Its funny y'all think the Grizzlies would even consider moving the 2nd pick as incentive to make a salary dump. Rookie contracts are too valuable. We would have to trade something more than McGrady. We can win now, Rubio would get abused next year in the playoffs.... lets win now. The NBA is wide open right now.
I don't know how good Rubio will be but I do know that all of the Spanish NBA players have all overachieved. I'm talking about Fernandez, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Calderon, Navarro, and Rodriguez. I don't know if you can consider Szczerbiak Spanish but he was born there. Anyways, from what I saw in the Olympics, Rubio is already better than Calderon and he was only 19 at the time.
Interesting, but I think its too much to expect Rubio to be an upgrade over Brooks in his rookie season. And if we're not upgrading the team for next year, there's no point. I do like Milicic as a backup C, though.
Yep, that was a joke in reference of that ridiculous Gasol for Kwame Brown deal with Memphis a couple of years back.
Lowry would start, Rubio would get solid minutes but would back up the point atleast at the beginning.
The knock on Rubio is he doesn't have an outside shot. Lowry probably won't be a great outside shooter either (though hopefully there'll be some improvement). I don't think the Rockets would be comfortable with two PGs who are so shaky from beyond the arc.
McGrady = ticket sales for Memphis. They only also get his bird rights. Who knows if the Rockets would even keep the no.2 pick. You only have to look back at the last draft when they traded Batum for Darrell Arthur for Donte Greene to get an extra draft picks. Then later on they traded Greene for Artest.
I had a dream last night that the Rockets bought the #5 pick from the Wizards, then traded the #5, T-Mac and Brooks to LA for the #1, Camby and B.Diddy. I clearly was high off something......
Maybe Brooks, Dorsey, Barry, and Hayes for Darko and Rubio? PG: Rubio / Lowry SG: McGrady / Wafer SF: Artest / Battier PF: Scola / Landry C: Yao / Milicic
I can't believe some of you guys are really buying into this. No way this could possibly be true. I doubt its the 2nd pick. Maybe a 2nd round pick. No one is that stupid to trade the 2nd pick. What makes it worse is that the Grizzlies are in the same division as the Rockets. NOT GOING 2 HAPPEN.
Rubio is one of a lifetime PG outside of US. CP3 used to consider Rubio the closest thing to him if not better. I watched his games in Olympics a few times, and he's right up there with CP3, JKid except he's playing injured and sharing minutes with Calderon, Navarro. This kid is young, quick, long, athletic and fundamentally sound. Above all, what impressed me most is his 'heart', meaning outperforming in clutch time/fearless penetration/lock down defense. He has the total package. This is even better than the CP3 trade considering the rookie contract.
Trust me guys, IF the Rockets trade for the #2 don't kid yourself. McGrady or Artest is involved. The Grizzlies will not care for a Dorsey, Barry, etc. Also, they won't be giving up Darko. What for? They're already kinda thin in the frontcourt and Darko's deal expires next year. I'm pretty sure Artest is included if a deal is to be made. The Grizzlies have the cap space to offer him money, and, they can entertain the thought of trading Gay to get some frontcourt help. (As opposed to signing him to a big extension since his deal is almost up)
I just don't see Memphis essentially "selling" the #2 overall pick for so little. First of all, Greg Buckner has a strange contract where next season's $4M salary is only partially guaranteed for $1M, yet there is a PLAYER option for 2010-11 at ~$4.3M. I am assuming that the player option kicks in only if Memphis doesn't waive Buckner by a certain date (probably by the start of the 2009-10 regular season?). So, not only is Buckner not a salary dump candidate, he might actually be a trade ASSET for the Grizzlies, much like Jerry Stackhouse's contract is for the Mavs, but to a lesser extent. Second, T-Mac's contract is for significantly more 2009-10 salary than the total of the contracts being traded by Memphis. Sure, the Griz get out from under the $7.6M owed to Jaric in 2010-11, but the numbers just don't add to significantly enough to merit the #2 overall pick. All numbers based on 2009-10 salaries: McGrady ($23.2M) + $3M cash = ~$20.2 in 2009-10 financial commitments for Milicic ($7.5M) + Jaric ($7.1M) + Buckner ($1M partial guarantee) + #2 overall pick (~$4.5M, assuming the rookie scale + max 20% increase is offered, which is typical) = ~$20.1M in 2009-10 financial commitments Until your proposed trade, the Grizzlies (a team that is currently UNDER the cap, mind you) would give up the #2 overall pick AND possibly INCREASE its financial commitments for next year, all for the ability to avoid paying Marko Jaric $7.6M in 2010-11. I don't see that happening, especially when Jaric's contract might actually have some value as an expiring contract after next season. Bottom line: It will take a HELL of a lot more than T-Mac's expiring contract and cash to get that #2 pick. I think another poster was closer with a proposal of Landry, expiring contracts (Barry, Cook), a future pick and cash in exchange for someone like Jaric and the #2 pick. That might get the Grizzlies' attention.
is tony parker not a point guard? Yes, brook isn't the traditional point, but he's never going to play SG and he doesnt need to let's stop all the "he's not a pg" talk, yes he is. Centers dont stop being centers because they lack defense.
I don't see Artest wanting to go to the Grizzlies no matter how much money they offer him. I just don't think the Grizzlies would have any interest in Artest unless they thought they could contend for a title next season.
Darko isn't coming over, no way. Other than good values, you can tell the rockets don't want any bad seeds....ron had a bad rep, but the guy isn't evil, he's more childish and means well. Darko has temper/anger issues and he can say so far out stuff, bad PR move for houston, they won't take him.
McGrady's future is uncertain but the cautious expectation is he makes a full recovery. I think the board is undervaluing McGrady's trade worth as a player at the moment.
