Yes, I am sure neither of them are leaving. If Knicks is going to trade Melo, it would have done so already with their great start so far this season. LBJ is not going to Lakers. Tax is one issue, Cali has 13% while FL has 0%. If LBJ goes to Lakers, who's team is it?
I wonder if the Nets would move Lopez now. Lopez has 3 years and he's more than worth his salary when healthy. Lets say you are the Celtics. You don't care about this season. Actually, you might prefer to lose a few extra games this season. Wouldn't you give up a little something for Lopez? Rockets in: Courtney Lee, Brandon Bass, Nets 2020 1st, Atlanta's 2014 1st via Boston (or Boston's 2015 1st, or one of their other many picks) out: Asik Celtics in: Brook Lopez out: Lee, Bass, salary filler, 1st rd pick Nets in: Asik, salary filler from Boston out: Lopez, 2020 1st
Looks like Morey is going after a 1 or a 4. He apparently called about Deron Williams and offered Asik and Lin. I think the guys that he wants, in no particular order, Rondo, D-Will, K-Love, or Aldridge. Unfortunately he cannot get Aldridge or K-Love right now because their teams are doing so well. I think he could get Rondo but I am not sure what they would be willing to take and obviously the Nets turned down the offer for Williams. If only we could have gotten CP3 in the off-season along with Dwight. That would have made this the team to beat in the West.
How about this trade? Houston Receives: Rondo, Bass, and Lee Boston Receives: Asik, Lin, D-Mo, and Brewer plus a first(maybe?)
This would be an awesome trade. Obviously you would have to throw in some first round picks as well though. http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=moy24he
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ms59d6y Call me crazy... Nets in: Asik, Lowry, Fields, and Novak Toronto in: DWill, Dmo Hou in: Kirilenko + NY/Denver pick from Toronto Gives us the pick we want to use for the Love sweepstakes, clears cap room for Parsons and gives us a veteran wing defender that I hate but would admittedly be useful.
With the need for a guy who can play PG/SG Brewer and Covington for Jimmer or Brewer, Dmo, and Covington for Ridnour
Amir Johnson is a PF that Morey wants. Toronto wants Lin. Lin/Dmo for Johnson/Lowry Lowry/Beverly Harden/Garcia Parsons/Cassipi Johnson/Jones Howard/Asik
As an NBA beat writer recently said, "The only way you know Danny Ainge is lying is if his lips are moving," so I don't know what to make of the no-trade Rondo thing; but it would take too much to get him. I think a Howard-Rondo tandem would be better than a Howard-Harden combo (and I like Harden, despite his lapses that suggest disinterest or hangover or "I'm the man, here comes the iso. ")
