We are going to have to wait until Feb to unload Tmac. Any team trading for him now is giving up the 2009/2010 season.
I agree with a couple others when I say the priorities should be: 1) Find a backup center for Yao - it will help limit his minutes and we won't be as vulnerable when Yao goes to the bench. It is a necessity. 2) If you can find something good for T-Mac, do it. I think only the guys in the organization know what's going on behind the scenes but I have the feeling he may not want to play in Houston anymore, I don't know, I could be wrong. If you find something good, do it. 3) As for Ron, I will (to some people's dislike) have to defer to DaDa's opinion on him. If you don't know what it is, you can look it up somewhere, it's all over the GARM/BBS. Although, there are good arguments for keeping him around...
I had to vote to get a backup for Yao, beating out re-signing Ron-Ron. How are we going to do that? Oy vey...good question. Looking at what could be out there so much seems to be out of our price range. If we traded McGrady and got a backup C back as part of the deal that would be nice...but none of the teams who have good options at C to offer don't seem to be the type of team which may desire the McGrady Expiring deal in 2010. Thank god we have Morey making these calls and not me!
Well. Here's our main problems. -Scoring in the long run. -Competing with other teams with a lot of bigs for rebounds. (Lakers, Celtics, Cavs.) I think scoring in the long run is more important than trying to get another big man. We should see how Lamar does. The worst thing we can do in this situation is to press the button to quick. Keep Lamar. Resign Artest. See how Lamar does. If he wants to stay as a Lamar, then let him go next offseason. If he lives up to our expectations, (Even a 07-08 T-mac would be swell.) then sign him again. We can still sign him for MUCH less. Probably about 8-12 mil per year. That's about 10-14 million saved. We can then try and find a big man then. Basically, don't trade T-mac and see how he does.
Don't at all agree with your analysis. Your scenario assumes every other of the 29 NBA teams is going into the start the 2009 season with sufficient long-term capital, feels they can compete for a playoff spot with their current roster and has NO contracts they want to shed before the summer of 2010. Just my humble opinion, but I feel the deals on the table for Grady will be very similar regardless of timing. Your statement is ONLY true if there are NO offers this summer. I just don't see that as a possibility. Especially in light of the (albeit silly) rumors that have surfaced recently.
GATER, I'm going to have to side with BackNthDay on this one. Desperation is a powerful motivator. And desperation will be much higher at the February trade deadline, which is the LAST chance for teams to avoid luxury tax consequences (except for subsequently negotiated buyouts, which have a minor impact at most). Teams will be MUCH more willing to part with significant trade assets in February, when McGrady's $23M expiring contract only has about $10-11M in remaining salary obligation attached to it. However, GATER, I will agree with you to an extent that some teams do not want to risk coming up to the deadline without a trade already done. Also, if McGrady's injury is truly serious, there is a good chance that insurance is picking up most/all of the tab next season. While this has no impact on the luxury tax, it could be a money-saving maneuver for a team to trade for a contract being largely paid by a third party (similar to the enticing feature of LaFrentz's contract last February).
I would love to see us getting a legit starting point guard. Someone like TJ Ford or Andre Miller. I love AB and Lowry but let's be honest they are still a project in process.
First, I don't understand your LTax aspects making a team more "desperate" at the trade deadline. An LTax is paid for every players' salary on your roster at the end of a season. The Rockets with Grady will be over the LTax at the start of 2009-10, at the trade deadine they'll still be over the LTax and unless Grady is bought out (not happening), they'll be over the LTax if Grady is on the roster on the last game of the regular season. Even if he's never played one minute. IMHO, LTax has NO implication to the timing of Grady's 2009-10 trade value. If you're talking about avoiding an LTax in 2010 and beyond...that's clearly not the market for Grady. It's teams wanting to compete for FA's in the summer of 2010. Again, there is a fine line of distinction between NO offers this summer and SOME offers this summer. If it's the latter (as I feel), the Rockets would be foolish to wait until the trade deadline to break in two rotational players.
