WNBA draft: you are the GM of Tulsa

[Blakeon18]

I don't know if this has been addressed... with our usual wisdom.

Tulsa is a cinch to be in the lottery come next April. Assume they are lucky enough to
get the #1 pick. What would you do with it?

Draft Griner and play a twin towers game with Cambage?
Draft Griner and trade Liz getting what you can in what would probably be a spirited bidding war?
Trade the pick and get what you can in what might turn out to be a fierce bidding war?

 

[sarals24]

Draft Griner, trade Liz.

 

[stwainfan]

I say you have to draft Griner. Unless you get some top players like Maya, Parker type players no way would I trade Griner. I would trade Cambage.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Definitely draft Griner. I would trade Cambage recognizing I might not get equal value back in any trade. I'm not convinced that Cambage is dedicated to playing in the WNBA. She may believe that she'll make enough money ($400,000) in China to live a comfortable life. Deciding not to play the rest of this season has probably hurt her trade value.

 

[Phil]

I'd draft and trade Griner, which is not a negative comment on her ability, rather, the opposite. Griner is enormously talented, but also has marketability, which could be better exploited in a larger media market. Might be able to get several quality players in trade.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Phil, interesting concept. Pick one or two teams that could trade for Griner and as their GM what would you be willing to give up for her.

I'd draft and trade Griner, which is not a negative comment on her ability, rather, the opposite. Griner is enormously talented, but also has marketability, which could be better exploited in a larger media market. Might be able to get several quality players in trade.

 

[HGN]

I would draft Griner ; Trade Cambage to the #2 team for their Selection ( No. 2 overall) , and pick EDD............That would give Tulsa a front line of EDD ; Glory Johnson ; and Griner ; guards Riquna Williams and Ivory Latta as a starting 5. That starting 5 could rival any in the WNBA and put Tulsa right back in the Championship hunt.

And as far as trading Cambage , any team that does not get Griner would love to have her. Including the No. 2 team in the draft lottery.

Just MHO.

 

[jdubct]

I'd draft and keep Griner. While the team might be able to get multiple players in a trade, they would not get equivalent talent for a rare talent like Griner. They would need to receive a player equivalent to a Moore or a Taurasi and some other players in a trade.

 

[blaqtech]

I don't know if this has been addressed... with our usual wisdom.

Tulsa is a cinch to be in the lottery come next April. Assume they are lucky enough to
get the #1 pick. What would you do with it?

Draft Griner and play a twin towers game with Cambage?
Draft Griner and trade Liz getting what you can in what would probably be a spirited bidding war?
Trade the pick and get what you can in what might turn out to be a fierce bidding war?

Draft Griner definitely. Offer Cambage in trade.....see what I can get.
Not a fan of twin towers.

 

[sarals24]

Not a fan of Cambage, personally.

 

[EricLA]

I would draft Griner ; Trade Cambage to the #2 team for their Selection ( No. 2 overall) , and pick EDD............That would give Tulsa a front line of EDD ; Glory Johnson ; and Griner ; guards Riquna Williams and Ivory Latta as a starting 5. That starting 5 could rival any in the WNBA and put Tulsa right back in the Championship hunt.

And as far as trading Cambage , any team that does not get Griner would love to have her. Including the No. 2 team in the draft lottery.

Just MHO.

I have a feeling that Cambage's days in the WNBA are numbered. I did not read the article, but read on here that she decided not to come back to the states for the remainder of the WNBA season. If i'm a team sitting at the #2 spot (EDD), or even the #3 spot (Diggins), no way do I trade for Cambage unless there's a real feeling she will play a career in the WNBA.

As a side note, if Chicago doesn't make the playoffs and gets the #1 pick, I'd still draft Griner. They could try out the twin towers and see if it works (Sylvia and Brit). If the experiment "fails", then they could trade one of them - Syl is one of the top 2 centers in the league. I honestly think her value is equal to that of any other elite MVP player out there. Or if they decide not to try the experiment, then they could trade her right off the block (or trade the #1 draft pick for whoever they wanted)...

 

[UcMiami]

I think we forget just how young Cambage is - if she were a US player she would be entering her senior year in college. I think looking at her age, she will be a great player if she wants to be, and I think she does. She needs more conditioning, but she has the skill and bulk to be a Griner with the build of a Fowles. And I think she will play in the US 3 out of every 4 years. The Olympic year for foreign players will always be a problem. LJ for example will play only 1/3 of this seasons games - same with a bunch of other foreign Olympians.
I do think you trade your starting center if you win the Griner sweepstakes whichever team wins it, if you can get a good/great player in return. Just makes sense.

 

[blaqtech]

Phil, interesting concept. Pick one or two teams that could trade for Griner and as their GM what would you be willing to give up for her.

New York Liberty. I'd give you Cappie Pondexter, Kia Vaughn, and Kelly Cain.

Washington Mystics. I'd give you Monica Currie, Ashley Robinson, Natasha Lacy and add Dominique Canty

Atlanta Dream. I'd give you Angel McCoughtry, Laurie Koehn and Ketia Swainer

Counter offer?

 

[Coler]

New York Liberty. I'd give you Cappie Pondexter, Kia Vaughn, and Kelly Cain.

Washington Mystics. I'd give you Monica Currie, Ashley Robinson, Natasha Lacy and add Dominique Canty

Atlanta Dream. I'd give you Angel McCoughtry, Laurie Koehn and Ketia Swainer

Counter offer?

Dominique Canty was waived early in the season.

