How about the Rockets give the Grizzlies Francis back and we take Gasol... HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
You know what? Pau and Yao in the post would not be soft. I would love to see teams try to attack the middle against that frontline. Can you imagine them playing the Tim Duncan/David Robinson high low game. Both are capable shooters out to 18 feet, both are murder in the post, both are young, and Pau is great off the dribble. Add in a good pick and roll PG and some shooters and let the titles roll in.... I would trade anyone on our team and you guys should to if it would put them both together.
I would have a concern about Yao and Gasol being soft as I said before. We certainly would not be talking the Dallas Mavericks though, just look at what the Rockets defense has done with Yao/MoT in the power positions for the most part, but I agree they would need that enforcer/physical player to go along with Yao/Gasol. Offensively a load, defensively the Rockets would be much better off with a more physical 4 like Elton Brand for maybe Randolph. That said, Yao and Gasol would block a lot of shots taken by other guys players. The softness (more a lack of physicality than really Maverick softness) could be taken up by a Najara (dirty + physical) or KT (strong and quick + physical) type to play the 3 and back up 4. A 3 way with Gasol coming to Houston, something comparable to Memphis (unless they want Francis back) and a 3rd team (taking Francis if neccesary) would be interesting. If we could get your choice of Posey, Mike Miller or Wells we would be willing to send you your choice of Cato or MoT also.
MemphisX, 1) do you think ya'll would match a 6 year 40 mil (full MLE) contract for Swift? 2) is the same managment that SF shafted still in place or would he be a viable option there.
1. Yes without a doubt. 2. No, Stu Jackson is now over NBA officiating which explains the horrible shape NBA officiating is in right now.
Haven't we taken enough risky bets over these years? Cato, MoT, EG, Rice, Mochiee? We have a cornerstone in Yao, and a valuable asset in SF who will either become another cornerstone, or be traded for other valuable players. Why taking risky bets now? We need to address the problem at 1 and 4. the problem on guard positions can be solved by SF or by trading SF. The trade exemption money can be used to bring in help on 4. Then we wait for the bad contracts to expire, and wisely spend them to build a supporting cast around Yao for his prime years. No more bad contracts that may tie our hands when Yao is ready to deliver!
DS, if you look up some statistics, I think you will find that our 3 ranks better than Memphis's 3. We outplay opponents on 2, 3, and 5. 1 and 4 are the problems. Leting Posey go didn't hurt us a thing.
I hate to disagree with such established posters like memphisx, but I just don't see the grizz trading gasol. I also live in memphis and follow the team as well. For one thing, how one can say swift is being slotted as gasol's replacement baffles me since west has made it known swift is on the block to every gm in the league since he stepped off the plane in memphis. Last trade deadline, for example, swift was offered for dampier, but word is golden state wanted battier instead. Memphis offer'd earl watson, jake Tsakalidis, and swift. In an article today in the commercial appeal taking about the injury to lo' wright, brown choose to go with Tsakalidis as a starter, even though swift had been given the back up job at season start. Hubie was quoted as saying: "Swift has to get his game together. Since the trade deadline he's had maybe one good game. What we need right now is for him to pick it up." And with all the great 4's in the west, too. You are going to tell me swift will be the guy. The only reason I can see the grizz trading gasol is for star power. Since most casual fans follow stars, having a kobe or a t-mac would make business sense, but not basketball sense. The grizz need another guard/forward combo like they need a hole in their head, even if it is t-mac and kobe. Both of those players need to be the man, and that is just not how the grizz have been trained to play. Our team plays the way it does because there are no egos. We rotate 10, the most in the league. That is hubie's style, and so why the hell would we break up that chemistry for a star player who may or may not make the team better, for like others have said to get t-mac or kobe it will take much more. In fact, what the grizz really need is a center, not a 2 or anything else. I also disagree that the grizz will be lottery bound next year if we don't make a move, and that they have hit the ceiling. What a stupid thing to say when the grizz are one of the youngest teams in the league. We aren't close to hitting the ceiling, and even though I know this will offend, ask any gm in the league which team they would rather have and I double anyone would say the rockets over the grizz. The grizz have a better bench, a better 4, 3, 2. and really a better 1, even though francis would command more in a trade because of his athletic talent. Yao is the man, and he is clearly better than anyone we have on our team, but he is one one player and that alone isn't enough to make the rockets more desireable than the grizz.
I have to disagree. Memphis has a much better 4 in Gasol. On 3, Posey and JJ are even but since memphis has Wells so I will give them the edge. Rox has a better backcourt in SF+Cat. Although they didn't match up with Miller+Williams very well, but check their stats, they are the better pair. Yao has no match. Talent wise, Rox has the edge. I bet most GM's will like to take Rox over Grizz. There is only one player on Grizz roster, Gasol, who is likely to be a borderline superstar. That is not enough to go anywhere beyond 1st round playoff. They need to acquire another big star, which is very difficult nowadays. Besides, Grizz is a speed team, but lacks power and size, which are important in the west. This year, Grizz won some games against west top teams because they were incomplet, or rusty early in the season. That helped them to get where they are now.
