2012 Draft Rumors: Would Portland do a Lowry trade?

I personally think Lowry is worth more than the #6 pick. Call me crazy, but I just don't see many players--besides Anthony Davis--who are franchise-changing talents. If some guys hit--like Beal, Barnes, Drummond or Lillard--they could be maybe a notch above where Lowry is right now. And that's IF they hit. I'm sure I'm being far too tough on this draft class (and I readily acknowledge that this draft is deep from 6-20 with good players), but I don't see the talent AT THE TOP to go crazy for "a top-10 pick" in this draft.

I would maybe consider the trade if it were something like:

Kyle Lowry + the 14th pick for the #6 pick and the #11 pick

Portland gets its PG while retaining a lottery pick.

Houston gets the #6 pick, retains the #16 pick and also moves up three spots from #14 to #11.

I'd then package two of those three picks to move up again or in other trades, or I'd market the #11 pick off to the highest bidder (trade package-wise, not for cash).

It's funny, I think the guy I'd take at #6 would be Lillard, who Ford thinks is "a reach for Portland at #6".

 

Feel the same. I think Lowry for No6. and two or three second round picks works as well. There're quite a few nice prospects in second round this year.

 

One question that's been raised is whether the Rockets are really looking to add multiple draft picks to the roster given that they already have Motiejunas coming over. I can see the reasoning. On the other hand, I am thinking, "Why not load up on draft picks?"

First, this is a said to be a pretty good draft, but it's not obvious who the potential stars are. So, maybe drafting 2 or 3 (or maybe even 4) of them isn't such a bad approach.

Second, you have to fill the roster up with somebody-- whether it's a few 1st rounder rookies or Diamon Simpson, Dionte Christmas and Courtney Sims. The Rocket didn't have a problem filling some roster spots with 2nd hand 2009 lotto picks, so why not 1st hand 2012 picks?

Finally, it's not like the Rockets are in the Miami Heat/OKC situation where they have the stars to contend and can concentrate on filling rest of the spot mostly with wily vets who can contribute right away. So what if they got a few guys who are not quite ready? Play whoever the best guys are and go to battle. Might as well take some chances.

 

Bima, I would be pumped if this scenario came true. Man swing for the fences type of move on Lillard's potential. Love it!

 

That's the thing, he's not the only player that they are looking at or considering.

You've got Nash, Williams, Lin (possibly), and Dragic. One year rental/starter with Andre Miller, DJ Augustin, or Mo Williams. Just get someone serviceable.

Also, you have throw in prospective players via trade that may not cost them that pick: Jose Calderon, Jrue Holliday, or etc.

The one drawback with attaining Lowry is that possible #6 pick in the trade. It's not that he's an inferior player, it's just the price tag to get him, especially when you have other positions to improve in. If you are able to get a Deron Williams or Dragic, even an older Nash. You've got a slightly higher end player.

I also think the draft is really their only sure shot at getting a player with very high upside, while free agency for high end players will be somewhat limited this year.

 

I've always thought this was the best idea overall. Let every starting position be open going into training camp, unless a superstar comes in.


Alot of posters are ready to anoint Patterson, Morris, and Motiejunas to starting spots without giving the position a second thought. It's far from impossible to think that neither three will fail to beat an incoming rookie or free agent for a starting spot.

 

Yeah, we saw how well that approach worked last year!

The Rockets entered the season with a slew of young "talent" - Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill, Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet, Terrence Williams, Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris and Chandler Parsons.

What happened?:

For the first few games, only Budinger, Hill, Patterson (when healthy) and Williams (a little) got to play.

After the first stretch of the season, it was Parsons, Hill, Patterson and Budinger (a little, and then even Bud was yanked from the rotation).

Meanwhile, the rest of that young talent rotted on the bench.

I'm not necessarily saying that the Rockets made huge mistakes with their roster management--since they were counting on a roster-clearing trade or two happening that would have opened up a couple of rotation spots--but why would they want to repeat the same "mistake(?)" again, only MORESO by having the Rockets' OWN lotto/mid-first round picks sitting at the end of the bench? (T-Will was an investment; Thabeet, Flynn and Hill were little more than throw-ins or even the COST to get another asset in the respective trades that brought them to Houston.)

