Bill Simmons NBA playoffs mailbag: Very Interesting Trade scenario for the Rox

This is the exact reason I think Scola <b>is </b> more important. You need a change of pace, where its easier to dump the ball down to a guy (if u're CP3), and let him do the work every now and then. Especially if the guy shoots over 55 %. Sure we have Yao, but what with fronting, and his limited mins, Scola is a good source for postups.

 

LANDRY can NOT be traded UNTIL December.

That said...

Tmac + Brooks MAYBE S&T Wafer.

for

Paul + Peja

 

I know.. I conceded it was wrong money wise and unrealistic.. the only reason I was willing to let go of artest was because he was selfish..

artest didn't make sense.. but i got tmac and ab right and the other side Peja/Posey/Chandler.. if I'm going to give up someone else it would be landry and wafer..

 

As much as I despise Paul, I'd give up anyone not named Scola and Yao for Paul. Role players can be had anywhere, but you can't get MVP candidates very often. This isn't a TMac scenario. Paul doesn't have a history of injury.

 

Pretty much.

/thread.

 

wow you guys must be kidding me.... there is NO WAY Hornets is trading Paul but if they are, DUDE seriously? Paul is once in a decade type of player. If you get him, TAKE HIM. They are not even asking for YAO! Who knows how TMac will come back as. Giving up Paul basically for those three guys is a NO BRAINER.

 

I would trade Scola in a heartbeat too, u kidding me?

 

With that lineup, if we aren't a championship team, it would be time to trade Yao.

 

yeah i know, i wasn't trying to make a point with that, just being facetious in saying that as far fetched as this seems, you never know, it could happen.

however, you do raise an interesting point as we don't have enough data to see the entirety of morey's philosophy. we know that he likes to buy on the cheap for value, but can we really definitively say that he wouldn't sell inflated value off high? you have to remember, this is the first summer that he has even had assets at his disposal so we have no evidence as to what the next step for him is in the cycle? does he keep it at market value? does he trade it off for more cheap talent continuing the cycle (the billy beane model) or does he cash it in for actual value (chris paul). we can't conclusively determine because there isn't any data.

 

Tis true, and I can see Les paying some luxury tax to get that lineup. But it sure seems far and away. Who knows - desperation could make it happen.

 

That trade is horrifically stupid for Houston. Giving up both of our good power forward combo, our best defender, and our massive bargaining chip in T-Mac's contract for Chris Paul and a bunch of massively overrated and overpaid players? Screw that. Paul is extremely good, but he is not worth half of the Rocket's roster.

 

Actually, I think that people saw that the core of Battier, Scola, Landry, Artest, Hayes and Brooks just took LA to 7 games, who everyone expects to win. They don't want to deal with Artest probably, who they saw wasn't much of an impact in the playoffs, and they have West instead of Hayes, and can add Butler to the mix, so they could feel that is a group that could even contend, on the cheap. Like Morey said, our 20 something million against LA's 70 something million. I think its the heart, gutsy, low cost, and how the group has gelled that makes them appealing, and if we take Battier or Scola out, that would be lost. If NO could dump their bad contracts as well, getting rid of Paul might make sense for them. Hey, people were calling Brooks the next Tony Parker, so maybe they buy into that.

If Morey could sell them on Cook, or a TE as part of a separate deal, or even a future draft pick, so we could keep any of those, I'd love it, but I think the appeal of the deal is that a cheap group of hard workers just took LA to 7. Would they do that in NO? I don't know.

This would be hard on Yao, though. I agree that he respects Chandler, but he is very close to Battier, especially. Yao would have to see this as getting to the next level, since we are giving up so much youth.

Everyone is down on Chandler, because he played injured this last year, and wasn't as good. But, I don't think he's another Sampson, and when he gets healthy, should be very valuable again. I love what he'd bring next to Yao.

 

You traded three starters
and
the rockets never recovered at the PG and PF positions until last year

Right now the Rockets have a complete team [well some weakness at SG and backup Center]
but
they are closer that they would be after such a ridiculous trade

Rocket River

 

You have been calling for Chandler since his Bulls days and I agree with you in that I think he can still be incredibly valuable. I actually view him as a huge net plus in this deal so I am a bit surprised why people here are so down on him. He had a very bad year, but is a legit big man who already has great chemistry with Paul.

 

exactly. i would really want to keep one of those guys probably landry if we did this i think he would be better to have off the bench.

 

I agree. As much as people pin it on McGrady, the fact is that two man basketball didn't work. Heck, Paul and West are proof of that. Duncan and Parker are proof of that.

 

giving up scola is very very hard
giving up battier is very hard
giving up landry is hard

 

one player i def want from hornets is rasual butler. that kid can HOOP!

 

I cannot stand Chris Paul.

I really, really cannot stand Chris Paul...he is easily my least favorite player in the NBA since the man whom he reminds me of: John Starks.

I think that I would go absolutely crazy if that entitled whiner put on a Rockets Jersey.