After Llull, I think Maarty Leunun has a good chance of making it to the NBA. He has a very good season in Italy. Morey actually went there to check his game last month. A solid role player, can shoot midrange jumper. He can become a face the basket power forward like Matt Bonner, Brian Cardinal, and Darius Songaila. All three guys are second round picks and spent some time in Europe during their career. Leunun should follow their paths. He also played three years with Brooks at Oregon. Hopefully we can see him next year in Houston.
The framework of that trade isn't half bad. But Minnesota would probably want another future first rounder included in that deal. Also, they'd probably ask that Andersen be taken out and that either Mike Harris or Alexander Johnson (non-guaranteed deal) be included instead. That way, the Wolves take back just about the absolute minimum in returning salary for a trade with the Rockets to work under the salary cap (assuming that it is a draft day deal, as in prior to July 1).
Actually, the Rockets have previously waived and/or traded Maddox, Flores and Badiane. According to RealGM.com, the following unsigned players' draft rights are currently held by the Rockets: Lior Eliyahu Venson Hamilton Alex Hervelle Kyle Hill Maarty Leunen Sergei Lishouk Sergio Llull Brad Newley Frederic Weis Now, of these players, I believe that the Rockets are only seriously tracking/facilitating the development of Eliyahu, Leunen, Llull and Newley (although I thought I heard somewhere that they just barely care about Lishouk). Sergio Llull is clearly the best foreign prospect of the bunch. The Rockets think as highly of him as the prior administration though of Spanoulis (but with Llull's skill set being more adaptable to the NBA game). Lior Eliyahu is probably the second best PROSPECT, but his game probably doesn't fit with what the team is trying to do. That said, he may still have some value to other teams via trade, which is something that Morey always has an eye on. Brad Newley is probably a fringe NBA player at best and is unlikely to play for the Rockets unless they just needed a swing player to fill out the end of the roster. More likely, his rights will just be held until Morey can find a team that values him in trade. Perhaps he's the next "Alex Hervelle" (above), being used simply as nominal consideration for taking a minimum player off another team's roster. Maarty Leunen, while definitely not as hot a prospect as Llull or Eliyahu, is someone who I could definitely see the Rockets bringing over to fill out the roster either next season or the year after. He could fill the Brian Cook role, both as a big man with range and as a guy who almost never plays. He's a good practice player who will play/practice hard. I bet the coaching staff loves him. His skill level is just not high enough to be an NBA rotation player, though.
Short answer: Yes. But he must consent, the timing would have to be worked out, and there are significant Base Year Compensation issues involved that would probably require the trade to involve additional players in order for the salary cap math to work out.
I doubt Eliyahu and Newley will ever play in the NBA. Eliyahu has a pretty bad year in Spain. His game would not translate to the NBA, and he is a really bad defender even in Europe. It’s sad I actually thought he was a better player than Omri Casspi when they both played for Maccabi. Newley is just not good enough to make the NBA. But he will have a long career in Europe. It’s better than playing in the Australian domestic league. Sergei Lishouk is actually serviceable center in the Spanish league. I don’t know why Rockets don’t give him a look.
I actually hope we do not tinker alot with roster in the offseason unless a superstar is available and wants to come to Houston. Which is pretty unlikely? As the Rockets are right now, if Yao is partially healthy and we can acquire a backup center. I believe this team has enough to beat the Lakers (unless they retool), which I do not really see happening, because of major players already in the mix. Our bench is slightly better than there's already, it'll probably be even better than that once Yao comes back. C - Brad Miller (or Brandon Haywood/Al Jefferson, unlikely last one) or even #14 pick PF - Luis Scola (and or possible FA, Bosh or someone adequate) SF - Trevor Ariza SG - Kevin Martin PG - Aaron Brooks Bench -------------------------- C.Hayes J.Jeffries C.Budinger Y.Ming K.Lowry S.Battier J.Hill Very deep team as is with a few minor adjustments. We'd pretty much have our center situation solved via draft or FAs. While, we could rotate SF and SG between Martin (offense), Chase (offense), Battier (defense), and Ariza (defense, but can have both on a good day). Our bigs can be handful for the Lakers, putting Odom/Gasol/Bynum vs. Yao/FA C (or possible draft pick)/Scola/Hayes/Hill/Jeffries. If Yao is on the floor, Bynum is going to have his hands full, while we have a good four to five players we can throw at Gasol, especially defensively (Hayes/Jefferies). Or offensively with Scola/Hill. Lowry/Brooks pretty much negate the entire Lakers backcourt, except Kobe.
