The Genius of Chris Wallace
Memphis GM Chris Wallace is the mastermind behind the deal that shipped Pau Gasol to L.A. in exchange for Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton. He’s also the one who asked for his critics to step forward and go on the record. That plea resulted in Gregg Popovich’s infuriated rant, in which he begged for the NBA to institute an oversight committee for unfair trades, a la fantasy basketball.
“What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension,” said Popovich. “There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I’d like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade.”
Wallace’s track record is smattered with questionable deals. Highly questionable. Wallace sent Joe Johnson to Phoenix midway through his rookie season, in a package with Randy Brown, Milt Palacio and a first-rounder for Rodney Rodgers and Tony Delk. That pick was eventually used to take Casey Jacobsen.
Once Rodgers went down with an injury, Wallace went in search of a replacement forward. He dealt Kenny Anderson, Vitaly Potapenko and Joe Forte to the Sonics for Vin Baker and Shammond Williams. We dug up ESPN’s Bill Simmons’ reaction to that deal, ” A no-Vin situation for the Celts.”
If the NBA ever handed out the Jim McIlvaine Award for “Most Untradeable Contract In The League,” Baker would have at least two trophies in his living room right now.
Seattle acquired him from Milwaukee five years ago, coddled one good season from him and then watched his weight soar and his stats plummet in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. Then, the Sonics gambled and signed him to a mammoth seven-year, $86 million deal and watched him turn into a “VH1: Behind the Music” special.
It was after that point that Wallace traded for him. Might Kwame be this generation’s version of Baker, minus the off-court problems? Wallace can’t plead innocence by virtue of naivete. Kwame’s been moved around enough for everyone to see the glaring deficiencies. The only difference between the ‘02 Baker acquisition and the ‘08 Kwame grab is that Wallace gave up his team’s best player this time around.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
GEE...Now they want me to testify against Clemens too. says:
This ain’t from Gee it’s from Gil. I agree with every word though!
http://my.nba.com/forum.jspa?forumID=400032200
The Gasol Trade
The Lakers stole Pau Gasol. They hi-jacked him. That should be a crime. You don’t give away Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown and a rookie. I don’t care what’s out there, you can get more than that. You gave away a $100 bill and you got back two nickels and a dime. Now the Lakers are a top four team, maybe even higher in the Western Conference. You have Bynum and the five and Pau at the four? That means you have two scorers who are 7-foot plus at the four and the five, which reminds me of David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Then you have Lamar Odom, who’s a 7-footer at the three and he gets to play free and do all the stuff he’s capable of doing, and then they have Mr. 81 at the two. You can put anybody at the one. Who cares who’s the one. I mean, they have their championship, veteran one in Derek Fisher, but that’s just a huge plus. You don’t even need him.
It seems like a pretty stupid move by Chris Wallace. No offense, I don’t know him personally, but you don’t give away Pau Gasol for what they got back. I mean, Chicago wanted Pau Gasol. They would have given something back in return. I mean, something. Ladies and gentlemen, they have Darko and Kwame at the four and the five. That’s all I’m going to say.
Shaq is back in the West and Kobe’s got Gasol - the two teams that hate each other with the two players that hate each other. Wow, how the NBA works.
February 12th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
BlazeMcHerbs says:
I think Chris Wallace and Isaah Thomas have a bet going on, who can make the dumbest trades and still keep a job. Well done morons, well done. Its like Peter Griffin vs Homer Simpson, 10 rounds
February 12th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
MiCkeY MoNDaY says:
Gregg Popovich is a hater……lol
February 12th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
mrcanadian says:
good read. honestly, i can’t see why some of these gms are hired based on their past resumes. it’s like the owners choose a new gm by picking a name out of a hat.