My snarky comment aside, point taken on perhaps toning down the 15th roster spot madness. I think I've made my position clear, though it does seem like discussion has been rabid. As a reminder, though, if you're tired of one discussion and want to see another, write a FanPost about it. That's the beauty of the SB Nation platform.
Anyway, to go in a completely different direction, let's talk about fantasy trades! (Scott Jackson would be very angry).
The only reason I bring this up is because of this recent Peninsula is Mightier post. Five potential Shawn Marion trades were proposed, with the last one involving our Wizards.
Marion to Washington for Antonio Daniels, Etan Thomas and Darius Songaila.
Daniels would be a great fit for the Heat, and the other two guys are tall.
That trade sounds eerily similar to one I proposed over two months ago, with the only caveats being that mine was to be a sign-and-trade in the 2009 offseason and was contingent on everyone staying healthy this year. Truthfully, I like this one better because we're turning three deadweight contracts into someone who might fit us like a glue. Marion's awesome because he's such a versatile defender, can rebound like crazy and is used to playing in a motion-type offense. If we could somehow add him, get him signed to a reasonable contract and hope he doesn't decline as he gets older, it'd make us so much better. I'd move Caron to the 2, Stevenson to the bench and have Marion cover for Jamison's deficiencies. Perfect!
Of course, there are tons of issues too. One is Marion's large salary. Another is Marion's moodiness -- I think he's a great role player, but he's clearly the fourth offensive option here and he might not like that. Another is Marion's age and declining production since leaving Steve Nash. Finally, after all our injuries, are we ready to trade away a lot of depth? Our young guys would have to take a step forward, methinks.
Still, this is exactly the type of deal Ernie should be considering with his 2010 expiring contracts. Marion's not a superstar, but he's a potential impact player that could give us a lot of what we don't have, provided he's motivated and not whining.
So to those around, would you want Shawn Marion? What sweetners would you throw in to make it happen? Does this not tickle your fancy a little?