Those statistical comparisons can be misleading. Our 3s should have good stats because the defense has to focus on Yao Ming #1, and our guards #2. Same deal with the Spurs, the presence of TD inflates the efficieny of guys like Parker, Manu, Rasha, Rose and Bowen. I do admit JJ has been close to as effective as Posey would have been, the problem is that he is 32 or 33 and is a short term fix. Further, JJ can't play 48 minutes and is also needed in the back-up 2 spot at times, and there is no Rocket back-up 3 or 2 who is close to as effective as Posey--Pike and A Griffin have simply not provided 1/5th of what Posey would have at half the price (plus like JJ they are older/short term fix players too). It is quite clear the choice of these two for close to 3 million bring much less bang for the buck than Posey at close to five mil--which was the choice we made at the time. We have the 5 spot solidified for the next 10+ years--this is really the only thing going for us, but given it is Yao Ming this is a huge thing going for us for sure. I think we also have the 2 spot solidified with Mobley for the next 5 years. So that leaves us with holes in the 4 spot, 3 spot and 1 spot--assuming we trade Francis. And that means even if we parley Francis in into two good players (say the 4 & 1 or 3 & 1) we have one major hole left. Had we had Posey, at least we could have know we have a solid 3 for the long term (in addition to having a servicable starter or excellent 6th man behind Jim Jackson/Cat right now) and only needed to focus on the 4 spot and 1 spot. In summary, under the ideal scenario, say Francis draws a good PG and good forward in a trade, we still need to find that other starting quality forward. We have further reduced our chances at getting that player in house with traded away a lot of our near term mid level (late first, early 2nd) draft picks where you might find a KT, Cat, or Cassell every once and a while. That leaves us with the MLE as the only option left. And sorry to get an good quality forward, especially if we don't get a power forward in return for Francis, takes risks. Because proven power forwards in their prime earn a heck of a lot more than the MLE. Thus you are left with overpaying for a vet 4 with weaknesses (like Orlando has done with Howard) or trying an MLE on a guy unproven as a starter but possibly with talent to be a solid long term contributer. From this year's crop the most likely possibilities are Swift and Etan Thomas. Of course my ideal would be to trade Francis for a 4 (e.g., Brand, Gasol, Randolph, KMart), if we could trade Francis and MoT or Cato for the 4 and a vet 1 that would be even better. In short we better do a darn good job with trading Francis because we don't have much commodites or draft potential for quite some time and have 3 holes to fill do to bonehead moves like trading KT and a draft pick for Posey that letting Posey go over the threat of a potential luxury cap hit. We put profit margins way ahead of team potential--I think it is plainly obvious now.
Just want to say this is on point. If we're going to trade Francis, we better get what we NEED in return. No, we do not need Ray Allen. We need a suitable forward. Some prefer a better PF than SF, I prefer a better SF and decent PF. In addition, a roleplaying PG like Snow.
Of course you first point is true, because only 1 team has Yao Ming. But if Yao Ming had the rest of the Grizzlies instead of the rest of the Rockets the Grizzlies would have a chance at a ring next year if not this year. I put Gasol and Francis in the same level of company, and no one in their right mind still put these two with the likes of a Yao Ming or Lebron as a potential future franchise player.
With the MLE or lower FA signings you have a much greater chance at getting a servicable 1, 2 or 3, which is really why if we trade Francis I want to first target an excellent 4. Now if the best player possible in return is a 1 or 3 I would consider this route, but it is not my preference--say if the best offer is Marion, Arenas, Terry, or Hinrich PLUS a potentially servicable 4 or lotto pick that could turn into a good 4.
I wonder if cato was on the block would west offer swift. I don't know, but with each's track record it seems like an even trade to fill need.
Cato has a much worse contract and Swift is a RFA where the Grizzlies hold all the cards, the Grizzlies would need substantial addition compensation. (e.g., us taking a really bad contract--though it looks like the Grizz have done a fine job getting rid of their bad contracts except for Wright, or giving up Francis or Mobley in a multi-player deal)
I just cannot see that. that grizz team plus Yao will not go far in playoff. However, if we have Gasol, then we will have a shot at a ring next year.
DS, what JJ provides that Posey cannot is leadership and consistency. It is very imporatant for this transition process. Regarding Pike and AG: JVG rely on 7 or 8 men rotation, and doesn't give players much chance. Had Posey been JJ's backup, he wouldn't have many play time either. I know between JJ and Posey, I will start JJ.
