Send Toronto SS, and NY's second, and next year's first for Mo Pete. Send GS SS, GS sends Dunleavy to Clips, Clips send Maggette to H-Town. Whatever else has to be thrown to make the deal work. Send SS to NJ for their 2 first rounders, send those picks, plus contracts, plus NY 2nd rounder to Toronto for Mo Pete. Mo Pete is coming into his contract year. The heat will be on Toronto to get something for him, especially if he expresses a desire to move on (which to my knowledge he hasn't, but it is Toronto). Our trade assets are SS and Luther Head. They do have value. Their perceived value to us may seem low but NJ wanted SS baaaaaaaad. If we miss the playoffs, I hope Van Gundy gives him major minutes and starts running plays for him so his value goes waaaaaaaaaay up. There's all sorts of possibilities to be considered. The bottom line is we have to get a 3rd scorer at the SG spot that is tall and has range and is accurate. Mo Pete is just one player that fits the bill. And if we miss the playoffs, we have the ability to add 2 key pieces. We have to make them count, whatever we do. Personally, the more I see of Shelden, the more I like that guy on our team, as long as we get that other scorer. How about this deal. Eric Williams exercises his option. We send Toronto the $4.2 TE for him, relieving them of his contract and giving them a trade asset to use. Then we send SS and maybe next year's #1 to them for Mo Pete. They can use SS at the 5 with Bosh and Villanueva up front, resign James and use their draft pick on Brewer, Gay or one of the other swing men out there, or trade Joey for a younger 2 guard. Mo Pete doesn't fit with them. He's going into his 30's. By the time they are ready to play at championship level, he will be over the hill. I'm not set on Mo Pete, don't get me wrong. But there are ways to make a deal happen for most teams that missed the playoffs and are trying to rebuild.
Whoa, must have touched a nerve... I'm not saying that he didn't play D in Toronto, he was phenominal, but the knock on him was him not giving his all while he was in Orlando. But he was a 1 man gang there in Orlando with Grant Hill never being able to stay healthy, but you are getting off the subject that we need OFFENSE in the draft, not defense. Shown once again by our inability to hit the open J's and 3-balls. 18% tonight....ugh...also, will Roy be able to consistently knock down the open J. He seems a little streaky to me... Shooters Wanted....
You have made a compelling argument for canning JVG. With our cap situation and the max for TMac and Yao we are not going to have the cap room to go out get our pick of veterans to go for us. Therefore, the best avenue left to us is the draft, trading for young players or picking up young FA's who don't make alot of money but have alot of talent and potential. Maintaining a coach who doesn't enjoy growing his own certainly handicaps the Rox now and in the future. I think we have seen our fill retreads the past 3 years. Old guys he trys to get one more game out of. So many other teams have numbers 9-15 left to younger players while we have geriatric ward for our subs.
Wow... I'm viewing JJ Redick highlights and they are just amazing. I wouldn't mind Redick now. Watch this guys: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vLQ_ULUMSY4&search=redick What a quick release.
I think Redick is a perfect fit for the Rockets, and have wanted him all along. Still do... Watching them clank up wide open shot after wide open shot...man.....Redick would make them pay for doubling Yao and Tracy...big time. DD
He looked mighty good over the weekend. Hell he was the only one that showed up vs Albany and he's got a really nice looking stroke (very smooth), so it's quite possible that he can stretch his range out to the NBA 3. The way Rafer's been faltering under pressure lately, I'd take a long look at Williams if a stud PF or SG is out of our reach.
I also think he is the perfect fit, as far as helping our outside shooting goes. Folks keep saying he is just another Langdon or something, but my guess is they haven't watched too many of his games. He is carrying that offense, has a quick release and shoots a good percentage. I'm not saying he can carry the load at the NBA level, but I think he would be perfect next to Yao and Tracy. I also like the swagger. He doesn't seem to have Malone-itis.
It's really too early to talk about which player the Rockets can target. Because the lottery makes it so that there's a chance that we could land the top 3 pick. The dynamics change so greatly if that's the case we'd be looking at two sets of players. Either the Gay/Morrison/Aldridge group, or the players people are currently talking about. And for those who think we're too "good" to hit the jackpot, in truth we're only two games better than the current 7th worst team in the NBA. And if the Rockets land the 7th spot in the draft lottery position, they'd have better than 12% of landing a top 3 pick. Not great, but certainly much better than us making the playoffs. Man, this is so depressing... I never thought it was possible at the beginning of the season, or even just a few weeks ago, that I'd be discussing our lottery chances.
