Random Houston Rockets Trade Ideas - 2014-15

It'd be pretty sweet if they could figure out a way to add Marcus Morris to the deal for the Rockets as well

 

Martin won't come here for anything short of Love or an unprotected first round pick from Minnesota. Morey is not going to water down our cap flexibility without increasing his ability to acquire a prime piece. So anything short of Love coming with Martin or Minnesota's unprotected first rounder coming with Martin won't happen.

 

Dragic is an All NBA player. The Suns would be getting 5 cents for a dollar here.

 

Hmmmm.

Interesting start.

Couple points. Celts get rid of Green and Bass for the Pelies pick??? Nope. Won't happen. So, gotta come up with different compensation.

And then the Suns get Jeff Green for Dragic straight up?? Not enough to the Suns.

But good start. Hadn't thought about Jeff Green to PHX in a stretch 4 role.

Perhaps Jeff Green and something else from us for Dragic.

And perhaps something else from us to Boston instead of the Pels pick.

But I thing the idea of Jeff Green to PHX is interesting.

 

Morey would take on Martin for this season if attached with another 1st round pick. They key is to acquire enough salaries and assets to make the next move. Max cap flexibility to sign someone outright went out the window with the signing of Ariza. However, adding on salaries of productive players you could use at the trade deadline or in a sign and trade can work, especially if they come attached with assets. The Rockets need more assets and salaries to use for trades without sacrificing any of their current depth.

You could add Budinger to this deal by adding the non-guranteed contracts and likely get another 1st round pick out of the deal.

Minnesota gets: Haywood, Bennett, Wiggins, plus any other non-guranteed deals to make the cap math work
Cleveland gets: Kevin Love
Rockets get: Martin, Budinger, 2015 Miami 1st, 2015 Cleveland 1st, other draft considerations (sub a Minnesota pick for one of the other two mentioned with similar protections as the Pelicans pick)

At this point, a team like the Suns could be folded in where Dragic comes to Houston for Martin/Budinger plus DMO/Capella and a pick (Phoenix views itself as a contender and needs a veteran scorer to complement their young players). A simultaneous Bledose sign and trade also becomes a possibility now due to the added salary/picks involved.

The Rockets simply don't have enough assets and salaries right now to make the moves everyone wants outside of perhaps Dragic into the TPE which would have happened already had Phoenix had any interest in what the Rockets were offering.

Even if no subsequent trade happens, the Rockets bench would be greatly upgraded and they would have three picks with which to use next offseason to make a big move.

A roster of:
Beverley/Caanan
Harden/Martin
Ariza/Budinger
Jones/DMO
Howard/Dorsey

can contend in the western conference because it adds the scoring this team needs off the bench. Also, I don't believe this sacrafices the MLE or BAE for other veteran upgrades if needed in season.

It's a random trade idea but it seems everyone gets something out of this they want now and in the future.

 

Maybe we could get in a three way deal with Detroit and Atlanta, effective September 15th, for Monroe going in a sign and trade to Atlanta:

http://hawkshoop.com/wojnarowski-hawks-discussed-monroe-trade/

You would think TJones, our non-guaranteed contracts and the N.O. pick would be enough to get us Millsap or Horford.

 

I Don't want Harford. Too much $$$. Millsap would be a great fit but I would rather use the NOP pick in something bigger

 

Oh god Basketballholic is Coachbadlee

 

I could see that happening. I think we're a better 4 and a 6th man away from being really dangerous. Getting a guy like Millsap goes a long way.

 

I could see Kevin Martin going to Toronto in return for an expiring contract (Landry Fields, Chuck Hayes, or Lou Williams). Not sure Minny would want Williams if they insist on getting both Wiggins and Waiters.

 

If Minny is going to roll with Wiggins and they've dafted Lavine and they've still got Chase and Shabazz and Brewer....there's no need for Martin. They're better off with the cap space next summer. They'll try to move out Martin and Chase both for expirings.

 

I doubt it, Ujiri has been on a mission to clear salary for 2015 and 2016. They've done a lot of work. I don't think they'd blow it for Kevin Martin. I think they are going to target a better piece, Millsap, Horford, Batum, Parsons, someone else like that.

