Yeah, a mid season trade of yao isn't the answer. If this team doesn't have some postseason success, they should get rid of everything of value. Yao,tracy,rafer,shane,scola whomever. Just like portland and utah had 20 yrs of making the playoffs, then they fell out and had to rebuild, I think the rox should do the same. They should fee bad because Phoe,Dallas,and Sa are in the same situation and will be in a yr or so. The rox can get the head start and try to catch the blazers,lakers, and Utah.
notice i said "we don't have it anyway". this team, with the presence of yao, along with the physical decline in mcgrady and all the injury issues, is having serious talent and athleticism issues. a declined mcgrady or an injured or not 100% battier or artest is not as good as some healthy and athletic young guns. yes chemistry is important. our recent failures in games have proved that, again. but if we can't the chemistry going, i just hope morey can use his magic wand again and pull a good trade. that way, we at least somewhat dig ourselves out of the hole of lacking athleticism.
according to this board circa 8 hours ago the chemistry is fine, and anyone who says different is a moron. just fyi. i would hate for you to be a moron and not know it.
I keep trying to think of who will get traded and I can only really think it'll be T-Mac, Artest, and Head. Possibly Dorsey for filler. I really don't see Rafer leaving because we have no PG depth. I don't know what those guys can get us honestly, or whether there will be an upgrade of any sort by dealing them.
IBM, You know I had issues with this team from the beginning. It wasn't just the lack of athleticism, but size and versitility. I don't run a nba franchise, I'm a small fleet owner, but I played d-1 hoops, not that it makes me smarter than morey. I just didn't understand after the playoffs that he came back without a versitile big behind yao. I agreed with him when he said they needed a 3rd guy and he got artest whom I've been talking about for sme years now. The landry fiasco cost us players, signing barry made no sense,drafting another 6'6 pf was crazy, and head and hayes still on the roster is ridiculous. Maybe he can correct some things in 10 days, maybe we have to ride it out, who knows? I just never saw this team as someone that could challenge the Lakers even if they were healthy.
My prediction is a trade for Hinrich. This idea has been raised numerous times and i've spoke out against it numerous times already. All the same, I have a gut feeling Morey is going to upgrade the point somehow before the deadline passes and this is the deal I think makes the most sense from the perspective of both sides. 'Perspective', meaning, Chicago cannot afford to keep Hinrich and if my hunch is correct about Morey striving to upgrade the point, I have a feeling this is the deal he'll find makes the most sense -- all things considered. Basically, the best 'compromise option' available considering the scarcity of quality PG's we have a shot at acquiring. Is it risky? Yes. Do we make out like bandits if he returns to his 2006 form? Absolutely. If this goes down it will be a tough pill to swallow but regardless of his lousy contract he would be a good fit, he's a better defender than Rafer/Brooks and provides enough versatility to play the two in some match ups. I could learn to live with that.
Panic Posts are stupid. I'm not saying that we won't have to tear this team apart, and work in better fitting pieces in the off-season. I'm not saying that Morey will look at trades in the next 10 days, where only Yao is untouchable, and actually trade someone, if we get someone who fits better, like a better PG, if possible. But, I seriously doubt we are going to get another superstar. Our stars have warts right now. TMac has been injured, moody, and not playing up to par. No one is going to trade their superstar that is in good health, playing great, for ours. Ron's contract runs out at the end of the season. He's been injured, and hasn't played well. No one is going to trade us a star PG, that is that much of an upgrade over Rafer. I like Hinrich, but he's not that much of an upgrade over Rafer, outside of being younger. You don't want to trade your assets until they are at their greatest value, and that's not now. We're better off focusing on getting everyone's head screwed on straight ... and that's the Coaches job. If they have to bring in therapists, life coaches, motivational speakers, whatever, the problem is in these guys heads ... and that's where the focus needs to be right now. Now is the wrong time to trade our guys. Scola, Landry, and Von Wafer are tradable, but not our stars ... and it takes stars to get stars, unless they are a similar high risk.
I hope a trade with the Wizards, let's bring T-Mac back togheter with his "homie" Mike James ... a package that would land Butler and Jamison! Houston Rockets Incoming Players Andray Blatche Salary: $2,739,669 Years Remaining: 4 PTS: 10.1 REB: 5.4 AST: 1.8 PER: 16.25 Antawn Jamison Salary: $9,923,285 Years Remaining: 4 PTS: 21.4 REB: 9.1 AST: 2.0 PER: 20.73 DeShawn Stevenson Salary: $3,616,072 Years Remaining: 2 PTS: 6.6 REB: 2.4 AST: 3.1 PER: 7.03 Caron Butler Salary: $9,249,980 Years Remaining: 3 PTS: 20.3 REB: 6.3 AST: 4.4 PER: 18.42 Outgoing Players: Tracy McGrady, Luther Head, Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier, draft picks or the rights of some unsigned draft picks Washington Wizards Incoming Players Tracy McGrady Salary: $20,370,437 Years Remaining: 2 PTS: 15.6 REB: 4.4 AST: 5.0 PER: 16.53 Luther Head Salary: $1,962,378 Years Remaining: 1 PTS: 4.8 REB: 1.2 AST: 1.6 PER: 9.92 Chuck Hayes Salary: $1,768,000 Years Remaining: 2 PTS: 1.0 REB: 3.5 AST: 0.5 PER: 6.14 Shane Battier Salary: $6,448,900 Years Remaining: 3 PTS: 6.4 REB: 4.9 AST: 2.2 PER: 9.35 Some draft picks or the rights of some unsigned draft picks (if needed) Outgoing Players: Andray Blatche, Antawn Jamison, DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler A trade proposal of a Rocket fan that's dreaming too much I guess ...
I'm probably saying this because I (thankfully) missed the Bucks game but... I say stay the course. Don't make any big move and keep the team as it is, and do whatever it takes to figure this out. I'd only do a deal if there's a trade offer that's hugely in our favor, or it's pretty certain that Artest will not re-sign.
If we could make this trade..... http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=11~25~3207~1981&teams=4~4~10~10&te=&cash=
I have always been of the opinion that Ron would not resign with the Rockets if he saw either Yao or McGrady backing off from hard work. Yao has his limitations mentally and physically and there are times when he should be able to do a better job,but he is a keeper,at least for now. He could benefit from having laterally quick,fast moving,big 4/5 along with him. We also need a high class forward/guard who can penetrate and shoot/pass/defend. That is a younger,fitter McGrady with an aggressive attitude. Ron also needs to have a very solid finish to get a bigger contract as well. I would rather retain him despite his high volume,low percentage shooting and not very good handle. He hasn't defended well either this year but he brings some physical and sometimes mental toughness. Making a trade for McGrady is going to be very tough, unless it's for an expiring contract like Marbury or LaFrentz but that is what I predict that Morey will try after today's game. Ron might be the second choice for a trade,partially because of his expiring contract and also because of his potential trading value most probably in a package with Landry or Scola/Head. I just wish that all the guys can still miraculously pull together, but I don't have any hope anymore. Edit: I know I'm stating the obvious but trading just for the sake of making a change isn't going to help much. We have to get improved chemistry and talent in any exchange.
No one can coach this bunch. Inexcusable how this team doesn't give effort for 48 minutes. More specifically, your highest paid player.
True.... But for every owner it's about the money and Yao's fan base brings in a lot for Les.... Yao is basically Les's cash cow... Not going to let that go.
