Assuming Les is willing to spend the money and it improves our chances in the playoffs there are 3 teams we could do business with 1. Boston 2. Orlando 3. New York ( I am scared to include them but Isiah will do deals!!) Assumptions are 1. Western Conference teams will not trade with us ( because everyone believes they will make the play offs- that would be Denver, Golden State and Minnesotta) 2. Money is not important 3. We are seriously looking for an upgrade offensively 4. We want to take advantage of our expiring contracts ( atleast Moochie) 5. Status quo will mean an exit in the first round( if we play Dallas or San Antonio) The best options are 1. Paul Pierce 2. Hedo Turkoglu 3. Stephan Marbury + a young Stud (Channing Frye) Option 3 will be the most unpopular- because of his reputation and his salary and of Course Rafer seems to be doing reasonably well. Paul Pierce is interesting- and makes decent financial sense ( give up Stro, David and Mooch) Boston can use them for other trades for picks etc. Effectively Pierce will cost us 7 Million ( if you deduct Stro's salary) and it is a 3 year commitment which is reasonable. Good Defensive player. Hedo Turkoglu- has play off experience and is a good shooter ( defense is questionable) Stephan will be the least palatable option- but perhaps the easiest to do!!!! ( If Van Gundy can handle Stephon and he realizes that moving around the league is not going to make him a superstar!) We could always go for Al Harrrington- but I am not sure that is even an option. Please bear in mind- this is to be better prepared for Dallas and San Antonio and with some luck head higher in the playoff seeding. I feel we can get to the number 5 or 6 seed ( even without the trade!)
I don't think Tracy and Paul will ever be on the same team. I don't think we have something equal value to Paul either.
Boston is definitely in a "re-building" mode. Paul Pierce will be traded- not sure what you mean by "equal value" in this context. They are dumping salary and getting an "athletic" Power Forward who will do better with Doc Rivers. Heck I will give up our first rounder this year!
by equal value i mean equal output, Stro and whoever else we can offer won't put up numbers like Paul. But if they just want to dump contracts and get picks then it is possible.
No way we get Paul Pierce for the players we have, outside of Yao and TMac. If Boston wants to trade Pierce, they can get a superstar in return. They would be stupid to trade with us. They wont just let a player of that calibur go for the sake of saving money on the cap.
1. Pierce- Exactly who do expect to trade for him? Boston might be in rebuilding mode, but we don't have any big expiring contracts for them to take. I would love Pierce but Ainge could get a lot more elsewhere. 2. Turkoglu- I like Hedo but I'm not sure if JVG would. He is a good shooter but hasn't been shooting as well this season. Also, I don't think the guy can play a whole lot of defense. Wesley + 2nd for Hedo? 3. Steph- Once again, I don't see who we could trade for him. Even thought it's Zeke and anything can happen, I don't think we have enough big contracts to trade for Steph's max. Not sure how Frye's name got thrown into this, no way NYK gives him up.
Paul Pierce? Are you kidding me? There is no way we can get him without giving up TMac or Yao. I feel we will not have any significant upgrade in this season.
Notice Rob Babcock, the ex-Toronto GM that pulled the trigger on this foolish trade, is now out of a job.
We dont have any assets outside of Tmac/Yao that can land Pierce. If they move him, they are moving him for a top notch player. That aside, the Rockets need to talk to Toronto to see if we can get Mo Peterson from them. I think he would be a good fit in Houston. Peterson/Eric Williams for Wesley/Mooch + our 2nd round pick. Gives the Raptors more cap room with expiring contracts and another pick, high 2nd rounder.
Pierce is good, but he's not going to require Yao Ming or Tmac to get. Boston already said that they were going a different way when they let Walker go. He's tradeable and yes, we can get him if they want to lose the contract. Good trade post for once.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that with Pierce, you're dealing with a player who averages practically the same numbers as T-Mac. No, I'm certainly not implying he's as good as or better than T-Mac but my point is this isn't some regressing, washed up, overpaid bum dragging down a franchise. Pierce is a superstar player. Imagine if we were in hardcore salary dump mode then people started suggesting we trade T-Mac for Boston's expiring salary trash. Pierce is simply not an option, we don't have the resources to acquire him.
Care to elaborate on "but Ainge could get a lot more elsewhere."? Which western conference team would take on his salary? If you accept the premise that "boston is in the re-building " mode- why would they want to take back a huge salary? Our options are not palatable. If we want a serious upgrade in offense without losing out on defense- and perhaps better Match ups- Pierce is a no-brainer. Two first round picks should do it. If we dont do anything this year- what mega talent can you get for the MLE next year?
i would LOVE to get paul pierce... he would be an AWESOME 3rd scorer... actually between the 3 of them they would rotate being the 1st option depending on who's hot.. ROCKETS WOULD JUST BE CRAZY DELICIOUS if they get paul pierce.. i just dont know how its gonna work though... very high hopes.. on the other hand... hedo is good but not the 3rd option we really need right now... he's rather a great role player.. i do not want stephon... keep his ass with isiah... only knick i woiuld want right now is channing frye.. but no way in hell they'll trade him.. he's untouchable as far as knicks are concerned
Nate Robinson and/or Trevor Ariza for some of our junk (Moochie Norris?) Those are 2 good young players.
Pierce is the 'face' of the C's in their advertising, marketing, and on-court. He's having an All Star worthy year and he's unlikely to be dealt. If you want to do biz with Boston then take Raef, GGreen and a #1 for JuHo and Mooch. Hedo is a no-go, as in he stays in O-land. He and Nelson are their best best talent to value guys. The only way he goes is if it takes his inclusion to make an insanely positive deal with Steve O to somewhere else. We don't have any trade bait beyond our possibly (too dratted) high #1. Starbury? You would have to be Starbucks to pay that guy and Seattle is more likely to succeed Hornets in OKC than to give one single thought to taking back Stephon. Isiah will be gone years before anyone can offload that contract.
Well if you can live with Stephan and his contract- Frye would be the "sacrifice" they would have to make! Zeke's ass is on the line- and to have 15 Million off the payroll should be decent motivation! And Larry Brown is not a push over coach and he is not a big fan of Marbury right now. Again- you take the good with bad.
Well Stevie was the Franchise- not too long ago! His individual performance does not matter if they are not going to be in the Eastern Conference finals. If you read my original post- I suggested Starbury with Frye- we take a hit on Starbury but we will be OK getting a young Stud.
