R WALLACE TRADED

[albasuna]

http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/Blaz...-99272-41.html

Hawks get

Rasheed Wallace
Wesley Person

Blazers get

Theo Ratliff
Shareef Abdul-Rahim
Dan Dickau

[Max Power]

Blazers Acquire Two All-Stars From Atlanta
February 9, 2004

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired former NBA All-Stars Forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Center Theo Ratliff as well as Guard Dan Dickau from the Atlanta Hawks in return for Forward/Center Rasheed Wallace and Guard/Forward Wesley Person.

“Since John Nash and I came here last summer, we pursued a plan that would take character into account with talent, create cap flexibility while continuing to put a competitive team on the court,” said Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson.

“The community has been very clear in their message and we are listening. As we pledged to our fans and customers back in August, we want to build a competitive team on the court and one in which the fans can also be proud of off the court. Today’s trade is a reflection of that commitment,” said Patterson.

Abdur-Rahim, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward, is averaging 19.9 ppg (16th in the NBA) and 9.4 rpg (12th) while shooting 48.4% (18th) from the floor and 88.6% (7th) from the free throw line. The 6-foot-10, 235-pound Ratliff is the NBA’s leading shot blocker, 3.1 bpg, and averages 8.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg. Dickau, a Vancouver, WA native, has appeared in 20 games this season, averaging 2.1 ppg.

A seven-year NBA veteran, Abdur-Rahim owns career averages of 20.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 1.1 spg in 583 games. The 27-year-old was the third selection of the 1996 NBA Draft by the then-Vancouver Grizzlies after a record-setting freshman year at California. He averaged 21.1 ppg, leading all freshmen in the country in scoring, and led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals.

Abdur-Rahim was named Third-Team All-America by the Associated Press and was the first freshman to be selected as Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year. He was also named All Pac-10 and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.

Abdur-Rahim was named to the 1996-97 NBA All-Rookie Team after leading the Grizzlies in scoring, 18.7 ppg, and grabbing 6.9 rpg. In five seasons and 375 games with the Grizzlies, he averaged 20.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Lorenzen Wright, Brevin Knight and the draft rights to Pau Gasol on July 19, 2001. Since coming to the Hawks, Abdur-Rahim has averaged 20.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg in two-plus seasons.

Active in the community, he was named one of the Sporting News Good Guys in sports and helped raise funds for September 11 victims by creating "Rebound America" which raised a total of $212,275, including $69,600 from Abdur-Rahim. In November 2001, he received the NBA’s Community Assist Award.

Ratliff left the University of Wyoming with 425 blocked shots, the second-best total in NCAA history behind Alonzo Mourning's 453. He was only the fifth player in NCAA history to block 400 or more shots during his career and holds the third-best blocked shots average per game (3.83) in NCAA history behind David Robinson (5.24) and Shaquille O'Neal (4.58).

After a stellar college career, Ratliff was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft. He spent two-plus seasons in Detroit before being traded to Philadelphia.

Ratliff was selected by the fans to be the Eastern Conference’s starting center in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, but was unable to play due to a stress fracture in his right wrist. The 76ers then dealt him to the Hawks for Dikembe Mutombo in a six-player deal. Ratliff missed all but three games of the 2001-02 NBA campaign after having surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his right hip.

The 30-year-old returned to form last season and, for the second time in three seasons, led the NBA in blocked shots, 3.2 bpg. In 81 games, he also averaged 8.3, ppg and 7.5 rpg. Ratliff has averaged 8.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 2.7 bpg in 524 games spanning eight-plus seasons. He has blocked nine shots in a game five times in his career.

Ratliff is a member of the NBA’s All-Star Reading Team and a frequent participant in the Read To Achieve Program. For the past two years he has sponsored a reading contest for metro-Atlanta students.

Dickau, 6-foot and 190 pounds, attended Prairie H.S. in Vancouver, WA. He finished his college career at Gonzaga after playing two seasons at Washington. After only two seasons with the Bulldogs, he ranks seventh all-time in Gonzaga history in assists, 299, and 16th in scoring, 1,125 points.

The 25-year-old was a two-time Verizon/College Sports Information Directors of America District 8 All-Academic pick and a two-time West Coast Conference All-Academic selection.

He was acquired by the Hawks in a draft day trade after being selected by the Sacramento Kings in the first round (28th pick overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft. In August of 2002, he married Heather Nevenner, a former member of the BlazerDancers.

