NBA.COM says Butler most likely to Houston or Dallas

Of the stuff any reporter posts, how much of any of it comes true? Very little, because the GM's themselves don't know exactly what will happen until it is very close to happening.

If you take to time to click on the link, for that matter, Alrdige notes:

I hate trade columns.

Weeks of speculation that almost never pan out and aren't anchored by any kind of reality. If it's not an agent looking to place his client(s) somewhere else, it's a GM, on orders of his silent owner, looking to create a market for a player he wants to to ditch. Even the "truth" of something, like Team A is shopping a player, is normally calculated by Team A for its own self-interest. Plus, almost everyone is lying this time of year; the teams that are really looking to do something deny it even when they're caught red-handed.

Hate them.

But you love them, and I get that. Nothing beats bar talk (How good would the Cavs be with Jamison?), and it's fun when it's not your job to check out every rancid, ridiculous rumor. But we are within two weeks of the Feb. 18 trade deadline, so I guess spending a few minutes dipping into the water isn't going to kill me.

And it goes on. He basically seems to be doing what he should - using some of his connections to listen to the chatter that's currently going on, adding some of his own knowledge and opinion, and reporting on it...

...as opposed to just throwing random crap out there, as hoopsworld seems to do (and thus, is "blocked" as a link here), and Peter Vescey seems to regularly do.

Yeah, but the $10 million in cap savings isn't $10 million going to a Mike James type player - it's $10 million going to a guy who deserves the $10 million. If it was Jamison or Arena's contract that'd make more sense.

They are getting Scola's bird rights, but losing Haywood's bird rights. I'd agree that Scola is more valuable than Haywood, but not by leaps and bounds. And there's no guarantee Scola would resign with them. Assuming Scola doesn't get offered much more than the MLE anyway, would he be the type of player to take the MLE and leave $1 million a year on the table if it means playing for a championship caliber team instead of the Washington Wizards? One would think potentially, yes.

 

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yjtcxnl

Washington gets:

T-Mac and Big Z (both expiring)

Cleveland gets:

A. Jamison (their target) and Brian Cook (another shooting PF)

Houston gets:

Caron Butler (one of Morey's targets) JJ Hickson (young talent) Brendan Haywood (expiring and adds much needed size) D. Stevenson (expiring)

 

Solid proposal. Even if you had to send a Scola out in this trade as well to Washington (trade still works) as the Wizards are trading away a LOT of minutes in their frontcourt and overall (I mean, what would their rotation become), it makes sense, as the Rockets get JJ Hickson.

I just think it is a well thought out trade proposal.

The Wizards now save a crapload of cap space going forward trading away Jamison and Stevenson (who has a player option). Basically, they get rid of Butler's $11 million next year, Jamison's $13.4 million next year and Stevenson's $4.2 million next year = $28.6 million in savings next year. That becomes enticing.

The Rockets get their target, Butler, a big in Haywood who could be a great Yao backup if resigned, and JJ Hickson, a solid young PF who could backup Landry (if Scola is included).

The Cavs get their target without giving up too much. Frankly, they might get to sign Big Z back (if he is bought out) and Hickson is a tough one to lose, but Jamison (though on a long contract) is having a great year. The guy has his faults, but he comes to play every year with the same style he's been doing for the past decade, successfully.

 

i doubt washington would do this. sure, they get cap relief, but they absolutely get nothing for their rebuilding process.

the idea of trading away caron and jamison is to get back expiring contracts AND a young prospect for each.

 

I thought it was a pretty fair trade to all involved, and it seems pretty realistic to me.

 

I agree with the other dude.. Wizards would have to get 1 or 2 prospects..

 

Unless Stevenson is a team option i'd think Houston would do it. Washington see's it as, we get Hickson and they want a rotation player. They also see it kinda like a expiring - for - expiring swap that benifits Houston. I don't think Washington is thinking rationally about it. They need to clear cap space should be their concern and can understand why they'd want Houston to throw in it's totational player. But look where they stand, then look where we stand. We took on Stevenson, that alone makes the deal worthy. I'm thinking Cleveland needs to throw in another asset to Washington.

 

The Wizards would cut the Rockets out of this and just do Big Z (+ maybe Hickson if Washington was insistent and Cavs were willing) for Jamison.

