wow yaal guys are pretty confident in mr balkman here...he is a monster, but do u really want to give up one of our young talents for artest..think about it we need defense now but we can wai cuz we are the favortite to sign him anyway...artest lee and balkman on one team think about it..were gonna need great bench players and i dont think we should give up lee for artest because chances are both Balkman and lee will be coming off the bench so when our starters our tired our second unit can come in..david lee+balkman and they can give us quality bench minutes...why would you wanna give up one of our bright young future stars for a guy who can opt out next season...if we gave up lee for artest and say we lost in the first round of the playoffs...we will be feelin REAL STUPID especially if lee has a breakthrough "most-improved player" type year...basic point is KEEP LEE..get artest next year..lee has too much potential to give up on him for now
No one here is saying they want Lee gone. We all want Lee and Balkman here and Ron. However, Lee is expendable with Zach in the fold, and Ron would bring more to the team whether Lee stays or goes. That is the bottom line.
Did you watch Balkman last year? Basically with no offensive game at all other than hustle, he put up solid numbers when given big minutes. He is a million times better than David Lee defensively, and that probably will never change. I'm will to go as far to say Balkman plays as good one on one defense as any player in basketball. He can defend at least 3 sometimes 4 positions on the floor. He blocks shots on his man, not always in help defense, which is the sign of a truly great defender. And when given minutes he rebounded almost as good as Lee in a smaller frame.
You can tell he worked on his handle and jumper in the off season, and he wants to get better. The logical thinking is, Ron and Balkman would give you two of the best on the ball defenders on one team in basketball. Lee, as good as he is, is simply not nearly as stout as either player on that end. While both players can do reasonably well at what he does best, since Ron and Balkman are also hustle players like Lee.
Lee won't go in that deal though. Bibby is going to be traded. They want Nate. Zeke will sweeten it however he needs too without trading Balk or Lee.