Looking for some ideas. Anybody know what they're doing with their cut?

Just traded Ridley. Did I get a good deal? Seem about even? Looking for some opinions

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According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, yet another Buccaneers player has been diagnosed with a MRSA infection.

The potent bacteria already has ended the season of kicker Lawrence Tynes. Likewise, it was reported on Thursday that the infection has returned to the foot of guard Carl Nicks.

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Until then, Stroud reports that Nicks, receiver Mike Williams, and cornerback Johnthan Banks are not present at practice. It’s possible that Williams or Banks is the latest player with MRSA. Williams previously was on the injury report this week with a hamstring problem; Banks was not mentioned.

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Trey Wingo is saying he thinks they shouldn't play the game because the disease is transfered by skin-to-skin contact. What say the MSB?

ETA: @AdamSchefter: NFLPA tells @wingoz that, depending on what MRSA containment report says, the NFLPA could advise Bucs-Eagles not to play this weekend.

Pelicans.com Article

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there were nine Pelicans at the Alario Center on Thursday, including Davis, Rivers, Tyreke Evans, Darius Miller, Arinze Onuaku, Brian Roberts, Jason Smith, Lance Thomas and Jeff Withey.

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“I think this is big,” said Evans, drenched in sweat after running on one of the New Orleans Saints’ outdoor fields during a humid 80-degree morning. “It shows what we’ve got planned for our season. We want to be a winning team. We want to make the playoffs. We know it’s not going to be easy in our first year, but there is definitely a push in my mind to make the playoffs.”

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Also says in the article that their practices will be moved to the new practice facility next week.

Going to be a fun year. Glad these guys are shooting for the playoffs. Really impressed with how hard this team is working.

gatorhater211a@yahoo.com

Yes the a is supposed to be there

There's a state trooper shooting radar on I-10 in LaPlace

I hate making these threads, but I can't make up my mind on this one. I am in a 4 team non keeper league with 2 of each infield position, 5 outfielders, and a utility spot for our lineups.

I have Beltre and it looks like I'm obviously getting robbed in the deal, but I need a second catcher (currently Victor Martinez) and shortstop (currently Josh Rutledge as I wait for Jose Reyes). I already have Wright, Longo and Machado at 3B and have no way to play all 4.

Should I lose this trade to upgrade at these positions or just stay put and expect a Machado decline? Do you think I should go for more than Hardy because I know he's injury prone and isn't that great anyway?

Thanks for any advice

I know everyone on TD hates Bleacher Report including myself, but they have the most recent mock draft. Here's the top ten and a few other guys:

1. Magic - Nerlens Noel C Kentucky
2. Bobcats - Ben McLemore SG Kansas
3. Cavaliers - Otto Porter SF Georgetown
4. Suns - Anthony Bennett SF UNLV
5. Pelicans - Alex Len C Maryland
6. Kings - Trey Burke PG Michigan
7. Pistons - Shabazz Muhammad SG/SF UCLA
8. Wizards - Cody Zeller PF/C Indiana
9. Timberwolves - Victor Oladipo SG Indiana
10. Trail Blazers - C.J. McCollum PG/SG Lehigh

Other guys mentioned on this board:
13. Mavericks - Michael Carter Williams PG Syracuse
14. Jazz - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SG Georgia

So if you're Dell Demps, assume the guys before the Pelicans are gone, who do you pick?

I'd be okay with Alex Len, but would prefer Trey Burke or Michael Carter-Williams. The SF issue can be dealt with in free agency hopefully with Igoudala, if available, Josh Smith, depending on the price tag which I'm sure will be too high, or someone else along those lines. What say you?

Such an awkward picture taker

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Here's Fletcher's reasoning on why Dell isn't a good leader.

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Is Dell Demps the right person to lead the Hornets? The answer might just be, no.

