Targeting Sacramento's #5 pick

yea. he has a higher ceiling and plays much better defense also. but the thing is pj3 could play sf which his height, length and athlecticism would be unparalleled. DMo is more skilled; although i have not heard much about his passing abilities :grin:

 

You guys are really bored aren't you? A 6 page thread that is on fire about a random trade that in all likelihood will not happen. Give it a break.

 

Do you mean there is a source saying that there is something more subsantial to acquiring the #5 pick? Or do you mean that the thread has taken complete random speculation and mutated it into some sort of false reality?

 

It's all we have left as Rocket fans :grin:

 

I like Lowry. I don't think he's a cancer. But, I do think you have your head in the sand. When he wouldn't join a huddle and McHale had to grab him by the scruff of the neck so he can hear the game plan, that's a temper tantrum. As for getting along with coaches, it seems like the problem is how McHale's handling the Dragic/Lowry issue, but what he said was that something would have to be done to mediate between him and McHale if they're to be on the same team next year. Dragic might have catalyzed the problem, but his beef is with McHale, not Dragic.

You can rationalize and say he just wants to manage his career. You can say that of T-Will too. But, a good lockerroom guy doesn't say crap like that to the paper. You won't see Chuck Hayes quoted in print like that. Lowry doesn't cause trouble when things are going well for him. When they aren't, apparently he make a fuss.

 

I like Lillard (Think he's a top 8 player in this draft) but the "surefire" label is one that should rarely be given out and certainly not to a stock rising PG's from Weber State.

 

JayZ while I agree with 99.9% of your posts I'd hardly call Evans "crap".

I agree the current Evans isn't conducive to winning basketball but I think he's worth taking a chance on. Why? His stock is low, he's young, has all the talent in the world. Furthemore, it's not like we are playing "winning" basketball anyways. I think a change of scenery would work wonders for Evans. Especially if he can play next to an actual PG like Dragic and focus on the things he's good at (creating his own shot, penetrating, reliable scorer, being a go-to-guy in crunch time, closer).

The reason why I really want Evans is because he can be had right now. What I mean is his stock probably won't drop much lower than it is right now. His situation reminds me of Javale McGee's. McGee was also young, talented, came from a losing program, thought of as a bonehead (still is but not as much) and nobody wanted to touch him while he was on the Wizards but when he went to Denver it was like he became a completely different player. I think everyone was shocked when Denver let Nene go for McGee straight up but Denver actually made out like bandits.

Evans is only 22 and TWO seasons removed from being the ROTY from a class that included (Steph Curry and Clutchfans favorite Non-Rocket James Harden). Evans also put up 20, 6, 5 with 1.5 steals per game his rookie year. I know stats aren't everything but those numbers show that he's well rounded and does everything well which he does while bringing good size and strength to boot. Playing for a losing team (Sacramento), having other young teammates, a coach that didn't know anything (Wesphal) and playing out of position the majority of the time takes a huge toll on a young player.

When it comes to acquiring new players the majority of Clutchfans always complains about players being too old or not being good enough (star/superstar potential). Well here's a player thats young, has All Star talent but comes with some baggage. You can't make a player younger and you can't teach god-given talent. However, you can teach a player to play ball that's condusive to winning if he's in the right situation. I think when it comes to Evans of course there's some risk but the potential payoff is HUGE imo.

 

It's not a bad trade suggestion. I think you're on the right path, but a couple things to point out. For one, I don't think this works under the rules of the salary cap, though not sure. The Kings may be able to absorb the extra salary if they're under the cap. They'd probably try and get the Rockets to take Salmons, too. and they might prefer Parsons to Martin, really, since they have Marcus Thorton.

But it's really giving up a lot. The Kings, theoretically, can be a very competitive squad afterwards. Lowry, Martin, Thorton, Patterson, Cousins, Thompson, Fredette, Hayes, Thomas - with the right coach that squad is maybe a playoff team.

Do the Rockets get enough value back? Especially given the headache Evans can be? If Evans doesn't work out his trade value sinks and sinks. Part of the point of trading Lowry is to let Dragic become the starter, and I prefer Dragic as the main ballhandler than Evans. What position does Evans play on the team - backup PG, SG? It's probably worth it to take the risk, especially if your proposed trade works, as it would shave $10 million off the salary cap.

