ESPN.com's Chad Ford wrote in a chat on Wednesday that the Rockets are very active in trade talks. According to Ford, Yao Ming isn't the only player Houston is making available in trade discussions. "Rockets are very, very active right now. Virtually everyone on the team is for sale for the right price," Ford wrote. "I've heard Yao, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Battier all mentioned. Rockets want/need a star right now and are willing to package players together to get it. Problem is their talent level is solid, but overpaid. Martin and Scola are good, but few teams want those contracts. Yao is solid as an expiring contract, but there are tons of those floating around. If you believe Yao will come back, could be some value there, but he's an unrestricted free agent this summer." Via Chad Ford/ESPN.com
Over-paid? Those guys have insane production for their price tag. It isn't like we're talking Rashard Lewis or Gilbert Arenas here. Those guys produce borderline all-star numbers for half a max contract.
True that. If he would have mentioned guys like Jared Jeffries or maybe even B Miller, but K-Mart!? Come on...
I hate reading stuff like this....sure it is true, but dang it can not help in the locker room.... Just let them play and if something comes up, great. Seems this stuff did not come out as much during the CD era......just keep it behind closed doors. DD
Every year it's "everybody is available except Yao". This year only one thing changed. Shouldn't be a problem in locker room.
I'm not sure what to think of an article where someone actually thinks that Yao's value is if he plays this year, not the huge contract that has insurance pay-back written all over it.
This was posted earlier today. Is this really news at all? Of course everyone is available, but it's not like the Rockets are having a fire sale. If Morey has a chance to land a superstar or upgrade the team he will. This has always been Morey's stance.
Not really surprising. Scola/Martin's contract isn't that bad, but they aren't that good for a team trying to unload a superstar either.
Maybe not overpaid, but they're a bit tricky to deal IMO. Guys like Scola or Martin aren't going to be wanted by rebuilding teams; they mostly want youth, cap relief or veterans on cheaper contracts. Certain contenders definitely want them, but adding $10 mil. or so to a roster would require giving up something very substantial in return. An expiring contract and a pick in the upper teens won't make Morey budge. Multiple-team trades seem to be the only option, and those are difficult to put together.
Other teams leaking this to drive down the value of Rockets assets? Contenders want Martin, or Scola, or Battier but for expiring/scrub contracts in exchange?
That makes far more sense. Still, Morey is pretty creative when it comes to that stuff and you figure he could work out a multi-team deal if need be.
with no yao and tmac on the team I was going to go jersey shopping but i'll hold off on that for now. No one is safe on this team it would suck to get a jersey only to have that player get traded..
