....or two, or three. The Rockets will never have an opportunity like this again, so we MUST make the best possible deals. Everyone is talking about trading the #1 pick, as if we can only make one deal. I propose that we make several deals that fall one after the other, kind of like dominoes. So, instead of drafting one player, that MIGHT become a dominant franchise player (Ming), I say we make a series of trades to net us 2 or 3 current NBA players, a couple of solid rookies, & pay off our debt to Memphis. Ming, imo, will not lead us to the promised land for at least two years & possibly, never. Let someone else think he is the next coming of Dream, Kareem, or Shaq & get as much as we can to stock this team for years to come. First off, we have to trade down one spot with Chicago. So, I propose this deal first: Houston sends Cato/Collier/#1 pick/Drew obligation to Chicago. Chicago sends Curry/Fizer/#2 pick to Houston. Or, if the Rockets prefer Kwame, we could do a 3 way with Washington. Houston sends Cato/Collier/#1 pick/Drew obligation to Chicago. Houston sends KT to Washington. Chicago sends Curry to Washington. Chicago sends Fizer/#2 pick to Houston. Washington sends Kwame to Houston. My next deal would be with the Clippers. While I'd like to get Kandi in the deal, they won't be able to do a sign & trade until after the signing moratorium (mid July). Maybe, we could draft the player that they want & do the deal after the deadline, but that is highly risky & I would have to think long & hard about it. Besides, in order to pay Memphis back, we wouldn't be able to wait. In any event, I'd do this deal with the Clippers: Houston sends Rice/#2 pick to the Clippers. The Clippers send Odom/Rooks(expiring contract)/#8/#12 picks to Houston. Screw Memphis, if we do this right, they can have our late round #1 pick next year. I'd trade both the #8 & #12 picks to Denver for the #5 pick. I'm assuming that they'll be interested in getting more lottery picks, instead of picking just one player (They have to put talent around McDyess now or risk losing him). With the #5 pick, I pick the best available athlete. With the #15 pick, I take the best available center. Marcus, if he's available. Our new lineup would be: C: Willis/Curry or Kwame/#15 pick (Marcus, Stoudemire, Borchardt, Ely?) PF: Taylor/Griffin/Fizer SF: Odom/#5 pick (Butler, Dunleavy, Woods?)/T-Mo SG: Mobley/Torres or second round pick? PG: Francis/Brown or McInnis for mid-level exception? It might take a year or two for this team to mature & gel together, but that would be a dominant lineup for years to come. What do you say?
First off, I am in the ming camp. 7'5" centers who can be dominant don't grow on trees. That said, Chicago would laugh in your face, so nix both the first two deals. Also, I like Yao a lot more than Curry. The clippers deal, no Kandi means no dice. These trades are not worth giving up the number 1 or are likely not plausible. 7'5' centers with awesome shooting skills are not available often and we will not be lottery bound for long if at all in the next few years. Thus, keep the pick and take Ming. Let the Ming Dynasty begin.
I like the Chicago scenario with a twist: Houston sends Cato/Collier/#1 pick/Drew obligation to Chicago. Chicago sends Curry/Fizer/#2 pick to Houston. Houston sends Rice/#2 pick to the Clippers. Houston sends Fizer and Thomas to New York for #7. The Clippers send Odom/Rooks(expiring contract)/#8/#12 picks to Houston. Houston sends #8 and #12 to Denver for #5. Now we have picks #5 (Woods), #7 (Wilcox or Stoudemire), #15 (Marcus or Welsch), Odom and Curry/
I have one 3-way trade in mind. I don't want to lose Franchise, but if he's as intractable as TroyBaros and Doc Rocket imply...if he actually would rather leave than play with Yao Ming (and we will find out soon enough) trade him to Chicago for the #2 pick. That player will be JayDub, who we send to Cleveland in exchange for Andre Miller, whom we re-sign to the maximum contract (as he deserves, but which Cleveland won't pay). If all this is jumping the gun, if Steve wants to stay, then never mind. But if Steve's gonna be a baby, I'd rather have a real point guard anyway. He'd kick A in Chicago because Jalen Rose would help run the show. In the East, they'd be in the playoffs. Us? With Andre Miller, Eddie Griffin, and Yao Ming to build around? Come on, DaDakota, back me up here!
roxtxia- that's a badass team but an even better one is: francis, griffin, ming i know you don't want to lose steve but i had to say it anyway.
