This is a possibility, especially with so many teams not getting involved in deals for George last year and Leonard this year. The sense may be that Butler will be the last one available for awhile and it only takes 1-2 teams to convince themselves that Butler can make them elite. I don't have a problem with the Rockets going all in for Butler, because he is the type of piece that could propel the Rockets past the Warriors hypothetically. Stopping a team with Paul/Harden/Butler and Capela on the floor really is difficult, and the defense with those same 4 players on the floor would be good. It would likely make Roy Rogers job a lot easier.
I don't know who's going to eventually win the rap battle between @Zoplicone and @calurker, but I gotta say spittin' out "the cocoon of eternal mediocrity" is a totally baller move.
How about some REAL sources? Potato head? Burt Steel? That CFer who overheard the Francis trade being discussed in the Galleria?
They definitely planted the Tuckwagon flag in this press conference. Dantoni called him one of the best players in the league, and said we need to reconsider how we evaluate players. CP3 also said Tuck will get anyone who doesn't expect to play D "in line". Very clear PJ will not be in any trade discussions. Another potential trade option: Houston In: Butler Houston Out: Gordon, Nene, Zhou Qi, 2019 1st, 2021 1st Minnesota In: Gordon, McLemore, Nene, Zhou Qi, Houston's 2019 1st Minnesota Out: Butler, Dieng Sacramento In: Dieng, Houston's 2021 1st Sacramento Out: McLemore Minnesota gets out from Dieng's contract and gets Gordon, Zhou and Houston's 2019 1st as assets in return. The trade hinges on Sacramento and how they value Dieng. In theory, he should be a good fit with Bagley as a rim protecting 4. Then again, he's overpaid at $15 million per year for the next 3 years.
I'm all for sending out two 1st rounders and keeping PJ in a Butler trade, we can ride with James, Chris, Clint, PJ and Jimmy for 3/4 years, bench will be made by veterans for cheap, exceptions and 2nd rounders anyway. @finsraider there's no way in hell Sacramento eat's Dieng's contract for a super late 1st rounder, they've also plenty of bigs (Cauley-Stein, Bagley, Giles, Z.Bo, Koufos, Davis, Bjelica) so they don't even need him...and i mean, nobody really needs Dieng with that contract, he's just a very mediocre bench player who's going to get paid 15M for the next three season, possibily the worst contract in the league as today. The thing we can do is send Knight to Minnie for Dieng straight up...but i was already skeptical on this before hearing Tilman today so...yeah.
I've been looking around and Sacramento seems like the only logical destination to dump dieng. But they are already log jammed at center so you are gonna have to send out a center imo. I think koufos is a prime candidate. Also, I feel like minny would prefer the later draft pick rather than next years which is almost guaranteed to be a late late 1st. Houston gets jimmy butler Sacramento gets dieng, Patton, hou 2019 1st Minnesota gets gordon, koufos, Nene, hou 2021 1st
I don't see Joe Chee being traded. Sure, he never plays, but his presence amounts to retaining massive Chinese $$$ for the franchise.
At the end of the day I still feel like the Miami Heat will get Butler. It might be a 3 team trade though. We'll see.
No, but it's still major money. I believe we're still the most popular team in China; someone can check on that.
I was thinking the same. It'd suck to have to send out 2 1st, but if Minny wants to unload Dieng and if we're not taking that contract on (which we shouldn't) then it'll take a 1st to get it done and Sac is the only place where I could see that happening and even then we might have to sweeten even more with 2nd's. That would be comparable if not better than Miami's best package. But yeah....2 1st's is hard. Worth it though if it means keeping PJ.
