I still take my chances on Ibaka because he's more experience, and can be a better rebounder. But I really do not care anymore if the Rockets don't trade for Ibaka. As long as the Rockets get rid of Corey Brewer, and get a solid back up point guard, I will be happy.
Sources say that Toronto and Miami are among the Eastern Conference teams that have expressed interest in Ibaka this month. More than one rival club has expressed the belief that Orlando will use the next 10 days before the deadline to keep fielding offers and then, ultimately, choose the best available package for Ibaka on Feb. 23 and make the move. Can the Magic get a first-round pick back for Ibaka from a team seeking a playoff-tested vet to add to its frontcourt rotation? Or a quality player under 25 a la Oladipo? Magic really screwed up on that deal with OKC. Should consider themselves fortunate if they're able to get a 1st back. More from Stein: Skepticism about Atlanta's recent insistence that Paul Millsap is completely off the market has been fairly rampant. The Hawks, however, are adamant Millsap is staying put in the wake of the Kyle Korver-to-Cleveland deal in early January ... whether rival teams believe them or not. Atlanta began sounding out teams about potential Millsap interest at the same time Korver was made available in early January, then abruptly changed course and told Millsap he should plan on playing out the season with the team he's about to rep in his third successive All-Star Game, even if that means Atlanta risks losing the 32-year-old for nothing when Millsap hits free agency in July. Now that the Jusuf Nurkic trade we've been anticipating for weeks has materialized at last, league sources say Danilo Gallinari is a prime Nugget to watch between now and the deadline. The Raptors and Clippers are among the teams said to be monitoring Gallinari's availability, amid a growing belief that Denver is prepared to move him, given that the Nuggets anticipate that Gallinari will bypass the final season of his current contract (valued at $16.1 million) and join Millsap on the open market and don't plan to spend big to retain the Italian. Sources say Portland is determined to move injured center Festus Ezeli before the deadline and is pitching him in particular to teams well below the salary floor that would be willing to take on Ezeli's contract with some level of draft compensation attached. This is the first year of a two-year deal for Ezeli that pays $7.4 million this season but is guaranteed for only $1 million next season. Denver ($7.6 million), Philadelphia ($7.5 million) and Brooklyn ($6.8 million) are the three teams that sit the farthest under the the league's $84.7 million salary floor. The Nets, as ESPN.com reported in late December, continue to demand two first-round draft picks if you want to convince them to part with center Brook Lopez before the deadline.
He's talking about Payton, Codman has been hinting about our interest in Payton in of his post in the last month or so.
Codman is legit. He has specifically been hinting very obviously at Payton for a while. I know he may not stand out as a fit due to his shooting, but he's the guy from Orlando that Codman is talking about.
I think for Houston Ibaka can be a center. He still plays solid help defense and why I think Houston would want him is 2 fold. 1. He is also a pick a pop player as well as a pick and roll player. 2. He can play both positions and the fact that Nene does not play very often and that number will go down. Ibaka on the court with Anderson raises our offense without lowing our defense too much. I think Orlando does the deal if a 1st round pick is included and it would not be required to trade Ryan that said if Orlando is asking too much may be wiser to try to sign him in offseason. We are in the drivers seat in a deal for Ibaka.
I just keep thinking about how a lineup of Bev, Harden, Ariza, Ibaka, and Capela would do against Steph, Klay, KD, Draymond, and Zaza. Seems like a really good matchup.. I guess I can keep dreaming..
The only Payton we are interested in is Gary. Elfrid would only be acquired to move somewhere else for something we really want.
Except the "Rabbit Act," from Codman's posts in another thread, are a reference to the Magic. So much for your sarcasm? But he alludes to both Elfrid Payton and a big. The big being less obvious. Unless it involved his hometown Sacramento, I don't see Ryan Anderson being moved.
Yes....well, basketballholic has twice rebuked my Elfrid aspirations, but I only get them from Codman. You would think the team would aim for a point guard who can shoot three pointers, but he was better last season, so maybe they see something there. Wish I could figure out the big we're after, though. (Well....who wouldn't want to know?)