Sorry about that. I screwed up originally when I was narrowing down the content and the html got messed up, so I had to go back and copy and paste it and apparently I hit reply to the wrong post. Yours was the post immediately after his. I corrected it. Sorry.
I agree DD, he is exactly what we need. No more projects, or athletic slashers (with quote potential). We need somebody that can hit wide open shots. I LOVE THE VIDEO CLIPS, a few post ago
Its not too hard to look good in video clips of all the shots that you made. I wonder what a video of the 11 shots he missed would look like. Sheldon Williams had 23 points in that game on 12 shots to go with 6 rebounds and 4 assists (FYI Reddick had ZERO assists) and he was playing against Aldridge a top 3 pick. I still say Gansey can do everything that Reddick can and will be available in the second round. I'm not sure we should pick Gansey either though.
Is the offense running through Gansey? If not then he (or any other solid college shooter) isn't on JJ's level to me. There is a difference between being able to shoot, and being able to do it while carrying an offense. I think you can say you carried the offense when you are the leading scorer when you retire. JJ is making 47% of his shots, yet he is 3rd in the nation in FGA's. He leads the country in 3 point %, yet he is 4th in the country in attempts. He is doing this while being the focus point of the opposing defense. How can a go-to scorer not help us as a 3rd/4th option. How can a shooter like that not create space for Ming and T-Mac? In the future if you are gonna compare any other good shooter to him, please make sure he is at least carrying his team offensively, one of the top scorers in the nation, taking a lot of shots, etc. Jeff Hornacek and Craig Hodges could both shoot the lights out, but there was a definite difference between the two. JJ can nail an open shot, and he is doing it while being the go-to man for the Blue Devils. Similar to Head, I want players who have been in those type of situations before. JJ catches more hell then any other player in college basketball and it doesn't seem to bother him. I'm not saying he is a superstar player, but he can definately shoot, and we need shooters more than anything else. If I have to draft a shooter, I would prefer to draft one that has shown the ability to make big shots while leading his team.
I think Reddick could work here, but not if we keep the current team intact. It would leave us still lacking quick, athletic players that can penetrate and break down the defense. Reddick is a jumpshooter who doesn’t take the ball to the basket often. With all the back problems Mcgrady has had, he will most likely also be a jumpshooter for the rest of his career and not someone who takes the ball to the basket often. So we would need to make a move for a different point guard who is quicker and a better penetrator than Alston. I would look to sign Speedy Claxton with the MLE and make Yao and Speedy the primary playmakers on the floor, with Reddick and Mcgrady being the outside threats to spread the floor.
Let us keep our track record in mind ( with respect to picks other than no 1 picks.) A pick in the 10-12 range should give us a starter quality player. Although I am intrigues by all the shooting skills ( and that being a big need for the team)- I think with the First Round pick I would go for a big PF ( either Shelden Williams or Splitter). Shelden may be not as exciting but he has a solid exposure to a half-court system. You wont expect dramatics but a decent hard working PF. My sole reasoning for this at a price of 3 + million for 3 years this is a great deal ( after 3 years we get rid of Juwan's contract and I am assuming that he can't be traded) In the worst case we atleast have a tradeable big man! With the Second round pick I will for a Mike Gansey and other shooting guards that mentioned ( taquan dean, white, Quincy Douby). Heck I may "borrow" a second round pick and get 2 players this years ( send them to NBDL or get rid of Ryan Bowen). I do not want to take chances with a Shooting Guard ( starting)- therefore I suggest offering the MLE to Bonzi or Harpring ( prefer Bonzi). With Moochie exception ( ie the TE we got for him) I would get A PG like SpeedY Claxton and offer the DA exception to SAM I AM to come home for 2 years. It will just be great if Bob Sura get us a medical exception. IF he returns healthy as soon as he puts up numbers I will package him with Stro and try and get a stud. Sorry Bob Sura fans- I just dont think we can go for another year with people with heart but cannot stay healthy. I would love Stro to stay- simplify things for him till he learns and try and assign a