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Everywhere else but with the Bullets/Wizards.

When was the last time we drafted, developed, and got the full production of a lottery pick? Hell, a draft pick period!

[Katt Williams] "Don't worry... I'll wait...................."

I was fully in favor of trading the pick. The point isn't that the Wizards would certainly have been better off with Jordan Hill - it's a risk, obviously, but so is hoping for Foye to pan out and it's lower reward in that the best we can hope for out of Foye is superfluous given the Wizards' problems don't rest at the guard spots.

The #5 is a commodity, plain and simple. Whether the draft class is good or not (and it isn't), this time of year every GM in the league thinks they can find a budding star - on the cheap, mind you, given scale contracts - out of the lottery, and THAT is the value you're holding this up against. In other words: could the Wizards have received better players in exchange for this pick? To me, there's no question that's the case.

Even if, for reasons known only to Eddie Grunfeld, we were dead set on acquiring a guard or small forward, Dallas would've given you Josh Howard. The Knicks would've given you Wilson Chandler. Portland would've parted with Travis Outlaw. Danny Ainge, up to his old tricks, might've given you Ray Allen - and if you want outside shooting... who would you rather have: Mike Miller or Ray freaking Allen?

Someone explain to me how an Amar'e trade happens now. Etan's contract was a major part of that and goodness knows giving up Caron would be a mistake. More to the point, I suppose, why do you bother trading for Amar'e now if you're clearing cap room for the year he hits the FA market? If you want him here long term, sign him. Trading away one of your all stars just to lease Amar'e fresh off injury for a year doesn't make any damned sense - which makes it right up the Wizards' alley.

Here's your other problem: by trading Thomas and Songaila without getting ANY frontcourt player back, you leave a gaping hole that you now have to fill either by trade (and a stupid one, most likely) or free agency, signing someone marginal like Magloire, whom Grunfeld, for reasons unknown, flirted with a couple seasons back. Unless you're signing somebody to a one year deal just to duct tape the roster together, you're mitigating the cap relief you just gained by dumping Darius.

Find me an angle to appreciate this trade from. "It's better than nothing" just ain't doing it for me.