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

That's the thing though, in most of those cases the teams trading for the stars made the trades to become an immediate title contender because the acquired star was older and didn't have a full career ahead of him. CP3 isn't even 25 and is already a top 5-10 NBA player. You don't need to be in a win now mode to justify acquiring a player like that. I don't think some realize just how rare it is to acquire a young stud (which is why I think no way in hell does NO let him go). I know we did it once with T-Mac but it rarely happens.

Again, in a perfect world if we offered any 7 guys on our team outside of Yao for CP3 straight up we would get laughed at. Basketball is the one sport where having "that guy" makes all the difference in the world. Tonight's Cavs/Magic game is a perfect example.

Edit: And I also think some underestimate how good a team with a core of Yao, Artest and Paul could be. When you have 3 studs like that (and yes, Artest is a stud if his role is to be the 3rd best player on your squad), it's not as hard to build around them. Just look at the Celtics as a perfect example. They gutted their team to land 3 studs and were like "we can fill in the gaps with cheap talent and vets that want to win". If you can have two top players, as far as their positions go, on the court together then that gives you an incredible advantage over other teams. Kobe/Shaq didn't have all-stars surrounding them. Look at the dudes surrounding Duncan/Robinson when they won, or Duncan/Manu/Parker later on. The Heat had a bunch of castoffs surrounding Wade/Shaq. The Jazz got to the Finals twice with a decent cast of guys surrounding Stockton/Malone, and they were always competitive. Etc....

 

No way, that WAY TO MUCH to give up for Chris Paul. Seems like the writer is a NO fan or something. I believe T-MAC + Laundry + BBarry should do the trick.

 

Top PGs don't win championships. Top centers and top wing players do. It's ok to get CP3 to sell tickets though.

 

I agree. You would have to be pretty damn dumb to trade a top 5 player who isn't even 25. I mean, I can't think of that ever happening...at least not since I have been watching basketball. We got T-Mac at that age but was he really top 5 (Shaq, Duncan, KG, Kobe, Kidd, Dirk).

Kareem got traded at 28. We got Moses at 21 and shipped him off at 27. Both of these were before my time. Outside of those cases I really can't think of any other examples.

 

Magic? Isiah??? Hell, if not for one idiotic pass (Isiah's fault) and a ankle injury, the Pistons might have won 4 in a row....and didn't that midget PG slay Bird, MJ and Magic all in the same season to win his first (of two) titles?

 

I have to quote this again. We have to keep one PF though. Scola AND Landry? Ouch. I would still do it though.

 

Remember the reactions throughout the basketball world to the Gasol trade.

If the Hornets dump Chris Paul to save money, the Gasol deal will look like the Rafer trade in comparison.

 

I think I would be willing to trade Landry, Tmac, and Brooks, but not Scola.

Posey is WAYY overrated, basically a less disciplined version of Battier for much more $.

Peja I don't mind, Chandler I would want to check out his health first, but if we kept Scola, I wouldn't mind not recieving Peja or Chandler to keep Scola.

I don't mind trading Battier since we do have Artest here (not as good a defender as he once was, but can still do a solid job on most players).

Chris Paul is younger and is only getting better. He runs a 1/2 court offense better than anybody, so he'll make us a better team.


I still think Scola compliments Yao too well. Yao, Paul, and Scola/maybe Artest would be a great team IMO.

 

Chauncey....B...Ba...Ba....BILLUPS!
And he may do it again...

Plus, Icehouse named a few PGs that may have made a slight difference.

Great players win championships...whether they are playing PG,SG,SF,PF,C...it really doesn't matter...

Also I'd keep Yao...if that was the deal...Tmac, Scola, Landry, and Battier for Paul,Posey, Chandler and Peja?

I'd do it...yeah Landry,Battier, and Scola are good players...but we're getting Chris friggin Paul back. A young franchise player to lead the Rockets beyound the Yao years.

Also Posey has won two championships and he brings a lot to the table like Battier, and Chandler isn't no scrub either.

But any trade that gives the Rockets Chris Paul and keeps Yao on the team...i'd do it.

