Random Houston Rockets Trade Ideas - 2012-13

It's basically the same as the baron Davis trade a few years ago, you take a horrible contract in return for a high draft pick. I don't think we would get lucky like the clippers did and end up with the first overall though

 

My bad, the Cavs, not the clippers, got the first overall pick, the clippers traded it to them.

 

Plus next year Hedo is only guaranteed 6 mil. So we only lose cap space this summer which isn't a very strong FA class, tbh.

 

so they'd basically be saving under 4 mil next year, a little bit this year and adding a backup PF (and they already have Nicholson and Glen Davis). I don't think they'd add much of a pick for that.

 

Atlanta is not going to want Patrick Patterson here. Patterson is, what, 24 years old? His upside is perceived to be limited compared to a guy 2-3 years younger. He also is closer to the end of his rookie contract, which means that a) he's more expensive than the guys who are on the first or second year of their rookie contracts and b) he's under team control for a shorter period of time than the guys who are on the first or second year of their rookie contracts.

Although I absolutely positively agree that Houston would want to hop in here and pluck Marcin Gortat away for not much in return.

Houston also has the cap space to absorb most of Gortat's contract, which means that Atlanta says "No, thanks" to Toney Douglas and Cole Aldrich.

So, my suggestion is similar to (if not basically the same as) various other suggestions I've been making:

Josh Smith to Phoenix

A first round pick (one of Phoenix's picks, not one of Houston's) and one current Rockets player on the first or second year of his rookie contract (either Marcus Morris, Donatas Motiejunas, Terrence Jones, or Royce White) to Atlanta

Marcin Gortat to Houston

I'm not sure Phoenix would even need to toss in the first round pick in order to get this done. Why is that, you ask? Because Josh Smith will be an unrestricted free agent, so this may only be a two-/three-month rental, plus, all teams can conceivably sign him this summer (and therefore give up nothing). And the main reason is because there are probably very few teams that are genuinely interested in giving the guy the four- or five-year max contract that he wants. Oh, and obviously because everybody in the league knows that Atlanta doesn't really want to re-sign him, at all, which really kills Atlanta's negotiating position.

My guess is that Atlanta's order of preference will be 1) Motiejunas, 2) Jones, and 3) Morris. And that they'd rather have nothing at all than White, as Royce White, due to all of his mental health issues and accompanying drama, has negative trade value (i.e., he is worth less than zero). My guess is that Houston isn't going to play hardball here and coughs up Motiejunas.

Also, keep in mind that other teams will make offers for Gortat, so Houston will have competition. Which means Atlanta may wind up convincing Houston to trade TWO of those three guys. Does Houston say yes at that point? Not sure, tough call.

 

First post (yay).

Seeing as how the Rudy Gay trade went down, any chance at all of us stealing Jose Calderon from Detroit? And if so, who would you give up?

 

Houston Trades:
- Royce White
- Cole Aldrich
- 12 million cash

L.A. Lakers Trades:
Dwight Howard

(Wiping hands clean) There, trash is gone, my job is done.

 

Because the Magic pick (at number 5 currently) is more valuable than any asset you can think of on this roster not named Harden. And there is no hard cap. 6million wont prevent the Rockets from getting their guy if that is all that is standing in their way.

 

I get the logic here, and it's not a bad idea, but I don't see Orlando making a trade like this. Orlando took back a surprising amount of long-term salary in that Dwight Howard trade, which suggests to me that their management doesn't really understand how to manage the cap. Management (and let's not blame it all on management, since ownership is ultimately giving management the thumbs up) also stupidly re-signed the declining and mediocre Jameer Nelson to a multiyear extension. I don't think Orlando would be sensible enough to make the sort of trade that is suggested here, in other words.

There might be a few other teams that would want to make this sort of trade, however. We'd be talking about teams that are either a) looking to dodge the luxury tax in 2013-14 or b) attempting to create a bunch of cap space. Houston would only make this trade if it isn't interested in using its cap space this summer on a big money free agent.

Possibilities (all returning players have contracts that expire at the end of the 2013-14 season):

Indiana (Danny Granger, owed $14.0 mil in 2013-14)
Dallas (Shawn Marion, owed $9.3 mil in 2013-14)
Chicago (Kirk Hinrich, owed $4.1 mil in 2013-14)

Chicago is playing too well this season to make this sort of trade worth Houston's while, really. Chicago figures to have something like the #21-#24 overall pick in what is considered a very weak draft. I'd rather have the cap space.

Dallas seems intent on creating as much cap space as possible but would they be willing to give up a late lottery pick (probably around #12 overall) just to create an extra $9.3 mil in cap space? Well, they might, if they think the draft sucks, and if they decide that Dirk Nowitzki's window is closing rapidly, and wants to splurge one last time on a Nowitzki supporting cast.

Indiana figures to wind up with a pick in about the same spot (#21-#24 overall) as Chicago, so we're not talking about a great pick here. But then there's Granger, the player. Yes, he's expensive, and he's coming off an injury, but he's only on the books for the one year, and he's liable to be pretty good in 2013-14. And you wouldn't have to risk giving the big contract to a Paul Millsap. And Granger's contract will be an expiring contract in 2013-14, which means that you would be able to trade it for a big money guy whose team is looking to dump payroll.

