Yeah, Morey likes to do that...trade his assets (like Shane Battier) for top draft picks who are playing below expectations (i.e. Johnny Flynn, Thabeet, TWill, TRob, etc). Only problems is, that those guys rarely work out.
Doubt it. We are extremely thin at PG. I'd say Asik and one of either Jones or Dmo+pick for a legit 4.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>If Houston can't find lottery pick for Asik, rival teams under impression they're also on the lookout for high-level power forward.</p>— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_amick/statuses/409029104747286528">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The thing is, that TJones is still developing; he has the potential to be very good. So...we trade TJones and Asik for a star PF, is that the game plan? TJones on steroids or Ilyasova. I prefer TJones: he's homegrown.
I don't want to give up on Tjones! He's still young and likely to be inconsistent early on. I think he will develop into a stud.
If only I knew what you were thinking, Morey. This is exciting. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up for this trade but it's nice knowing we got a GM that that is willing to play this sort of game.
This is about liquidity of assets. More teams at the actual trade dead line will be interested in a lottery pick in a packed 2014 draft than will be interested in Omer Asik. So dealing Asik now will give you more possible trading partners at the deadline. Also it gets Omer and his "deadman walking" act out of the clubhouse and gone as a distraction.
No. They just take the lower of the two picks in the 2014 draft. So if Houston was to trade for a Boston owned Brooklyn pick in 2014, the Rockets own Brooklyn's pick, but if that pick falls lower than the one Atlanta takes, the Rockets would then have to fall back to the position that Atlanta falls in. Its still early and still possible that Brooklyn turns out to have a better record than Atlanta. In that case if the Rockets owned the Brooklyn pick, it would still be the Brooklyn pick, and Atlanta just takes their own pick. If Houston trades for an Atlanta pick, I'm not sure if the Rockets get to keep the Brooklyn swap or not. But its a moot point, because Atlanta is not going to trade the pick regardless because of the high value it has in the potential that Brooklyn continues to suck and they can possibly nab a top 5 pick in the swap.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/MarkDeeksNBA">@MarkDeeksNBA</a> Me likey.</p>— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_amick/statuses/409031335773081600">December 6, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Me Likey too, this would be perfect but I'm not sure Presti is interested in being Morey'd again.
I'm confused. DM's insistence on receiving a lottery pick in return means one of two things: #1) He thinks that highly of the 2014 Draft class -or- #2) He thinks this group that aspires to be a championship contender right now can do without Asik (or a player of his caliber to replace the void). I just can't figure out which one it is. Of course, the best of both worlds would be to receive a useful rotation player AND draft pick(s). It just seems unlikely we'll get both due to the aforementioned leverage issues.
Which basically means, if they can't get good picks, they are more than willing to trade for Millsap now. Cant really think of too many more "high level" PF's right now. Ilyasova, Anderson, Gibson, T. Young.... not so sure if Morey wouldn't consider those guys "high level" but might be in play. Id say this comment was probably more directed at Atlanta and Millsap to make sure they knew they are still in the picture if they want to be.
If the Rockets are only looking for picks, why would we be waiting until the December 15th-19th window?
