Do you throw away the first-round pick for Payton?

Yeah when your PGs go 0-4 and score 0 pts then we will have alot of trouble getting some wins.

 

Nobody is that negative on Payton... they're negative on giving up the 1st round pick.

If we could get him any other way, then fine... but its not worth it.

1st round picks are good commodities... and if you're trying to fill a need (and not just drafting the latest HS phenom), it can be VERY useful.

 

How do you guys feel about trading away the rights to either Spanoulis and/or Badaine to acquire a PG?

Outside of a 1st and the TE, they may the best available trade assets we have. Not sure I would trade either right now, but how do you guys feels about it?

 

Both Spanoulis and Badiane are unproven players. It might be possible to get a low 1st round pick for either of them but it's unlikely IMO.

 

We have the TE and the pick, that is the only thing of remote value we have to trade. Maybe Spoon and a pick, but besides that we have nothing. It isnt like JVG cant effectvly cover Paytons defensive inabilities with a scheme either. Sura's knee has been sore the whole year, he would be doing the same thing. I think Sura will and SHOULD start when he gets back, but Payton may be better than him as an overall player. Probably not in the sense of considering our needs, but for a pick, hell yes. Payton with Sura and Mcgrady or Wesley and Mcgrady on the break is solid, and he will be effective in the half court. The only argument I have against Payton is that our other pg should be a shooter with range, but if we get Payton I would be stoked.

 

If we're really concerned Sura might go down, I'd rather trade for DA than for Payton. DA may not be a point, but I'd rather deal with a backcourt rotation of Wesley, Anderson, and Barry than give up a first-rounder for a partial season rental when we're not going all the way.

 

1 late round pick (Note the catch 22 - if we lose Sura and then need payton but don't get him, the pick doesn't become such a late rounder if assumptions hold true) is probably not that big of a price for Payton.

However, trading away first round picks on theory that they probably won't be much has left us, over time, grasping for scrap heap players like Oakley, Strickland etc just to have enough bodies to fill out our roster. Thus far we've foregone our past two mid round picks, do we really want to make it three? That just kills your depth over time.

Oh yeah, and if he's anything like last year, he sucks, and we're not going all the way this year. We have to fact the facts that, while this team is good, the only members of it that are at all likely to be around when the Rockets are #1 and #11 - the rest of our guys have been around the block a bit too much to not have to replace for the long term (w/the exception of maybe Padgett). Frustrating to start from scratch but it will probably have to happen since our role players are all approaching middle age.

 

true but iam not sure anymore that we will be able to get DA.

 

Imagine Gary Payton playing with the Rockets against the Sonics. Gary Payton would be a firestarter. If the Celtics agree to trade Payton for the trade exception but then also deal Welsch for Gaines and a 1st round draft pick, it should be considered. A lot of this has to depend on whether Malick Badienne is going to be coming on board next year because the 1st round draft pick was probably going to be used on a young power forward.

 

Or is Fisher, in a deal for Mo, a better -- if more expensive, much more expensive -- choice?

Stay away from Snow, but -- a #1 for McInnes?
Is Duhon worth a call? Davis and Duhon for Mo and Spoon?
Would Pop unite brothers Barry for TE + ?

There needs to be someone added, as there has been since Sura's knee.

 

No, Gary Payton is the not the right player to trade this pick for at this time. Honestly, if I was the Rockets I'd look into Mike James in milwaukee(with williams emergence/not to mention ford could return next year and his age I could see the Bucks parting with him at the right price), Rafer Alston in Toronto(longterm contract and attitude reduces attractiveness) and Payton if you can work it out without this years pick included. Also, I would inquire as to the clippers stance on Marko Jaric at this time with Livingston as the future at the point for them.

Of those options, I like James the most, then Jaric if available, and it would depend on the price between Payton and Alston to be honest. Both players have flaws and both bring some attitude baggage that would need to be checked at the door in any trade.

 

Excellent points and i agree wholeheartedly.

 

If I told you that the this pick would result in a Dan Dickau, Carlos Arroyo or Ben Gordon. Would you trade the pick for Gary Payton. Don't trade the pick, we know the upside with GP, half season rental with declining skills. The pick though a gamble has far more possibilities than GP for 3 months.

 

Guys that could probably be available:

Mike James - Bucks
(depends on what they feel is Ford's availability for next season)

Frank Williams - Bulls
(Rotting on IR behind a slew of young PG's)

Steve Blake - Wizards
(Behing Arenas & Dixon on depth chart)

Gary Payton - Celtics
(Expiring contract, try to get something for him)

Rafer Alston - Raptors
(Run-ins with coach, long contract)

Eric Snow - Cavs
(Big contract for a backup)

Sam Cassell - T'Wolves
(Team shake up, wants contract and wearing down)

Troy Hudson - T'Wolves
(Team shake up, long contract as backup)

Damon Stoudemire - Blazers
(Expiring contract, try to get something for him)

Nick Van Exel - Blazers
(Expiring contract, try to get something for him)

Derek Anderson - Blazers
(Big contract for someone not playing)

Derek Fisher - Warriors
(Big contract for a backup)

Marko Jaric - Clippers
(Expiring contract, try to get something for him, oft-injured, not their future)

 

Trade for whatever just don't give up a 1st rd pick.

 

Trading for Derek Fisher would be a good alternative if self-mutilation didn't work.

 

Yes.

 

I say get GP and to hell with the first rounder. You guys have way too much faith in CD and his draft decisions. I believe the last good point guard we got in a draft was Sam I am. Francis was basically given to us. I don't want to have those same old rocket years repeated when we had a nice squad with Matt Balloney at the point. God I hated the wuss. Him and Brent Price. At least GP will bring all that he has everytime. Especially playing for a good team back in the West again. Do something Cd if Syrup is not going to be healthy time is running out. I like this team. Because it is a team this year and man if they get past the first round in the playoffs every team will be crapping thier pants.

 

i hope i am absolutely wrong but this team looks toast without sura. as crazy as it sounds he is arguably as valuable as yao or t-mac. tonight the refs gave the game away but even had we won you can see all the things that bob brings to the table and all the flexibility on defense he allows cause he is pretty big 1-guard. we'll still hold on to a playoff seed but unless he comes back soon or we make a trade it won't be a long run.

as well as the rockets have played i think it's too easy to dismiss them as legit contenders even if we didn't expect them to be so soon. if payton can bring atleast 75% of what sura does AND we know bob has to be out significantly then i do the trade. i hate giving up a first round pick and i've been adamant about keeping it all year, but if this team doesn't get pg help i feel like we've essentially taken what could be a VERY VERY VERY special season and made it an average one. that would be too dissapointing considering what we know they're capable of. t-mac cannot be expected to shoulder pg duties while also being the primary scorer and playing 40+ minutes. it won't be good for him or the team.

 

And if I told you the pick would result in Joe Forte, Brandon Armstrong, or Roshown McLeod?

Dan Dickau has been trade six times in 3 years. Carlos Arroyo was undrafted and cut by the Raptors. Ben Gordon was the #3 overall- give me a #3 overall, and I won't trade it for Payton.

Dickau and Arroyo are practically counterexamples- they blossomed for teams other than the ones that they started with. So our best bet is a project PG who will need time to develop and may or may not be with us if he happens to blossom? Gee, wonderful.

People are seriously underplaying Payton. He's putting up numbers equal to, if not better than Sura's.