Another deal scenario for our Nuggets friends...involving the Cavs' Andre Miller

Cleveland trades:
PF Brian Skinner (3.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 18.1 minutes)
PG Andre Miller (16.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 10.3 apg in 35.3 minutes)
SG Bryant Stith (4.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.0 apg in 13.3 minutes)
SF Lamond Murray (16.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.6 apg in 33.3 minutes)
SG Wesley Person (14.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg in 35.1 minutes)
Cleveland receives:
PG Nick Van Exel (21.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 8.0 apg in 38.9 minutes)
PF Dan Langhi (1.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.1 apg in 6.1 minutes)
C Maurice Taylor (7.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 24.9 minutes)

Denver trades:
SF George McCloud (7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg in 24.4 minutes)
C Raef LaFrentz (14.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.2 apg in 32.3 minutes)
PG Nick Van Exel (21.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 8.0 apg in 38.9 minutes)
Denver receives:
PG Andre Miller (16.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 10.3 apg in 44 games)
SG Bryant Stith (4.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.0 apg in 28 games)
SF Lamond Murray (16.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.6 apg in 36 games)
PF Jason Collier (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 2 games)
C Kelvin Cato (7.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 44 games)

Houston trades:
PF Dan Langhi (1.3 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.1 apg in 6.1 minutes)
PF Jason Collier (1.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.5 apg in 4.0 minutes)
C Kelvin Cato (7.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 24.9 minutes)
C Maurice Taylor (7.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 24.9 minutes)
Houston receives:
PF Brian Skinner (3.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.3 apg in 43 games)
SG Wesley Person (14.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg in 44 games)
SF George McCloud (7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg in 35 games)
C Raef LaFrentz (14.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.2 apg in 44 games)

TRADE ACCEPTED

Due to Cleveland, Denver, and Houston being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Cleveland, Denver, and Houston had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.



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Okay, this trade is based on the assumption that Cleveland does not want to pay Andre Miller the max and therefore has to trade him.

Cleveland's starters afterwards would be:

PG: Van Exel
SG: High Draft Pick
SF: Jumaine Jones
PF: Maurice Taylor
C: Ilgauskas/Mihm

Jones has shown quite a bit of promise recently. Van Exel/Mo Taylor/Ilgauskas plus a top draft pick at SG or SF is something one can build around...not a great team, but if they have to trade Miller anyway, they might as well break it all up and try a new start. They also still have, among others, Diop, Doleac, Langdon, who might turn out to be decent role players. Who knows, perhaps Langhi might even suddenly prove that he should get 30 minutes in the NBA, given the chance. Someone mentioned that Lucas is at the Rockets' training facilities all the time. Who knows, perhaps he likes Mo and Langhi.

I would be willing to throw in a low first-round draft pick and/or a second-round draft pick to Cleveland to get this deal done. And if I was Denver, I would give them all my picks just to get rid of Van Exel and to get Andre Miller (just kidding, NugzFan, but a low first-round or a second-rounder, I would do it if I was Denver).

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Denver:

PG: Andre Miller
SG: Lenard
SF: Lamond Murray
PF: McDyess
C: Cato

6th man: Posey, plus Bowen (energy man), Avery Johnson, Cheaney, Zendon Hamilton (good potential!), Collier on the bench...

Nice team!!! If Cato plays as he has been playing the past couple of weeks and everyone is healthy, this team is a playoff team and more than that.

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HOUSTON ROCKETS:

PG: STEVE FRANCIS/Moochie
SG: CUTTINO MOBLEY/Wes Person/Torres
SF: KENNY THOMAS/Rice/McCloud
PF: EDDIE GRIFFIN/Morris or Brian Skinner
C: RAEF LAFRENTZ/Willis

IR: Brian Skinner or TMo and, realistically, probably Rice for quite a bit of the season

PLUS, since we will miss the playoffs, we will have a high draft pick which we can groom - should preferably be a really huge, muscular guy at center to fight with Shaq, a "mean bruiser" type. I think this team would kick ass. Nobody should be fooled by Cato's recent performances. If we don't trade him, once the trade deadline has passed, he will go back to sucking. Mark my words.

We would have another reliable three-point threat with Wes Person (one of the best shooters in the league). McCloud would probably not get too many minutes, but he is an excellent passer and 3-point shooter. He could even play the point when both Francis and Moochie need a rest and Rudy wants to go with a big lineup - I think I remember he had one or two 20+ assist games in his career which is pretty amazing. He has voiced his displeasure with being in Denver, so I think they would want to trade him.

With Thomas, Griffin, LaFrentz, everyone can play all three positions (well, Thomas would be a bit small at center) and everyone can stick the three, plus, Griffin and LaFrentz are outstanding shotblockers. One could also start Rice and bring Thomas as the sixth man behind the other three frontcourt guys - he would still get more than 30 minutes a game, so he shouldn't really mind. With his hustle, he could make a difference every time he enters the game.

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This team could easily go for 50+ wins if everyone stays healthy and everyone is committed to give it his all not only on the offensive, but also on the defensive end!!

It would have everything - size (LaFrentz/Griffin/Willis), hustle (Thomas, Torres), explosiveness (Francis, Mobley), shot-blocking (Griffin/LaFrentz - two of the top 10 shot-blockers in the league!!!), and, very, very important for Rudy: fantastic three-point shooting from every single position on the floor - in fact, there would hardly be any player who could NOT stick the three - this would make it very hard to defend the Rockets (Francis, Moochie, Mobley, Person, Torres, Rice, McCloud, Griffin, LaFrentz can all shoot with the best of them).

Heck, I even like Brian Skinner as a fill-in if one of the other guys is injured. I remember watching him at Baylor and he always seemed to hustle - good shot-blocker and rebounder!

