Bill Simmons NBA playoffs mailbag: Very Interesting Trade scenario for the Rox

it sounds great but really would it give us a chance to win a championship? i dont think so.

 

Bench?

Yao, Chandler, Hayes, Peja, Posey, Artest, Wafer,CP3,Lowry, that's already 9 deep without any help.
Then we have White, Dorsey, possible picks Les bought with money, MLE, LLE.

 

Better than the current roster, I believe. In playoffs, without overwhelming talent all over the places, PG play is so important, closer is so important.

 

Simply put!
No Thanks, We are not going to destroy what we have carefully built up!!

 

I'm not sure that Battier is really what makes the deal happen. As larsv8 mentioned, Battier's value is really the highest for a contender, and I don't think NO would see themselves as an immediate contender after this deal. I understand what you are saying about overvaluing our own players, but I think that Battier and Scola are actually still underrated because their contributions (in both cases) go far beyond the boxscore, similarly as it is with Chuck Hayes (to a lesser degree).

One other thing I just remembered is that Yao and Chandler have been playing against each other since their youth, and I think there is some mutual respect, if not friendship.

 

ok I got the $$$ wrong..

the whole point for NO is money..
for Houston, its to get CP3 without giving up too much..
basically I didn't want to give up Scola and Shane.. but was willing to give up Tmac and Brooks..

so my proposal is just slightly different from Nikestrads..

Mine: Tmac+Brooks+Artest for Paul + (Peja/Posey/Chandler)
Nikestratds: TMac+Brooks+Landry+Cook for Paul+Peja+Posey+Armstrong

so why am supposed to put sensible basketball posts in a basketball forum again?

 

Its actually quite a dilema. We learned the hard way, cause in the past 5 years, we had 2 stars, with not great role players, and it didnt take us anywhere. Now we have excellent role players, but not the 2 stars....with this deal, again, we'd have 2 stars, but deplete our role players yet again.....Morey, I have a feeling, will try his damnest to find the perfect balance

 

It really is tragic when you think about it. Our role players gradually got better as our stars declined. Tmac and Yao were at thier best and only four people could score in a playoff game. Now both are broken down and our glue guys are almost good enough to get to the WCF.

 

I'm not really sold that this is that "deep" of a team . . .

Chandler - has been largely inconsistent on both ends of the floor

Hayes - although a great low post defender, has no offense

Peja - let's face it, Peja is on a very steep decline

Posey - Posey is "serviceable" at best

Wafer - had a nice breakout year, but still largely unproven

Lowry - still has a lot of growing up to do, but that will come with time IMO

I like the core we have intact much more, but maybe I'm still in the honeymoon phase of being a fan of this team right now . . .

 

As a preface, any scenario in which we acquire Chris Paul is far fetched. For a further note, it'd require 2 of Peja/Posey/Chandler.

But Artest to cash strapped New Orleans makes no sense.

1.) Artest would have to agree to the deal -- assuming he cares at all about winning, why go to a New Orleans franchise that is abandoning ship?
2.) New Orleans would want a modicum of cheap, young talent. Hence, Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola, and Carl Landry getting mentions.
3.) Any sign and trade deal must be at least 3 years in length. The whole point for New Orleans is to get rid of big, long contracts -- why would they go out of their way to add another 3 years, 25-30m contract?

Trade scenarios are fun and all, but are much better when they have some sort of logic. If New Orlean's logic of getting rid of Chris Paul is to drastically reduce payroll, going out of your way to include an expensive vet who would have to agree to the deal just doesn't make sense.

 

Well, as is, right now, we have maybe a two year window to win a championship. I really don't expect Yao to be good well into his 30's. I expect his foot and knee injuries will become more and more serious as he ages. That just happens to guys as big as him. But if we had Paul - He's currently 24 years old. And there is absolutely no reason that he can't be excellent well into his 30's just like John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash - etc. So really, gaining Paul gives us a chance to win a championship for the next ten years instead of two. Assuming Morey is capable of rebuilding the team around him. And I don't think that would be all that difficult for him.

 

Sorry but our role players are not good enough. They have heart, but not enough talent. Don't just let two great playoff games against Lakers fool you.

Atlanta took eventual champion Boston to the limit last year, and they like their rosters too. What happened this year? Same 1st round exit.

Teams whic traded or added major talents like Cavs, Magic, Nuggets are still playing.

 

Chandler is ok but I don't think Yao can catch a pass from CP3.

 

This would be a horrible trade for us. I pass.
We're one player away....just one. It's taken 3 years to develop this chemistry and simmons is asking morey to undo it all with one ridiculous trade. George is getting very upset!!

I would rather hear Steve smith's annual tmac trade scenario at this point.

 

Keep in mind, Landry and Brooks are also inconsistent. The only consistent players gone are Scola and Battier. But CP3's consistent is more than enough to beat that.

 

Don't worry about Yao, he survived with AB as PG, he'll definitely do more than that with CP3.

 

It'd be tough, but I'd do it.

I'd hate to see our players go, but once I'd get over that I'd realize:

We acquired an MVP player in Paul

This is basically the Hornets team + Yao and Lowry, which I think is far superior to the Hornets team now because:

Adelman is a much better coach and has an offense that Paul fits
Morey has more resources as a GM and in a few years will have found new Landrys and Brooks.

Morey has a team of stat geeks and scouts working for him, while the Hornets only have a GM and assistant GM.

 

Scola is the 2nd most consistent Rocket this season. Battier is not as consistent as you think, he is actually behind Artest in production (by that I mean measurable, not intangible) consistency.

 

If I were to get Chris Paul, I would rather keep Landry than Scola. Landry is a better pick and roll finisher than Scola, he can do alley oops which Scola can't do, and he has the same range for the jumper as Scola does. Scola is more of a dump the ball to him and let him work type of post player, he doesn't require a playmaker to set him up, on the other hand Landry is more capable of thunderous dunks and finishing above the rim which makes him a better match with CP3.

Also, if we keep Carl Landry and Kyle Lowry for next season I expect to see some alley oops between them next year. Landry is too good a leaper and dunker and Lowry too good of a passer for them not to hook up on that play regularly next year.

 

I'd consider it if they let Houston keep either Scola or Landry.