OK, so it has been a rough week for our beloved Rockets as we have gone from the catbird seat to having to win our way in to the playoffs. The silver lining is obviously the chance to have another pick in what some believe is the best draft since '04. While I truly was in the tanking corner for much of this season, the grit this team displayed the last coupleof weeks tking down several quality teams we had business sharing a floor with kind of won me over. Anyway, knowing that Morey is going to be armed with a load of movable assets this summer means that there is a good chance the rockets team we end 2011-2012 with will probably be wuite different thatn the 2012-2013 team we see next year. Without further ado, what I would do if I were Morey. Feel free to flame each proposal as I know it is coming. For the purposes of this exercise I am going to imagine the perfect situation (ie Knicks fall out of the playoffs moving their pick up and Dallas goes on a tear providing us with the 21 pick in addition to ours (14) and the NYK (12)). Free Agency: I dont see a whole lot of talent that will be available that we would be interested in or have a chance at. I just dont think New Orleans or OKC is going to let Gordon or Harden get away and I am not sure that Mayo is the kind of guy we want at this point. I'd obviously like to keep Dragic, and get Lee and Camby locked up for a season (Camby) or more (Lee). Assuming our cap situation still looks okay after those moves I would make a run at Asik from Chicago to keep Camby and Dalembert's legs fresh over the course of the seasons. Trades: #1 Scola, Morris, and our pick (14) to Atlanta for Josh Smith. Assuming Josh Smith wanting out of Atlanta has any truth to it, they get rid of the headache of a seaon with a disgruntled local star and get a vet, a prospect, and a pick out of it. Only serious reason I dont see this as possible is that there are likely to be better offers out there, but Scola provides some scoring down low and Morris (if developed) and the pick could infuse some depth in the frontcourt for the Hawks. #2 Kyle Lowry and NYK pick (12) to Portland for their NJN (7) pick and their Second Rounder(41). This would kill two birds with one stone, getting rid of Dragic's biggests suitor and moving us up to the higher quality prospects in the draft. #3 Kevin Martin for virtually anything that would help with depth, post defense or rebounding (I treid for a while to figure out a Martin to Minnesota for Pekovic trade but couldnt get the salaries to match. Draft: #7 (acquired in Lowry trade with Port): Jeremy Lamb or Brad Beal (if he drops). Shores up the SG position and allows us to have Martin's skills in a guy that can play some D. The knock on Lamb is that he doesn't have a killer instinct, but look at the lineup surrounding him potentially, there will be plenty of points and fast break opportunities. #21: Tony Wroten is the one guy that appears to be going in this part of the draft that has potential to exceed his spot. Worst case scenario is he doesn't work as a 1 and never learnes to shoot better and is gone as soon as his rookie contract is up. Best case scenario: Tyreke Evans. 2nd Round: I would hope to scoop up Ezeli for depth as a defensive sub. So that leaves us the following roster going into camp next year: 1- Dragic/Wroten 2- Lee/Lamb 3- Parsons/Bud 4- Smith/Donatas 5- Camby/Dalembert/Ezeli That is a hell of a squad with potential to be great defensively and able to get up and down the floor or score in the half court. Thoughts (even if I get flamed it was worth wasting an hour and a half at work coming up with.)
Those are some pretty reasonable scenarios assuming the other teams want those things. The trades sound pretty good for both sides. I think its gonna take trading one our picks packaged with Kyle Lowry in order to move up in this years draft. Then we should obviously resign Goran Dragic. Thats my play. Kyle plus one of the draft picks for a move into the top 10 plus resign Goran. After that? I think they should still try to move Luis and Kevin Martin for something else.
I think it's unlikely that Lowry a point guard, is going to bring back a higher pick. Usually teams don't surrender a big man or an opportunity to land a big man through the draft for smaller players. Chris Paul would be an exception, Derrick Rose as well. But Kyle Lowry? Very unlikely. Portland will be looking to find a third player to go along with Aldridge and Battum and that draft pick might be their only ticket in 2012.
Depends on the team. If the kings select in the 5-7 range, we might be able to move Lowry there for that pick. They really could use what Lowry brings. They don't really need anymore youth.
While I do agree with this, I think there is more of a chance than you might think mainly because of the lack of quality pgs in the draft/free agency. A team really hurting in this area would probably consider the trade at least.
That's a lot of impossible variables that has to happen with 5 games left in the season! The NY pick is going to be #15-16 looking more like #16 with Phi free fall! Our pick will be either #13-14, or we barely make the playoffs & it goes to NJ! I want Houston to draft center M. Leonard & make a trade to improve the team on draft night! Also clear room for D. Motiejunas at the PF position by trading Patterson or Scola!!
Thats why he never said Kyle Lowry. He said Kyle Lowry plus one of the draft picks to move up in the draft.
