I wrote this two nights ago and forgot to post it. Availables Accross the League: 1.Chris Mills due to redundancy at his position(G). Donyell Marshall due to ... well ... whatever? But get this ... Erick Dampier may be also available. They will make roster moves very soon. 2.Pick anyone on the Knicks team except Allan Houston,Sprewell and maybe Camby(Big Maybe). 3.Leon Smith. Nuff said there. 4.Nash and Trent are being shopped. I would kill for Finley. There is a rumor(only a rumor) that Nelson is talking to Larry Brown about a Finley trade. Nelson is crazy. What else can you say. 5. Larry Brown has made Rat and Hill "trade available"(again)as they move through the early schedule. Hughes has caused so much problems that Brown (definitely in his last year before going up to GM in my opinion,anyway) would probaly trade Hughes for a lot less than what he is worth. I have liked McCulloch for a while and love his big presence and soft touch around the basket.His best attribute so far this season ... he's game smart and can play some pretty decent pressure defense.If the Knicks had anything Larry Brown would want (or afford), then McCulloch would have been traded to them. Larry Bird also knows and likes McCulloch. Watch for trades in that direction. Sixers and Pacers. 6. What is LA Lakers going to do? They need some meat in the PF position.AC just will not last the season banging away with the rest of the fours in the league. Rice is getting more expendable. Shaq has blown up yet again in LA. He and Phil had a little tiff at practice the other day,that carried over into the next day. Beginning to sound more like "Peyton Place" or "How The Stomach Turns" soaps. 7. Toronto is in the hunt again as they have asked permission to speak to Hughes in PA. Brown has not said yes. He hasn't said No, either. Curious though ... who would they trade. All the guys they shopped this summer: K Willis, McGrady, Christie are all doing great and playing as a team. Davis? 8. Coleman has pretty well lost any good graces he had left and the management are searching for a "beneficial trade for everyone". Wonder if that comes with a "Get Out Of Jail FREE" card? 9. Mitch Richmond has been shooting terrible lately and his shot selection has been forced lately. They are getting impatient.His salary is something like $4.5M. Close enough to a Walt Williams and K. Thomas package to be tempting. Just what we need ... another player in a shooting slump. Honestly though ... he has such great upside. he get out of his slump. 10. Boston feels like they are only one player away from carrying the East this year. They are ripe for plucking,IMHO. Coach will be Coach no more unless he produces some numbers. He would go for almost anything that resembled a forward that defend and score. well, duh, that sounds like we may need a couple ourselves. LOL Cheers. [This message has been edited by popeye (edited November 19, 1999).]
Sorry, should have addressed the Mack thing. Forgot. Last I heard, and this is a couple of days old, three teams have persistently contacted Mack and his agent. Warriors, Hornets & Miami.Also, Pacers were at one time, very interested in him. Out of the these teams I think only the Warriors and Hornets are serious. This is only speculation on my part,but a deal involving D.Marshall or C. Mills is not totally out of the question. Remember: 1. the Rockets have made an offer for Mack if he wants it. 2. Also, a sign and trade instead of an independent free agent signing would transfer his Bird Rights and be beneficial to both us and him,including possibly a thicker deal. 3. The ability to re-trade someone after signing him at this time of the year is drastically reduced.So, if we just go ahead and sign Sam now, we better be sure we are ging to keep him. Offers are sparse as all the teams are tightening up waiting for the inevitable movement of players after the start of the schedule. When this starts, usually by the fifteen to twenty games mark, the level of players that change hands are sometimes quite high in quality. Sometimes not. Usually this need to change your team roster for real or perceived problems blows over and only a fraction of teams make the roster changes. The key is to see who needs what and how badly. Be patient and fill your holes with the best out there. In my opinion, that is what is keeping the Rockets from signing him right now. By Christmas deadline we get another little spurt of trades. By that time, the talent of the players you signed in October, etc... are known and you have a better idea of what you want to go with the second half. That's the plan anyway.