Washington can easily hold onto Stevenson and Haywood until the end of the year and just wait for their contracts to expire, and they really aren't desperate to dump Caron for expirings since he has a reasonable contract for just one more year. Plus, Washington probably wants the veteran leadership Caron offers for at least another year while they tank for the next couple seasons.

 

I'd agree that the Wizards give up a lot for nothing of real value in return. I'd add Scola to send their way - though still, Scola is expiring. I'd also be more than happy to add Taylor, Dorsey, David Andersen, etc. to the extent necessary. Cleveland should probably throw in a first round draft pick...though that's basically the last one in the round, so don't know how valuable it would be.

I'd be reluctant to throw in the Rockets potentially lottery pick though. Maybe a future first round pick, lottery protected.

It still seems like the Wizards give up a lot. Haywood, Jamison and Butler all get significant minutes. Of course, that has them at 17-32. And they really do save a TON of cap space. They'd have only $30 million in committed salaries next year, $17.7 of which is Gilbert. Doubtful they could convince any big name free agents to sign there, but you never know, and they could certainly afford 2 solid FA signings with that space.

 

The Wizards are already asking for something in return for just Caron Butler other than McGrady's expiring, yet you think they'll do Jamison AND Butler for simply an expiring contract?

No.

 

I remember Aldridge being very dependable back in the days.

 

Haywood has improved, but he isn't a fighter like Luis. Butler can fit in at the 3,Shane can continue to defend the 2's while both of them are on the court. Ariza will have to be moved if Butler comes here. The Wizards are asking for too much.

 

He was, but he also said Damon Stoudamire is a Rocket.

 

I would never throw in our lottery pick unless it was to move up through a trade. They want a rotational player? Which one is the question? More then likely they'd want Landry and our 14th pick just for their pick even that is a little bit too much. We could do Budinger+14th pick MAYBE for their pick.

 

Wizards mgmt may have already made up their mind, but out of curiosity, if one is the GM of the Wizards, what kind of options does he have?

The team as currently composed sucks. Even if Gilbert was playing, it's hard to believe they'd still be able to compete that well in the east - yes they had a few good years, but Gilbert is older and less healthy and the east is better...and even then, they made the playoffs, they didn't excel once in there.

No currently bad team is going to give up a young asset or draft pick for Jamison. He is a solid solid player, but is too old with too many years left. Those types of teams would rather keep high draft picks or young assets (just as the Wizards would want them).

A contending team could give up draft picks (though how much value do they have at that point) or young assets for Jamison. Perhaps the trade suggested has JJ going to Washington instead.

That said, even with contending teams, how many would take on Jamison's contract? Contending teams typically are already spending a lot of money - taking on Jamison would have to be a move that puts them over the top. Cleveland might be the only option.

The trade can probably be tweaked a little bit in the Wizards favor, but end point is, how do the Wizards get back much of real value in return for any trade?? The best they could get back might be a decent asset or two, but nothing amazing, and tons of cap savings.

 

I think the idea of a Houston-Washington-Cleveland Trade could actually be very possible.

Houston Trades: T-Mac, David Andersen, Jermaine Taylor
Houston Receives: Caron Butler, Zydrunas Illgauskas

Washington Trades: Caron Butler, Antwan Jamison, Dominic McGuire
Washington Receives: T-Mac, David Andersen, Jermaine Taylor, JJ Hickson

Cleveland Trades: JJ Hickson, Zydrunas Illgauskas
Cleveland Receives: Antwan Jamison, Dominic McGuire

Houston does it because they get rid of T-Mac and are able to pick up a reliable center in Illguaskas (with an expiring contract) and a cosistent scorer in Butler.

Washington does it because they are able to get rid of Butlers and Jamisons huge contracts and pick up an expiring contract in T-Mac. Also, they pick up 3 young players in Andersen, Taylor and Hickson.

Cleveland does it because they are able to get a PF that they have wanted for 2 years now. They give up Illgauskas, who is their back up center, and JJ Hickson, who is being replaced by the better Jamison.

 

hell yeah i hope they wouldnt do that

 

Well lets all hope Brian Cook brings a gun to the locker room.

 

and the altercation is with David Andersen. perfect scenario