Is Morey's package for Denver better than the Knicks' or Nets'?

Martin and Bud plus NY draft pick.

Get it done Morey!

 

Any trade for Carmelo will have to include our best asset, which is Aaron Brooks on a rookie contract. Add that to the other assets and it trumps the other teams. The question is does that improve our team?

AB, Hill, Battier, JJ and NY picks for Carmelo and Lawson works salary wise. We can also use the TE to take on an additional bad contract to sweeten the pot. This package in terms of young talent and financial relief far exceeds just Gallinari or Lopez/Favors.

So the real question is do we want to give up all that? Does it make us better?

Lowry/Lawson
Martin/Lee
Carmelo/Budinger
Scola/Hayes/Patterson
Yao/Miller

Essentially we upgrade from one 20 point scorer that does little else to a near 30 point scorer that does little else. Losing Hill doesn't effect much in terms of team success, as he is easily replaced by Patterson. We lose in terms of financial flexibility, but that is the price to pay for talent upgrade. Also the potential benefits of the picks are lost, but that has no immediate effect on team success, and is a gamble in the future.

The big plus here is for Lowry to get his starting spot, which I have a feeling would make Morey very happy. Lowry balances out the starting lineup with much needed defense and playmaking. Even if we have to give up Budinger in the deal, that is made up with Lawson.

All in all, it gives us a talent upgrade, and creates excitement and financial benefits that the owner would appreciate.

 

I think they may want Lowry. Lowry is Billups jr.

 

To the OP, we're very close to the quality of assets, if not superior since I doubt New jersey will offer favors or Lopez. As for New York with Galinari, don't know how much Denver values him. If we're not first among quality, we're certainly a close second.

But our quantity of assets beats theres, factor that in with D-Money's abilities and you got yourself a winner.

We'll see if he actually comes here. I won't put the cart before the horse, but I'll be very happy, if he did come here. He's that superstar that'll put us over the top provided he's coming at a price that is worth it.

 

Is Galinary any better than Buddinggerr. They seem pretty similar to me in terms of current state and upside.

 

Lowry at $6M a year the next 4 years is probably not what a rebuilding team would want. Same reason why I didn't suggest Kevin Martin like some others. They would be looking for young talent on rookie scale, expirings, and picks. Not $10M/year contracts for the next half decade.

 

It all depends on what Denver wants to do. If they want to blow it all up and have a lottery season they will choose NJ's package. If they want to remain competitive while also picking up some nice pieces they will choose the Rockets package. NYC's package is not competitive at all.

 

Can they offer a better package? Maybe.

Will those other teams have to gut their roster to get Melo? Probably.

Would Melo want to join a gutted Nets/Knicks team that's not very good good to begin with? Doubtful.

We are basically 2 deep at every position which is the reason why we can contend even if we trade for Melo. I'm fairly certain this is important to Melo.

 

Gallinari got scorched.

 

If they are trading Melo straight up then our best trading chip (Brooks) does not really work .....but maybe something like:

Battier, Jeffries, Budinger and Hill would make it work.....

I am not sure Melo could work with Brooks and Martin though.....he would have to take a LOT less shots in Houston......a lot less.

DD

 

Why not?

 

They don't need a PG, they have Billups and Lawson already.....and they would need a replacement at SF.

Battier and CBud would probably be more interesting to them, as Battier is expiring and Cbud is up and coming.

And if you are going to enter rebuild mode, might as well go all in.....

DD

 

Melo is a player that a team can build around. The rockets should be willing to give the nuggets anything that they want.

 

I know the numbers say they are "efficient." But I mean in a team sense.

At no point watching the Nuggets the past few years did you get a sense of flow or a system where players played off each other other than Smith or Billups launching 3 pts on a few pass outs and Nene or Martin dunking off put backs. They were 18th/30 teams last year in assists, and at their pace, that is remarkably low. There was a lot of one-on-one play instead in any offensive sets to go with the fast breaking.

As a result it is not a very efficient consistently. Looking beyond the yearly averages, only Billups & Nene showed any consistency. You never knew what to expect from the others.

In contrast, the Rockets system from last year seemed to stress more of a flow, a team game that we all loved last year. It ended up breaking down at times some due to injuries, lack of a closer/leader, or what not, but on the whole it provided for more of a general consistent efficiency. If a player was not playing well, they did not force the issue and others would step in.

Yes the Rockets end result average efficiency was lower than the Nuggets last year, but you would expect that given Carmelo was playing for them, and Yao was not playing for the Rockets.

 

the nets apparently have a 2012 warriors first round pick (top 7 protected). just wanted to add that in there.

 

I think we are in better position now having made that multi-team trade with the Nets. Not quite sure if it makes us "better," but it helps out a lot. Remember the TE we have now was part of just open cap space that the Nets could have used. While we can't combine the TE in a package to the Nuggets, that trade we made took away about 9 million in pure cap space from the Nets. Still being three million under the cap, the Nets now must return about 13 million in salary to the Nuggets. So while they could have just given the Nuggets a 13 million TE and Favors, they now can only absorb about 4 million and must come up with another 8 million after Favors contract is accounted for. I'm not saying we can match a player of Favors capabilities, but that is the only edge they have now. Before they could offer immediate cap relief in the form a of a major TE (see Jazz, Boozer) and Favors plus possibly draft picks.

I don't see them trading Lopez, who in my opinion, based on age, potential, position, and contract, is actually more valuable than Melo. At any rate, including both of them leaves the Nets with no front-court (assuming Murphy is included in the trade). The Nuggets are a good team, whichever team Melo goes to must have potential to be comparable or better.

Looking at their roster, that makes the only trade possible a Favors, Murphy, and draft pick for Melo. The Knicks can offer a comparable package in Gallo, Curry, and Randolph. These are great packages, and the Rockets have their work cut out for them to convince Melo that we are his best chance at winning. Perhaps then he narrows his list to just the Rockets, who according to ESPN, has one of the top 5 futures in the NBA.

We could offer Battier, Jefferies, Brooks, Hill, our pick 2011, Knicks pick 2012 and a TE for Melo and Lawson (TE and Lawson essentially being a separate deal).

Rockets would be able to run-

Ming
Scola
Melo
Martin
Lowry


Can the Nets and Knicks match that line up after their trades?

Lopez
Humphries
Melo
Outlaw
Harris

Turiaf
Amare
Melo
Chandler
Felton

 

Why would we trade Brooks, and not Kevin?

Kevin is the one that doesn't fit in here if Carmelo comes. Can't have Melo, Martin, Brooks perimeter defense. That's worse in the league. With the worse pick & roll defense too.

Something like giving Jordan, Chase, Kevin and a future Rockets 1st for Melo would be suitable. Then sending our TE for one of thier long(er) contracts like Chris Andersen? He'd fit well here in Houston, and he's from here too.

 

1. If we trade Brooks then we need to get Lawson back.

2. If they trade Melo, they are rebuilding. I doubt a rebuilding team would hesitate on any of their trades because of a 34 year old Billups.

3. Sure they would have interest in Battier and Budinger. That's why you trade them with Brooks.

 

I think Denver will find Morey's package to be much bigger and satisfying than NYK's or NJN's.