Popeye the tradeologist, we love you man! First, can't we up our offer to Sam the man. Second, do you know of anybody the Rockets have actively talked to. Third, Nelson may be crazy, buy he has assembled a team that is deep, athletic, and tall. They are better than the Rockets for the first time since they had Rolondo Blackman, Derek Harper, and Roy Tarpley all playing well. Fouth, I may be the only one here who believes this but who still wants Cat, or Anderson, or Williams, or Drew. If trading anybody here could bring us something to make us better I'm all for it. Throw in Rogers or the never used Kenny Thomas, I don't care, I just want to win. Fifth, I thought LA liked K. Thomas alot. How about a swap of K. Thomas for Devean George. We could use George, but we won't even give Thomas any playing time.
Well, I heard about the Shaq deal. But I got one that I have kept quiet for about...3 weeks. This is from a big time guy/client that I had good communication with until 2 weeks ago when our contract ended. Anyway, this is a Pippen thing. Supposedly, Pippen will end up with the Lakers no matter what. Of course, it will be Glen Rice and change for Pip. According to my man, he said that Pippen is dead set on going to LA(got the house there still) and Phil still covets the overrated jerk. The problem is the owner of the Lakers does not want to bring Pippen to LA because he feels that it will undermine West who feels the Lakers don't need him and that Pippen is overpayed. Buss doesn't want him. But Phil does. Pippen does like Portland, but he just wants to go to LA for some reason. This guy has never lied to me before. He actually gave me great inside stuff before and I truly think he is certain of this. As long as he doesn't end up here, I really don't care where he goes. Hopefully, he ends up in LA...with the Clips. ------------------ Live Rocketball. Breathe Rocketball. Die with Rocketball. [This message has been edited by Almu (edited November 19, 1999).]
Good post pops! I don't see any players besides, Hughes, that the Rocks would be that interested in. To get Hughes the Rocks may have to part with a lot of talent (Mobley for sure?) Our biggest problem area (which can only be addressed via a trade) is a veteran back up point. The closest thing to that in your list is Nash who I am not completely sold on (though he is better than Drew). Our other big concern is our outside shooting. Mobley, Anderson, Drew, and Williams (since his fouls keep his shots on the bench) have not got the job done. I have hope for the first three to get out of their slumps. There is no hope for Williams' D. I can not believe that Richmond is on the trading block. Could any team be that stupid? Of course if Nelson is seriously considering a Finley trade ...
How badly do the teams want to trade Hughes, Dampier and Mitch? How badly? Mitch for Walt and Thomas, you serious? The Wizards would consider that? Is it possible to get Dampier with Mack?
Mobley isn't a "lot of talent." If I could trade Mobley and Drew for Hughes I would do so in second. Hell, Walt Williams for Hughes sounds great... or how about Rogers and Mobley for Hughes? I think there may be several possible combinations should his trade value be diminished.
Few things: 1)Richmond's salary is $10M, not 4.5M 2)Erick Dampier is injured, for the 2nd time in two monthes he underwent a surgery (http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,1593873_54,00.html)... But even if he was healthy, I don't think we need ANOTHER OVERPAID CENTER on our bench. 3)Why do you think that the Mavericks would want to trade Trent. Is contract is only 2yrs/$4.2M, who would they get for that?!