Right now, this team has the following young players/picks scheduled to be on its roster:

Chase Budinger
Patrick Patterson
Chandler Parsons
Marcus Morris
Donatas Motiejunas
Greg Smith
The #14 pick
The #16 pick

This doesn't even count free agents (Goran Dragic and Courtney Lee are both still pretty young) or training camp fodder (Courtney Fortson and Diamon Simpson are long-shots to make the final roster).

Just saying, is all.

 

Nah let the T-Wolves and KHANNNNNNNN have him

That guy is a bum, and his brother who is not much better, is a WAYY better prospect

 

I agree with the sentiment that Lillard is definitely worthy of being #6 in this draft.

The problem is if you make the deal and draft Lillard is how do you get your two-way big man? Personally I think Lillard will be top 15 at point guard by the end of the year and could wind up being better and more potent than Dragic in a short period of time. And I'd love to see that kid line up in the backcourt with Dragic. But after you drop Lowry and a pick into attaining him and he's a keeper, you really don't have the means necessary to acquire Dwight or Pau or any really good two-way big. So, where does Morey go if he indeed does trade up for Lillard?

 

Agreed. I wouldn't trade Lowry for #6 straight up, let alone add a pick. Lowry and #14 for #6 & #11 is probably fair, but even then I don't see anybody who's projected to be there at #6 who I really love.

So, I, too would prefer to trade the picks in a follow-up deal. Not sure for who other than Dwight Howard it would makes sense though.
(And if you were to trade for Dwight anyway, you better make sure the Magic would prefer #6 & #11 to Lowry and #14.)

 

Portland would do it if we were to entice them with young players and a future pick. Lowry, Morris, Pats, Bud.

 

It might be just me but I don't really see anyone worth moving up for besides Andre Drummond, high bust factor at that too but star centers do not grow on trees. Bradley Beal would require us to get into the top 3, which would require a bit to move up that far, and even then I'm not really sold on him.

Assuming we still have 2 picks on draft night, I could see the Rockets trading down from the 16th pick while picking up an extra asset or two and picking Evan Fournier and stashing him away for a year.

 

Bima, given the fact that NBA teams don't have 15 man rotations, doesn't somebody have to rot on the bench for every team whether they are young, old, lotto picks or undrafted?

 

Roy 2.0 (Beal)

 

I realize that Orlando--probably against its better judgment--is unlikely to trade Dwight Howard before July 11, I'm wondering if they would consider the following proposal (assuming the Rockets made the trade above):

Dwight Howard and Quentin Richardson ($2.63M next year + $2.81M player option for 2013-14)
for
Kevin Martin, Samuel Dalembert, the #6 pick and the #16 pick

 

After looking some more at Robinson, i'm convinced he should be the #2.

He looks like a bigger Millsap, which could be a wash, as that could take aways some fluidity. However, the way he takes off with the rebound upcourt remind me of Shawn kemp. He doesn't have the extra oomph in his athleticism that Kemp had, but i see some similarities. IMO, he's going to be the number three of a big three. At least. I dont think he's done improving and with some added offensive polish he can be a number two guy.

 

A trade like that wouldn't be announced till draft night right?

 

I hear you, but the Rockets seemed to have TOO MANY "young talents". It's not like there were many Courtney Fortsons or Diamon Simpsons on the roster for most of the season. There were a handful of guys on that bench who would have gotten some regular minutes on half the teams in the league. Case in point: Terrence Williams. He's not waived a week and he gets picked up by the Kings, who play him regularly. Hell, even Flynn and Thabeet got rotation minutes for the Blazers (albeit a tanking Blazers team).

I like the job that the Rockets have done in acquiring talent. But they were unable (despite NUMEROUS efforts) to consolidate that young talent into fewer, BETTER players.

I just don't want to have the best young 10th through 14th men in the NBA again.

 

Even worse than that. It couldn't be MADE until July 11 at the earliest.

While not a total deal-killer, it would likely mean that whoever the Rockets take at #6 would not be able to train with the team until July 11 and may miss the first part of summer league.

 

I reespect you Bima but I think you're overratin the value Lowry has in this league. Would POR really trade #6 and #11 for Lowry and #14? I just don't see it, guys like Beal, Lillard, Lamb, Drummond have a far higher ceiling than him in my opinion.

But I guess we'll have to wait, if something like your suggest trade happens I take it back.