How about we do a blockbuster trade, cut salaries and totally reshape a couple of teams in the process?
(By the way, this would never happen, and if it did, a lot of people would be up in arms. But I think it would put us in a better position next season and the season after to be back in the playoffs as a young, improving team.) Feel free to get on me about it.
Trade #1:
Memphis
Outgoing: Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, Casey Jacobsen, Hakim Warrick, Mike Conley
Incoming: Kevin Martin, Mikki Moore, Udonis Haslem, Daequan Cook, Quincy Douby, Smush Parker, Dorrell Wright
Miami
Outgoing: Daequan Cook, Dorell Wright, Jason Williams, Ricky Davis, Udonis Haslem, Smush Parker
Incoming: Mike Bibby, Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick, Kenny Thomas, Casey Jacobsen
Sacramento
Outgoing: Mikki Moore, Kevin Martin, Quincy Douby, Mike Bibby, Kenny Thomas
Incoming: Pau Gasol, Mike Conley, Jason Williams(exp), Ricky Davis(exp)
(Memphis gets Martin, Haslem, and a couple of young players with potential in Cook and Wright; Miami gets Bibby, Warrick and Miller, but has to eat KT's contract; Sac gets rid of contracts, gets some expiring contracts, and gets Pau Gasol.)
Trade #2:
Los Angeles Lakers
Outgoing: Kwame Brown, Coby Karl
Incoming: Brad Miller
Sacramento
Outgoing: Brad Miller
Incoming: Kwame Brown (exp), Coby Karl
(Lakers get the big man for the triangle offense, to go along with Bynum in the frontcourt; Sac sheds Miller's contract, gets an expiring and a youngster.)
Trade #3 (this trade works, even though RealGM doesn't seem to think so):
Milwaukee
Outgoing: Desmond Mason, Michael Ruffin
Incoming: Ron Artest
Sacramento
Outgoing: Ron Artest
Incoming: Desmond Mason, Michael Ruffin (exp)
(Bucks get defensive stopper and an NBA presence to complement Redd and their young big men; Sac gets rid of Artest, which is necessary after bringing in Williams and Davis, and gets defensive big man and athletic swingman.)
Our new lineup for this season:
PG: Beno Udrih (exp), Jason Williams (exp), Mike Conley
SG: John Salmons, Coby Karl (exp), Dahntay Jones (exp)
SF: Ricky Davis (exp), Desmond Mason
PF: Pau Gasol, Justin Williams (exp), Michael Ruffin (exp)
C: Kwame Brown (exp), Spenser Hawes
Our payroll after this season: $49-54 million (2008-09 salary cap approx $57 millon)
Gasol (2 years remaining), $15.1 million
SAR (1 year remaining), $6.2 million
Mason (exp), $5.3 million
Salmons (1 year remaining), $5.1 million
Hawes (3 years remaining), $2.2 million
Udrih (3 years remaining), resigned, $4-6 million
Karl (3 years remaining), resigned, $2-3 million
Draft picks, $4-6 million
Fillers, $5 million