This are the Off-season maneuvers I would like to see: Toronto/ Houston trade: Jordan Hill Jermain Taylor Shane Battier Jared Jeffries (2011 Swap, 2012)NY picks for Chris Bosh Free-agency: Re-up Kyle Lowry Re-up Luis Scola Brand Miller 2010 NBA Draft: Lottery pick: Hassan Whiteside "Purchased" 2nd round pick: Lance Stephenson 2010/11 Houston Rockets Roster PG- Brooks 6'0 | Lowry 6'1 SG- Martin 6'7 | Stephenson 6'5 SF- Ariza 6'8 | Budinger 6'7 PF- Bosh 6'11 | Scola 6'9 | Andersen 6'11 C- Yao 7'6 | Miller 7'0 | Whiteside 7'0 | Hayes 6'6 --RB
Rockets-Blazers: Battier + Taylor → Fernandez + Freeland (+ Mills Rockets-Hornets: 14th pick + Fernandez + $3M → 11th pick + Collison Rockets-???: Brooks + Hill + ??? → ??? Collison, Lowry, Mills Martin, Budinger Ariza, Jeffries Scola, Draft, Hayes (re-signed min) Freeland, Yao, Andersen Paul, Fernandez MoPete, Thornton Peja, Posey West, Songaila Wright, Draft Miller, Bayless Roy, Webster, Taylor Batum, Battier, Cunningham Aldridge, Przybilla, Pendergraph Camby, Oden, Draft
I dont know what Josh Smiths trade value is but I would love to get him. Maybe JJ will leave Atlanta and they decide to re-build?) My dream scenario Rockets trade Jordan Hill+14th Pick+Jeffries+Andersen for Al Jefferson. Then the Rockets trade Chase Budinger (who I think Atlanta would request)Trevor Ariza+2012 first round for Josh Smith. Yao/Scola/Hayes Jefferson/Scola/Smith Smith/Battier/Taylor Martin/Brooks/Battier Brooks/Lowry
I honestly don't think he'll get a great superstar for Jefferson. Although Jefferson is a 20-10 player, he just doesn't strike me as someone who has that type of value. He's more like a Zach Randolph, a second option, someone that you could get a lot of good, solid role players or a sixth man for. Memphis is looking to S&T Rudy Gay, maybe a 3 way could happen where Memphis gets a great wing and then Kahn ends up with Gay... but I don't see many all-star wings on the market to begin with.
Battier can't hold those guys anymore. He's older now, that ankle problem will be a nagging injury for him probably for the rest of his career. Shane's really a good trading piece for a team that may need a defender off the bench, but he's not that perimeter defense talent anymore IMO. Ariza at least has more potential being at age 24, he can become a better offensive and defensive player. You don't need one stopper, you need team defense (a la the Boston Celtics).
There's no way that Morey drafts a player to be a third stringer. If he can get a rotational player in the second round like it's nothing, he can easily do a lot more with the 14th pick.
You must not have listened to what Morey himself had to say about this issue. Morey has publicly commented that, if the Rockets stand pat at #14, he does not expect that player to play significant minutes for the Rockets next year. A project with a high ceiling is EXACTLY the type of luxury the Rockets can afford to have for next year. The team is already fairly deep at most positions, and NO player in this year's draft--outside the top 5 or 6 picks--would add much to the Rockets' rotation next year. Better to get a guy like Whiteside to develop over the long term (although I'm not a fan of his attitude). Lest we forget the days of the Rockets taking Bryce Drew and Mirsad Turkcan over Rashard Lewis, simply because the front office thought that Drew and/or Turkcan could help the Rockets win right now. Still to this day, IMHO (without using the benefit of hindsight), the biggest draft day blunder in Rockets history.
I like the way you think RB. I have jumped on this bandwagon and am riding it till it the offseason has ended... Every one of those moves are Morey moves. If Shane gets bought out, bringing him back for veteran minimum would be the cherry on the cream on the icing on the cake!
He's 20-years-old. Who cares what age he is relative to his college class? We all know he's declaring and staying in the draft. The fact that he's 20 should hardly be a deal-breaker in anybody's book.
Hah! You believe the Hornets would do this? Keep dreaming. They finally have a legit backup PG to play behind Paul for $1 million.
