As noted in the title, this thread is about hypothetical trades. Would you, the Rockets, or the other team, do these trades? Trade # 1 Incoming: Troy Murphy, Mickael Pietrus Outgoing: Stromile Swift, David Wesley, First Round Draft Choice (potentially with some type of protection...top 3, lottery, etc.) Trade #2 Incoming: Paul Pierce Outgoing: Stromile Swift, David Wesley, Moochie Norris, Luther Head Alternatives to this trade could have Boston including Kendrick Perkins or Al Jefferson and Houston including 1st round draft choice (with any sort of protection) in whatever combination you feel makes sense. Trade #3 Incoming: Carlos Boozer, Gordon Giricek Outgoing: Moochie Norris, David Wesley, and either Swift or Howard - What is the status of Boozer's injury? Trade #4 Incoming: Morris Peterson, Matt Bonner Outgoing: David Wesley, Lonnie Baxter Toronto gets more cap space sooner. Trade #5 Incoming: Luol Deng, Othella Harrington Outgoing: David Wesley, 1st Round Pick (again, whatever protection you think gets the deal done) Trade # 6 Incoming: Hedo Turkoglu Outgoing: David Wesley
#1 - Ain't happening. GS might move Murphy alone for Wesley, Swift, and our pick this year (throw in Calbert Cheaney to make the salaries match), just for the cap relief. But Les wouldn't pay all that money to a guy to be Juwan's backup. #2 - No way Boston would ever do anything you mentioned. Why would they trade their best chips for just cap space and a few of our bench players? #3 - Utah would take Juwan for Boozer, but would we want that? I say no. #4 - Raptors want cap space, but they'd rather move Jalen Rose. I wouldn't want MoPete's contract anyway. #5 - No way Chicago gives up a promising young, cheap player. #6 - Again, no way. Hedo is one of the few things that have gone right for the Magic. Why would they trade him for cap space?
The only ones of those that seem even close to possible are #4 and #6, and that's only if the teams are just trading away for cap room, and given up on Turkoglu/Peterson. Most of the others you'd have to throw in Head to even start talking to the other team seriously. I'd absolutely love to find a way to get Pietrus or Boozer (a lot of $ though). It seems that Utah is viewing Boozer as a waste.
#1: Golden State, I'm sure, feels they are in a better position to make the playoffs than we are. Murphy is a big part of that offense and he is exploding on the boards as of late (averaging 17.25 boards in his last 4 games) ... plus I'm not sure they are ready to hand the PF spot to Diogu. They do have a lot of fat contracts though and I'm sure Murphy's nearly $60 million isn't helping. #2: If they trade Pierce, they will probably get better offers than that ... I doubt they'd want 4-for-1. #3: Boozer is overpaid. I doubt Utah would do it either. I'm not sure expiring contracts mean much to Utah as they can't sign free agents there without overpaying them, to be honest. #4: Mo Pete is having a pretty good year and is shooting a career-high in threes. Toronto is improving, but may throw in the towel before the deadline. #5: I don't see why the Bulls would deal Deng. They can still make the playoffs in the East. Any team that deals for our first round pick this year with some kind of top 3 protections knows that if our ping pong ball comes up top 3, they are screwed. The pick would be in the 20's likely next season. #6: Orlando would have to just want to dump his contract because he's better than Wesley and younger -- I don't see this happening. Turkoglu is playing well.
I think Option #2 is great and I would welcome option 6 Heck I will throw in a 2007 top 3 protected 1st rounder if we can move that many people for Pierce. Heck if we do some serious research we may find a Chucky Hayes or two. I would try and keep Luther though.
