The Amir Johnson Conundrum - Gold or Fallacy? Part 2 begins in post 90

[thead]

I would think...or at least, I would hope that most readers of this site would agree that not a single player on this roster is good enough to be considered "untouchable" if a trade improves the team in the short AND long term.

Bargnani is untouchable ALL STAR caliber player for 10 a year for the next three years

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I have to go with the same view point that there is no real need to move either of them. Depth is not necessarily a bad thing. Right now we have around 16 million designated to the PF position. How many starting PF's in the league make that? Next year when we add Val and if we keep Gray. We will have around 23 million allocated to the PF and C positions. We are looking good in regards of the cap and we will have a high draft pick this year. This team is looking good. We need to find a back up PG and SG for next season and a starting SF.

So my vote is to keep them both. I think Amir is better than Ed at the moment, but I think Ed will eventually surpass him. Having Amir around backing up the PF and C positions is a nice leisure to have.

It makes absolutely no sense to keep both Amir and Davis, to force one of them to be the 3rd string PF.

If you determine Davis is #3, you are giving a young guy with lots of potential practically zero opportunity to develop. I'd rather trade him and get something of value back to address a need at another position, instead of letting him rot burried on the bench. He'll have no trade value after a year of rotting.

If you determine Amir is #3, that's $6M+ being wasted in a third stringer, which makes no financial sense. Hell, I'd rather amnesty him, so you can spend that $6M to bring in a guy who would actually be used in the main 10-player rotation. I want my $6M investment actually contributing.

Bottom line is that with Bargnani starting at PF and Valanciunas/Gray covering the C position, there is insufficient playing time left for one of Amir/Davis (especially when both Kleiza and James Johnson can play PF in a small lineup). Utilize one of those assets to improve the team for both the immediate and long-term.

[thead]

I really hate to say it because I love Amir... But Davis has the upside/frame/pedigree and contract in his favour. If traded I hope he ends up in a really good situation for him

[Nilanka]

I wouldn't be terribly upset of Amir or Davis (or both) get traded.

[Hugmenot]

It makes absolutely no sense to keep both Amir and Davis, to force one of them to be the 3rd string PF.

If you determine Davis is #3, you are giving a young guy with lots of potential practically zero opportunity to develop. I'd rather trade him and get something of value back to address a need at another position, instead of letting him rot burried on the bench. He'll have no trade value after a year of rotting.

If you determine Amir is #3, that's $6M+ being wasted in a third stringer, which makes no financial sense. Hell, I'd rather amnesty him, so you can spend that $6M to bring in a guy who would actually be used in the main 10-player rotation. I want my $6M investment actually contributing.

Bottom line is that with Bargnani starting at PF and Valanciunas/Gray covering the C position, there is insufficient playing time left for one of Amir/Davis (especially when both Kleiza and James Johnson can play PF in a small lineup). Utilize one of those assets to improve the team for both the immediate and long-term.

That's a very reasonable argument if your assumption (Gary being 2nd center) is correct.

I am not sold yet on Gray being the primary backup center nor on JV being able to handle 24+ mpg starting next year so I don't have the same sense of urgency. I believe the issue will need to be addressed but my timeline is more generous, 1 to 1 1/2 year before it becomes an imperative.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

That's a very reasonable argument if your assumption (Gary being 2nd center) is correct.

I am not sold yet on Gray being the primary backup center nor on JV being able to handle 24+ mpg starting next year so I don't have the same sense of urgency. I believe the issue will need to be addressed but my timeline is more generous, 1 to 1 1/2 year before it becomes an imperative.

It may not be Gray, but whoever is the backup center next year just might be the 3rd big off the bench.

JV might not be able to handle 24+ mins, but he will have to. And IMO, he will handle it. I think he's already playing 22-25mins in Europe, i dont think he'll have a problem transitioning with the same or slightly more minutes in the NBA.

I think the problem if you wait to trade Amir is, one, this year's draft is big man heavy (or so ive heard), so teams will be able to shop for a big man, cheap. Next, if Ed does come out firing next season, Amir will have less minutes and most likely (im not saying "for sure") his trade value will go down as GMs wont see him play as much. Lastly, with JV, Bargs, Ed, JJ and possibly a C backup then Amir, you'll have 6 bigs in the rotation and if they do try to trade Amir, it will look like the team is desperate to get rid of a big that they will barely use and other GMs might offer cheaper deals than if Amir was still a 3rd/4th big off the bench.

In addition, like i said in my previous post, the shortned season has not been kind to bigs. Bogut is out, Gasol is struggling, Duncan is resting, Camby has been hurt, etc etc. Teams making a playoff push or deep seeding might be in the market for bigs and Amir is definitely a good candidate.