Another fantasy trade from me. Houston trades: Maurice Taylor ( ppg, rpg, apg in minutes) C Kelvin Cato (6.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.3 apg in 25.9 minutes) PG Moochie Norris (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.0 apg in 27.6 minutes) PF Jason Collier (3.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 11.9 minutes) Houston receives: SG Nick Anderson (4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.9 apg in 14.6 minutes) PG Brevin Knight (7.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.7 apg in 21.7 minutes) PF Stromile Swift (11.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg in 26.0 minutes) SG Michael Dickerson (10.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.3 apg in 31.0 minutes) Change in team outlook: +14.2 ppg, +0.8 rpg, and +3.7 apg. Memphis trades: SG Nick Anderson (4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.9 apg in 14.6 minutes) PG Brevin Knight (7.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.7 apg in 21.7 minutes) PF Stromile Swift (11.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.6 apg in 26.0 minutes) SG Michael Dickerson (10.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.3 apg in 31.0 minutes) Memphis receives: Maurice Taylor ( ppg, rpg, apg in games) C Kelvin Cato (6.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.3 apg in 65 games) PG Moochie Norris (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.0 apg in 70 games) PF Jason Collier (3.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 15 games) Change in team outlook: -14.2 ppg, -0.8 rpg, and -3.7 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED Due to Houston and Memphis being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Memphis 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. ---------- Memphis would do the trade because: They are building around Pau Gasol, Shane Battier and Jason Williams (and Lorenzen Wright). Swift, Wright and Gasol are all Power Forwards, with Gasol clearly being the best and them not having a real center. It would make more sense for Memphis to get a real center like Cato. They are trying to become a more exciting team and Moochie would probably become a fan favorite quickly while Brevin Knight is more of a no nonsense type of guy. Dickerson was injured and it is questionable whether they need Dickerson with Battier there. Collier would give them another big body and a good rebounder (good considering Jason Williams' shooting %). They would gain quite some size through this trade and they would get rid of Nick Anderson. Houston would do this trade because: Cato is a bum, even if he has elevated his play and effort a bit. It just couldn't get worse, so he succesfully managed to lower everyone's expectations so much that we are already going overboard with being thankful for a little effort, some blocks and rebounds. Swift has (in my opinion) more potential than Taylor and is a better defender - also, Kenny Thomas' emergence has made a Maurice Taylor having to come back from a serious injury more expendable than I would have thought. Dickerson could solve the team's problems at the small forward position. Although he would not be a tall SF, he is quite athletic and could run with Steve and Cat and Griffin, Kenny Thomas and Swift could clean up the boards. Dickerson played well together with Mobley on the floor, I remember that once they both had like 7 threes each in the same game or something like that. Houston would also resign Kevin Willis one more year for the vet's minimum or get some other cheap big backup center. Most importantly, Brevin Knight would be the pass-first, shoot-second type of point guard that we need as a backup to Steve. Steve is a bit of a playground guy himself and by having Moochie around him, he will not improve towards being a point guard with better fundamentals. With Brevin Knight running the point, I would not even mind the three guard lineup. Nick Anderson would be interesting because he has a pretty big contract that would come off the cap at the end of the season. Houston's lineup would be: PG Francis/Knight SG Mobley/Dickerson SF Dickerson/Rice (don't think he would play too much)/Thomas PF Thomas/Griffin/Swift C Griffin/Swift/Willis This team would lack a bit of size and muscle, so, as usual, I would like to add some big "enforcer" guy, some intimidating shot-blocker, preferably a hard-nosed veteran. I am not saying that it is likely that this trade would happen, I am just asking for your opinion on whether you like it - if you had the time to read through all of this. Alternatively, if it was just something like Moochie for Brevin Knight or Moochie, Cato for Brevin Knight and Dickerson, would you do it?
