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Shaq demands Trade. How does this affect the Rockets.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by m_cable, Jun 19, 2004.

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  1. m_cable

    m_cable Contributing Member

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    Damn, Shaq and T-Mac both demand trades on the same day.

    http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/la-sp-shaq19jun19,0,1362445.story?coll=sfla-sports-front

    With Shaq in the mix this could get VERY interesting. One of the prime suitors for Shaq figures to be Indiana. If the Pacers end up going after Shaq there is no way, none, zilch, zippo that they stay in the Mcgrady sweepstakes. There isn't any way that the Pacers have enough assets to get both of them. So if Indiana starts making overtures at Shaq then we might just cross them off the list for T-Mac.

    Another thing that is key is our Trade Exception. If Shaq gets moved with his enormous salary, we could definitely get into the action as a 3rd team sort of like last year when San Antonio got into the deal that sent Brad Miller to Sacramento. If a deal goes down we could get a player or two for nothing, just as a facilitator of the trade. This would be especially helpful if the T-Mac trade goes down and we need to replenish our bench.

    Also with our Trade Exception, we are one of the few teams in the NBA that can flat out match salaries with Shaq's enormous contract. We could trade for Shaq ourselves. There I said it. It's a crazy move, squanders all our youth for an over-the-hill O'neal, and we might not even have players that the Lakers would want, but I just had to bring it up.

    I just can't help but think of the possibilities of Shaq at center and Yao at the PF. Check this out:

    Shaq
    Payton

    for

    Steve
    Cato
    JJ or Boki or Motay
    TE

    This works under the salary cap (with the possibility that we'd have to tweak it by adding Pike or Griffin). We get to keep Mobley. We get Payton to play the point (he's worn out his welcome in LA but might keep his option because he can't get more than $5 million in free agency), who I feel still have some game if he isn't forced to play the triangle. And we pair the MDE with the heir apparent of that crown.

    Payton
    Mobes
    JJ or Boki
    Yao
    Shaq

    On offense we focus on Pick 'n Rolls either with Payton or Mobley with Yao setting the screens. Shaq sets up in the block while Yao plays the high post. I've seen both of these guys make some incredible interior passes, Shaq with a little more consistency, since Yao still gets a few too many turnovers by trying to force the ball. I think it could work. I mean it's not like we haven't been starting two centers all year long.

    Also I think pairing up Shaq and Yao could be the best thing for both of their careers. Yao could obviously learn a lot from Shaq and I think Shaq respects Yao as a person and they have a good relationship despite the comparisons. If there's one guy that can get Shaq to get in shape and work hard, I think it would be Yao because they would push each other every day. And Shaq's pride will make him want to be at his best because he would be compared with Yao over 100+ games a year.

    Okay back to the real world. Of all the possible directions that the Rockets and Shaq could make this is probably near the very bottom. It's just not really feasible. But the stuff I was saying about Shaq affecting the Indiana deal and using our TE to pick up free players is totally realistic. Things just got a whole lot more interesting this offseason.
     
    #1 m_cable, Jun 19, 2004
  2. Dave2000

    Dave2000 Contributing Member

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    ummm, i am going to use the rating system in which I only use for threads like this.....

    :rolleyes:
     
    #2 Dave2000, Jun 19, 2004
  3. acizlan

    acizlan Member

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    shaq will go to orlando, and T-mac will stay in orlando
     
    #3 acizlan, Jun 19, 2004
  4. Life2Def

    Life2Def Member

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    Payton?...did you even watch the playoffs?
     
    #4 Life2Def, Jun 19, 2004
  5. canoner2002

    canoner2002 Contributing Member

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    you need at least 2 more big men to back up the Shaq/Yao combo, because both can play efficiently for 32-35 minutes and Shaq is injury prone.

    Shaq is just too damn expensive. I can live with $18 mil for 2 more years, but not $30 mil.
     
    #5 canoner2002, Jun 19, 2004
  6. canoner2002

    canoner2002 Contributing Member

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    Then Orlando will have to give up pretty much the rest of the team to get Shaq, unless they can get Lakers to take Hill.
     
    #6 canoner2002, Jun 19, 2004
  7. dharocks

    dharocks Contributing Member

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    I kind of doubt Orlando would be opposed to doing that... The Magic currently have three NBA quality starters: McGrady, Howard, and Gooden. Hill when healthy, that's four.

