lafrentz deal-curious on attractiveness to nuggets fans

bet ya didnt expect me here. surprise!

that part where you thought about throwing in your pick this year...that was some good thinking. now put those thoughts into action and make a new proposal. your on the right track. i like the way you think.

 

We can't throw our pick in from this year until the end of the season because of the Grizzlies obligation. Raef is not worth a top 8 pick anyway.

 

The Rockets should hold on to the Toronto pick until we know the ranking of our #1 pick. If we draw #1, we're in Ming heaven. Anything less may require packaging the picks and perhaps a player to get the best pick possible. Then perhaps the Rocks can score again with another superior player like we did with the Griffin (still wish I could figure out how to paste some neat mythological beast pix to go with Griffin posts).

I once looked only at center drafts, but, with Cato's vastly improved play, I have begun to spedulate about SF possibilities like Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Rod Grizzard.

 

Nugzfan-I don't think the Rockets would include this year's lotto pick. Maybe put a top 10 restriction on it on the off chance they heat up.

The Rockets aren't going to the playoffs, so that'd be basically trading an upper lotto pick, for the rights to negotiate with Lafrentz.

I'm thinking the Rockets would go something like KT/Walt/Toronto #1/possibly the Chicago pick(s) for Lafrentz and we'd take someone off your hands that has an extra year (I think you mentioned McCloud).

You'd get talent (KT and a #1 pick, maybe more) and get rid of contract.

 

IMO, I don't think LaFrenz and/or McCloud would significantly improve the Rockets -- not with the way Cato is playing of late. It would be okay with me if we traded Collier, Langhi and Thomas for LaFrenz, but somehow I think I can hear Nugzfan howling already!

 

I really don't think it's worth trading our draft picks for a player who can be signed thru FA this off season. I pretty sure he's gonna opt out of his contract this off-season. Although, I wouldn't rule out having to do a sign and trade to get him.

 

heh. if kt is talent, then raef is talent. and mccloud is already in the last year of a contract, so we dump nothing. the pick is not great (toronto).

(im my best whiny 6 year old kids voice, jumping up and down throwing a fit): but i want YOOOOOOOUR pick!!!

 

mccloud defintely wont improve the rockets. in fact, out of all the basketball players in the world he would improve the rockets LESS than everyone else.

youd be better with me on the rocks. i got mad skillz (with a z)

 

Raef is another bigman that can shoot and block shots. We already have MoTaylor and Eddie Griffin. We need an inside post player that requires a double team. Raef is a luxury we don't need.

 

NugzFan,

How about we engineer a 3 team trade to help you beef up your front line?

Golden State is looking to trade Jackson for an expiring contract & a #1 pick. How about we do this trade?

Houston sends Walt/Toronto's #1 pick or our #1 (top 3 lottery protected) draft pick to Golden State.

Denver sends Raef/Bowen to Houston.
Denver sends Cheaney to Golden State.

Golden State sends Foyle/Jackson to Denver.

Foyle has been playing really well this year & gives you a legitimate center. Jackson gives you a legitimate low post scoring threat & can play both the C/PF positions. The deal still works, if you substitute Fortson for Foyle, but I doubt that GS would go for that.

 

First off, any trade that involves Bowen is out. Bowen is a STUD and hopefully will be a part of the Nugs franchise for his whole career. You know how you guys feel about Bullard? He's our Bullard. Dude changes games. The Nugs let him go and hell will break loose.

I'm just failing to see the logic of trading the only player on our team that plays center for a power forward, something we already have 3 or 4 of. I like KT's game (and am kind of surprised you guys are so eager to dump him), but he's 6'7"(?) so we couldn't even play him at center if we wanted to. Just my humble opinion.

 

We don't need a C. Any draft picks, ending contracts we have, are more of use to us than another C. The Rocket's ARE gonna re-sign Willis next year, and Cato's playing great. He bangs. he plays D. He blocks shots, he rebounds. That's an inside presence. If we get Lafrentz, we have the all-outside shooting team. There's now way cato goes to the bench now.