“This trades helps the franchise in many ways,” said Patterson. “We get a younger core of players and can remain competitive in both the Western Conference and the league. Another factor in the deal is that we are also acquiring three players of good character. This trade also gives the franchise salary cap flexibility.”

[bernardos70]

Why couldn't this trade have happened last nite? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

[chumdawg]

Blazers made out like bandits in this deal. Bandits, I tell you! Now you can see why they didn't want to take Jamison and whatever junk we were offering.

[Jamisonite]

ATl got what they wanted...two big expiring contracts...but i dont see portland making a run at the playoffs...they have too many pfs

[DNNF]

This trade actually help the Hawks out tremendously salary cap wise next year. Definitely, they will not resign Sheed to an extention and let him walk next year. Another team is in the Kobe sweepstake.

[ddh33]

Let the Rasheed to Dallas rumors end...hooray...

I don't think Portland does as well in this deal on the court as they do on paper. They just lost their starting center, a good defensive player on a team full of bad ones, and replaced him with a proven loser. Personally, I think Reef is a good player, but his teams can't win at all. As nice a guy as he is, he's part of the problem. Not to mention, they also take a step backwards as far as passing the basketball goes. I just don't think Reef at SF works. Maybe I'll be proven wrong though.
Ratliff will help them replace Wallace's defense, but I can't imagine him being a huge difference maker on that team.
Dickau hasn't proven much yet, though he should help in the community.

Atlanta gets salary cap relief for a team that was going nowhere. In the East, Rasheed might even help them make a run at the playoffs, though I think they fall short.

[TheBaron]

So Rasheed will walk and sign with the Knickerbockers. The Knicks will make out like bandits. Next year they will have Marbury and Wallace. If things work out they could be on the way to the playoffs.
Atlanta doesnt get the same deal as Phoenix with all the first rounders but they do get to get a lot of money after this year. It's really tough though because everyone seems to be rebuilding right now so they will be competing for FAs with Utah, Phoenix, the Clippers and Denver.

[AdamAMMP]

wonder if Dale Davis can be had.

[ddh33]

Originally posted by: AdamAMMP
wonder if Dale Davis can be had.

Yes...without a doubt.

The better question is does he have anything left?

[Poindexter Einstein]

BARON ... also add Charlotte to teams with spending money next year. And Cleveland and Washington. Miami will have some. Detroit has some too, though they likely will spend it on their own FAs. Spurs too.

Not so convinced about Sheed to the Knicks, though. I think he might be expecting more pay than the Knicks can offer.

[ddh33]

What everyone needs to understand is that this only eliminates Rasheed rumors until this summer. It will all begin again as soon as he is a free agent. Dallas will, once again, be in all the papers as a sign and trade (or straight up sign) option.

[MavsFanFinley]

wonder if Dale Davis can be had.

What do we have to give? His contract is up after this year (I think) so they wouldn't take Fortson. We won't give them Bradley or Walker either.

[TheBaron]

Originally posted by: Poindexter Einstein
BARON ... also add Charlotte to teams with spending money next year. And Cleveland and Washington. Miami will have some. Detroit has some too, though they likely will spend it on their own FAs. Spurs too.

Not so convinced about Sheed to the Knicks, though. I think he might be expecting more pay than the Knicks can offer.

yeah I was guilty of conjecture about the Knicks thing. I admit it. It was just a feeling.

Charlotte is definitely one of the largest-scale teams. I forgot to mention them, but I guess since I was talking about "rebuilding" so I can get away with such an obvious mental lapse. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

There are a LOT of teams looking so Im not sure Atlanta will be playoff bound next year. Probably they will just have flexibilty when the new owners take over.

[OutletPass]

V now owes DJ and the board $100 for losing our well publicized bet on the Rasheed trade...

Where are you, V...?

[grbh]

MFF, though it doesn't show it on the hoopshype, some people I have talked to on Blazers boards say that Davis has a player option next season for over 9MM.

I don't know for sure if there is any truth too that, but I do know that if it is true he isn't opting out.

[Dirkenstien]

I think this trade is really good for the Blazers and average for Atlanta. Blazers will be a lot tougher in the middle now thats for sure.

[ddh33]

Just watch the Mavs pack in a zone when they play the Blazers. Ratliff isn't a threat. Shareef is better down low, but that's where Randolph is. Zach can't pass. Stoudamire and Anderson are streaky shooters. I think Portland only won this trade on paper. They'll be a big, physical team, but I don't consider them a big threat.