 

First, not totally sure of the rules re: sign & trades (so CH, Bima, Bballholic, or others who know I would appreciate enlightenment)

Second, the trade would be a doozie! It would require Minnesota to recognize that it will not be a viable contender in the West this year, but can begin laying the ground work for next season (and beyond).


IN
HOU: F Kevin Love (MN); G Ricky Rubio (MN)(use Lin TPE); G/F Gerald Green (PHO) (use Lin TPE)
DET: G/F Kevin Martin (MN); C/F Dontas Montiejunas (HOU); C/F Ronnie Turiaf (MN); G/F Alonzo Gee (HOU); F Scotty Hopson (HOU); DEN or MN 2015 2nd (from HOU)
PHO: F/C Greg Monroe (DET - S&T); G/F Francisco Garcia (HOU - S&T); F Chase Budinger (MN); PG JJ Barea (MN); rights to F Kostas Papanikolaou (HOU)
MN: G Eric Bledsoe (PHO - S&T); F Terrence Jones (HOU); F Clint Capela (HOU); PG Isaiah Canaan (HOU); F Josh Powell (HOU); rights to C Marko Todorovic (HOU); 2015 NOP (from HOU); 2017 1st (HOU); NYK 2015 2nd (from HOU); DET 2015 2nd


OUT
DET: F/C Greg Monroe
PHO: G Eric Bledsoe; F/G Gerald Green
MN: F Kevin Love; G Ricky Rubio; G/F Kevin Martin; PG JJ Barea; F Chase Budinger; C/F Ronnie Turiaf
HOU: F Terrence Jones; C/F Dontas Montiejunas; G/F Francisco Garcia; F Clint Capela; PG Isaiah Canaan; G/F Alonzo Gee; F Scotty Hopson; F Josh Powell; rights to F Kostas Papanikolaou & C Marko Todorovic; 2015 NOP; 2017 HOU 1st; 2015 NYK 2nd; DEN or MN 2015 2nd

Rationale:

Phoenix: Moves an irritated Bledsoe for a starting PF (Monroe). Monroe should flourish in the post as Plumlee has the ability to step out (IIRC) and open space for him. The Suns also pick up Garcia from Houston as a 3-D option. Budinger is a depth acquisition, but did play his college ball at Arizona. Barea is a salary dump by Minnesota, but adds depth to Phoenix backcourt to help replace Bledsoe.

Detroit: Moving Monroe allows J-Smoove to play his more natural PF spot as well as open the paint for Andre Drummond. Detroit picks up another 3-pt shooter (Martin) to surround Drummond; Martin's addition may actually make Detroit an Eastern Conference playoff team. Montiejunas provides front-court depth and can backup Drummond at center. Turaif; Gee; & Hopson are salary cap throw-ins. However, Gee & Turaif may provide roster depth.

Minnesota: Minnesota picks up two young players with potential (Bledsoe, Jones). It acquires a couple of players who are analytic darlings (Canaan, Capela). It dumps several unwanted contracts (Martin, Barea, Budinger, Turaif) and allows those players to play for potential playoff teams. It picks up a potential 2015 lottery pick as well as a 2017 pick (although it would probably be in late 20's). It picks up a likely high 2nd round pick (NYK). The Wolves can use their salary cap savings to pursue a realistic (but splashy) free agent signing (Paul Millsap or Marc Gasol) next year.
IMHO this would be a better pickup than the simple Wiggins, Bennett, and a LOW 2018 pick from Cleveland deal currently on the table.

Houston: Acquires the stretch-4 and 3rd star it has been seeking (Love). Moreover, it picks up a player who plays uptempo and can make the other players better (Rubio). Green has a 2nd go round in Houston and provides depth on the wing.
After that trade (Aug. 22nd at the earliest) or even before,
(1) sign F Shawn Marion for rest of MLE (2 year deal)
(2) sign C Emeka Okafor with BAE (2 year deal)

Rox 2014 - 2015
PG R. Rubio // P. Beverley // I. Smith
SG J. Harden // T. Daniels // N. Johnson
SF T. Ariza // G. Green // R. Covington
PF K. Love // S. Marion // J. Adrien
C D. Howard // E. Okafor // J. Dorsey

That is a team that should be able to take down SA easily. That lineup could match up pretty well with OKC and the Clips on a consistent basis.