My preference would be for the Rockets to try to steal away (via trade) either Marcin Gortat, Ersan Ilyasova, Luol Deng, or Paul Millsap, but using the cap space to absorb Granger (and get Indiana's first round pick) or Marion (and get Dallas' first round pick) also makes a ton of sense. Marion makes more sense, as Dallas' pick will be much higher, and Marion is still going pretty strong. Marion would for sure start for Houston and he'd be a good fit, too.

 

Teams have an annual cumulative limit of only being allowed to send out $3M cash, as well as take back $3M cash, each season.

 

Oh, never mind... Dallas can't trade its 2013 first round pick because it's already owed to Oklahoma City, even though it's technically protected. I don't believe the CBA rules allow Dallas to trade this pick. Indiana and Chicago are both possibilities, though.

One more idea that makes sense to all parties is this one:

Luol Deng to Dallas (owed $14.3 mil in 2013-14) to Dallas

Shawn Marion (owed $9.3 mil in 2013-14) and O.J. Mayo (will for sure opt out of his contract at the end of the season and become an unrestricted free agent after his career year) to Chicago

Richard Hamilton (can be bought out for $1 mil, I believe it is, this summer) and Chicago's first round pick to Houston

Dallas is building for next season, and Deng is the best player in this deal, by far.

Chicago recognizes that Deng isn't light years better than the undervalued Marion (who would obviously be able to replace Deng in the rotation) and they get a huge upgrade at SG in Mayo (who they wouldn't attempt to re-sign at the end of the season, since they can't afford to). Chicago would basically be going for it with this deal. Marion is a slight downgrade from Deng, but Mayo is a huge upgrade at SG, and they're eventually going to get back Derrick Rose. This Bulls team can beat Miami in the playoffs. I don't think it's going to happen, but it might. You have to go for it sometimes in pro sports since, well, you know, the whole point is to win a championship. Oh, and Chicago avoids the luxury tax in 2012-13 by sending Hamilton (with the pick) to Houston.

And Houston finally executes that deal with Chicago for the draft pick. Houston gets the pick in exchange for bailing the Bulls out on having to pay the luxury tax this season. Chicago doesn't really mind so much since they're getting better with this deal (and because it's considered to be a weak draft).

My guess is that the draft will be better than people think.

 

Yeah, I know, I was obviously just fu#kin' around.

 

It's only going to be better because of how grossly criticized it already is. It's actually one of the deeper drafts in recent memory in terms of quality NBA talent throughout the draft, mainly the first round from picks 1-20.

However...there's just no player that can be penciled in as a true franchise player like ones from recent years (Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin, D Rose, etc.). Nerlens Noel, Shabazz Muhammad, and Ben McLemore all have flaws/ceilings keeping them from that.

There's plenty of solid players that could end up being starters, but no surefire all stars. This is actually a good year to have a late lottery pick. No top level talent, but plenty of mid-high level talent.

 

lots of creative ideas here

getting a draft pick in exchange for taking on salary (either expiring this year or next) is an interesting way to go

so many different ways to use our cap space, can't wait to see what Morey does

 

Was Irving a projected franchise player before the draft?

If I recall Wall was projected better than him.

 

I honestly can't remember the comparisons between the two, so you might be right, but I definitely remember the general consensus saying that Irving was very worthy and deserving of a number 1 pick. The only reason it was even a discussion that Derrick Williams would go ahead of him was because Kyrie only played 11 games that year at Duke due to injury.

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=b6qlmj2

Why

Houston- Hill's defensive abilities as well as his 3pt shooting make him a much better fit next to James Harden. Granger can play that stretch 4 position plus his contract expires in 2014 so we could still be players in that free agency.

Dallas- OJ Mayo will 100% opt out of his contract and get a payday from a team willing to overpay. Since they aren't doing anything this season, getting something out of him would be ideal if they don't want to overpay. Lin would thrive in that environment because he would get the free reigns to that team as opposed to being limited here. TJones is a prospect that could pan out over there.

Indy- an OJ-George duo could be dangerous for a while in the east. Kaman provides depth to an already good front court (and his contract is expiring as well). Morris provides scoring off the bench on a rookie contract

 

Kyrie's a special case though. If he had a full healthy year, he likely would've been projected as that type of player.

 

Mayo would be nice but who's to say he'll stay beyond this year? Also, that price is way too high. Indy has a long history of trying to acquire Mayo but it was for a pick. That deal fell through twice btw (once because Stern basically veto'ed it since New Orleans was in the deal, another time because of some sort of miscommunication within Indiana's management).
Mayo just won't have much of a value while he's an expiring.

 

We need draft picks to trade for a star player... I'm all for acquiring them with our cap space before the trade deadline.
Also, I think we should roll the dice with our team and not make major trade, hopefully we make the playoffs and our players value go up. IMO we would be in a position to make better moves in the off season.