If Scola gets paid 120% or more of his current salary ($3.45M), he becomes a base year player, which makes trading him very difficult. If he doesn't get at least that much, Scola is such a good bargain $oneyball can't afford to let him go. For what it's worth, IMO the best trade with Golden State for the #6 pick would be Biedrins ($9M per year through 2012-13 with an option on the following year at the same $9M) for Battier ($7.355M expiring) + Hayes ($2.3 expiring) + #14 this year + the worse of our two draft picks in 2012. Biedrens is only 24 and still has a lot of upside left as a center. Also, he is 7 feet and athletic. Randolph, though cheaper, is a skinny PF who doesn't like to pass the ball -- a terrible fit in the Adelman system -- plus he is a terrible defensive player (unlike Hill). Yao / Biedrins Scola / Hill Ariza / (Johnson?) Martin / Budinger Brooks / Lowry BTW. this leaves Morey open to trading Ariza ($6.3M) + Jeffries ($6.8M expiring) for an impact player that Adelman covets.
They cost the same. Morey, like other gm's feel from 10-45 the players are the same. With the 2nd rd picks, they have shorter,cheaper contracts. Last year, Dumars was begging for someone to buy the 14th pick and no one jumped. The price would've been the same as buying Jermaine Taylor,Chase,or Lull.
I could see a Hill and #14 for #6. Rockets take Johnson and sign Brad Miller to the LLE. I would try to add future picks and try to snag Randolph in the deal too.
Its really all speculation, but i find myself particularly excited about this crop of players in large because the league has a great mixture of PGs (veteran, mid career, and rookies). Meanwhile this draft, is bringing us lots and lots of big men. Beyond this class meeting a need of the NBA, moreover, the Rockets, this draft seems extremely deep in talent. Plenty of these kids have the potential to make a real impact in this league.
Please give some examples of 1st round picks bought for only cash. Hence, why I said they're cheaper. Why pay $3-4 mil for a player(doubled contract due to Rockets being over the tax) when you can pay 500g, or $1 mil after tax? No he wouldn't have.
They cost the same in terms of how much cash you can purchase them for. The guys in the middle of the draft start off at about 1m and some change and the guys in the 2nd round start off at 850k, but if you think the guy at 14 is much better than the guy at 41, wouldn't you like to have the guy with the extra years on the rookie contract?
Please read the details of that trade again. And then read the details of Morey's trades for 2nd round picks. Please list the source that says Dumars was willing to sell the #15 pick(not 14 as you implied). He was NEVER going to sell it for $3 mil. That is ludicrous. He might have wanted to trade out of the 1st round, but there's no way he'd just give it away.
We want to move up in the top 6-10 in the draft and trade away Jordan Hill who's playing like how an 8th pick is supposed to play? Or for Randolph who might or might not develop more than what he is and due for a big pay raise? Think of Chuck Hayes as a player you keep in your system and let them develop into it. Why not let Jordan Hill do the same for himself? It'd make sense if the Rockets take on salary for NEED positions. Like a lateral move of Hill for pick or Randolph, + Biedrins who can play center or power forward.
Looking at the top 15 prospects, I don't see how they even compare with last year's draft much less the 2003 crop. I see players with holes in their games and/or questionable attitude -- meaning few immediate impact players (ie. Duncan, Lebron, Wade, Jennings, etc). It's no wonder that teams like the Warriors and Sixers are ready to trade their picks. I'll wait to see more, but for now I fully expect Blake Griffin to be 2011 ROY.
If the Rockets want to be really gutty, they might think about swapping the #14 for Minnesota's #16 and #21. Under best case scenario they wind up with Xavier Henry or James Anderson at #16 and Solomon Alabi at #23. Over the long term, Alabi might be the best of the center quintet (Cousins, Aldrich, Whiteside, Alabi and Jerome Jordan) despite the certainty he will be outclassed in his first year or two. Of course, we might not get our first choices doing this, so I must say I would rather trade down for one quality rookie rather than for two risky players who fill needs (backup SG and backup C).
I think Hill is worth a #6 by himself. If you think he's worth a #8, then give him a year's experience, that's worth #6. OTOH, if you think he didn't deserve #8 last year, or that this year's draft is significantly better than last year's... But, I think he's worth that #6 now.
If Houston owned the 6th pick, they would probably draft Wesley Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu or Jordan Hill (if he was in the pool). Don't trade Hill unless its a top 4 pick.
