and traditional PG skills for years and would love to see him end his career here, where I believe he lived for some time. My personal favorite of the prospective deals.
DEAL #3:
To WAS: JT, Marcus
To SAC: Nene
Why: WAS would likely laugh this deal off until they pass out. But WAS is one of the weirdest teams, makeup wise, in the league. They have no depth to speak of and their biggest assets, Beal and Wall, join a cast of virtual nobodies with Jan Vesely (bust), Kevin Seraphin (depth filler on most any team), Chris Singleton (crafty shooter and interesting player, but raw), and Trevor Booker (utility big with nice upside) as the only players under contract next year, save for the albatross of contract known as Nene. This deal would provide WAS critical depth pieces to improve their rotations and flexibility, and also allow them to go after a couple of players that might gel with the Beal/Wall core better over time. The Kings help WAS get out of, essentially, half the Nene deal after two seasons and get a big that is known for rebounding and defensive attributes that could help be a big improvement next to DMC. Additionally, it could go a long way towards that shock to the system many of us have thought this team needs. We would likely have to sweeten the pot with a pick or something similar, I feel, but it could be worth it.
DEAL #4:
To BKN: Thornton, filler or nothing
To SAC: Wallace
Why: Normally I'd say BKN doesn't do this but the savings they'd get might make them amenable to it. Wallace fell off dramatically last year, but is still a marked improvement on what we have at the 3. He also is a hustle, "dirty work" sort of player that could mesh well with this team and plays fair defense for his position. BKN gets a bench scorer, essentially a more expensive version of Brooks, but hey, this is why I'm not a GM. Humphries is another target we could ditch for but his season last year was a disaster.
BONUS DEAL:
To MIL: IT, MT, Patterson, #7
To SAC: Udoh, Ilyasova, #15
Why: This one is a stretch, but it combines some other elements MIL could bite on. MIL gets depth across the board and cap relief year-to-year to help with a rebuild, which it does appear they are entering into. We get a starting SF while keeping our 4/5 intact, although we lose a lot of depth. Still, nice to have our first true 3 for the first time in what feels like 5 years. We trade a lot of players that DMC is reportedly close to, so there's that fallout too. But hey, if we get better who cares.