They wouldn’t save any money. Rashard Lewis is guaranteed only $13.7M next year. KMart’s $12.5M + Sam’s $1.5M = $14M. They’re not giving up a top 5 pick for one year of KMart.
Is Minnesota allowed to trade Brad Miller's (he's retiring) contract? Pair that with Martell Webster. Both contracts are only partially-guaranteed. Send them Kevin M. and Bud. and, say, one of our itty-bitty contract dudes (Smith?) for Miller, Webster, DWilliams and the #18. We'd dump some serious salary and be looking good for trades and whatnot.
If I'm not mistaken they can trade him as long as he hasn't filed his retirement papers yet, which from what I understand he has not.
Wasn't aware of the buyout on Rashard. And not aware of the partial guarantee on Martell. I was wondering about a Derrick/Martell deal for KMart. That would give us some pieces to go after DWill with if we somehow acquire Dwight. What are the details on Martell's contract?
http://www.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/timberwolves.jsp The last year of Martell's contract is only $600K guaranteed. Add that to the last year of Miller's being only $848K guaranteed. But a deal must be made before July 1st, at which point the contracts become fully guaranteed. Makes for some interesting possibilities, although probably not with RFA Anthony Randolph. Maybe with Derrick Williams, even if only to use him as enticement for another team.
Houston trades: Kevin Martin, Samuel Dalembert ($1.5 partial guarantee) and maybe Chase Budinger Minnesota trades: Nikola Pekovic, Martell Webster ($600k partial guarantee), Brad Miller ($848k partial guarantee) and maybe #18 pick Minnesota gets the shooting guard (and maybe also SF) Adelman wants so badly. They also get, in Dalembert, either (a) a more athletic center that Kahn seems to want or (b) a guy who can be waived and still leave the team in essentially the same position had they just kept and waived Webster and Miller (they'd pay--and lose in cap room--an extra $52,000, which the Rockets could easily cover with cash). Houston gets a center prospect who they've wanted for years. (I believe Houston was among several teams trying to nab that #31 pick from Minnesota a few years back to select Pekovic, who was then tied up with his European team and likely wouldn't have come over for awhile had he been selected in the late first round.) They also clear up a bunch of extra cap space by waiving Webster and Miller. As for trading Dalembert? Since Pekovic/Webster/Miller for Martin works under the cap, the Rockets could generate a $7M trade exception by adding Dalembert to the deal. However, they could possibly get the same result by dealing Dalembert separately to an under-the-cap team like Sacramento or Toronto; but this is another alternative if the Rockets don't want to pay Dalembert his $6.7M next season.
Getting Pekovic would be a hell yeah, but so difficult. I'm sure the Twolves would dangle Derrick Williams instead. Nothing against him; we don't need him, unless he becomes (or turns someone else into) 3rd-team trade bait.
I would think we could squeeze Derrick Williams for Kevin Martin. Perhaps Williams, Webster, and the pick. Then send the pick and Williams to NJ for DWill if we trade for Dwight.
With Marcus Morris (who was essentially the second "power 3" on the board after Derrick Williams) on board, I think the Rockets might actually prefer Pekovic over Williams. Not sure, though.
I'm not talking about keeping Derrick. I'm talking about having some sort of chip to entice NJ to trade Deron to us instead of him walking here for nothing. I think if they saw Deron was going to walk, they'd be willing to trade him for a guy like Derrick, a nice trade exception, and a future pick or two. And I really can't see Minny dealing Pek, not unless they get substantially better big man. He's too cheap and too valuable.
Houston in: P. Gasol, Ed Davis Lakers in: Calderon, Scola, #8 Tor Pick Raptors in: Dalembert and Lowry Dragic Martin/Lee Parsons/Budinger/Morris Patterson/Davis P. Gasol/Camby/Donuts + #14 & #16 picks. This allows a second Medium sized trade (Martin + picks to Minny?) or the flexibility to swing for the fences offering Gasol, Martin, Patterson, both picks, etc for Dwight Howard
Didn't the "rumor" say that Adelman like Pekovic and would NOT give him up in a trade? I think the Rockets would prefer Pekovic, too, but so do the Wolves. My thinking is that, if they make a Williams trade, the Rockets either will move Morris (if they view Williams as the better prospect) or find another taker for Williams.
THIS is the part of the quote that interests me more. Last time I checked, it was David Kahn who made the roster moves for the Timberwolves, not Rick Adelman. And if Kahn doesn't want to give up on Williams, wants a more athletic center AND knows that the Rockets will give up value for Pekovic, it makes a trade involving Pekovic far more likely than if the coach is rumored to like one player over another.
^^ Yeah, I was just about to say that about RA having a lot of say in personnel decisions...I just think there’s no way he’d let Kahn trade away Pekovic (26, RFA next year, 7 foot center coming off a breakout year) for Martin (29, UFA next year, SG coming off his worst season). Williams MAYBE I could see, but then again how much does RA really want Martin? Somebody else who claims to have "connections" on the Wolves ESPN forum said the following in response to that “rumor” : So who knows? RA does know his basketball and I think he understands how important it is for them to have good perimeter defenders with that slow plodding front line. I think he'd probably like Martin for the right price, but certainly not for Pekovic, and I think they could probably get better value for Williams as well.
Rick made sure he had the talk with Taylor and Kahn probably because of his experience in Houston. ("Thabeet? What am I supposed to do with him?")
Here are some draft day trade proposals: 1. Three team trade with Cleveland, Minny, and us. Houston receives Clevelands pick if it isn't #1, Webster, and Barea Cleveland receives DWill, Lowry, #14, and #18 Minny receives Martin, Budinger, Gibson, and #16 - Houston finally trades into the top 5 to get Beal, Drummond, or MKG - Rick gets Kmart and Budinger - Cleveland can pair the top two picks from last year, move Irving to SG to make room for Klow, and pick up a quality player with #14 and #18 2. We finally nab Dwight! Houston trades Lowry, Dalembert, PPatt, Morris, Martin, #14 to Orlando for Dwight, Qrich, and Redick - We finally get our superstar! - Magic gets a great package that offers cap relief, talent, and young players. I will not give up Donuts as he and Dwight could make up a great PF/C combo for years to come. 3. A blockbuster deal where the Rockets are a facilitator in the move that sends Dwight to L.A. Houston receives Bynum, Redick, and Blake L.A. receives Dwight, Scola, Nelson, and Dallas's 1st we got for Hill Orlando receives Gasol, Dalembert, Lowry, PPatt, #14, and #16 - We still get a superstar in Bynum who I believe can become just as good as Dwight with Mchale as his coach. - Lakers get Dwight to pair with Kobe, a small downgrade from Gasol with Scola, and a better PG with Nelson - Orlando gets a great package for Dwight that can keep them competitive and improve the roster with the draft picks 4. Houston gets Josh Smith to entice Dwight to come here. Houston trades Scola, Morris, Dalembert, #14 for Smith and Zaza - Smith has been on the trade block for a while now and Morey finally scoops him up to hopefully boost the Rockets chances for Dwight. 5. Getting the #2 pick from Washington Houston trades PPatt, Martin, Morris, #14 and #16 to Washington for Blatche and #2 - I would be happy if the Wizards accept this offer as the Rockets could keep the pick or trade it to a very desperate team 6. Getting Iggy from the 76ers Houston trades Martin and Morris for Iggy. - Resigning Lee would give us an ultimate defensive wing rotation with Lee, Iggy, and Parsons.