[OutletPass]

Hey DDH...

What I find interesting is that portland abandoned the "shed salary" idea in favor of the "good character guys" idea. After Paul Allen swore up and down that they wanted to get rid of salary, they didn't do that for next year. Instead, they took on contracts to get "good character" guys...

So I have to wonder...are they through ?

Or do they try to clear out Stoudamire or Patterson or even Randolph ?

[Poindexter Einstein]

OP .... they didnt "dump" salary, but they did reposition their salary nicely while still getting rid of some boneheads, and while still keeping a talented team. They now look to be UNDER the luxury tax level for next year (and isnt that what they wanted to do, salary-wise?).

And they essentially traded their idiots for legit talent - who ever saw THAT as a possibility? They turned Bonzi + Sheed into A-Rahim, Ratliff, Dickau, and a #1 ...pretty nice.

When you need to remake your roster, and are able to end up with a very talented team (as they have done), that is a homerun IMO.

[ddh33]

I don't know if Portland is done or not?

Honestly, I don't like the construction of their team. I thought they were really starting to find a pretty good rythm with Rasheed at center. Now they've gone in a different direction. But instead of getting a forward to compliment Randolph who can pass and play on the perimeter, they get a guy who is more comfortable playing right where Zach is. Add to that a center who is extremely limited, and I wonder how successful they can be.

I think Portland would like to make some more deals. I believe they have to if they're serious about getting to the playoffs this season. Right now, they look more flawed as our Mavs. We have a bunch of tweener small forwards who can play down low - they just don't like to (except Jamison). Portland has a bunch of guys who play down low that can't play outside - even Miles and Patterson can't shoot. I don't know what they're doing. I do wonder how off limits Randolph is right now?

This deal makes lot more sense to me from Atlanta's standpoint. As Charles Barkley said last night, you be in last place for a lot cheaper than what Shareef and Ratliff were making. They have shed salary and found a guy who will spark interest in their team - even if it isn't all positive. People might be interested in tuning in to Rasheed.

[OutletPass]

PE...I'll certainly agree with you that they did a LOT MORE than people expected. I was pretty surprised by how much they got back...at the same time, I share DDH's skepticism about the makeup of their team. You may see it as a homerun, but I don't. It's a double off the wall in my books...when it could have been much worse. I know that's splitting hairs, in a way, but getting rid of Sheed and Bonzi is a good move for them...

How good is just a question for the future.

The Memphis pick may or may not be of value.
I have serious doubts about Dickau. I honestly don't think he's good.
They still have 2-3- 4 "bad character guys". They still need to deal with that.
They have a lot of PF types and no real shooters.

But if we're simply talking about Sheed, yeah, they did much more than expected.

I still don't see them being top 6 in the West (just based on talent)...and I'm not meaning the year end standings.

[Poindexter Einstein]

OP ...good points, and "double off the wall" makes sense.

The thing is, at the worst, instead of getting rid of Sheed/Bonzi this year, they got back some talent (and good character guys) to plug in and get a trial run with. There is no doubt that A-Rahim and Ratliff have talent - and if its not the right thing, then in a year they can just send them packing.

Think about this - if this stuff doesnt work out talent-wise, then next year at the trade deadline they will have TWO expiring contracts to market to the highest bidder: one for $15M and another for $11M. And in the meantime, they get two guys with both character and talent, to plug in to the lineup.

For my money, "dumping salary" is overrated, cause there is never any guarantee that you will be able to get talent back with the space you open up. (For a good example, look at SA last summer - they freed up DRob's $20M and also Claxton and S Jackson, and all they got back was Rasho and Turko and Mercer and Horry. Thats a huge drop in talent. They didnt get a Jermaine or a Kidd even though they had a returning champ and loads of cap room to use.) Instead of dumping salary, Portland got legit talent - I think they did the smart thing.

[OutletPass]

All good points, PE...and I do agree that "dumping salary" is a bit overvalued. It helped Denver, did little for SA, and did nothing at all for Utah. Whether it does anything for Phoenix remains to be seen.

But you got me to thinking about something...How many $7+ mil contracts come up next year ?

I'd do the research on that but I'm headed out to my son's game in a little while. That may make for some really wild trades next year, assuming that a lot of teams will be looking to follow the "get out of luxury tax hell" pattern that we're seeing (and I assume that will be still in vogue).

I hadn't really thought of it that way til you posted it...I'll have to let all those scenarios percolate until later but, at first blush, things could get very strange next year.