No way, Magette is not worthy that much. I won't trade Battier straight for Magette even though Magette is better than battier.
I agree with everything you've said, except the SF part. SF is done. Maggette opting out is really bad news for us. We don't have enough money to sign him and the Sign-n-Trade options we have would never attract the Clippers interest. All we have (that we are willing to trade) is Battier and expiring contracts. The clips don't need expiring contracts for a FA that has already walked and why would they want an above average defensive aging SF for a re-building team? Even if the clips were dying for Battier and expiring contracts I'm not sure how doable it is. Maggette would have to want to play for the Rockets as opposed to other offers he might get. I am also not sure how soon after you sign a free agent you can trade him. I thought there was a 6 month waiting period or something like that (can someone clarify?). We better get used to the idea that the only viable move before the trade deadline is moving up or down in the draft or signing journeymen for what's left of the MLE after Landry and the LLE. Maybe Morey can find a diamond or two in the rough, but forget about a big name until the trade deadline where we might have a slight chance at something significant.
Maggette would be a good replacement for Bonzi position. But he is much more expensive. I thought opt out players become UFA and usually test the market and see how much they could get.
Yes,even if he wants to sign for the MLE he could go to a stronger team than ours.I do believe that he is looking for a long-term contract which pays him a lot of money.
i'd rather sign and trade brand at the max for if necessary brooks, landry or scola, pick 25 and what contracts needed to match salary(jackson's expiring comes to mind) brand-yao-t-mac equals finals appearance...
I would do this in a second if it was possible. The clippers might as well with Scola coming back. I don't know if it is possible though. Brand will be close to a max contract and I'm not sure if we could have 3 max contracts without blowing up on the luxury tax.
I don't know if Brand+Yao and T-Mac equals a Finals appearance but I do agree that your proposed trade can improve the team provided if Elton could return and sustain himself at his pre-Achilles tendon injury level.That's why I would be hesitant to offer the max. I like Luis but Brand is better than him. I would like to retain Landry or the 25th pick but that would weaken our offer for him. I don't think Maggette is worth more than 7M at the max.
Maggettee would be lucky to get an offer above the MLE, as not many teams have the cap space. I pray we go after him hard..
put it this way, it would make the rockets along with LA and the Spurs the favorites in the west, and the core is still all under 30... I think brand for close to the max or even the max(tax be damned) is better than getting maggette... the rockets get a great rebounder/shot blocker/post player who can be the third wheel they need. the clippers get young talent for their rebuilding team..
Are you aware that Tmac has played SG nearly his whole career and Magette has played SF nearly his whole career? When has Magette seemed like a guard to you? He's not that good handling the rock, he just penetrates alot.
I think I would pull the trigger on a deal like that as well.. the Landry situation makes things a little complicated, as we can't combine him if we're going to s-n-t him. Still, you're looking at Scola + Brooks + BJax + Battier just to make the money right.. and I'm not sure they'd have much use for Battier. Might have to throw in the 1st too.. we lose a lot of depth, but essentially we become the Celtics.
Maybe in Orlando or Toronto. McGrady is a SF now - he doesn't chase around the quicker players on the perimeter, that's Battier's job.
There is no doubt that Brand is a far better player than Maggette and is a near max player,and I also would be willing to go the extra mile and give the max to him to get it done if he hadn't gotten injured. It might be possible for him to come back all the way to his best too,but the doctors really need to have a close look at him first.
of course, just a thought though... and i'm not sure you would need battier in the deal...jackson and scola come to almost 8 mil, brooks is another million, head is a million so that's 10 mil right there, 15 percent gets you to 11.5 mil as brand's starting salary...as long as he is ok with that... now if you have to go by his actual 2008-2009 salary then yes shane or rafer must be involved...
Sterling's not going to keep paying Dunleavy & Brand if they re-build. Either those two go as well or we can assume they're re-loading for next season built around Brand. Maggette is a favourite of Sterling's but then in the media it suggests Dunleavy wants a more compatible player next to Brand. Maybe Battier could be a Dunleavy type?
As in a team that cannot advance past the first round? I doubt it. I would love to have him on this team, but no way he chooses Houston over better teams that can also offer the full MLE or more
but that sure as hell doesn't make Battier a SG. You could make a case for them both being a SF. the reason why Tmac is the guard and would be the guard if Magette came is because he's the better ball handler and is more of a perimeter player. Magette is the better slasher but he's not good in the PnR and he is and has always been a SF.
Glad you are not our GM. CM isn't worth more than 7 or 8MM per...tops And sliding TMac over to his natural SF position? You realize that means TMac guards some of the best players in the NBA. Losing Shane would just expose TMac's defensive weaknesses that much more...
You're right.The Clippers can still offer him the most money but if he is mad at Dunleavy he might look elsewhere. There is no harm at going hard for him even though we can't offer more than the MLE even if other teams can make better offers to him through a sign and trade.