As in all my other posts, I am a proponent of keeping Ming. However, we're all just foolin' around here because it's waaaaay too early in the trade or draft game. So, in that light, because I'm concerned with the growing posse situation on the Rockets (sure looks like no one passes to a non-posse member), let's try this: Draft Ming Trade Steve and Cat to Chicago for #2 (Williams), #30 (Dickau), Chandler and Rose. Draft Stoudemire or Marcus at #15 C -- Ming, Cato, Stoudemire/Marcus PF - Griffin, Mo Taylor, Thomas SF - Chandler, Rice, T. Morris SG - Rose, Torres, Walt Williams PG - Jay Williams, Norris, Dickau
Hottodie: I with you on the Clippers deal but with this twist for future picks: Rockets send # 1, Cato( Contract) and Thomas( if necessary) Clips send Odom, Kandi, # 8 and #12 to Rocks Rocks send 8 and 12 to Memphis for #4. ( Jerry would love to get and additional pick in Memphis to build more talent base) ( This also settles the pick we owe Memphis) Rocks take Butler with #4 and with #15( We still have this one remember!) Rockets take Stoudemire. Roster for Rockets: Kandi, Stoudemire Taylor, Griffin, Odom/Rice, Butler, Tmo Francis/Norris Mobley/Butler I know it's an all Clipper front line, that just happens to have a #1, #4, and #8 overall picks in the last 4 drafts. In essence we get 3 lottery picks ( Kandi, Odom, and Butler) and a middle first round pick for Ming or whoever the Clips want. I do believe that the only stickler in this scenario is Kandi's free agent status. I don't know that he's excercised his option yet and if he hasn't, Don't be surprised if this goes down. Pops intimated that it would be hard to turn down two starters. That would be Odom and Kandi.
Houston would be taking in more salary than sending out..........so not feasible under salary cap rules. Krause wouldn't send everything in the package that you proposed. Mango
Come on! Cato, Thomas and #1 for Odom, Kandi Man, #8, and #12! Do you really think that the Clips would consider this???? Seriously!! You're in fantasy land if you really think that trade will ever happen!
Greg3 You act as if the Clippers are getting absolutely nothing. If nothing else the right to the #1 overall pick gets more than 8 and 12. The Rocks traded 3 #1's last year to get to # 7. Odom from all reports and what appears to be obvious is tradeable. Cato replaces the center they lose and Thomas is a backup. Give them Moochie too if necessary. I don't see too much fantasy in that. Besides since when has Donald Sterling wanted to pay for two lottery picks, not to mention two soon to be free agents in Kandi and Odom? Think about it.
Hottoddie I have also suggested a domino trade scenario. We are in a unique situation in that Chicago and GS both need a PG and both are in love with Ming. I suggest we call Chicago and GS and play them against each other. Knowing all along that Chicago is getting the pick. Trade with Chicago make them throw in Eddie Curry to assure they draft Ming instead of JW and swap picks. Chicago gets #1 pick Ming and say KT or #15. Houston gets #2 pick and Curry. Curry is more than 2 years younger than Ming, has the same potential if not more IMO and doesn’t come with all the red tape. From here we would have several options. Here is a couple of possibilities. Option #1. Call up GS tell them you are thinking about trading the pick to Memphis who wants J Williams since Ming is now gone. Tell them we will trade picks with them if you throw Danny Fortson in. GS gets #2 pick JW and fodder Houston gets #3 pick and Fortson. Then we could pick which ever SF impresses the most in workouts, Woods, Dunleavy or Butler. Now we have made our frontcourt deep and versatile by adding Curry, Fortson and draft pick (most likely) Dunleavy. We come out of the draft with a C, PF and SF. C Cato Curry PF Fortson Griffin Mo T SF Draft Pick (Dunleavy) T Mo SG Mobley Torres PG Francis Mooch OR Option #2. Call Memphis and tell them we will trade Griffin and the #2 for Gasol and #4. Memphis gets #2 pick (JW) and Griffin. Houston gets #4 pick and Gasol and fodder. With the fourth pick we could pick a SF or PF depending on were you project Gasol playing. There will be a lot of good talent to choose from at #4. Gooden, Wilcox, Woods, Butler, Wagner, maybe even Dunleavy. Maybe even trade down and pick up Stoudamire, Tskitishvili or Hilario and future considerations. C Cato Curry PF MoT (Draft Pick) SF Gasol T Mo SG Mobley Torres PG Francis Mooch Either way our team is better than last years. I'm still not convinced that we should trade the #1 (Ming) but it sure is fun dreaming up these trades.
I think a more probable scenerio would be a trade with NY Knicks. The Knicks are infatuated with Ming. They would trade their 7th pick + Latrell Spreewell for #1 pick + Glen Rice. May be the numbers don't work out, but I'm sure NY will do their best to get Ming. With the 7th pick the Rockets would get a quality player, like Ne Ne from Brazil. He's a banger. A 5 or a 4.