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The Bad:

CP3 Trade Failure: Demps first attempt to trade Chris Paul resulted in the league vetoing the deal. It should be noted that the deal Demps brokered would have saddled the Hornets franchise with 3 aging, expensive players (Scola, Martin, Odom) who’d have played just well enough to keep the team in playoff contention…but not poorly enough to land the #1 overall draft pick (or even a top 5 selection). Only when NBA Commissioner David Stern intervened and pushed Demps aside (reportedly Demps nearly resigned when first trade was nixed) did the Hornets get young pieces and draft picks that help them moving forward.

Kaman/Landry Failure: Demps failure to trade Chris Kaman or Carl Landry at the trade deadline hurt the Hornets. Kaman has 0% chance of returning to New Orleans and with Anthony Davis, Jason Smith and Gustavo Ayon it would be foolish for the team to bring back Landry. Despite knowing Kaman and Landry were longshots to return to the rebuilding Hornets Demps failed to move them. When asked about the Hornets failing to make a deal at the NBA trade deadline Demps replied “sometimes the best move you can make is not making a move at all.” When asked to elaborate and explain his answer Demps didn’t have much to say. When Chris Kaman came over in the Chris Paul trade he was called “a trade chip” for the end of the season. I ranted about how sad it was that Demps couldn’t turn Kaman into even a 2nd round draft pick. People told me “2nd round picks in the NBA don’t mean anything.” Really? Last time I checked those same people were saying the Hornets got a steal in the 2nd round of the 2012 draft by selecting Darius Miller (other 2nd round picks of note: Marcus Thornton, Glen Davis, Brandon Bass…and the list goes on and on!). The Hornets need assets and Kaman and Landry could have brought back draft picks for the team. Getting nothing for them is a failure.

Thornton Failure: In the midst of the Hornets 2011 playoff push Demps traded former LSU star and local fan favorite Marcus Thornton to the Sacramento Kings for Carl Landry. While Landry is an amazing teammate and solid player Thornton has emerged as a 18-points-per-game scorer and a key cog in the Kings rebuilding effort. Landry missed a chunk of last season due to injury and went through stretches when he didn’t get off the bench for Monty Williams. The Hornets finished 29th in the league in scoring…think Thornton could have helped alleviate that issue? So, in my opinion, Landry for Thornton looks like a failure. 2012

Free Agency Failure: Demps has done nothing this
offseason. Free agency started and despite having tons of salary cap room to play with Demps has not brought in one key free agent. Teams like Houston (signing Jeremy Lin & Omer Asik), Portland (signing Roy Hibbert) and Minnesota (signing Nic Batum) are doing their best to find top level talent. The Hornets seem dead-set on matching the Suns offer to Eric Gordon and hoping that he eventually warms up to the Hornets franchise. One of my favorite sayings is “hope is not a plan!” Dell needs to realize this. Dell should have brought in Jeremy Lin, Nic Batum, Goran Dragic, Omer Asik, Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Ersan Ilysova…all young, quality players who cost less than Gordon and who may embrace playing with Anthony Davis and building something special in New Orleans.

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Basically, Gordon isn’t good enough to act like he’s acting…but if Dell Demps allows himself and his organization to be played by an immature primadonna…than maybe he’s not good enough to be an NBA GM.

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So now the questions are: 1. Did Dell fail the team by not catering to Gordon? 2. Did Dell fail the team by believing in a guy that everyone said didn’t want to be in New Orleans and would do anything to get out of here? Neither answer is good. Even worse question is: 1. Does Dell believe that matching the Phoenix Suns offer and forcing Gordon back will work? A malcontent around a rebuilding team and the best prospect to enter the league since LeBron (Davis)…the Hornets under Dell could quickly replace the Minnesota Timberwolves under David Kahn as the most comically inept franchise in the NBA.

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PS: For the sake of being fair, I do think Dell has made two good moves since taking over the Hornets. Trading Darren Collison and dumping James Posey’s bad contract for Trevor Ariza in 2010 and dumping Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza onto the Washington Wizards last month.

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