Color me stupid, but I'll take Griff and Rice in trade before Cato and Rice right now, no questions. Upgrades the four and leaves us at the best five rotation in the league. And, whatever Griffin might become, we wind up with cap space for the free market when it's time for Griffin to ask for his contract. We're not getting out from under Mo's contract (and truth told I don't even think we need to -- he's not done rehabbing and he's still playing more aggressive than we've seen him play before). Keep Cato, get Grant, free up space at the four (for a Grant/Taylor rotation), make Grant our Collier and I am a happy Rocket fan. I obviously didn't believe in this thread AustinRocket, but if pops' hearsay comes to pass in this kind of way I'm damn glad you started it.
I like Grant but the man is 32 years old and will be making around 12 million per year for the next 4 years. I would only want him on our team if we were getting rid of MoT's long contract in the deal. I'm all for getting Gasol for whatever it takes as long as Francis and Ming aren't involved. I also have a feeling that any trade that would involve Mobley would have to be done in the offseason. How close Mobley is with a majority of the players ,most notably Francis, it would be a hard adjustment for them in the middle of the season. Trading Mobley would have to be done during the offseason so that they can have an adjustment period IMO.
Gasol for Mobley and Griffin? I'd do it if they included Wesley Person or Giricek. Here's what would be nice, but a little on the unlikely side: Gasol + contract (their choice to balance) + Our pick back for Griffin + Mobley Then we're Yao Ming Pau Gasol Rice/T-Mo Posey Francis But that's not all. So in the summer, we offer Glen Rice and our pick that we got back to the team with the best PG. Can you imagine what a $10M expiring contract PLUS a pick could get us? Of course, if they're unloading Gasol, I'm guessing there's something they can't fix with him. I feel he's very low on motivation and constantly needs to be babied. Thoughts?
Thoughts? At least two: Rice/TMo is a sucky three rotation. Even if you throw in Hawkins or Boki. Especially considering Rice might not even play again. AND you've lost not just your starting two but your primary backup three in Mobley. You really like a guard lineup of Steve, Posey, Moochie and Hawkins (who's limited by the way by the fact he's playing half the game at forward in this scenario? For forty-eight minutes? Along with that sucky three rotation? Even if Rice doesn't play again, we'll wait for the cap space before we trade him for contracts other teams are looking to ditch (like Croshere or somebody), since that's what we'd get in trade: someone another team doesn't want and will trade for cap space. Better to wait it and and use the space ourselves, especially since that's around the time we've got guys to pay off.
We can trade Glen Rice and Collier for Grant. Miami obviously wants to get rid of BG and his ridiculous contract. He gets Elton Brand money, but doesn't put up Elton Brand numbers. The Rockets would be better off using their money on someone a little more useful. James Thomas will provide similar results when he enters the draft in 2004.
I don't think the Heat would make the trade if Cato isn't involved. Right now Grant is their center, if they trade him and don't get another center back then they are left with Steponia as their only center. I just don't see them wanting him as their starting center.
IMO, the Grizz would not do Mobley + EG for Gasol. If Memphis would do the trade, would you worry that Hubie and Jerry West may see something in EG that the Rox management doesn't or hasn't figured out? Also, it's hard for me to envision RT trading Mobley. But a new coach...during the summer...I'd pass on Brian Grant for the reasons already mentioned...age and contract.
I have a slight permutation of the Cato/Rice for Grant/Ellis trade that may be more appealing for us - Cato/Rice/Griffin for Grant/Ellis/Butler This would satisfy our need at the 3 and 4(at least short term at the 4), and it allows the Heat to get younger and gives them cap flexibility. I tried this trade with Mobley instead of Griff, but it didn't work. Mobley could be used as an offensive spark plug off the bench this year, and could be traded to get a younger 4 during the offseason. My concerns with Griffin center around desire, and Mobley around fitting in with our team concept. The above trade(with Mobley) would be ideal, but doesn't work - maybe with some throw ins it might. I propsed Mobley because I remember Riley liking him a while ago. What do y'all think of the C/R/G for G/E/B?
