The Godfather
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About 1/3 into the season GM Godfather had re-invented his roster in New Orleans. Gone were terrific players like Cole Anthony and Mac Koshwal, and added were Defensive specialist and future HOF, a former 1st rd pick of the Don himself, CJ Walker, an often missused and untapped young SG Xavier Thames. The Reunion continued with former Pelicans #8 selection Bruno Fitipaldo and Former stud prospect Moustapha Fall who has been bounced around the league without anyone taking the time and patient approach the young man needs to take his game to the next level. After an 8-7 start to a season, that on paper looked Championship worthy, The Godfather made a Pivot in Philosophy and sought after opportunities to revamp his roster and get younger. 1st came the Cole Anthony move, one of the most exciting and Offensively gifted players to ever played in the City of New Orleans, The Godfather shipped him out in a deal that Brought in Dave De Buschere a Center/Power Foward hybrid with the strength of an Ox and the Defense of a Gazelle, along with a Future 2043 1st swap , and young PG/SG and son of an NBA legend AJ English III and Jamail Jones. As the day set on that evening, The Godfather pivoted hard again and flipped Jamail to the Spurs for former #8 NOP selection Bruno Fitipaldo and fallen star prospect Moustapha Fall and BOOM the Pels looked like a team caught in no mans land as the struggled to a 2 games below .500 record thru 40 days of the season. When asked about the polarizing move to trade Anthony at the time, The Godfather said " Listen Romero Osby broke his skull, he is out for most if not all of the 1st half of the season and Anthony is getting older and more expensive by the minute, getting a young Big like Dave and a future potential starter in AJ English III plus a "golden ticket" down the road seemed like the right return and the right time to move on from a talent like Cole".
Oh but what came next became the biggest move of the season and one which every GM in the league criticized as one of the worst trades in league history. Some even called for the league to "VETO" it. Only Nuggets GM (known to his friends as Tiny Jon), sort of defended the move without fully doing so. The Trade read as follows Sonics and their elitists GM Cloud, sent CJ Walker (yes that former NOP 1st rd pick ) + SG Xavier Thames and SF Markku Larkio to the New Orleans Pelicans for highly rated and highly regarded C Mac Koshwal. On the surface this trade did seem odd, but knowing a little bit about what The Godfather was thinking at the moment the trade went down sheds light on the entire process. The Godfather said " Hey look, we are loaded at Big and Koshwal at his age and with his game represents a cost $$/return/production ratio that simply puts too many resources at one position for us. When we were approach and CJ was involved, I saw he still was blocking shots at a HOF level, saw he was still a GLUE efficient performer and I saw a guy that would enjoy finishing his career in the City he called home for a while. When the 2nd piece was Xavier Thames, a player we had gone after hard in the FA market just this past offseason and not succeeded in attracting here, I said bring it on; and when GM Cloud refused to add a little $$ to the deal and instead offered 19 yr old SF Larkio, whom we had as the 31st ranked player in the draft, it all became too good to be truth.",,, When asked about what he thought about the rest of the GM's almost ridiculing his trade The Godfather simply said "I Don't Give a Damn." And he shouldn't as I write the New Orleans Pelicans are amongst the hottest teams in the league with a recent stretch of 9-3 ball. CJ has been even more of a shot blocker than he was with the Sonics raising his Bpg to 3.2 per, Thames has taken into newly hired special offensive coach/and assistant Steve Fischer, his former SDSU coach, philosophy and has "unlocked" his incredible Offensive game, you know the one he displayed for coach Fisher at SDSU, and has averaged 22.91 PPG in his 1st 12 games in the new system, one that fits his game like a glove. That and the turning of the keys to young PG Myles Mack and this team has gone from an older expensive and hand tied cap restricted one, to a young, flexible and talented one, with a HOF Defensive Whiz being the Glue and the kids running wild this team is "revitilized" and has a chip on their shoulder. Furthermore Romero is do to return soon and make the situation even better. But dont rest on their laurels and be assure The Godfather will look to make a deal or 2 if one presents itself between now and the deadline as he continues to find pieces to improve the team; and critics be Damned cause in his own words I repeat "I Don't Give a Damn!
Oh but what came next became the biggest move of the season and one which every GM in the league criticized as one of the worst trades in league history. Some even called for the league to "VETO" it. Only Nuggets GM (known to his friends as Tiny Jon), sort of defended the move without fully doing so. The Trade read as follows Sonics and their elitists GM Cloud, sent CJ Walker (yes that former NOP 1st rd pick ) + SG Xavier Thames and SF Markku Larkio to the New Orleans Pelicans for highly rated and highly regarded C Mac Koshwal. On the surface this trade did seem odd, but knowing a little bit about what The Godfather was thinking at the moment the trade went down sheds light on the entire process. The Godfather said " Hey look, we are loaded at Big and Koshwal at his age and with his game represents a cost $$/return/production ratio that simply puts too many resources at one position for us. When we were approach and CJ was involved, I saw he still was blocking shots at a HOF level, saw he was still a GLUE efficient performer and I saw a guy that would enjoy finishing his career in the City he called home for a while. When the 2nd piece was Xavier Thames, a player we had gone after hard in the FA market just this past offseason and not succeeded in attracting here, I said bring it on; and when GM Cloud refused to add a little $$ to the deal and instead offered 19 yr old SF Larkio, whom we had as the 31st ranked player in the draft, it all became too good to be truth.",,, When asked about what he thought about the rest of the GM's almost ridiculing his trade The Godfather simply said "I Don't Give a Damn." And he shouldn't as I write the New Orleans Pelicans are amongst the hottest teams in the league with a recent stretch of 9-3 ball. CJ has been even more of a shot blocker than he was with the Sonics raising his Bpg to 3.2 per, Thames has taken into newly hired special offensive coach/and assistant Steve Fischer, his former SDSU coach, philosophy and has "unlocked" his incredible Offensive game, you know the one he displayed for coach Fisher at SDSU, and has averaged 22.91 PPG in his 1st 12 games in the new system, one that fits his game like a glove. That and the turning of the keys to young PG Myles Mack and this team has gone from an older expensive and hand tied cap restricted one, to a young, flexible and talented one, with a HOF Defensive Whiz being the Glue and the kids running wild this team is "revitilized" and has a chip on their shoulder. Furthermore Romero is do to return soon and make the situation even better. But dont rest on their laurels and be assure The Godfather will look to make a deal or 2 if one presents itself between now and the deadline as he continues to find pieces to improve the team; and critics be Damned cause in his own words I repeat "I Don't Give a Damn!
