Guys, it looks like Rondo was the only potentially game changing PG that was and will be available this season. I wanted him here, and I'm not saying that he would've been exactly what the team needed, but I am saying that I don't see why any other team with a valuable PG would have a reason to shake up their roster. Maybe Jrue Holiday, though as mentioned by someone else, he's not a guy that I know a ton about. I don't see why Phoenix would move Dragic now or at the deadline as opposed to a sign and trade during the offseason. Lawson? Maybe, but why would Denver do it? If I'm missing something here let me know. But I just don't see it.
Denver's motivation to move Lawson would be to clear salary and get an extra lottery pick for their rebuild. That should be obvious. Denver is going nowhere but to the lottery both this season and next season. Nobody is going to sign to play there and the most cap space they're going to be able to create without moving out Lawson is around $8 million. So, they're going nowhere next year too. They have no assets to trade for a really good player to make them championship competitive except for their lottery picks. And if they trade their lottery pick for a good player they're only going to be good enough to crawl into the bottom 2-3 seeds of the WC playoff bracket. They're going nowhere for a couple seasons. I'm just not convinced Lawson is worth giving up the Pels pick for.
Why is everyone so hung up on getting a playmaking PG. It just needs to be playmaker to pick up the slack when Harden sits. It doesn't have to be a PG. There are 4 other positions on the team.
We need a PG desperately. The PG position has been lighting is up all year because Beverly doesn't have to make them work at all on the defensive side of the ball. Not only that but his D feel off in a big way. Plus he had no idea how to actually be a PG
Do we need a better PG? Yes we do, but we need a 6th man playmaking spark even more and it doesn't have to be a playmaking PG. Harden is our PG when he is in the lineup. When he sits however, that still doesn't mean our offense needs to come from the PG position. Playmaking and scoring can come from ANYWHERE. We need a 6th man playmaker at ANY position much more than we need a new PG.
The Nuggets want to accumulate draft picks and cap space, but there are also concerns about Lawson's ankles. Yes... Lawson is certainly worth the Pelicans pick to me. He is only 27 years old, can create for himself and others.... can run the break to perfection, can be a scoring option when Harden is resting.
Well I guess when I say "take a gamble" and mention Reggie Jackson, I'm probably suggesting trading for RJackson with the thought (and trade package quality) that he's the final piece to the puzzle that is worth cashing in anything of value for. I would be surprised if OKC dealt with Morey again, but if he's offering the Pelles pick, the Rockets 2017 first rounder, good young players like D-Mo & Jones, taking on bad salary, etc. etc..... you know... Presti isn't dumb. He's going to go with the best offer of course, and right now I'd be surprised if any team out there was even offering a potential lottery pick for Jackson. I don't however, think Morey is going to be offering that kind of package. So when I say "take a gamble" its that. If he's offering Papanikolaou and 2 second round picks... that's not a gamble. Morey obviously didn't "take a gamble" on Rajon Rondo so I'm kind of iffy on Morey's thoughts of RJackson as a starting caliber PG next to Harden for years to come. If he wasn't I'd have to think he'd already be a Rocket. That is unless Presti is ok with Jackson riding the bench in the 4th quarter knowing the threats of him taking his QO to leave the following year in free agency. This is usually the situation where you see players get traded. Not in situations like Lawson is in, or Rubio are in. You are looking at teams that think they are going to turn it around soon, and have that young player locked up for sometime. They obviously see them as a big part of their future.
It doesn't need to be a 6th man.... really you want someone that will play 30+ minutes a game. The Rockets just need some that can create/score when Harden is sitting and at the end of games when Harden gets a double team.
One suggestion Doc Rocket appeared to hint at (like a Plan C) could be Greivis Vásquez of Toronto. 6'6" PG that could come off the bench. Is on the books for this year and next at 6+M per. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>There R NO dragons in Houston. Period! You CAN grieve about it or drink the best beer. But wipe ur chin, ur dribbling. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedNation?src=hash">#RedNation</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rockets?src=hash">#Rockets</a></p>— Doc Rocket (@Thedocrocket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thedocrocket/status/556981702929571840">January 19, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/fyrebear">@fyrebear</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/treykline">@treykline</a> If I COULDn't keep my pet dragon, I'd focus on GRIEVEing...& then drinking.</p>— Doc Rocket (@Thedocrocket) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thedocrocket/status/557001195596693504">January 19, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
With all due respect to the doctor, Greivis is a pretty essential piece on the third place team in the east. He even started yesterday. Don't think Doc had a source on those tweets.
All of this points to the fact that on Morey's big board with pro's and cons to make deals, there is actually a possibility they look to upgrade the position in an unforeseen way which could either be on the roster already (ala trading Rafer to give Brooks PT) or pulling a PG out of the hat somewhere with a random small trade or signing that makes a big difference (ALA the Pat Bev signing). There is the notion that Morey will do his typical "Comfort Foods Diet" with McHale and trade Beverley to take that comfort food away from McHale and give PT to Canaan, and Shved. Its worked out before with the Alston trade, the Budinger trade, the Scola amnesty, the Battier trade, etc. but those weren't in "contending situations". Still... the team took off after alot of those trades so who knows. I wouldn't put a Pat Beverley or a Jason Terry trade past Morey if he thinks taking away "Comfort Foods" will open things up for other more dynamic players. Maybe there is some 3rd stringer out there nobody has thought of yet that is a future stud that he gets that leaves us scratching our heads afterwards.
Denver just does not give up their best player for some 14 overall pick in the draft. They are going to want players in return, good young players. Players named Donatas for instance. If they are fielding offers for Lawson trust that there will be a bidding war and if the Rockets want him they are going to have to sacrifice some things. The guy is 2nd in assists, you are not going to just get him for some picks and a dleague player.
What other teams with a need for a PG (and have moveable assets) will create this "bidding war" for Lawson?