Gasol is better than Grant. I don't want an injury prone, 32 yrold pug that can't do anything particularly well. He's only a star on the Heat 'cause they suck. He was nothing special in Portland and nothing with Zo in the lineup. I am frankly very disappointed in these leaks. Gasol is a star and will stay one. He's a legit lotto phenom. I'm not sure he's a good mix with Yao, but hey, maybe it's worth a shot. Stromile with Gasol is insurance, and we have excess baggage to make it happen. I'd do that. Stomile dirt cheap is a project worth a shot. Not trading in conference is pigheaded and asinine. IF you get the better deal, take it. Don't be a moron, and make the whole league wonder why you couldn't take the best player out there because your panties got wet worrying the other team would beat you. Be a man. What are you, afraid of the Clippers? Puss. Jason Terry in Laker gear would be sick. Goodbye, 8 seed. Terry in Clipper gear would be a better fit for them than the obviously misfit Dre. That one I can see. Dre feeds Rahim and BigDog, Terry runs with Odom and Brand. I get to wait 10 days and see like everyone else.
I pretty much agree with paso2x's take. Grant is an expensive waste. He isn't even as good as he was in Portland, and is nowhere near worth the contract he has. Only way I would consider it is if the rox give up Mo at the same time, but I don't see that happening. Gasol is a stud and I would do anything short of taking on JWill's contract or trading Ming to get him. not trading in-conference IS a stupid rule. Terry in either LA team would be make them better. It would give the Lakers a 3rd scoring option, or the clips someone who can actually hit from long-range. Payton moving to the EC would be great, even less comp in the west.
Are you in a nice way telling me I'm overdue for a change? No argument. I've just been to busy lately to be verbally creative. IMO, the Rockets won't pull a trade before the Feb. trade deadline. It will be interesting to see if Rice truly has any trade value next summer. Future capspace is nice, but does any team really want to shell out $9+m for Rice's current level of productivity?
Only if they want to unload longer contract(s) that of players they don't want - and then why would we want him/them. I think you're right 1.5 years to go.
What about Griffin, Mobley, and Rice or Cato for Grant and Butler. I think Miami would have to seriously consider two young talanted players for one young talanted player and a player on the downside. The Rockets may be giving up too much here but, I think Rudy might like the idea of Butler at the 3 and Posey at the 2. Grant as a back-up 4/5 is very nice, the only area of concern is how much Grant has left in the tank. If you think he has 4-5 productive years left, you pull the trigger.
Grant is only 30. nba.com has his bday at 03/05/72. The year of the rat, brahh. |..|, ,|..|
I really, really, really, really hope that RT had good reasons for turning down those deals. Brian Grant would be good for the team except for his contract. I can see turning that down. I wonder if part of the problem lies in the fact that Rudy is too fond of Cuttino and won't ship him out. (Hope I'm wrong. RT's affection for this calmer nicer version of Mad Max might get him fired, just like his propensity to draft tall-ish white small forwards who can shoot the three.) Unfortunately, four number one draft picks were spent on Eddie and T-Mo, so RT might not want to part with them now, not admitting his mistake (sorry, I'm not believing EG will be the next Rasheed or Jermaine O'Neal, but I'll be glad if he stays on the team and proves me wrong) preferring to stick it out despite the fact that EG could fetch talent in return. Gasol and Yao together? The Sea of Reeds. I wouldn't mind Slow-mile Swift being on the team, depending on the price. Stromile Swift is EG, but who doesn't shoot the three; and the Rockets are his favorite team. As we're stuck with Mo anyway, Swift wouldn't be a bad backup 4/3/5. If you sent EG and T-Mo to the Magic, Miller to the Grizz, Slow-mile here, plus, maybe, keep our draft pick next year. That sort of thing. It sort of sickens me to know we might improve with some of these trades we'll never know about. So I'll sigh, shrug, and hope for the playoffs, knowing the only way we'll get in this year is if Phoenix or Minnesota or Utah suffers a significant injury to a significant player.
That's kind of why I like the Grant deal. If we can get him while keeping Griffin, he'll start now and back up at the 5 some. As Griffin develops, Grant could become our full time back up 4/5. Rice/Ellis is a wash, two players that won't play a whole lot with fast-expiring contracts. I don't think our team's attitude will change until we trade Mobley. We have to split up Batman and Robin, and trading Robin is the lesser of two evils. The selfish guard play is the real problem with this team, IMO.
