Unlike the Astros, don't settle for staying competitive

There's no question the OP is right, and Morey is going to do just that. To define the direction is the easy part. The hard part is the steps you take to execute that plan.

Some hard choices could be these. I'm not saying we should or can do all of these, but we have to think hard about it.

Dealing Scola and Battier for draft picks or highly regarded younger players. - The Rubio gamble makes total sense, and I'd think hard about upping the ante for Rubio if Morey thinks he is the real deal. For example, move Scola to a contender for future draft picks, and package that to get Rubio.
- Dangle Battier to Portland or Denver for their best young players and future draft picks. Those guys are in contention or think they are. Why wouldn't they sell out for the perfect glue guy for a contender, and the guy that is willing to chase Kobe for 48 minutes. How about jerrod bayless and Travis outlaw. How about JR Smith and draft picks.
- Offer Scola to the highest bidder among SA, Orlando, Cleveland. At his salary, he is a steal and the perfect compliment to a dominant big man like Duncan, Howard or Shaq.

Resign Wafer if we think he can continue to develop and mature.

Let Artest walk, or sign and trade him to a contender for young talent and picks.

Trade Chuck hayes to a contender for a 2nd rounder. he is a defensive stopper. Swing for the fences and find the next Ginobli.

Deal McGrady's expiring contract for young talent or future picks. Take on the Knick's crap contracts for their top draft picks. Deal Tmac to the Suns for their crap contracts and their top picks because they'll be lotto bound. Or any other team that is financially strapped.

Play Brooks, Lowry, Wafer, Taylor, Buddingger. Let's find out what we have. We will lose a bunch of games, but these guys will try hard. With Adelman, it will still be somewhat fun to watch and easy to root for, even though we can't make the playoffs.

These are difficult steps to take. i doubt we can take them all, but it's the right direction.

 

Drafting through the lottery ala OKC is the least risky avenue. Even if these youngsters don't do well,they can be traded relatively easily. It will be painful to let go of most of the guys,but we have no other choice. The worst thing that DM could do is try to trade Yao's contract for someone with a longer one for moderate gains. Ditto for McGrady.

 

Yeah, hopefully they have a target list. I would like to get my hands on outlaw. He's going into the final yr at 4m per. Maybe Portland would make Frye a qualifying offer and then trade outlaw and frye for Shane. That would be a good start and offer outlaw a contract at 6.5per for 5 yrs. Get our hands on Jordan as a center. He only makes dorsey money, so it should't be too hard for him. He would give the rox a high upside young guy. So now we have Brooks,Outlaw,and Jordan at 1,3,5. Trade Scola or let him play his final yr out and use as sign and trade option. Let Artest go and think really hard about von and resigning him. If Boozer leaves, maybe the rox can package scola and a player for milsap.

 

I disagree. As much I want a championship, I want a team I'm proud of on the court. Sometimes a championship is it, but other times, team are mired in cycles of complete defeat year after year. The NBA draft is a toss-up; there have been #1 picks that never been useful, and there is certainly a big drop off after the fifth pick.

I'm not saying we should settle of just being competitive; a lot of the pieces we currently have on the team will put together excellent runs and are the kind of players we need to make a run.

You cannot and should not depend on the stupidity of other teams as a means to rebuild your team (Boston).

 

We're not going to get much for Scola by himself on those teams you suggested, because he has a cheap contract and we'll most likely only get a marginal player with a matching cheap contract. It's understated that Scola is one of the best bang for buck players in the NBA. And those 1st round picks from those teams will most likely be low picks in the 20's and beyond. I'd sorta like to get more for Scola if we have to part with him. Maybe package him with a larger salary player like Battier and really go after a substantial young player/players and draft picks from up and coming teams ($10mill is what I think their combined salaries are).

We definitely need to move/package Cook's expiring contract, he's dead weight here and taking up a precious roster spot. Agree on Hayes, he's a specialist that can serve a contending team well. Maybe mix and match them with Scola and Battier to maximize return.

And for the people resisting going through growing pains in rebuilding, sometimes you gotta go down to get back up again.

 

How about Scola to Cleveland at this year's trading deadline for Cleveland's 2nd round pick in 2010 and an unprotected draft pick in 2011? if Lebron bolts for NY, Cleveland will be lotto bound, and that 2011 first round pick might be pretty damn good.

