After having read the entire thread, I am conviced that it was Les who initiated this "Brand coming to Houston" rumor. The world knows that the twins hold the keys to the execution of a pass/motion offense. By spreading this rumor, Les sent a strong signal to the twins to behave. Les also made it clear the team that nobody is safe if you mess with my gold mine. Les also sent a clear message to Sterling that we can deal. In this case, Les always wins. Now, I am starting to believe in conspiracy theory
Oh, please keep this thread and this rumor going. I suspect the Rockets will keep playing the way they played in the last two games as long as this thread is going
I would trade Mobley, and EG for Brand, and Jaric. That would give us the line up of C-Yao PF- Brand SF-Posey SG- Francis PG-Jaric
Well, you have a point there jxu777.. Whenever theres a rumor on hand, the player seems to have an extra notch on their A - Game.
As I understand Brand will be a restricted free agent... That means if a team signs him we have so many days to take over the contract and keep him when the season is over... Like what happened to Mark Jackson the Center we tried to sign a couple of years ago.. So what I am saying is if we really want Brand to stay if we get him then we can keep him.
Yea you got a point there, but i'm guessing he is going to pull out a big wallet and hope to fill it up, cuz i would rather spend my money on Ming in the near future.
The best trade is we could get them to agree would be this Houston trades: PF Eddie Griffin (8.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.5 minutes) SG Cuttino Mobley (18.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg in 41.9 minutes) Houston receives: PG Andre Miller (15.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 7.2 apg in 38.2 minutes) PF Elton Brand (18.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 40.3 minutes) Change in team outlook: +6.7 ppg, +5.1 rpg, and +5.4 apg. L.A. Clippers trades: PG Andre Miller (15.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 7.2 apg in 38.2 minutes) PF Elton Brand (18.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.4 apg in 40.3 minutes) L.A. Clippers receives: PF Eddie Griffin (8.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg in 41 games) SG Cuttino Mobley (18.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg in 37 games) Change in team outlook: -6.7 ppg, -5.1 rpg, and -5.4 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED but its only a pipe dream lol PG/ A. Miller SG/ Franchise SF/ Posley PF/ Brand C/ Ming
i'm surprised no one has thrown this possibility out there: Elton Brand and Andre Miller for Eddie Griffin and Steve Francis...
Verse, Sterling would never take on a max contract. It's what makes all this speculation possible in the first place.
If there is any truth to this, I am just scared that when Cuban hears about it he will come up with some way to trump our package.
I agree with that...Why would Memphis EVER trade 2 young studs (Battier & Gooden), for Odom & Collier?
Griz only trade when they can dump contracts of Jason and/or Dick. Gooden or Gasol as the sugar. Count on it.
Hmm, maybe it was Les who called ESPN radio. bigboymumu, I sympathize your view. I have always been skeptical about the "twin tower" (two dominant low post players playing alongside each other) concept. One of the players will have to "sacrifice" his game somewhat to make it work. That's not the most efficient way to use talents. That said, Brand is clearly worth more than anything outside of Yao and Francis on our team. So we would gain value to get Brand no matter who you give (other than Y and F). And if he doesn't fit, we can always trade Brand away for other star power at other positions.
That is what I was thinking too. I think I would do it. Sterling may not like max contracts--but he hasn't had the oppertunnity to use one on someone like Francis who would get more people in the stands and watching on TV. Brand is much closer to Francis in terms of being a basketball player than he is as far as a marketing piece. Francis is quite a one man show and capable of singled handedly producing victories for the Clips. However I think Brand and Miller might be better to build a team around Yao, myabe this is what is cooking. Flame away.
Sorry, but.. No way is Francis going anywhere, for a very long time. Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves. And, yes, it is possible that the Rockets (or some other team) could wind up trading for Brand. The Clippers have a logjam at the PF/C positions, and have cheap youngsters in Wilcox and Ely at the PF spot, who won't be eligible for large contracts for several years. Knowing how cheap Sterling is, and the fact that he will have to sign Olowokandi and Odom this year, or move them, as well as the fact that the Clippers will not make the playoffs this year, it seems entirely possible that he would be willing to trade Brand, especially in exchange for younger, cheaper talent. Personally I think it is more likely that Odom or Olowokandi would be moved than Brand, but honestly, anything is possible with this Clippers organization. Of course, if the Rockets are able to get Brand, they are immediately Western Conference contenders, even if they come in at the 6th, 7th, or 8th seed.
Jeff, back away from the crack pipe. The Rockets aren't going to be making any money for a couple of years in the new arena??? THEY DIDN'T PAY FOR IT! Please! This deal is IMMEDIATELY accretive to Les, and in a big way.
Dang, I discover this thread and as I'm reading it, it jumps from 3 pages to 8 pages. If there is any truth to this rumor, I would speculate that Cuttino and Eddie would have to go. The Clippers have asked for Cuttino before. Trading Cuttino to the Clips makes sense. The only player they really want to keep is Lamar Odom, from what I understand; and why not bring Mr. Good-Friend-from-Rhode-Island-With-a-Reasonable-Contract-Because-Donald-Sterling-is-a-cheapskate? Also, keeping EG with Cat (another Philly guy) might make the transition to another team slightly less traumatic for EG. I don't know if that's a straight-up fair trade. We'd have to get something back, even some sort of draft pick. One thing the Mavs and Kings have proven is that you gotta spend. I think the Rocks have a bright future, and people are starting to turn out for these games. The Clippers won't take Kelvin Cato, though. They won't pay his contract. So, if our (future) team looked like this: 1. Steve 2. Posey 3. T-Mo 4. Brand 5. Apocalypse Yao Mo Taylor: backup 4, 5, 3 Cato: backup 5, 4 Boki: backup 3, 2 Hawk: backup 2, 3 Moochinator: backup 1 We'd be kicking some major A. Pull the trigger.