team mate as a mentor- so he does have someone to speak to. JVG's tirades may work well with Yao but it does not seem to do any good with Stro. IF we are going to trade him anyway- one option is to speak to New Jersey and see if we can get some Picks ( a 1st and a second Rounder) NEW orleans is the other team we could talk to who has the picks. If we get 2 first round picks- either we can go up the ladder ( which I hesitate after the Eddie Griffin Fiasco) or get a PF and SG. There is a good chance we can find starter quality material. Let Keith Bogan stay- we drop Rybo ( god knows why we gave me a player option). Would be sad to part with Chuck Hayes, but unless he learns to shoot- I really dont see how we can justify including him
Rule #1 - don't send a first round draft pick for someone that you wouldn't select in the first round if you could do so all over again. You're highly overrating Peterson. His stats have been ridiculously inflated by being one of only 3 or 4 servicable players in Toronto the last 5 years...Keep in mind Mike James is nearly a 20 PPG guy there.... Between Troy Murphey and Ike Diogu, I don't think they really need Swift, and why wouldn't they just do the deal with LAC straight up? Would you trade Maggete for Swift? Dunleavy for Swift? He's got the size that makes GMs stupid, but he's showcased his impassionate and disinterested play for several years now. You would send 3 picks for Mo F'ing Pete?!?!?! Are you insane?!?! His cousin?!?! Maybe I missed something, but last I checked this was a C-grade SG.... With our pick, I would be leaning toward Redick or Ronnie Brewer. Redick would be a fantastic compliment to Yao, but shares almost all of Wesley's limitations: can't get around his man, at a disadvantage on D, shot can be bothered when guarded close by taller, more athletic 2s. Brewer's the opposite: unreliable from outside, but a SG with size that can create for others. Our lack of playmakers killed our offense anytime McGrady's been off the court... Evan
Ronnie Brewer CANNOT shoot the ball. We do not want more players that CANNOT shoot the basketball. I'm not against Reddick personally. I just don't think he fits what Van Gundy wants. He's not going to be even a middle of the pack defender and Van Gundy wants the perimeter defenders that cut off dribble penetration. NO, I would not trade Maggette for SS. But if I was Baylor, I would consider Dunleavy for Maggette, for the obvious reasons. Besides Maggette is coming off injury. I can see GS wanting to team up Stro and move Murphy because of the difference in the contracts. This is the weakest draft in the last 20 years. 3 first round picks isn't giving up a whole lot for a 29 year old proven ball stroker with good size and athelticism to bring what we need to the table defensively. Tell me, where in this draft is the kid who is 6'6" to 6'8" that can stroke the 3 ball and D up on NBA perimeter players?????? They ain't there my friend. We need to try to land a Maggette, Mo Pete, type player through trade and then use our pick on Shelden.
I think the player that would complete the Rockets and give them championship level dreams would be none other than Rashard Lewis. He is exactly what we need. As he is 6'10 he's an athletic 3/4 (rarely) that can hit the 3-ball and shoot from anywhere on the court. He's athletic enough that he's a good rebounder and can even post up smaller 3's. If he does that, then T-mac can move to the 2 guard and rafer can man the 1. He will spread the court as well as give us athleticism and rebounding out of the three to combat the Josh Howards/Shawn Marions etc of the world that kill us and give us that athleticism and rebounding we've missed since we lost Sura and Francis. His weakness is that he can't really create his own shot well (unless he's posting up a smaller 3). He would flourish like Glen Rice did with Kobe and Shaq and give us that third option needed. His contract expires after next year at almost 7 million a year. I'm sure he's sick of the perrenial losers at Seattle and would like to come home to be part of something special (and no state taxes!). With Rudy gone (CD's still here though) he may have lost some of the animosity from draft night. I think if he shows a willingness to come here, we could trade a (around 10) draft pick with Stromile Swift ( Seattle was really after him) or Luther Head to give them if they think he'll leave or if they want to rebuild around Ray Allen. With Ray and Rashard the team's not going anywhere and all their skills are on the perimeter Allen/Ridnaur/Rashard. Swift would fit better in their running and pushing offense than he is here and the draft pick plus theirs would give them some push in the future.
