Mike Miller Trade Watch

Sean Williams is the guy I would want but who else needs to be involved to make the the numbers work?

Any trade with NJ involving Mike Miller will probably net the Wolves Stro Swift + etc because their salaries most closely match.

Swift + Williams for Miller works.

Other “etc” pieces from NJ that might be added: Maurice Ager, Jarvis Hayes

Swift, Ager, and Hayes are all expiring contracts.

Draft picks –
Nets 1st rounder this year is probably mid/upper teens
Nets 1st’s in 2010 are their own + unprotected 1st from Dallas (JKidd trade)

I’d consider it with the pick attached. Definitly not straight up. Don’t go overboard on Mike. He might be struggeling that doesn’t mean he’s written of just yet.

I’m pretty dumb with contracts, but Eric in Madison noted that Miller has one year left on his. Therefore, I wonder if trading him is such a good idea? Here’s my rationale. The guy is to my mind a pretty damn good player. He’s basically a very good shooter – the best on the team to my mind – who’s in a horrible slump. That’s what happens to shooters, especially shooters on new teams, who have had nagging injuries all year, and with undefined roles/varying playing time. Anyways I know I’m not saying anything most people don’t know, but my point is that he’s going to break out of the slump. The maddening thing is one never knows when…but it will happen. I mean this guy averaged, what, 18/5/4 or something ridiculous like that one year with Memphis? The guy is really good.

One key thing about Miller is that he was ecstatic about coming here. Said he wanted to finish his career here. He’s what, 28 or 29? So let’s say the Wolves keep him, and he finishes his contract. That puts him at around 30. Now the Wolves are in the interesting position of signing him for a lower number, given that he’s in his 30s and really wants to be here. So what do we have? An instant-offense type 6th or 7th man who can hit the 3 as well as anyone and isn’t very expensive. What team wouldn’t want that…even a team like the Wolves, if as they are hoping they hit their stride in 3 or 4 years?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d deal him too if the right deal came up. But I think the best possible approach to any trade involving Miller is patience, patience, patience. I don’t know anything about Williams, but from some of the comments here I wonder if we can do better. At some point – whether this year or next, or the offseason – I’d say chances are a really good team in need of a shooter is going to come calling, at which point we might get a very attractive package in return for Miller. If not, we get one of the best shooters in the game coming off the bench for potentially the next 4-5 years – sounds good to me.

Sean Williams called up from the D-League by the Nets (showcase, anyone?).

…with Mike Miller: performance and value. You can measure performance with whatever metric you want but I think value goes something like this: performance/salary. Miller could get his shot back and play solid ball but that doesn’t change what his value should be to the Wolves based on how he has played in the past and what his season averages typically are.

For everyone wanting to keep him around, are 2 more years of $9-10 mil for Miller’s numbers going to get the Wolves to where you want them to go? If he does stick around, what do you think he will resign for?

My personal thought on this is that I hope the Wolves are bluffing and trying to stir up additional teams to get in on the action because if the Nets had a toaster with a $10 mil expiring salary the Wolves should be begging that they trade it for Mike Miller. The only other caveat is that if they think he is a legit part of a viable sign-and-trade during the off-season. Otherwise, his salary keeps them from doing what they need to do: become players in the 09/10 free agency market. I’d much rather see them take a run at Marvin Williams with some of their draft assets than I would see them bring aboard another guaranteed salary (Nets’ 1st rounder) on an improving team + a replacement value player in Williams. Miller’s biggest worth is if his value (performance/salary) can be converted into a superior ratio….whether that be for a young player worth something (who the Nets won’t part with) or a 09 free agent.

I edited the link.

“hits the hammer on the nail!!!!!”

mayn you sed it wut i been trynna say fo a long time righ der mayn!! MIKE MILLER IS DE ANSWER TO OUR PROBLEMS. why dont yall see dis. I’m not trynna sound like J Pete, but he MUCH more den a shooter on de offensive end. He loves Minny. We’ll trade him and he will break out uv his slump and we’ll be stuck wit…Maurice Ager and Sean Cheifein on de haze Williams?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? NAH MAYN!!!!

… but of course, what’s he supposed to say?

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_11530954?source=rss

First, I don’t think he’s as unathletic as people say. If he’s slower than, say, OJ Mayo and Brandon Roy (to use 2 MN bêtes noires), it’s not by much. I know he gets blown by once in a while, but here are a couple of counter-examples: first, remember the play on which he got his last injury? He got that injury while guarding a supposedly more athletic guy (unfortunately I can’t remember who – anyone remember?) – he forced him to the baseline, got his body low and his hands up, and forced the guy to take a low-pct shot from behind the backboard. In fact Miller’s good D contributed directly to his injury: the guy he was guarding landed in a weird place precisely because Miller made him do something he didn’t want to do, and then Miller came down on his foot. Second example: how easily has Miller been getting to the basket the last few games? And making plays (scoring or assists) at the basket? You don’t do this without at least a modicum of quickness.

Second, and regarding the Robson article: I agree that Miller’s quote is, as Robson called it, haughty. Then again, put yourself in his shoes: you’re on an exhausting road trip, you’ve had nagging injuries all year long, and you’re going through the worst shooting slump of your career (as everyone who’s had one – i.e., everyone – knows, slumps are absolute hell)…and some kid asks you why you can’t shoot straight? Look, I know the quote was out of line…I just sometimes wonder how these guys don’t blow their top every 5 minutes.

Third, re: Robson’s point about Miller being reluctant to shoot – I have to admit, I haven’t really seen this. Maybe it’s because I watch many games on a crappy little window on my computer screen. But the only shots I’ve seen him pass up are really bad shots. When he’s open and he’s in rhythm, it seems to me that he shoots the ball. Am I missing something?

Fourth, the slump has been going on for long enough that I’m beginning to wonder if something else is going on – i.e., if, as Robson asks, he’s got an injury that either he or the team isn’t admitting. If so, then I think Robson’s right: he needs to rest until he’s better.

Last point: I’m not completely opposed to a trade. I would love to get Childress if, as McCleak suggested, that might be possible. But I don’t want to trade him just because somebody’s “more athletic.” Williams, for example…I haven’t been all that impressed by what I’ve seen of him. Miller, when he’s at his best, is just a hair below all-star level. I’d really like to see him play that way for the Wolves.

den give Ariza ridiculous amounts of money. Much more dne it’ll cost for carney

I don’t think NJ have enough trade assets to acquire Mike Miller. They won’t part with Vince/Harris/Lopez/Yi nor should they, and I wouldn’t be that interested in the rest of their youth, not at the cost of Mike Miller.

If they’d include a first round draft pick and expiring contracts it may be worthwhile (which someone will offer the Wolves). Hard to see other offers making sense.

well maybe not official. but der is literally a 0% chance dat we move him. I highly doubt we make any trade de way we playin righ now. u dont mess wit dis kinda chemistry, dat would be a FINANCIAL AND CULTURAL disaster. McHale dosent give up on his decisions (see: Randy Foye) and will undoubtedly give miller a full year at the very least in Minny mayn. Dis trade talk all eculation an IT ONT HAPPEN YESSSSSSSS!!