So you saying, trade for dwight as soon as we can when the season ends and then sign D-Will. Could work, probably won't happen.
Draft day trade: HOU receives WAS unprotected 1st round pick, sends DAL/LAL draft pick "...the classic Ernie Grunfeld maneuver, making a deal as if his team is one player away from contending for the title regardless of where they actually stand." Bank on Washington thinking they're ready to contend and take Blatche off their hands (Lewis is expiring next year) in exchange for veteran pieces of Nene's caliber. Washington's starting lineup ends up having Wall, Martin, Scola, and Nene, so heck, maybe they can end up in the playoffs in the sucky East. In return, we get a top 3 pick in a loaded draft class and open up playing time for our young guys, including Donatas Motiejunas.
this is actually kind of nice, i don't want Blatche, but at this point WAS will accept any trade as long Blatche is taking off of their hands. if this were to happen, would we have a successful season next year?
It seems like we'd be holding onto our core and all our youngs, while adding a top 3 draft pick. We wouldn't have much cap space and Blatche is a poison pill to be certain, but this seems like a pretty good way to rebuild without suffering a losing season, if WAS is willing.
That's too much salary to take on without knowing who the lottery pick was. Cleveland establisehd the bar last season with the trade for Baron Davis and what turned out to be Kyrie Irving, the top pick. Cleveland basically paid $28 million dollars to significantly increase their odds of winning the lottery by having 2 lottery picks. That is about the limit of salary to pay for a top lotteery pick or a significant chance at a top lottery pick.
Keep in mind we're sending out Scola in the deal, so his salary is off the books. He's not quite a bad contract but I wouldn't say he has surplus value, either. He could turn into a bad contract any year now, too--he's getting older.
*if you are worth a damn and the only guy standing in your way is $850K per season no-defense Chase Budinger I don't see McHale benching Scola
I think you just answered your own question. (given the PER is not the end all be all) but no, i don't think patterson is better and i desperatly want him to be. In fact, i think he's hit a bit of a sophmore slump this season.
PER hardly measures man defense at all though. It counts blocks and steals but not most of the picture. It doesn't know how many shots you challenge and how well you do it.
agreed, but fact of the matter; if Patterson was better than Scola, he would start. Scola is not some magical player that makes his rotational minutes untouchable.
Coaches love Scola because he's a good natured guy who always plays hard and competes. I love him for the same reasons, but let's face it, he's never been a very physically gifted PF and he's over 30.
In the playoffs, when it matters most, Scola will shine. He is a winner that's got the hardware to prove it. Making winning plays is in his genetics. These are the types you go to battle with because you know that he will have what it takes to deliver when the bright lights become too strong for lesser mortals. This does not mean he is a star player that will lead us to the championship. However, he is definitely not the problem.
Rox get PF LaMarcus Aldridge Por gets 2012 NYK pick Kevin Martin Patrick Patterson Why Houston does it: We take on the challenge of anti-tanking improvement and take the talented Aldridge while Portland tanks 2013 and get their third good pick in 2 years. Why Por does it: They get a good NYK pick, Martin's two years shorter than Aldridge's, Martin is the better "let's look like we can be a little competitive but really hope we lose instead" player (lol), and Patterson is a good young up and coming PF they can groom. Addendum The Rockets go after Eric Gordon in free agency and sign Camby to a vet minimum.
If Portland can't get the right guys in the draft this year and they still stink by the trade deadline next season, they'll start considering moving LA and Matthews for expirings/picks/young players.
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7k3nufg Houston gets: Williams and Humphries NJNets get: Martin, Scola, Lowry, Budinger
I would hate this trade from an emotional perspective (Lowry & Scola... ugh... juck the Fazz)... but from a basketball perspective, it makes a ton of sense for both teams. Rockets roster: Dragic/? Lee/Budinger Parsons/Morris Millsap/Patterson Jefferson/Camby We combine the Jazzholes' awesome frontcourt with that Dragic/Lee/Parsons perimeter unit which gels so well. It's important to extend at least one of Millsap/Jefferson, preferably both. The unit which just beat the third seed Lakers gets two 23+ PER players added to its frontcourt in exchange for Luis Scola. Um, yes please? J*zz roster: Lowry/Harris Martin/Bell Hayward/Bell Scola/Favors Kanter/Favors The Jazzholes' play at 1-3 is what's killing them... Huge upgrades for them there and they send out a couple expirings for a building block (Lowry). Another important component of this deal is that it opens up playing time for Kanter and Favors, two extremely high upside guys currently buried on the Utah bench. Favors gets a bigger role off the bench and Kanter gets to start at center. Hayward also slides over to his natural position.
