It takes balls to sell high. But I love it. Really - what were the Jazz giving up? They weren't gonna win the big pot with the stack they had. So it didn't cost much at all to make this call. Keeping Deron would've meant slowly bleeding your chips away (typical of conservative poker play). I'm using gambling terminology because that's what all this is - moving players around, selling high buying low, etc. It's poker. Russian billionaire Prokerov was tilting - he'd just lost the Melo pot. For those that don't know "tilting" is when someone's reeling from a loss, and so they're overly eager to recoup on the next hand. They don't think things thru and it's the perfect time to pounce. This was a stupid trade for the Nets - the likelihood Deron resigns with Jersey is probably less than his resigning with Utah. This trade wouldn't have happened if it weren't for all the months of back and forth seeing and raising between Denver and New Jersey (and New York). It took its toll, tilted the Nets and then silent Utah pounced. Awesome.
Let me switch from the gambling analogy to a relationship one now - which will justify my posting in this particular thread.
You never appreciate what you have as much as when it's gone. After news of the trade DWill seemed plenty shocked and pretty sad. The Jazz organization looks more and more like the NE Patriots - Randy Moss bitched about his contract, and so they traded him. They didn't capitulate to that kinda crap. The narcissistic player is at first shocked, but ultimately respects and loves HIS team all the more for not kowtowing to his childish bitching. After he was traded Moss publicly gushed over the Pats with his love. He definitely appreciated them more AFTER they refused to be held hostage by him. If they'd have him back I bet Moss would be so grateful he'd keep his mouth shut - except to shower his team with more love. Screw the size of the contract - he might even play for free.
Now, D-Will was never as verbose or obnoxious as Moss. He didn't bitch about his contract, but regarding the FOs moves he had on occasion been a pouty little brat. I remember when he was asked about the Ronnie Brewer trade his response was "that's why I only signed a 3 year deal" (instead of the max 5). Oh yeah? You're gonna play it like that? Well, why don't you finish the last half of that contract playing for the New Jersey Nets.
I love Kevin O'connor right now. HUGE RESPECT for this organization. And I wonder if, like Randy Moss, Deron's respect for his former team has grown a lot as well. Yeah, people might think it's crazy but you gotta love the balls of the Jazz front office right now. So I don't think the idea of this thread is totally insane. Instead of us expecting Deron will leave in 2012, the FO have made moves that make it POSSIBLE that he could return.