The prognosis on Yao is bad. We can wait till this year's trade deadline when we have more information on Yao. If it's as bad as it appears, I'd do the scola to cleveland deal so fast it would make your head spin.

 

What $3mill player would you want from the Cavs to match for Scola? Just a throwaway player/s? (scanning their roster real quick, may not have a choice but their crap players)

 

I like JJ hickson. He would do. They would have to add something else, but at least getting a 6'11 4 with some upside would be nice.

 

Alternatively, if there's any indication that DeJuan Blair can play as projected, we could deal scola to SA for Blair and hill and a first rounder.

There's just no real reason to keep scola if Yao's prognosis is as lousy as it appears.

 

He's listed at 6'9. But sure, getting a look at a young player still in his rookie contract is not a bad idea, but none of the other Cav players matches to get Scola's $3mill. Cavs could agree to pay excess dollars, but only Boobie's and Delonte come close (don't want Boobie, Cavs won't likely part with Delonte).

 

V3.0

you're getting into the details. I'm sure that idiots like Cook/Barry can be swapped with semi equivalent idiots from Cleveland that have greater upside. We want to get that unprotected pick in 2011. If Hickson is the one with potential, let's grab him.

The point is to pursue this line of thinking and execute based on Morey's best judgment.

 

I hear ya, I just like completing plans in my head to make it feasible and beyond just speculating. Would the Cavs do this? Anderson Varejao and Hickson plus their unprotected 2011 pick for Scola and Cook? They replace Varejao with Scola, which IMO is an upgrade for them. Varejao is an expiring contract so it's not like we are stuck with him for long.

 

I agree that garnering young prospects is the way to go, however we can also make big signings or trades if they benefit us. Just look at the Championship Celtics a season ago.

But yes, that is risky business.

 

The problem with tanking is that Adelman teams suck at it. In 18 years, only 3 of his teams have finished under .535 -- even in the Western Conference, that gets you into the playoffs more often than not. Does part of this tanking scheme involve firing Adelman and replacing him with a lesser coach?

 

Feigen said the Nets weren't interested in McGrady's contract. A contract that has been declined by lottery teams even though much has been speculated how valuable it is because it's expiring.

As for young assets, the Rockets don't have a stud SG, making it a perfect swap. IMO neither Brooks or Landry are at Courtney Lee's level.

 

The baseball analogies here are awful.

One player completely changes the tone of a franchise in basketball...not so in baseball. Great players play entire careers without winning championships in baseball....in basketball, you're judged almost entirely on championships.

Draft picks can have immediate impact in basketball....they can't in baseball. And since there's no salary cap in baseball, you can retool all you want at the minor league level without it affecting what's going on at the major league level. Practically it still has an effect, because owners' pockets aren't limitless....but nowhere near the effect of the way it works in basketball where you work within the confines of a salary cap.

I'm all for the Rox not assuming that Yao will ever be back. I'm all for that. Because even if he does come back, we'll all be counting down to the next season-ending injury. You can't build around that. You can't count on that. Make bold moves, because you are a team without a superstar at this point....and stars win rings in the NBA.

 

Who cares?? I CARE. The reality is that no one outside of Houston even remembers the winning streak. They just remember we lost in the 1st round (again...) and the celtics won the championship. You act like a regular season winning streak is more important than a playoff series win.

To be honest, I'm tired of hearing about the winning streak. Losing in the 1st round rendered it totally meaningless. Sorry, but it's the truth.

Man, we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this...

If you want to keep bragging about 13 points in 33 seconds or a 22-game winning streak, all the while never winning ANYTHING, go right ahead.

 

What was that post? I missed it.

 

To borrow from the basics of philosophy, the civilized man is distinguished from the savage mainly by 'prudence' or forethought. He willingly endures present pains for the sake of future pleasures. This became increasingly important with the rise of agriculture as no savage would work in the spring in order to have food next winter.

I'm beginning to see that a lack of prudence is what distinguishes the simpleton sports fan mindset where meaningless 42 win seasons convey instant gratification with no cognizance of a broader paradigm or an ultimate end.

No one here is expecting the team to 'win titles every year' nor is rebuilding mutually exclusive to 'having a team represent your city.' What is being advocated is focused competitiveness where the ultimate end of building a champion is the guiding process in lieu of immediate, ephemeral gains. As for your strawman in citing the Marlins, I fail to see how the extreme example of a team that trades off its stars after titles is relevant to this discussion.