BUT, i don't know why the Nuggets wouldn't trade Lafrentz, and a cap filler and their pick for Marc Jackson and Adonal Foyle. it makes too much sense. Start Foyle and Jackson right now. When Mcdyess returns, start Mcdyess and Jackson, with Foyle off the bench obviously, and if McDyess decides to opt out of his contract, then Jackson can be sort of a safety net. He's no Mcdyess, but he;s not Ryan Bowen or Chris Andersen either.

 

it's not that we're eager to dump Kenny but there's just no room for KT, MT and EG.

I think most of us here would rather trade Mo (except for The Cat) but his contract and injury make that near impossible.

 

Uhh... Mo taylor blocks shots? Since when? And Mo does *not* have lafrentz-type range. Lafrentz is a three point threat at center. Mo isn't a 3-point threat at PF. Oh, and Raef can actually rebound.

Lafrentz is much more valuable than Mo.

Incidentally, could you imagine a front line of Cato, Lafrentz, and Griffin? That would be hell for penetrators. Not saying, if teh Rockets acquired Raef, that that line-up should start. But if, say, Nick van Exel was torching our pathetic perimeter defense... those guys would be murderous!

Nuggets4:

Outlaw is right... I might even rather give you Mo than KT. I'm really a big fan of Kenny's. He plays hard, gets better, and has anice post game.

 

Honestly, I just don't see a real deal from you guys that would knock my socks off UNLESS you threw in your first round draft pick (no protection, or minimal). I mean, losing Raef, while Dice and Williams are hurt, would mean a starting line-up of Zendon Hamilton at center and George McCloud at power forward (if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go be sick). If we're gonna tank the season, I want a guarantee of a good shot at Ming, Williams or Wagner. Simple as that. The players you do have that's attractive (Griffin, Francis) are rediculous to suggest getting for LaFrentz (I mean, who would trade either of those for an inconsistent power forward/center?).

Then again, I'm not the GM, so I don't know what it would take. Everything I have heard however is that Kiki wants a big man or cap room in exchange (I'm assuming that draft picks come along with the cap room).

Ah, ok. That makes a little more sense.

 

Here's a question:

Would you want to trade Lafrentz for our #1 pick straight-up? Well, Walt or someone would be included to satisfy cap issues... but nobody who would actually help you.

I think this might be a good deal for both sides. The Rockets trade a chance at a lottery pick for a player they want now. The odds will probably be heavily against getting that lottery pick... and the rookies, after the first 3, aren't really "can't miss propositions." I really do like Dunleavy... but it's an intriguing idea.

And the fact that I'm not sure if I'd do it might mean it's actually fair .

I wouldn't want to part with KT as well, though.

 

Okay then, how about we send you Willis/Langhi/#1 pick (top 3 lottery protected) for LaFrentz.

You get a big man with an expiring contract & most likely our #1 pick this year, which you should be able to combine with your #1 pick & have a shot at the #1 overall pick. Langhi is thrown in to make the deal work & his contract expires at the end of the year.

As for those that don't think we need LaFrentz, he'd make a great compliment to Cato, because his game is just the opposite. That would give Rudy the versatility to use different matchups. Collier is our only other backup center at this point & he's only played 8 minutes this whole year. Langhi has seen more playing time than Collier, so I doubt that he's part of the future of this team, unless Cato reverts back to the Cato of old.

 

Why all the fascination with Raef? I know he sounded good last year, but we've got Griffin now, Cato is playing well, and KT is filling in for Mo Taylor nicely. A trade for Raef is just going to clog up the rotation for the Rockets. Also, a deal like this would most likely leave Griffin away from the basket on defense. It just doesn't make any sense. We've got two shotblockers now, Cato and Griffin. We've got two big men that can shoot, Mo and Griffin. KT has some post game, and Griffin is developing in that department. Besides, Raef is not that great of a post player IMO. The only thing the Rockets need to be trading for is a good SF, or a big man with <b>great</b> post game in which KT or Mo are involved in the deal....most likely would be KT + picks.