WARNING! WARNING! This is another "Trade Accepted thread". Enter at your own risk. Okay, now that you've been warned, it seems that several posters are in love with the prospect of getting Ming, & since we don't have any idea where we will actually pick on draft day, let's just assume that we get the #1 overall pick. While we're at it, let's assume that JW & Wagner are picked right after us, by teams that are drooling for them. I believe that the Rockets main needs are at the Center & SF spots. Ming only fills one of those needs. The other potential problem that I fear, is the amount of transition time it will take for Ming to be ready to compete against NBA competition (however, I plead ignorance in regards to my knowledge of his abilities). I'm also concerned about the possibility of China's government playing political games in the future. So, the question is: What would it take to pry Ming away from the Rockets? Let's look at what we know first: The Clippers have already indicated that they'd be willing to trade Odom & their picks for the rights to draft JW or Wagner. Everyone knows that Nellie loves foreign players, Dallas has ZhiZhi, & Cuban isn't afraid to spend money to make his team better & profitable. China wants Ming to be drafted by a large metropolis, with a large Chinese population. I don't know about Dallas's Chinese population, but they are definitely a large metropolis & China might be open to the idea of Ming & ZhiZhi being on the same team. Imagine the prestige for China if these two helped Dallas win a Championship. Now, let's make a trade: Houston sends Cato/Rice/#1 pick to Dallas. Dallas sends LaFrentz (resigned at ~$10-11 million?) to Houston. Dallas sends Nash to the Clippers. The Clippers send Odom to Houston. The Clippers send the #12 pick to Dallas. Oh, yeah.... Trade Accepted! Assuming that the Clippers wouldn't be able to pry JW or Wagner away from the teams that draft them, this trade would allow them to acquire a very good veteran PG to lead the young Clippers. They only have to give up Odom (whom they're most likely going to trade anyway) & the #12 pick. They still get to keep the #8 pick from Atlanta. Or, the trade might require them sending the #8 & keeping the #12 pick. In any event, they would get their PG & keep one, or possibly both, of their draft picks. For Dallas, this trade would make Cuban, Stern's new best friend. The promotional possibilities of having two of China's premier players on their team could be phenomenal. Cuban's a smart business man & would definitely see the financial possibilities in doing the trade. Cato would offer Dallas a defensive center off the bench. Rice would offer an experienced veteran with long range shooting capabilities & a strong low post game from the SF position, which they currently, don't have. Plus, he comes off the books in 2 years. Nash could be replaced by Van Exel at the PG position & they would acquire a lottery pick. Houston would fill two holes with starters & remove two, no longer wanted, contracts off the books. LaFrentz brings blocks, long range shooting, & rebounding to the center position & we get Odom to play the SF position. We should still have the Toronto pick & be able to pick up the best available athlete at that spot. Thus, giving us a lineup for next year of: C: LaFrentz/Collier/#14 pick? PF: Taylor/Griffin/KT SF: Odom/T-Mo/Langhi(IL) SG: Mobley/Torres PG: Francis/Moochie/Brown(IL) Lots of offense & a nice sprinkle of defense. If you can look past your fascination with Ming, would that be a good trade for all 3 teams?
When you make a trade with another team thats not only in your conference, but also in your division, you better make sure you don't give them a advantage or you'll assure yourself of some ass whippings. Dallas already have better skill players than us and with that trade, it might make it worse. I like the Odom part, but to give them more weapons would be a mistake.
I like this trade, but I have a hard time imagining Dallas doing it because Steve Nash, at least to me (and to a lot of Mavs fans I know) is as big a reason for that teams success as Dirk Nowistki and Michael Finley. He has been the solid anchor throughout the season for them. He hits nearly every open 3 point shot he is given, he finds the open man and can penetrate to create shots for himself and others (which is important on that team). Oh yeah, he does all that and very rarely turns the ball over. He is a top notch PG, and I think it would screw Dallas over too much to trade him away (both in overall talent and in fan reaction). Van Exel is good, but I can't really see him stepping in and filling Steve Nash's shoes.
I also like the trade but don't think Dallas would do it. One thing that does bother me - the Rockets lineup is light defensively. Raef is a decent on the ball defender but actually gets his blocks coming from the weakside or help defense. I realize that times change, but for 50+ years the rings have been won by the Mikans, Russells, Chamberlains, Jabbars, Waltons, Olajuwons, Duncans, and O'Nealls of the world. The league has always tinkered with the rules, but dominant centers prevail more often than not. If we are that lucky, let's keep Yao Ming... unless the offer is just to good to refuse. This deal is close, though.
There would be mini-riots in Dallas if Nash were traded. Why not Glen Rice and Kenny Thomas for Brian Grant. Brian Grant and Houston's signed-and-traded #5 draft pick to Chicago. (I'm guessing Travis Best is renounced; this will give the team more cap room). Chicago's #1 or #2 overall draft pick to Houston. As in, Yao Ming. Or, if that winds up being Jason Williams, trade JW for Lamar Odom. (Damn, I guess that would be a possible four-team trade.) The Bulls want and need a veteran presence. They could grab a solid player at #5 to fill out their roster. In the East, they could kick A. The Heat get a power forward who when re-signed will cost less than Brian Grant and produce. Glen Rice goes home. In two years, he's off the books. Grant's contract is taken off a ridiculous payroll to help the team in 2003 pursue free agents (when Zo is off the books, too). If the Clips are involved, they get JW to pair with Elton Brand. Rockets either get the coveted center or a small forward that can grow with the team and take some of the ballhandling load from the guards. The logjam at power forward is removed. And the Rockets would still have the #14 pick to grab a back-up player of some sort. Just dreamcasting, ya'll.
just find a way to package Rice and our mid round pick to seattle for 'shard. forget about Ming! Draft Wilcox!
I don't see Dallas even sniffing at a deal like that. Nash and LaFrentz are the real deal. On top of that Dallas has a real low post player that can play some serious D and put up great offensive numbers on any given night. Wang could turn out to be the next dominant big man or the next Shawn Bradley and Dallas already has one of those. What Dallas would get at number 12 might be a project or a roll player or a bust. Remember Dallas has a long distinguished history of lottery pick busts (Douge Smith, Randy White etc...). Even if Dallas could get JW and Wang in the draft with this deal I don't think that they would do this. Nash and LaFrentz are both all star caliber players in their minds. Cato and Rice would do nothing to help with this deal. I like it for the Rox though.
My first reaction to this one was that we are getting taken to the cleaners. Granted, we get rid of a lot of cap dollars, but I feel like Cato is a valuable commodity at this point. And I am happy with him, even over Raef LaFrentz. To deal the #1 pick (which could be Ming or JWill or Wagner depending on who takes it), I think we could get more in return that LaFrentz and Odom. It is a good thought though and I don't think it is terribly far off.
