Agreed. We need to look at each team's situation, from that team's perspective. Milwaukee is playing very well, under new ownership, brilliant new head coach (really, Jason Kidd is a coaching genius), Brandon Knight is his leading scorer, Kidd is a former PG and he enjoys coaching Knight. I am a graduate of the University of Kentucky. Knight is a GREAT kid, great family, all the intangibles. I do think Milwaukee would be willing to trade Jared Dudley for a nice long term asset or two, though. And Ersan Ilyasova, they would give that guy away. Ilyasova for expirings, and nothing more, Milwaukee does that deal, all day long. John Henson, he's available for the right price, too. A package of Terrence Jones, the Pelucans first round pick, and Kostas Papanikolaou's expiring contract for Dudley and Henson, I think Milwaukee does that. Not sure that Daryl Morey does that, though, probably not.
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=qzhp5m5 We HAVE to upgrade a point. Back up center is certinally necessary, but upgrading the point should be top priority. We will get Dwight Howard back, but we aren't getting a star PG back.
The Bucks motivation to move Brandon Knight is that he will be an RFA, will command a BIG payday that the Bucks might not want to pay. Middleton is also an RFA and will command a bigger salary increase. They like him a lot. They have Sanders' contract on the books. And Ersan's salary. They are a small market team. If internally the Bucks feel like they would balk at Knight making 14M/year, then they might want to trade him NOW to get value - versus having him walk to LA/NY etc. That is where the Rockets come in with their NOP pick. This is like the OKC/Harden scenario from a few years ago and there was Morey waiting...
Middleton is a role player. They will let him and his 11 points per game go instead of Knight. The Bucks are in the playoffs race, they have no reason to trade their best player.
Rockets Trade: Howard, Smith, Papanikolaou Brooklyn Trade: Williams and Lopez OR Rockets Trade: Howard and Papanikolaou Brooklyn Trade: Lopez, Jack, 2nd round pick
My Trade Rockets Trade: Howard, Smith, Papanikolaou Brooklyn Trade: Lopez and Williams Rockets Trade: Howard and Papanikolaou Brooklyn Trade: Lopez, Jack, 2nd round pick
Are you a Bucks fan or follow the Bucks? The sense I got from Bucks fans is contrary to your point of view.
So I'm a Bucks fan because I called out your BS? How about instead of labeling me, you defend your proposal. I called you out with facts, what's yours?
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=pxr4ym7 Collison/Beverly Harden/Brewer Chandler/Ariza D-Mo/Smith Howard/sign Okafor waive Dorsey
To be fair a quick reading of the bucks forum and you can tell the general fan base isn't really that high on knight especially if it means having to pay him more than 10-12mm. There seems to be a lot of mixed feelings about him apparently. Not that what fans thinks determines what their GM does but it helps to know the general temperature for a certain player. http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1367001&sid=8588642a00cfac879627a8b6f61cd3ef
For a, Yes. For b, I would be intrigued, but I would hold onto him for his offensive abilities, besides he isn't a bad defender either.