Why would we even be considering Dampier? I have watched his game for three years now he has sucked every opportunity he has had to suck. The guy has no defensive presence in the middle people would drive on the Warriors last year as if Muggsy Bouges were there center. The guy stinks and I don't think even the great Bryce Drew is that bad, ummm if it weren't for Dampiers contract I would do the trade in an instant. The mack for Mills and Marshall trade would be great since it doesn't look like we are going to run anytime soon, thus Marshall would be a GREAT pickup and getting Mills whos shooting lights out, I might add would help our perimeter game, however I find it hard to believe an organization as stupid as the Warriors would even trade their only shooter right now, with Starks and Pj not getting along very well right now. Just my observation living in the bay area and going to most of their games so far this season. ------------------ "We need to fockass".....Dream back in the day
Finally a really good thread with some substance in it. Caucasian, you forgot that Schrempf was on that team, too. Also, I think something needs to happen. We cannot go on like that. From what I have seen of him in a Rockets uniform, I now think Walt Williams is a lousy player. Name the teams that he has made a winning impact on. He might have skills, but he is lazy and doesn't put up a fight. I don't like players like that. Cat is the opposite - he might be streaky and right now he is in a slump, but at least he has some heart. Okay, out of all the players you mentioned, I think we should try to get...maybe Richmond. I don't really think any of the others could help us right now. And as I see it, the $ 4.5 million number is wrong and then 10 million that were mentioned are correct. No chance to get him. We should do anything we possibly can to get Derek Harper. Also, we should sign Sam Mack finally, so that we have at least SOMEONE who can nail the three.
*Mitch Richmond: Hell NO. We are rebuilding right now, we don't need any more old-time has-beens. We need to look toward the future. Even if we were looking towards now, I think Shandon Anderson, is a much more productive player at this stage in their respective careers. Richmond is also making $10 million, and it would take a lot more than just WW and Tmass to get him. *Marshall, Mills, and Dampier: Hell NO again, to all of them. Mills and Dampier are decent but their salaries are not. I think Mills is slated at around $4-$5 mill, and I know that Dampier signed a rich contract extension this summer. Marshall is absolutely horrible, and is the slowest small forward I have ever seen. *Larry Hughes: This guy is phenomenal. I got a chance to watch him play in the preseason. Let me tell you that a Francis/Hughes backcourt would be nearly impossible to defend in a year or so. I think Mobley and Rogers may be enough to get him to Houston. Then move Shandon to small forward. *Theo Ratliff: Would love to get him too. Though, I think it would take atleast Mobley to get this guy. If we were to trade Mobley, I would rather have Hughes. I would love to see a huge trade which sent both Ratliff AND Hughes to Houston. That would just be phenomenal for the Rockets. It would probably take something like Mobley+Drew+Rogers+TMass+Walt+draft pick. I would certainly do that, but I don't see it happening. Damn, that would be the dream lineup. Two defensive minded big men in Ratliff and Cato, with the quick perimeter of Anderson, Francis, and Hughes. Damn, too bad it will never happen. *McGrady: Still would like to get this guy. Don't see it happening though, seeing that the Raptors could get Hughes for him if they wanted. *Walt Williams: Trade him, do whatever you want with him, but the thing I am noticing is that our running game is much better when he is on the bench. [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited November 19, 1999).]
Mitch Richmond is interesting. Be nice to place him w/ francis. Could be interesting. Is the previous note correct with salary (4.5 mil or 10). Also I do like G. Trent, he is an Athletic forward. He seems like a more offensive T-mass.
Mich Richmond would make the shots that Walt Williams misses. I have a feeling that on the Rockets every thing he would put up would go in. He would be nice. That's a Rudy move, too. He likes to pull the trigger, you know.
Cabbage-At the rate we are going we are going to get a high pick. High lottery picks have been known to create impossible trades. Hughes and Theo seem far-fetched now, but everyone in the league thinks we are lottery bound. I'm sure we can get Hughes with Cat but Theo is pushing it. Francis and Hughes, just scary. I was drooling over Francis Dickerson. The question is, "How badly does Philly want to trade Hughes?"
We are in desperate need of some shooters who can run the floor w/ Francis. 10 more games and they sign Mack.
Damn, I forgot that our draft pick will most likely be a lotter pick. Forget that then, because we would just be giving up way too much. That's like trading Chris Porter, Cuttino Mobley, and Carlos Rogers for Hughes and Ratliff. Giving up way too much. But yea, I too was looking forward to a Francis-Dickerson backcourt. Hughes and Francis would be incredible.
In my eyes, if Rudy can pull off a Cat for Hughes trade, I gotta give him his props. A second rounder for a lottery pick? That's too good to be true. Rudy has already did a 14 pick and second rounder for a number 2 franchise player. What can he do next?
