we’re talking about a top 15 player in Jimmy Butler tho...I would never think about giving Bev up for Taj/Dougie, but for CP3, I had no problems seeing Bev get traded I know that Tucker is very valuable here and his loss would be a big deal, but when it comes to Morey, I can’t see him saying no to adding a 3rd star in Jimmy Butler because of PJ Tucker...just my opinion I think he’s trying hard as hell not to include him, but would he ultimately make him decline a player like Jimmy Butler? My belief is no.
While Butler is the best player between the three, and I want to trade for him at the right cost, I’m not sure about the basketball fit. Butler has not played off the ball extensively in years and is not an elite three point shooter. It’s really hard to have three ball dominant players in the same starting lineup. Last year, D’Antoni maximized Harden and CP3’s productivity by staggering their minutes and often not playing them together. Adding a third ball dominant scorer like Butler means even more staggering of rotations/minutes. D’Antoni can do it, but it’s not going to be as easy as everyone assumes.
Players win games, not the GM. If your two best players tell you to keep a guy, you keep the guy. It’s not that difficult.
This, and locked up for 3 more years at a friendly rate of ~8M per. It's surprising how quick some are to toss him in a package for a potential rental.
Trading away Tucker after already losing Ariza, Luc, and Bzdelik would force me to switch the overall strategy back to score 120 every game, defense be damned. Basically go back to the strategy with a contributing Ryno. I liked last year’s Rockets with not only a nice rotation of elite playmakers in the backcourt, but also a nice rotation of perimeter defenders at the forward spots. My goal would be to put this rotation on the floor: CP3 Harden Butler Tucker Capela Ennis rotates with Butler Melo rotates with Tucker Tucker rotates with Capela and backup center Smallball lineup: CP3 Harden Butler Melo Tucker
While true, it’s not easy to find elite 3 & D guys like Tucker that can anchor a defense and guard four positions, either. And when that player has the support of your superstars (Harden and Paul), you don’t include him in the trade. You find another way to make the deal.
i feel like the rockets are in the driver's seat. if we're the frontrunners with just ego/pick/filler(ne?) then even if miami ups their offer we can still go with our nuclear option (tucker) and get the deal done. but as @Codman was saying, would that be better than being the 3rd team and helping miami acquire butler by taking james johnson off their hands for say knight's contract saving them the third year of johnson's contract?
you all need to consider minny is only leaking this info to force miami to sweeten its deal. they might not have any real intention of dealing butler to a western conference foe unless the team is garbage
Then he better listen to Harden and CP3. If they want Tucker on the team, he should stay. The Rockets aren’t going anywhere if Harden and CP3 don’t believe in the plan.
Without checking the stats, I would bet Jimmy Butler had a higher 3pt percentage than Gordon last year. EG's percentages weren't good last year