NY has nothing we want. Let me repeat that, NY has nothing we want. Not a 33 year old Sprewell or an injury waiting to happen center or an over paid shooting gaurd or, well you get the picture. I hope! Let me say it again just in case. NY has nothing we want.
EG and the 15th pick for Marion Francis Mobley Marion Taylor/Thomas Ming/Cato WHO DON'T LOVE THAT ONE??
I gotta agree, NY has absolutely nothing the Rockets want. Even with the seventh pick I've people say pick up Nene Hilario. If we had that pick I'd rather see the Rockets pick up Stoudemire. Both are raw, really raw and need time to develop, and at least when Stoudemire stops growing he'll most likely be able to play center. As for trading EG, see my earlier post on that. Griffin has the potential to be a superstar in this league. I like Marion, but not that much.
Since you owe memphis a top 13 pick this year or a unprotected pick next year, your trade is the the #4 straight up for the #8 ... ... Have any idea how Jerry West will reply when Huston offers the #8 pick for the #4 pick?
OK, I'll play this domino game... First, I think we should get Ming... but with that said, and only IF everyone else got into serious Ming Mania, and people actually coveted certain top players enough to make these trades, then I'd probably do them... And Francis, I really love him... but if he really IS only thinking of getting into the playoffs next year, and isn't willing to help Houston develop into a Championship team, and would actually hold the Rocket's hostage (thats some VERY big ifs...) then I think we'd have to consider trading him, in the process. It would be time to blow up the team, since our chemistry would be gone. Be sure we rebuild with pieces that lead to a championship team. So, what are the agendas of the top teams, so we could make domino trades... Chicago wants Williams (or Francis). Golden State would probably kill to get Ming West's strategy at Memphis is to somehow get Dunleavy, then have his dad coach the team. LAC wants Wagner Cleveland wants to unload Miller, needs SG, PF [/list=1] these would be the key pivots. I don't see any way that Chicago would let go of Curry just to jump one spot, and they aren't in love with Cato, like they used to be when Tim Floyd was there. If they got the top pick, I think they'd still want to get JW. So, we'd have to rustle sabers that we are wondering about taking Williams instead of Ming. Then strike a deal with Chicago, sending them Francis for the #2, their pick next year, convert future owed #1 into unconditional 2004 pick, and Crawford. Then we trade the #1 pick for Ming to Golden State for Jason Richardson and the #3, and next year's #1. This is critical. They would prefer to give us Jamison. They either want it, or they don't. I think they'd want Ming for the marketing value alone, enough to cough up Richardson. If we didn't get the 2003 pick, I'd still do it. We then take Williams with the #2 pick. We trade the #3 pick to Memphis, so they can take Dunleavy. They forgive us our debt next year, and give us #4. We trade the #4 and Mobely/Norris to LAC for Odom/#8/12, they take Wagner. Denver takes Caron Butler at #5. We trade Williams/KT to Cleveland for Miller/Diop. At #6, Cleveland takes Wilcox. NY take Borchardt at #7. At #8, we take Tskitishvilli. At #9, Phoenix takes Gooden. #10, Miami takes Woods, #11, Washington takes Jared Jeffries. At #12, we take Hilario. At #13, Milwaukee takes Nachbar. At #14, Indiana takes Kareem Rush. At #15, we take Stoudamire. At #38, We take Dixon. Drafting done. We let Collier, Langhi, Brown, and Williams go, or use as trade filler. Now we have: Cato/Hilario/Diop Griffin/Taylor/Stoudamire Odom/Rice/TMo Richardson/Torres/Tskitishvilli Miller/Crawford/Dixon and perhaps as many as 3 draft choices for next year. It will take a year for this team to gel, and they'll end up in the lottery one more year possibly, and have perhaps 3 choices we could package into a high lottery pick, someone like James, Duhon, Perkins, White, etc. We didn't unload any bad contracts, unless you consider Norris's contract bloated. But we've got so many other players cheap, that offsets it. We will have to deal with Odom and Miller next year with max contracts. But Rice's contact would come off the following year, making up for one of them, and we'd have had to give Francis a max contract, so we're actually even after a year. We'd be in the playoffs the following year, and that team could really build into something special, eventually yielding us a championship team, especially with Richardson, Odom, Griffin becoming stars, and a true point guard in Andre Miller. We actually have more experienced players than we do now, and lots more pieces to trade or develop into future stars. I think either Hilario or Stoudamire could be our future center, or we trade for one with all these tradeable commodities. Don't get me wrong. I don't think this will happen, and would only work if everyone got manic draft fever. And this would just be way too many trades to happen during the draft. But it's fun to imagine, if everyone got in a frenzy, and CD kept a cool head.