Seeing as Love (UFA) and Rubio (RFA) would be potential free agents at the end of the season, the Houston salary cap bill could potentially be GI-NORMOUS from 2015 on. But - worst case scenario - if both walk, Houston may have the money to pursue other free agents (Rondo & Millsap?).

Anyway.... I just saw that pretty much every other team besides Cleveland dropped out of the Love sweepstakes and was pontificating about a better offer.

 

Alright, I can't post this trade yet because of trade restrictions involving trading over the cap (Jose Calderon can't be traded in combination with another player, Capela can't be traded until August). I also might have to add a 4th team to take on salary simply because of roster space limits, but here's the gist of it:

Knicks In:
Roy Hibbert
Knicks Out:
Bargnani's expiring
Shumpert

Rockets In:
Calderon, West
Rockets Out:
Gee, Hopson, Powell, Motiejuanas, Clint Capela, Pelicans pick

Pacers In:
Bargnani, Motiejuanas, Shumpert, Capela, NOP pick, and our NGtds
Pacers Out:
West, Hibbert

For the Pacers, they dump two large contracts for two promising young players, a decent draft pick, and a decent player in Shumpert. But more importantly, it gives them new flexibility for next offseason and allows them to throw this season away and try to retool around PG.

For the Knicks, they basically replace Tyson Chandler with a younger (albeit worse) version of himself while giving up next to nothing. They take a flier on Hibbert returning to better form.

For Houston, we get David West (who not only is a good fit next to Howard, but whose deal also expires in time for KD's FA) and Calderon- who can play 6th man. This deal as currently constructed also allows us to move Jones to the bench- which would completely change the dynamic of the team IMO- although more than likely he'd be moved instead of Motiejuanas.

 

Straightforward trade for us to acquire West. He's the defensive rangy veteran 4 we need!

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=kmufgnc

 

Indiana won't throw away the season. No chance.

 

I don't think there can be multiple S&Ts in one trade but if so, this is a perfect scenario. Also with Rubio on the rockets, Llull would likely come over to the NBA. If so id release ish smith and go with the lineup of
Rubio/Beverley/Johnson
Harden/Llull/Daniels
Ariza/Green/Covington
Love/Marion/Adrian
Howard/Okafor/Dorsey

The backup 5 is somewhat comparable to the starting 5 of the Orlando magic from last year. Solid point guard (Beverley/Nelson), sharpshooting 2 guard who can handle the ball (Llull/Oladipo), athletic 3 (Green/Harris), (the 4 spot is the only big difference), and a rebounding 5 (Okafor/Vucevic). The fact that our backups would be as good as a starting 5 in the NBA and we have 3 players that are top 2 in their position, would easily make us a championship caliber team. Rubio could set up the plays making harden an easier catch and shoot player. Rubio can also get the ball to Howard and set him up nicely. Love helps us with another minor issue which is consistent rebounding so we have that and he spaces out the floor. Marion gives a 3-D off the bench and so does Green(a Houston native). I see Covington going to the D-League again with Johnson and the rotation becoming a 9-10 man rotation with the starting 5 and the backup five, maybe incorporating Daniels and Adrien for final pushes in the game (consistent 3s and rebounding). Overall this is the best trade I've seen so far, but I don't think multiple sign and trades can happen in one trade. They could however break it up as in sending Gerald Green for Fransisco Garcia in a seperate trade. Or sending Bledsoe to Minnesota for Budinger and Barea just to make it simpler.

 

Paul George?...

JK but seriously we have to be able to pry something from the Pacers... Morey will at least call in 1-3 weeks once the dust settles and the Pacers decide what they will do.

 

It was just a starting out point but I could see the suns being overly interested in Johnson or Daniels. if you throw in a future first and a couple non guaranteed contracts then I think it would be enough.

As for the Celtics, I think that a good draft pick and cap relief is the best that they can seriously expect for Green. The only thing that the rockets could offer other than that would be second round picks or Covington.

Jones or DMO could also be thrown into the trade as well but I can't decide which team really needs another PF

 

So with PG out 12-18 months... that's an estimated 2016 recovery (2nd half of the following year)... what will the Pacers do? I say they tank.