    That being said, the Lakers can get more talent from a team like Dallas or the Clippers.
     
    #7 dharocks, Jun 19, 2004
  8. RocketForever

    RocketForever Contributing Member

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    I dont think David Stern would like the idea. Shaq and Yao being on the same team means no more marquee matchup between the two big men which the NBA needs for TV ratings.
     
    #8 RocketForever, Jun 19, 2004
  9. UTweezer

    UTweezer Contributing Member

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    delete
     
    #9 UTweezer, Jun 19, 2004
  10. UTweezer

    UTweezer Contributing Member

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    how about NO. Bring on McGrady, Gooden, and sign Dampier
     
    #10 UTweezer, Jun 19, 2004
  11. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    You had me until you got to the possibility of us trading for Shaq. I thought this had the potential to be a very good thread until then. :(
     
    #11 Williamson, Jun 19, 2004
  12. user

    user Member

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    Lakers will demand Yao instead of Steve, so you have:

    Steve
    Mobes
    JJ or Boki
    Cato
    Shaq

    Then Shaq will b1tching all the time about no one passing him the ball. And Rudy T will sign with LA and starts coaching Yao Ming again.

    I see no reason Lakers want Steve over Yao just for the sake of the marketing.
     
    #12 user, Jun 19, 2004
  13. m_cable

    m_cable Contributing Member

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    Well I admitted that it was a basically a 1 in a million shot of happening. Regardless, the other points about using our trade exception is still valid. Oh, well we all get a little silly now and again.
     
    #13 m_cable, Jun 19, 2004
  14. reptilexcq

    reptilexcq Member

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    Damm...i didn't know Houston's fan are that greedy....wanting Shaq and Yao at the same time.

    But i like to see Yao coming to LA for Shaq though. Yao and Kobe is going to be awesome! But i don't think Houston will trade Yao for Shaq though.
     
    #14 reptilexcq, Jun 19, 2004
  15. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    Agreed, but the reason I doubt this thread will become a good place for conversation is because rather than focusing on the other points you made most people will focus on the idea of Shaq donning a Rockets jersey and how much they'd love/hate to see that happen or how ridiculous the prospect of it seems to them. etc etc.....
     
    #15 Williamson, Jun 19, 2004
  16. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    You know what? I'm going to go ahead and respond to the first points made because I enjoyed them.

    Agreed. Unless the Pacers are open to trading Jermaine O'neil and possibly another player or pick for Shaq, and I seriously doubt they are, they don't have enough talent to pursue both. And hypothetically were they willing to part with J. O'neil in a deal for Shaq and then still were offering the four players for McGrady, they'd be far worse off than last years Lakers. They'd have the worse depth in the league. I really like the idea of there being one less possible suitor for McGrady. Thanks Shaq.



    I'd love to see something like that happen. I was pretty envious of the Spurs when they picked up Hedo for next to nothing. If we're talking players we might could get off the Lakers, I'm thinking that Luke Walton knows how to play smart basketball and passes to big men well. If we're talking Pacers, somebody like Harrington or Bender would be great. Even Croshere would be a decent pick up. As for other possibilities, we'll have to see who all joins the bidding war on Shaq.
     
    #16 Williamson, Jun 19, 2004
  17. Sane

    Sane Member

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    The only good thing about this is that Shaq will probably go East, and that means we go up one seed.


    I don't think LA will trade him to a Western team. It's not upto Shaq in this case.
     
    #17 Sane, Jun 19, 2004
  18. Clutch

    Clutch Administrator
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    Just a heads up - it's better for the board (and easier to read) not to quote entire long posts like that, especially when the only content being added is just a sentence or two. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, good examples are the posts of acizlan, UTweezer and jmwilliamson's. I don't mean to single you guys out, but with 3 like that in this thread I figured I needed to point it out since in the long haul it helps the board a lot. The "quote" feature is best used when you are responding to a particular portion of the post.

    Thanks!
    Clutch
     
    #18 Clutch, Jun 19, 2004
  19. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN
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    got it.
     
    #19 Williamson, Jun 19, 2004
  20. Lil Pun

    Lil Pun Contributing Member

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    EDIT
     
    #20 Lil Pun, Jun 19, 2004
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