 

[Phil]

New York Liberty. I'd give you Cappie Pondexter, Kia Vaughn, and Kelly Cain.

Washington Mystics. I'd give you Monica Currie, Ashley Robinson, Natasha Lacy and add Dominique Canty

Atlanta Dream. I'd give you Angel McCoughtry, Laurie Koehn and Ketia Swainer

Counter offer?

I haven't fully analyzed any of your offers, but that's exactly the point. Tulsa could add some legitimate stars, as well as some quality players, and make them a better team, at the same time the other team has a marketing dream. The goal is always to have a non-zero-sum trade, and in this case, it is highly possible both teams can gain a fair amount, not just a small increment and /or hope.

 

[rjp172]

Tulsa only has Cambage under contract till 2014 so it has to make a decision what to do by then in order to get any trade value. I was a huge fan of the thought of both Cambage and Griner when I thought Cambage was committed to the WNBA. Now that I understand where she is coming from I say trade. Tulsa would be wise to work with Cambage and see where she would be interested in going in order to assure prospective teams. Something tells me she'd be much more likely to commit and follow through with playing in the W if she was playing with other Aussie's or in a more metro location like NY.
As for Griner, I think she personally would be happiest playing for the Stars or Tulsa. Phoenix would be the next best situation for her. As much as people think that she should be in a high profile large market for marketability sake I think she's not quite ready for that personally. People have doubted EDD because of her reluctance to leave her family and home state....Griner has even less history of leaving hers.

 

[speedoo]

I think we forget just how young Cambage is - if she were a US player she would be entering her senior year in college. I think looking at her age, she will be a great player if she wants to be, and I think she does. She needs more conditioning, but she has the skill and bulk to be a Griner with the build of a Fowles. And I think she will play in the US 3 out of every 4 years. The Olympic year for foreign players will always be a problem. LJ for example will play only 1/3 of this seasons games - same with a bunch of other foreign Olympians.
I do think you trade your starting center if you win the Griner sweepstakes whichever team wins it, if you can get a good/great player in return. Just makes sense.

Wanting to be a great player is one thing, being committed to doing what it takes to achieve that goal is an entirely different proposition.. I have yet to see anything from Cambage that resembles that commitment.

When the great players were Cambage's age, they all demonstrated that commitment in one way or another.. Not buying the age excuse.

Example: she was in very poor condition for the Olympics, despite passing up the first part of the WNBA season, ostensibly to prepare for the games.

If I am Tulsa, I want to get rid of her, whether or not they get Griner.

 

[psconn]

Draft Griner, trade Cambage. From her initial comments on being drafted to Tulsa to her current decision not to play in the W she strikes me as an uncertain (but unquestonably valuable) commodity.

 

[blaqtech]

Dominique Canty was waived early in the season.

Well say hello to Ms. Bobbitt then....

 

[UcMiami]

Wanting to be a great player is one thing, being committed to doing what it takes to achieve that goal is an entirely different proposition.. I have yet to see anything from Cambage that resembles that commitment.

When the great players were Cambage's age, they all demonstrated that commitment in one way or another.. Not buying the age excuse.

Example: she was in very poor condition for the Olympics, despite passing up the first part of the WNBA season, ostensibly to prepare for the games.

If I am Tulsa, I want to get rid of her, whether or not they get Griner.

And yet she tore up the USA in the first half playing against some great USA players - USA was able to run her into the ground as they did with every team - but that first half was scary good. And she was playing against players with a few more years of pro experience than she has. I agree she has to get into better condition, but I think she can.

 

[speedoo]

And yet she tore up the USA in the first half playing against some great USA players - USA was able to run her into the ground as they did with every team - but that first half was scary good. And she was playing against players with a few more years of pro experience than she has. I agree she has to get into better condition, but I think she can.

Of course she can. The question is, will she, and at this point, there is really no evidence that she will.

 

[doggydaddy]

Of course she can. The question is, will she, and at this point, there is really no evidence that she will.

It wasn't just conditioning. They defended her better as well. She was able to dominate for 20 minutes. If she was totally out of shape, she wouldn't have been able to do that.

You can't teach 6'8" and with her bulk, she is tough to defend. Teams draft and trade for players on potential and she has a ton of it. Teams will also think they are the ones that can turn on her lightbulb and get her tdo the next level.

I would draft Grinder and trade Camage. Someone willmake it worth their while.

 

[Coler]

If I were Tulsa & I got the #1 pick, I'd trade Cambage for the #2 pick which would be EDD. I don't believe Cambage when she says she didn't mind being drafted to Tulsa. So trade her to a bigger market.

 

[alexrgct]

Part of Cambage's issue is that she doesn't seem like a great teammate. I've seen her live on a couple of occasions, and her body language is worse than any professional athlete I've ever seen. Someone should try the Jeff Walz "film her and show her just how bad it is" tactic because if I were a teammate of hers, I'd despise playing with her. Yes, when you're 6'8" and have good post position, you should get the ball, but being shown up every time you don't get it to her would get old fast. Maturity may come with age, but then again, maybe it won't. I think you know what you're getting with Griner, and I sign up for that every time and twice on Sundays if I have the opportunity to add her to my team.

 

[easttexastrash]

If I were Tulsa & I got the #1 pick, I'd trade Cambage for the #2 pick which would be EDD. I don't believe Cambage when she says she didn't mind being drafted to Tulsa. So trade her to a bigger market.

Would EDD want to play in Tulsa? I don't mean to insult Tulsa, but that is just not a place many players would choose to play.