This is what a Luol Deng trade (executed on 2/19, the trade deadline day) would look like. Luol Deng + 2 of the 4 following players to Houston: Shawne Williams, Justin Hamilton, Andre Dawkins, James Ennis. Williams is a useful player, the other three guys would be filler, and would likely be subsequently waived. Kostas Papanikolaou + EITHER Corey Brewer OR Alexey Shved + 1 of the following 4 players to Miami: Terrence Jones, Clint Capela, Isaiah Canaan, Nick Johnson. Probably either Jones or Capela. MAYBE Houston also throws in a second round pick. Nice haul for Miami assuming Deng opts out of his contract this summer and bolts. Which is a very fair assumption. I am making this assumption. Let us also assume that Houston, at some point between now (1/1) and 2/19, trades Jason Terry, Donatas Motiejunas, and a first round pick to Phoenix. Here would be my projected Houston roster: Starting lineup PG Patrick Beverley (24 minutes/game) SG James Harden (36 minutes/game) SF Trevor Ariza (32 minutes/game) PF Josh Smith (16 minutes/game) C Dwight Howard (32 minutes/game) Key reserves Goran Dragic (36 minutes/game) Luol Deng (32 minutes/game) Corey Brewer (16 minutes/game) Joey Dorsey (16 minutes/game) End of the bench Isaiah Canaan Terrence Jones (let's say that Capela is the guy traded to Miami) Stashed in the developmental league Nick Johnson That's 12 total players. The roster drops from 15 guys to 14 with the Dragic trade, and from 14 to 12 after the two junk/filler players (let's say Dawkins and Ennis) acquired from Miami are waived. Houston will fortify the roster with deep bench veterans chasing rings (guys who get waived by their non-contending teams after 2/19) and projects to stash in the developmental league. Either 1 veteran and 2 projects (which means Nick Johnson gets promoted from the developmental league) or 2 veterans and 1 project (which means Nick Johnson stays put in the developmental league). Note that the forward rotation is fluid. Depends on matchups. We could also see Terrence Jones play his way back into the rotation when he finally returns. Lots of flexibility here. Also note that Beverley remains the starter, and that Dragic assumes the Emanuel Ginobili role. This allows Houston to play fast for the whole game. Dragic comes into the game and immediately begins to put the pedal to the metal. All three of these guards can play alongside each other. Also note that it's nice to still have Canaan when you want to give somebody the night off (second game of a back-to-back) or when Beverley inevitably gets hurt again. Canaan is a nice player, and a real luxury as a fourth guard.
Where the HELL do some of you people come up with some of these trade ideas? Man, some of you guys need to put down the bottle or the pipe... Holy Crap!!!! T_Man
What the hell is the point of Luol Deng who is a SF when we already have Ariza , Brewer & KPap there. What's the point of moving Motiejunas and having Joey Dorsey play meaningful minutes !? I can see chasing Dragic or another playmaker at PG .... but not shooting holes in your rotation doing it.
What the Rockets are sending out is gross in that proposed trade. I do think the Rockets would look at Shumpert for a one year rental for the right price along with his bird rights.
Sure, if he's a giveaway he can be a very useful bench player. I just have no idea is with the fascination of Iman outside of his playing in New York that looms around. The guy has done next to nothing outside his strong rookie year. Good solid 2 guard, but nothing that shows he's going to be anything more than that. On the Rockets, i don't think he really earns minutes over Brewer, or even Terry. If the Rockets didn't have the bench they have, then maybe you spare some assets to get him, but not on this team. Plus he's a free agent this Summer and will likely get overpaid.
