None of these guys realize Houston is one Melo away from winning a champion. I know you could say that about a lot of teams, but how many teams have more fans worldwide than the Rockets?
Either risk a one year rental in Melo or secure a long term commitment with a trade for CP3 or Danny Granger? I'd prefer the latter.
Chris Paul and either Melo or Granger. Trade anyone but Yao. We would be in good shape. However, this is all speculation which is getting everyone's hopes up. We should know more by the trade deadline
Well if Chase can start out hot...for some reason I think he'd be very attractive player for the Pacers and Larry Bird... You're right about the Paul George thing though, that was a little odd. But with some of these teams that have been bad for a long time, they do horrible drafting. Grizz drafting Rudy Gay's replacement...then resigning Rudy to a long term deal... So now even if Henry is as good as Rudy, then one of the two will have to go.
Thats why we should be more focused on Danny Granger as a straight up trade with the pacers at the deadline, and hoping Tyson Chandler will sign for the full MLE. Very nice: Rockets recieve: Danny Granger Indiana recieves: Shane Battier (expiring con.) Jordan Hill Aaron Brooks Future 1st rounder projected rotation (2011-2012) Starters: PF - Scola SF - Granger C - Yao SG - Martin PG - Lowry Bench: PG - draft pick SG/SF - Ariza PF - Patterson PF/C - Chandler
Wrong! getting Melo first will destroy the Rockets like bron did Cleveland. it gonna cost us alot to get Melo just watch him bolt for NY in the summer and screw up our 2012 NY's pick. it should be: Getting CP3 will land us Melo CP3 is under contract; while the NOH saying they aren't trading CP3, they just might have to come next Febuary. we might be the only team that has the combination of (young talent + extra picks + significant expiring) while being a contender to satisfy both NOH and CP3. get CP3 first and then let him recruit other big names like how DWade did Miami. with this being said, I'm with those prefer Granger over Melo. @ trade deadline: 1.) Brooks + Hill + (Battier+Jefferies+Anderson)'s expiring + NY's 2011 pick for CP3 + Okafor 2.) Martin + Scola for Melo OR Martin + Hayes (expiring) + NY's 2012 pick for Granger w/ Melo: Yao Ming, Hayes Okafor, Patterson Melo, Budinger Ariza, Taylor CP3, Lowry w/ Granger: Yao Ming, Okafor Scola, Patterson Granger, Budinger Ariza, Taylor CP3, Lowry both line-up are better than the Heats' and Melo will definitely re-sign next summer. so, CP3 first
Here's a good question. If you were a top tier free agent and you knew that Houstons franchise player is prone to injury, wouldn't you feel better about signing here if you knew he had a decent backup? If they were able to make it to the All-Star break with a healthy Yao and 30+ wins, that would be enough to lure either Paul, Melo or both.
Maybe getting CP3 will land us Melo. I seriously doubt Melo expressing strong desire to play for NY. I've never read any article proving this. Rather, NY fans hoping to get him after failing to snatch LeBron. They are upset and desperate. Can't blame em. LOL
Instinctively, I believe this has legs. It just makes too much sense. Hence, the importance of acquiring Paul and making a very nice championship run without anything else. IF we can acquire Paul for expirings plus Hill, Budinger, and Brooks, does anyone think that we are doing anything less than at least going to the Western Conference Championship against LA. I see that as the low end expectation of this squad: Paul/Lowry Martin/Taylor Ariza/Posey Yao/Okafor Scola/Patterson Free agent Free agent Free agent unless there is another major injury to Paul or Yao, which you cannot account for. That could happen to Miami or Lakers next season also. One tweak of the knee to Gasol and the Lakers are all of a sudden in world of hurt, not to mention Kobe going down. Same thing in Miami. You lose one of Lebron and Bosh and that team comes down to earth fast. However, barring that happening, the above squad should be battling a healthy Lakers squad for the Western Conference crown and the opportunity to win an NBA crown. Chris Paul is Morey's #1 target. There is no doubt about it. NOW for my dream........................... I happen to believe Granger is a lot better value dollar for dollar than Melo is. Just my opinion. I believe Melo is a great player, no doubt about it. But Granger less than 60% what Melo makes. Indy is wanting a point guard. My dream is for Morey to call up Bird and express he is open to either S&Ting Lowry or trading Brooks in a deal for Granger. Then let that leak out so New Orleans can see the possibility of a big trade going down with Houston and them losing even more leverage with teams for Paul. Then Morey lets it leak that he is willing to talk to New Orleans about Paul and get both New Orleans and Indiana engaged in discussions for both Granger and Paul. Like I said before, we had enough expirings, young players, and draft picks to trade for two maximum salary free agents. We still do. We have enough salary, expirings, young talent, and draft picks to trade for two superstars, especially two guys that are both making less than $16 million annually. Granger - What better value is Bird going to find for him than a good, young cheap small forward replacement in Ariza, the most improved player in the league in Brooks, and a first round draft pick? Paul - What better value to New Orleans than sending them all expirings plus Budinger, Hill, two future draft picks, including a future first round draft pick that is non-lottery protected for the next ten years. Give them the right to pluck any draft pick they want from us for the next ten years, non-lottery protected in addition to another first rounder that we already have. This may not be ideal. Perhaps we can get Indiana to do a S&T with Lowry as the bait. So Indy settles for Lowry, Ariza and the Knicks 2011 pick swap, a potential #2 pick. Then we have Brooks left as an asset that can turn into another first round pick in 2011. It would be relatively easy to get a bidding war going in the East with him. Threaten to send him to Miami for Toronto's first rounder plus junk so we can swing that pick to New Orleans. Or simply include him as part of the package to New Orleans. Whatever is necessary. We have to take back Okafor and Posey as salary relief from New Orleans. And they get to pick up all our young pieces that they want plus draft picks. This is my dream at this point. Paul/whoever (a vet that is dying to play for us) Martin/Taylor Granger/Posey Yao/Okafor Scola/Patterson Free agent Free agent Free agent Basically, Morey makes the whole roster outside of Yao and Martin available to acquire Granger and Paul and you add Granger and Paul to Yao and Martin. That is a very efficient team and most likely it still has Scola on it. And worst case scenario, Scola is gone and you have a starting 5 of........... Paul Martin Granger Yao Okafor plus whatever else you get back in trade plus free agents. This squad has everything. High-octane fast break offense. Efficient half-court offense. Great interior defense. Very good perimeter defense. And this would send LA scrambling for their own upgrade.
On a boat w/ Melo 4 his wedding 2morrow. He & Amare R having heavy conversations. Could it B nxt year 4 da #Knicks. Even bring CP3 on board. Since Amare is in NY for the next 5 years, 3 Amigo's 2 can only be in NY.
We can potentially create the 4 amigos with Paul, Martin, Granger, Yao....and dare I say 5 amigos when you stir in Scola with that.
They're going to be in for a mighty big shock when the owner's predictably shove a franchise tag down the throat of the player's union.
