Scola and Brooks can go.. but I would keep Martin.. 3 Team Trade Houston Trade Scola/Brooks/Hill/Budinger/Battier/Draft pick Receive Melo/Billups/Nene Denver Trade Melo/Billups/Nene/JR Smith Receive Scola/Brooks/Mayo/Thabeet/Battier draft pick Memphis Trade Thabeet/Mayo Receive JR Smith/Hill/Budinger Houston Line-up Billups/Lowry Martin/Lee Melo/Williams Patterson/Hayes Nene/Miller
I think the deal was they are not willing to move both Brook and Favors for Melo. They want one of the two of them left there to play the middle. Also, Lopez has been clashing with AJ recently. If NBA scouts are really viewing Favors as a 5, then Lopez might actually be attainable for the package of Scola and Martin. However, for that deal to go down, I would suspect Morey has other deals already lined up to bring in another big time player, either Granger or possibly Melo or somebody else we aren't thinking about right now.
If the Nets wouldn't give up Lopez for Melo, I can't see them giving him up for Martin and Scola. There isn't really much else on their team that would make sense, unless the Rockets are just gonna throw in the towel and start rebuilding from nothing. IF Martin and Scola are available and being shopped, I could see Morey getting more from other teams.
the article says NJ may go after Granger again if the they can't get Melo; they probably have enough assets to get Granger, Scola & KMart.....
Scola and Marin > Melo Reason why: Nuggets want too much for Melo... Nets wouldn't have to give up as much for two dynamic scorers in Martin and Scola... And will still have flexibility to make other moves... Adding to the fact that they would be taking on long contracts. I believe Rockets are going to try and keep every two-way player on the team.
Somewhat related note- Article posted yesterday on ESPN on whether or not Melo is a superstar Quote from the article:
Very interesting and thanks for posting. Unless there's another team involved I think we've got our answer as to which direction this team is moving in. If Scola and Martin, above and beyond our two best players, are dealt strictly to NJ then you can expect it to be for youth and other assets to use down the line.
you guys realize that if we trade Scola+Martin for Lopez+a 1st, we'll essentially have the same core as a team that went like what, 12-70? i.e Lopez, Devin Harris we'll have Lopez and Brooks (who you could argue is a less effective Harris clone) and various misfit bench pieces and veterans just like NJ (hell, we'll even have Courtney Lee already)
pipe dream martin and scola yao to the nets for Brook Lopez and a bad contract AB, Hill/Pat and Budinger to Pacers for Danny Granger and posey Lowry, Twill, and a 1st round draft pick for steve nash
if this is true about us sending Scola and Martin to the Nets, i really don't like that deal at all. they are two of our best players on our team. We need Martin because he is a great scorer and Scola for his offense. if this is the case then i don't think we will get anywhere without them.
Without Martin and Scola... Which by the way I believe could net the Rockets some nice pieces via trade... (Especially if it hey us Brook Lopez).. Rockets still have a good team Lowry, Brooks Lee, Williams Battier, Chase Chuck, Patterson Hill, Miller, Jeffries Assuming no one else gets traded Rockets would be able to resign Brooks and Chuck because of Jeffries expiring contract... Yaos expiring contract. Lol I'm getting excited.. We're talking a potential upgrade if we get Looez without even mentioning what we could possibly get for Yao, Jeffries, and Battiers expiring contracts
Lol, I agree... Brooks can make plays for himself and others...while Martin, although efficient, has to rely on others to make plays for him... Which is why Brooks is a much better closer.
DD, what would be the point to New Jersey in trading for a very good PF if they have to trade their very good center--with no real backup C to speak of--to make it happen? If the goal is to get "currently very good" players in order to instantly compete for the playoffs, trading their "currently best" player to do so makes no sense. To the extent that any such trade even exists, it would have to involve Favors and multiple first rounders back, including the Rockets' own pick.
