Well crap, definitely didn't see Lawson getting his 2nd DUI and get traded this fast, my bad guys...guess Morey's a bigger wizard than I gave him credit for. Amazing what being patient, having flexibility, multiple small assets, and a ballsy owner can get accomplished. This reminds me a ton of the Pau Gasol trade to the Lakers; a semi-disgruntled star gets dumped for a shockingly low return, where the key asset is a first round pick, and a willingness to absorb significant salary. And look at what the Rockets ended up trading to the Nuggets beside the first rounder; Joey Dorsey's 2-year contract, which everyone wanted to eat last year. Kostas Papanikolaou, a guy with some role-player potential, who got overpaid last year in exchange for a very unusual, extremely late guarantee date on his second year. Prigioni, who has a non-guaranteed contract, and was acquired at the trade deadline for playoff insurance. And finally, Nick Johnson, who was one of the by-products of one of Morey's most underrated moves: acquiring Marcus Camby at the deadline from the Blazers for filler and a 2012 2nd round pick (number 40, Will Barton). Marcus plays well, though not well enough to prevent a stretch-run collapse, and after the season is sign-and-traded to the Knicks for Toney Douglas, filler, a 2014 2nd round pick (number 42, Nick Johnson), and a 2015 2nd round pick (number 32, Montrezl Harrell). Basically, a free pick generated out of thin air. Douglas would later be used in the trade to Sacramento for Francisco Garcia and Thomas Robinson, and Robinson would be further flipped to Portland for 2 second rounders, one of which was used to acquire KJ McDaniels, and two Euro-prospects, Marko Todorovic, and...Kostas Papanikolaou. For those keeping track at home, that means the assets used today can trace their roots back 4 seasons, and an in-season, trade deadline deal to plug a hole. We sometimes overuse the phrase, "playing chess when everyone else is playing checkers", but it really is amazing to look at the lineal origin of these Rocket deals, and how rarely you see an asset simply leave for nothing. Today's a good day for the Rockets. Lets' hope Lawson is more Ron Artest, and less Rajon Rondo...
Les needs to lock up Morey for another 10 years! I laughed when I saw we got Ty Lawson and a 2nd round pick for nothing more than a protected 1st and role players that have had small impact on games thus far. Morey is likely to draft a better player with the Nuggets 2nd than the Nuggets will draft with our 1st. Checkmate!
