Anyone think we should try to make a deal for Hezonja and see if we can try to salvage a career out of him? Feels like Orlando has already given up on him, and it's been a bad situation from the start. Houston might be the right place for him.
Salaries don't quite work but with some cash thrown in and filler, it should be possible... DEN out: W.Chandler DEN in: 2017 HOU 2nd, M.Harrell, T.Ennis - I think if Denver decides to purge, Faried and Chandler are out first. Harrell gives them a younger, cheaper, Faried replacement to develop with Jokic, and they get a pick out of it. If they demand a 1st, I don't mind throwing in a 2018 protected 1st, as it looks to be quite a bit weaker than 2017 (and it should be a late-1st), as Chandler is on a very-affordable $34/3 contract under the current cap. Ennis is mostly useless, but Denver has a terrible PG situation and maybe they could use him. DAL out: A.Bogut DAL in: K.McDaniels, C.Brewer - Bogut is unhappy and expiring and KJ still holds a little value as a young athletic wing, and Dallas is generally lacking in athletes.Brewer might be dead weight but he's a good locker room guy who was on their title team, so if anybody will take him it might be Dallas. HOU out: M.Harrell, K.McDaniels, C.Brewer, T.Ennis, 2017 2nd (or protected 2018 1st) HOU in: W.Chandler, A.Bogut 9-Man Playoff Rotation C.Capela [C] 6'11" A.Bogut [C] 7'0" R.Anderson [PF] 6'10" W.Chandler [SF/PF] 6'8" S.Dekker [SF/PF] 6'9" T.Ariza [SF] 6'8" E.Gordon [SG] 6'3" J.Harden [PG/SG] 6'5" P.Beverley [PG] 6'1" That's a big team with veterans, defensive versatility and still a good amount of shooting. I always hated Bogut on GS and Dallas, and he's definitely fallen off offensively, but he knows how to pass, screen and play in a GS-style spaced offense. And most importantly, he'd bring defense, toughness, and a guy who can hold down the paint for anywhere between 10-25 minutes a night, depending on the matchup. Pllus we'd still have Nene, who'd be a better option than Bogut as the backup C when we don't need Bogut's rim-protection. And while Wilson Chandler is also a 3/4 like Dekker, you can never have enough athletic versatile guys between 6'6" and 6'9". I think we could play a ton of interesting lineups with him here (i.e. think about a big/uptempo Capela - Dekker - Chandler - Ariza - Harden lineup), and he's proven himself to be a 15-20 ppg guy who can create off the catch. We'd still be lacking the classic #2 guy, but if Gordon and Chandler were bringing 15-20 a night, we'd be in much better shape on nights Harden is off.
I do..... these are the kinds of deals Morey usually does and pay dividends for us.l... this is really one of the moves I absolutely want us to make.... I really don't think we're gonna get as lucky as we did this year with Gordon again in FA... So I think we have to find star potential in house. So the more we bring in, the better chance we have of doing that..... I really think we're a WCS-type big/casspi (because of seasoning) and Hezonja(for future) away from being a force.... This would give us.... WCS's potential Dekker's potential Hezonja's potential...... I like those odds
We would have to add 3.6 million to get within 5 million of matching salaries for this trae to work. Plus Dallas would require more incentive for taking on Brewer....at least 2nds.
Lets faciltate a Butler to Boston trade. Boston out: smart/jaylen/bkn1st Boston in: butler/dekker/felicio Outlook: get the superstar while retaining many future picks including another Brooklyn unprotected. Receives some decent returning players in place of who they trade out. Chicago out: butler/felicio/caanan Chicago in: smart/jaylen/kj/bkn1st/hou1st Outlook: decide to rebuild and a top3 pick is a great spot. Get some young talent and assets. Tank the remainder of season and have 3 picks spread out in this year's list draft class. Let's then focus on moving other players also. Houston out: dekker/kj/1st Houston in: crowder/caanan Outlook: gets a great player on a fantastic contract and a back up guard. Jae becomes arizas replacement going forward.
Boston is calling Crowder "nearly untouchable" Deservingly so. If we were to replace Ariza with Crowder, Morey should get an extension immediately.
HOU In: Brandon Knight (4 years, $12.6 mil) PHO In: Corey Brewer (2 years $7.6 mil), Tyler Ennis (2 years, 1.7 mil) We get Knight for scraps because he's having an awful season and has 4 years left on a contract that jumps from $12m to $15m. This year he's shooting 39% FG (yikes), 32.4% 3PT, and 2.4 : 1.6 AST/TO Ratio. His career averages are 41% FG, 35.7% 3PT, and 4.3 : 2.7 AST/TO. It decreases our cap space this offseason by ~$3.3 million. We gamble future cap space that 1) He gets back to his historical averages 2) If we need cap space this summer we can get it by trading Rhino or someone else 3) We can sell High on Knight in a few years when a) his numbers jump thanks to D'Antoni and b) ~$15 mil for a starting PG seems more reasonable. Maybe we give or get a 2nd round pick. Not sold on this, just seems like a Morey move and I'm bored.
Crowded would be a dream, but yeah that's going to be a tough sell. Fingers crossed for a player of that caliber.