Regarding a Dragic trade: When coming up with trade scenarios, you really need to put yourself in the mind and assess the needs of the other organization (or buyers) in the scenario. You guys have it wrong mostly with Dragic/Bledsoe trade scenarios. I think the best way to address a potential Dragic or Bledsoe trade is to find a way to give Phoenix a much more balanced roster. IE: a way to give them a very good veteran big man that fits what they want to get done. This cannot be done via the Rockets (unless they view Motiejunas or Jones as that guy). A good way to address this type of trade would most likely be in a trade scenario such as this: http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=lmxeyue (note in February you can substitute Shved for Jones) Find a 3rd team that has a big man like a David Lee that they would be willing to part with for financial reasons, and work a 3 team deal to give that team financial relief, and give the Suns a big man that helps round out their roster. The Rockets get their guy. The deal should work for everyone. I'm sure there are other deals out there to get the Suns a really good big man, but this is just one scenario. I think the way to the Sun's heart will be to find them a big man and work a 3 team deal. Here's another one- Its very possible that the Nuggets sort of immediately regret the Faried extension. They are going to be paying him a ton of money on a rebuilding team to essentially just be a 12PPG/8Reb energy big off the bench even. Not really money well spent IMO unless they can get a haul for him in trade because of it. http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=p8j23wd
I'm with you to the point that no one is satisfying PHX needs with these trade scenarios , where we differ is in what I think PHX needs in return. They have two solid if unspectacular players on cheap deals at the 5 spot in Len & Plumlee and a multitude of players at the 4 spot , two of which they just extended in the Morris twins. Where they are lacking talent is at the wing spots and considering they are playing two point guards , one of them as a SG .... I think you have to find a wing player to satisfy their needs as that's where the lack of talent is and by removing Dragic from the equation you are more or less taking away their starting SG. You find a 2 , 3 or swing man to send their way.
Read recently that Boogie is having problems in Sac-town... Suns In: Boogie and Canaan Suns Out: Dragic, PJ Tucker, Laker's pick or Suns Pick Rockets In: Dragic, PJ Tucker, Ryan Hollins Rockets Out: D-Mo, Caanan, Capella,Shved and NYK 2nd pick Sac In: D-Mo, Capella,Shved Lakers/Suns Pick and NYK 2nd pick Sac Out: Boogie Sun's finally get a corner piece Center and get value back for Dragic. Also, Canaan can also play PG to replace Dragic. Houston get's Dragic, a stretch 4 in PJ Tucker and Ryan Hollins as backup C. Sac-town gets very suitable post player in D-Mo, a developmental player in Capella, an expiring in Shved and a good 1st and 2nd round pick. If needed, I think the Rockets would be ok with giving Sac the NOLA pick as well or throw in K-Pap.
Won't happen. Sacremento is building around Boogie. They will strip everything off the roster that displeases him before stripping him from the roster.
Possible today: Boston in: Eric Bledsoe (via Rondo TPE) Golden State in: Brandan Wright Phoenix in: David Lee Possible at trade deadline when Brandan Wright's 60-day period expires: Boston in: Eric Bledsoe (via Rondo TPE), Shavlik Randolph Golden State in: Brandan Wright Phoenix in: David Lee, Evan Turner
At the trade deadline Phoenix receives - Peckovic/Young, Capela, Canaan/Johnson Houston Receives - Dragic and M. Plumlee Minisota receives -Papa, Dorsey There would obviously be picks involved as well but I don't feel like doing the research. Houston could also absorb Adrien into the Daniels TPE at the trade deadline when he becomes available. Dragic, Bev, Shved, Canaan Harden, Terry, Johnson Ariza, Brewer Smith, Jones, Adrian Howard, DMO, Plumlee
Houston got a probable lottery pick for Asik. Whether the market commands that or not for Pek, it's doubtful that they let him go for just a salary dump just cause they are horrid.
I don't think that Pak is worth the NOP pick either but I'm sure Morey has some other picks in his goodie bag that can sweeten the deal. They might need to send Canaan and Johnson in order to take back Zoran in any Dragic deal.
Stop trading - this is not NBA 2K - it unerves players, it ruins chemistry and teams that turnover this much never win anything. Let's just keep our core and add bit pieces. Stop flipping the roster. DD
I agree somewhat. The upgrade might already be on the roster, or the key might be how the ingredients are mixing. Someone like Canaan might be needing to be thrust into a larger role, and Pat Bev & Terry might need to be in smaller roles. Those type of things. That being said, of course I couldn't tell Morey to not pick up a player like Dragic if the opportunity is there and they think they can keep him long term. I just don't think he needs to make a deal just to make a deal. Sacrificing the future for potentially washed up expensive veterans isn't going to cut it. Id rather keep the group together, and let them grow together. Harden has another 5 years of great play. Howard obviously isn't going to last more than a couple more years, but who cares... don't resign him after this contract if he isn't going to hold up, and take advantage of the jump in salary cap in two years to rebuild around Harden.