 

100% agree.

You don't just pass up on guys like CP3...who coulda won a MVP award at what age again? He would have won it if it weren't for Kobe never getting one before.

If it were announced that the Hornets were willing to deal Paul 2morrow...I bet you 26 teams would be after him...and that'd be every team that's not playing right now. They would at least ask.

 

Try doing a trade on RealGM, and it'll state that a trade cannot go through without Landry's permission. Whether that is a year long thing or tied to how the Bobcats did Landry's contract, I don't know.

 

But we will have a top PG in CP3, a top center in Yao, and a pretty darn good wing in Ron Ron.... not good enough for you?

 

I am just amazed that this is even a topic of debate. We have been begging for a true point since the Lucas days (and I don't mean junior). If you can get a guy like that, you do it in a heartbeat.

I really think you are underestimating the power of McGrady's expiring contract to NO(see earlier post).

Morey and Simmons a pretty tight. My gut tells me that this has already been discussed by the two teams. If the buzz are that desperate, I could see Morey jumping on this in a second.

I am not so sure that Simmons was just musing, but, one thing I do know is that you can bet the farm that the package would NOT be as described. Morey most certainly would tilt it more in our favor.


ROCKETT!!!

 

+1. Look in any given trade, the one getting the best player almost always wins, except in cases wherein the best player in the trade is overpaid for his talent level.

CP3 is not just a star in the league, he's one of the best in league who's been neglected because his team sucked big time this year.

You want youth? You want leadership? You want crunchtime scoring? Cp3 can give you all that and more. Landry, Battier and Scola are really really good players, but there are like 100 of them in the league while there's probably only 10 or so of CP3's caliber. Just like how the TMac trade made us better, this trade will take us to another level as well. You have this chance you do it every time. Its that simple.

 

Lol yeah people complaining that we weren't good enough even when we acquired Tmac but we were even worse with Francis + Mobley

 

This trade is one-sided, not in the Rockets' favor. Fortunately, Morey wouldn't wreck the team like this. It would be wonderful to get Paul without giving up so much, but it's hard to imagine that happening.

 

I believe it can happen but I definitely believe Morey will play it smart. He will definitely wait it out and see how truly desperate the Hornets are. Trust me if the team is that desperate they will bite. We might even just need to give up tmac for cp3 or in a crazier scenario Brent Barry and aaron brooks and maybe scola for cp3 .... Honestly who know.. That Franchise is BROKE! They are basically the desperate family pawning off their goods at a pawn shop for anything to put food on the table. They will bite.

 

Yeah, I find it crazy that people on this board are calling paul overrated or they don't want to get rid of scolandry. Better yet, they don't want to get rid of the "kobe stopper". Its almost shameful and amusing at the same time. Some poster was talking about fitting with yao, I guess we don't have to wonder where they live or who they pull for.

At first, I thought this was just long summer talk, but when I think about what they got for baron davis, i'm starting to think its not that far fetched. Its been well documented that shinn is a terrible owner. He let zo go for nothing and traded davis after a max deal for nothing. He ruined the charlotte area and that's why the nba powers wanted him out of ok city before he ruins that market. I doubt it will happen, but when you think about what they would want, I guess its possible.

Like someone said, paul would guarantee this team would be a force for the next 8 yrs with or without yao. Scolandry, nor battier could guarantee that beyond yao.

 

Morey is smarter than Simmons, if New Orleans is hurting he would just give up Tmac and Barry for some pieces, but nothing more.

You do a deal to help them with money, not to help them compete.

DD

 

The thought of that just made me pee a little.
But in seriousness, I would do this trade in a heartbeat if we could simplify it a little. I really don't care for Peja, but I want Chandler's size. I's also rather not give up Scola AND Landry. I'd give up Scola. Why? He's older and pretty much at his peak, while Carl isn't at his ceiling yet. People forget that Scola has played pro ball in Europe since 1998 and is 29, while Carl has played only 2 years and is 25. And definitely throw in Brent in some of these trade scenarios to sweeten the deal, Cook too.