I haven't heard untouchable but I know they would be needing to acquire a Butler/hayward level sf in order to consider moving him and would still likely keep him. My thoughts go like this. Chicago wants another first. Boston won't budge. Houston will include a 1st but wants Jae. Boston won't move Jae just because we include the first. Houston offers dekker as replacement for Jae and sending their 1st to Chicago to grease the Butler trade. I view it as and end game of negotiations. But I still think they either add the extra 1st or find someone else willing to accept less for the 1st. That's clearly a high end possibility. Even still we could target guys like Olynyk and Rozier for cheaper options as well. I'm not sure Chicago trades Butler. If I were them I wouldn't unless I got what I proposed of 2 young talents and a bkn pick and another 1st. More likely Chicago decides to gut and rebuild around Butler. Which is the right thing to do. Trade taj Trade mirotic Trade mcbuckets Trade rolo Cut rondo Get as many picks and young players as possible
Magic Johnson wasn't known for defense. Why can't Harden be our Magic? You don't need a Kareem in todays small ball league. Hear me out. Byron Scott. 6'3 195 SG with Magic at PG. 16ppg, 3rpg, 3apg in his Laker career with a lot of that off the bench in the early days. Mad hops and dunked and finished on the break. Derrick Rose. 6'3 190lbs PG. Former MVP. Stats this season- 17.7ppg 3.9rpg 4.5apg on some of his best efficiency in his career. Still as explosive as ever. Why can't he be our rich man's Byron Scott? Dude would wreck on the break and fast pace of a D'Antoni offense led by Harden. Not nearly as good a 3pt shooter as Scott, but has proven to be decent in the past when he shoots enough. His mid range pull up and finishing ability make it passable for him to shoot 32-34% on like 4 attempts a game. I only bring it up because the Knicks are an absolute mess. He's also expiring so not that much of a gamble. Doubt Phil wants much. Of course you'd need a Worthy to really make the showtime Lakers, but I don't really think you need someone that good considering Rose is a former MVP himself who can still look like a franchise player every other night. Might have to wait on a SF upgrade. My #1 target this offseason is still Gordon Hayward, but I know that's unlikely, that's why my more realistic target at SF would be Iggy. Might even try trading for him now before GS loses him for nothing(they have to worry about resigning Durant and Curry). Of course any scenario requires trading Ryan Andersen and Corey Brewer when getting Rose in return or having cap space this offseason to chase a Gordon Hayward. I don't buy the whole idea of remaining a great offensive team and building some top 10 defense. That's ridiculous. It's not happening. At least not any time soon. Unless we draft some Draymond Green type of player, it's not happening. Rather just keep trying to build an unstoppable offense. A great offensive team will always be close at the end of the game, and at that point you just need smart decisions, limit turnovers and confident players that don't shrink in the clutch. We need big ball, trash talking cocky mf'ers like Sam Cassell and Kenny Smith, Mario Elie, Maxwell, and Horry. Hell even old man Eddie Johnson. Capela? Ryno? Ariza? All soft man....Bev? Dekker? Harrell? These types of guys can stay. But, were still just so damn limited in actual basketball skill. Ariza, Bev and Brewer can't dribble at a high school level. Ryno is just a really expensive Matt Bullard. Get all this riff raff out of here man. Give me big balls. I like big balls. But, you need to know how to actually run while dribbling a basketball. We've had some of the most awkward players the past decade from Ryan Bowen and Chuck Wagon to Corey Brewer and TJones. Tired of this **** Darrell Moari. Get your **** together. Can't put the blame on Milkhair or Dwert anymore, it's on you. Also don't buy getting a big man. Not happening. Bigs are too expensive and there just aren't many out there.
I like the idea of Rose but we'd have to trade some core to match his $21 mil. Why not just sign him for cheap in the off season as a ring chaser? Getting Rose for Brewer and junk is cool but if we're adding Rhino, Ariza, or Beverly then it's too much of a shock to the chemistry. We'll appreciate Anderson after he's gone and the opposing PF is back in the paint waiting for Harden on every drive. As for "morey get your **** together" - what? We're 4th in the NBA and have the MVP and Coach of the Year. It'd be great to be stocked 1 through 15 but no team has that.
http://valleyofthesuns.com/2016/12/19/suns-squared-whats-wrong-brandon-knight/ I'm not banging the drum for this guy, but if we want someone to come in and run the offense while Harden rests, he could probably do it. He plays best with the ball in his hands. It gives Gordon a chance to play off the ball (though he doesn't have to) and it gets rid of Brewer.
Perhaps the Rockets can get in on some of that action between 76ers & Mavs http://thesixersense.com/2017/02/18...-horse-hunt-philadelphia-76ers-jahlil-okafor/ Bogut? Nerlens? Covington? Stauskas? Holmes? Devin Harris? Mathews? (Mejri? w/Ariza approval of course) Edited later: Sorry meant to post on "trade deadline & rumor" thread.
They declined trading Rozier for Ibaka. With the way Rozier plays, I dont blame Boston. He passes that eye test man. Hes got it. Imo, he could blossom into an all star talent.
http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ho9qetw Or http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=j98rc39
Rockets' version of Byron Scott is Splash/Bev. Getting Rose now would gut team and he is so ball dominant, poor defender and not a great set/3point shooter. Not greatest fit IMO unless coming off bench. Rockets' actually lack the other complementary pieces of Showtime Lakers, Worthy and Jabar. Ariza is close enough to Cooper, still needs a back up because at his age 35+ mpg is way too much for him. Morey needs better depth at wing, combo guard and a rim protecting upgrade at 5. Our holes have been fairly obvious for a while.