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So - what do you think?

Cleveland would not do it because.......

Denver would not do it because........

We should not do it because.......

Let the bashing begin....

 

Are you kidding? You must have overlooked that they get Andre Miller - if I was Denver, I would do that in a heartbeat - they are not really high on LaFrentz and have a high risk that he would just leave when his contract is up, I don't think that relationship can be fixed anymore, plus, Van Exel and McCloud want out - Andre Miller is, in my opinion, one of the 3 or 4 best point guards in the league - he isn't the assist leader for nothing!

I'm much more worried about Cleveland not wanting do it, because they would give up three starters who I think are one future super star (Miller), one great shooter (Person) and one decent SF (Murray). BUT - WITH all these guys, Cleveland is not going anywhere - so they might as well try something new IF they don't want to give Miller the max. In my opinion, he IS a max player.

 

Yep, just while you posted that, I edited my post and suggested that also...plus, I made some stuff bold so that it can be read more easily.

I would LOVE it if all that became true .

 

Cleveland would also get draft picks. Plus, as was mentioned in many other threads, about 80 % of all NBA players will score in double digits if you give them enough shots. Fact of the matter is, Cleveland is FAR from winning with their current team. Mo should be the same after his injury, but that is just my personal opinion and it is fair to bring up that it might be questionable, but that would be the Cavs' call to make. Lucas is close enough to Houston to make a guess regarding that.

Sorry, but in my humble opinion, the Rockets will NOT trade Mobley, especially not for a point guard. Period. End of discussion. If you trade Mobley, you break up the team's chemistry and you risk losing Francis. Plus, as has been mentioned a million times, Francis wants to play POINT GUARD and therefore the Rockets will not trade for a stud point guard. So - PLEASE FORGET ABOUT ANDRE MILLER ON THE ROCKETS AND FORGET ABOUT TRADING MOBLEY. In a fantasy world, I would love that, too, I love Andre Miller as a player and I prefer him to Mobley by a mile. But it is not going to happen, so there is no point in constantly bringing it up. I was trying to come up with a REALISTIC trade scenario - with something new, also - and you come back with the same things that have been discussed ad nauseum in the other thread.

Another thing regarding Mobley: Do all of you forget what a bargain he is for the Rockets??? He might make some stupid decisions sometimes, but compare him to Allan Houston, who is getting the freaking MAXIMUM. I would take Mobley over Allan Houston anytime!!! Why trade a great player that you have locked up long-term for a decent salary?? The guy loves Houston, he took a reasonable deal because he wants to stay here - and he performs, no matter how much you criticize him! The guy plays his heart out on bad ankles!! Cat, just concentrate a bit more on defense and avoid some stupid decisions, and you are THE MAN. I suspect anyone who wants to trade him to be a bandwagoner who has no idea, until the opposite is proven .

Regarding Rashard: I would also like to get Rashard Lewis, but I have a feeling that that will not happen, plus, I have a feeling that it would be detrimental to team chemistry. I cannot say why, but I don't think the Rockets will go for that. That would have been my alternative scenario, somehow trading Mo and something for Rashard. But I have a feeling that that will not happen.

 

Another thing

One more thing, as long as you have Cato as the starting center, this team will NOT kick ass. IF he stays, I would love it if he makes me eat crow, but the guy has fooled us too many times in the past and there is something about his overall attitude (with the recent games being an exception) which I just cannot stand. I just don't trust him and don't believe in him. This is the best time to trade him - if there ever was a chance, it is now - let's do it.

 

You think the one I suggested in this thread screws the Rockets? Care to explain?

 

Because sometimes it's fun to put yourself in the shoes of the GM . Plus, stranger things have happened.

And, one more thing, I didn't just throw some crap out there that somehow worked in RealGM, I also tried to explain why it could make sense for all teams involved. Perhaps too much to read...especially if your user name used to be Pippen33 .

 

Hehe...no, I just couldn't sleep! It's almost 5 a.m. here and I had nothing better to do...

 

I mentioned that I see Cleveland as the team getting the worst deal of the three teams involved and I would not have come up with this if those news had not come up that Miller wants the max and that Cleveland doesn't want to give it to him. Add the fact that they are not doing well AT ALL and you have the typical situation where teams consider breaking up their team and trying something completely different.

Thanks.

First of all, stupid attitude. Secondly, I am talking about making a deal NOW, and Francis is not locked up for 7 years yet, to the best of my knowledge.

Nobody said that.

In other words, you will act like a bandwagoner - hating him when something goes wrong and "giving him his props" when things go well?

Nobody told you to do that...

Exactly...but even writing a sentence like that seems to indicate that you DO worry about it...way too much...I think NOTHING about you, I am 100 % indifferent.

That's why I tried to come up with a scenario that could actually happen...

The key word here is IF...I just don't think he will. Glad if he proves me wrong (if he stays), but to say it would be "foolish" to trade Cato and somehow get LaFrentz in return...

Usually, I don't do that...it is obvious that I just did that in this thread because the ideas came after I had already posted...and you are right, I have been here long enough to not need to be told how to post by YOU.

 

Sorry, too late .

You are probably right on that one, but let's see.

It was not my point to say a certain number of points or rebounds are not enough from a center. Since you brought up LaFrentz' attitude, let me remind you that, except for the last couple of weeks, Cato has not exactly been a role model for great attitude himself.

Probably true, but my personal opinion is that it is actually more realistic than trading Mobley and whatever for Andre Miller.

No, only you.

Haha, looks like I got under little Manny's skin...take it easy and stop acting like a little

 

Sorry to rack up another post without substenance , but I just wanted to ask if you might have meant degenerated...

Peace, brother