This is usually the time of year where guys that are on the trading block are mysteriously stashed on IR so that they do not injure themselves further in practice of game action, and thus are easier to trade. Walt...is on the IR right now. DaDakota
Don't get your hopes up on a Williams trade or you're bound to be disappointed. He's out with a legitimate injury and has been out for quite a while now. If you were going to stash a player on the IR for a midseason trade, you wouldn't do it a month in advance.
For those that don't remember, from the January 27th Chronicle: So we may see him this Saturday, if he was progressing according to schedule. And from January 17th:
Look, Rudy has stored players there before at this time of year...that does not mean he will trade Walt, just that he might....there are a lot of teams that would like Walt's salary coming off the books at the end of this year. For the Rockets it doesnt matter as they will be over the cap anyway, so they don't ge the benefit of it coming off their books. DaDakota
I dont see why we're trying to trade him. It's not like we're gonna get anything good for him and we can use his salary coming off the books at the end of the season. We can also use his shooting and he's been doing well this year. I don't see any reason for wanting to trade him because when he does play he helps the team a lot. It seems like whenever he's given a large amount of playing time, he puts together at least a few games of double figure scoring in a row.
Trade him, KT, and a protected future first rounder to Phoenix for Rodney Rogers and their unprotected firs rounder this coming draft.
Da: Walt IS really hurt. I asked someone about this recently who would know and he told me that Walt's ankle sprain was a particularly bad one. The Rockets would love to have another healthy body and they have no plans of moving him. If he leaves at the end of the season (or re-signs for the vet minimum), that is fine, but it won't be because they don't want him here this year. He probably won't be able to pass a physical at the moment if he was traded so it is doubtful that he will be traded.
We didn't orry about Glen Rice passing a physical did we? Truth be told, Walt would be a backup AT BEST wherever we trade him. So they'd probably just be looking for the cap space, and they'll still get it if he's on the IL.
I think you people underestimate Walt's shot alot. Yes his salary is big, point taken. But if we could get him at the Vet's minimum, he will be a steal! E.g. Glen Rice and his contract, which do you prefer?