 

I dont think Sacramento makes their decision based on the finances alone. They are one of the few teams in the league that actually NEED to take on more salary.

However, they would have to evaluate risk longterm in the salary they absorb. Amare being the riskiest contract in the league. Luis has a buyout option on his final season. His contract is decievingly a bargain in comparison to the production you get from similar post men in the league.

The Kings have ample cap room. They have the ability, and have talked about bringing in an established post player to play alongside Cousins. Scola obviously isn't the biggest name in the room, but he gives you everything on their list that they are claiming to want and need. I still think they push for Gasol, Jefferson or someone I have not thought of first. Those are just hypothetical names mind you.

Also keep in mind one of their larger contracts would probably be going out as well in the deal. Salmons or Garcia being the most likely candidates.

 

Great response. I'm not going to bother to reply point by point. I'll only say players like Evans really really scare me. I have very vivid memories of the Francis dribble fest years. Very vivid. I went to a lot of those games in person. What can I say, I used to be a bigger sucker for potential.

I just don't like his style of play, at all. And he's a horrible shooter.

But you're right, he's not crap. I just wish he was a more selfless player. With his ability to get to the rim, and the way he can dominate the ball, in his 3rd year, I expect more playmaking ability out of him. But his assist per 36 have gotten worse every year. His turnovers per 36 have stayed the same.

But I concede he's young, talented, and on a cheap contract.

 

FYI, aside from the #1 pick, I would think most teams would almost always test the market with that kind of pick. With no other asset can you have the ability to aquire an established superstar and change your franchise overnight.

You never know what someone is going to give up for that pick. Im sure the Bobcats, and the Wizards are also talking to alot of people about their pick as well. Doubtful they actually trade them, as they rarely are, but its dumb for a GM to not at least see what is out on the market with that pick.

 

Another great response. I forgot Scola's last year was team option. It might be the beginnings of a trade. Sending out a bad contract helps, but then you said they have ample cap room. So if it's a value proposition, Scola for #5 doesn't seem to make any sense.

I'm pretty sure if you ask Rockets fans, 99%+ would immediately jump on a Scola for #5 trade if that was the centerpiece.

Potential risks aside, you absolutely take Drummond at 5 than trade for Luis Scola centered deal.

 

I agree that it would make things more difficult for Cousins, but he will always need a defensive, shot-blocking 4/5 next to him, because he's not, nor will he ever be, that defensive presence down low that every successful team needs. Ideally you'd put a stretch 4 next to him and give him more space, but you're sacrificing too much defensively, imo, to be a contending team. And he actually is a really good passer. There were stretches where they ran their offense through him and were quite successful.

And he did quite successfully play with a similar guy before - their best front court duo in recent years were him and Dalembert.

I absolutely agree that it takes away from his game, but you have to sacrifice something.

 

Scola for the #5 pick with trade/salary fillers makes sense, but its just not something they could sell to their fanbase. On paper he satisfies all of their needs.

I personally dont think this deal gets done because, like mentioned earlier, they can probably get a bigger name to sell to their fanbase with similar production. Its just a matter of that big name becoming available and having the length in contract to where that player wont bolt after one year like Jefferson probably would.

 

True. Jefferson wouldn't bolt if paid fair market price, imo, but they might not want to do that. He'll want similar to what he's getting... and he might be worth that, but it's a stretch.

Josh Smith is another player they could target. But he also only has 1 year left.

Not a lot of other obvious targets. Gallinari? Bargnani?

 

Winner and mature? I thought they already had this guy:

 

None of the trades in this thread make sense for Sac, everybody is way undervaluing Evans. There's nothing on the Rockets that would demand a combination of Evans and #5. If I were them, I'd maybe do #5 for Kyle, but that's it. They surely have no need for the rest of the offered players.

 

Rockets fans don't really remember this, given that we generally just care for the Rockets, but Lowry pouted himself out of Memphis after they took Conley. So it's not as if Lowry's temper is just a recent thing.

I'm not even saying this is a bad thing. It's very possible that the drive to be a starter allowed him to work on his game enough to be near all-star caliber. And you want players who strive to be better. But the downside is that if said player feels slighted, he's going to be pissed.