The proposed trade is Battier, 26th pick, and Sura's contract correct? And all we get is Rashard Lewis? If we're sending over a pick, which holds a guaranteed contract, why not ask for Seattle's second 2nd rounder (pick 35) in return? We could take Sean Williams with that pick if he's there, which he probably will be. They currently have 10 players under contract for next year. They draft at 2 and 26, and they get Battier. Along with the first pick in the 2nd round. 13 players under contract with 1 that will probably make the team. So 14 players that will have contracts. Not to mention they have their MLE right? So why aren't we asking for their pick? It looks like they won't have much use for it unless they take a Euro player and stash him. We could send them the rights to Malick or Eliyahu if they're hell bent on keeping the 35th pick, cuz neither is gonna be on our team next year, and we are in it to win now, Seattle is in rebuilding mode. I know it's just a 2nd rounder, but with the depth of this year's draft, that 2nd rounder could be critical to our success, especially with the lack of depth on our squad.
Consider the Celtics are rumored to be willing to offer the #5 pick in the draft for him and you may understand why what we're giving him may not be all that.
I don't know the specifics of the trade rumor, but Rashard is a free agent making it a sign and trade. Boston could offer the #5 pick and all their top prospects to Seattle and it wouldn't matter; unless Rashard wanted to go to Boston, which I highly doubt. It's a matter of where Rashard wants to go and Seattle being willing to facilitate a SnT to a team thats capped out. If Rashard has his heart set on going to Houston, I cant see Seattle telling us no to a SnT, considering they would lose him for nothing.
I thought the rumor was for next year's pick. Isn't it a rule that you can't trade first round picks two years in a row?
Oh, good point, I believe that is correct. I have heard this before. I just understand how teams can trade away three future first rounders, but you cant trade your first round pick two straight years.
It's a rule that you can't make a trade that would leave you without a pick in two consecutive future drafts; there is no provision on trading your pick every year if you want to, you just need to get creative. For example, last year the Rockets technically picked Rudy Gay with the 8th selection in the draft. After Commissioner Stern called out "Houston Selects..." that counts as a draft pick made, and the Rockets are free to trade away the next years pick. Teams are also allowed to trade away their own pick in consecutive future years as long as they have another selection in one of the two years, perhaps acquired from another team. A team could theoretically trade away it's pick every year, by simply agreeing to draft day deals and drafting players for other teams, then immediately trading them on the same day; these phantom picks would fulfill the "Ted Stepien" Rule. However, the real reason why any Rashard Lewis Sign-and-Trade should not concern 2007 draft picks is because it is almost impossible to include them in any sign and trade deals, due to the Draft being held on June 28, and with teams not being able to negotiate or even communicate with potential free agents before July 1st, since NBA contracts do not end until June 30th, including Jeff Van Gundy's. Therefore, in order to include the 26th pick in a Sign-and-Trade, the Rockets would have to pick Seattle's guy before even being able to talk about a potential contract with Lewis. I would have to think that if the Rockets were to engage in some under-the-table negotiations while Rashard was still under contract with the Sonics that the NBA would come down on the Rockets nearly as hard as they did on Minnesota with the Joe Smith debacle. The league takes tampering very seriously, and realistically the only way the Rockets would do a deal is if they had a written agreement from all parties, which is pretty damning evidence, if you ask me. In addition, there's no benefit for Rashard or the Sonics to do so, as it robs both of them of any leverage they have to agree with Houston before gauging interest around the league. I would have thought everyone would have learned their lesson about including draft picks in sign and trades two years ago with all the Stromile Swift scenarios we tossed around. Finally, as for the deal in question, if it is Rashard for Battier, Sura and the 2008 first rounder, I'd probably be inclined to accept. If a few rebounds had bounced differently in the Jazz series, I'd probably decline. The Rockets probably need to do something splashy this summer in order to keep themselves relevant in the NBA landscape; if they had beaten the Jazz, and lost to the Warriors in 6, everyone would probably feel much better about adding another athletic body on the perimeter with the 26, signing Steve Francis with the MLE, and pinching James Singleton and Quinton Ross from the Clippers (maybe for Kirk Snyder and Novak) and building now that the monkey was off T-Mac, Yao and Shane of getting past the first round. Now it seems like Plan A will be to acquire Rashard, draft a swingman, and perhaps resign Bonzi with the MLE, which is nice; I'm a fan of good scouting and consistent, steady improvement rather than major shakeups every year. But then again, none of that has anything to do with the question at hand....
The only teams Lewis can sign for a big contract without a SnT are teams under the cap, which only Orlando and Charlotte qualify. For all other teams, Lewis either signs for the MLE (very unlikely) or he has to ask Seattle to do a SnT. In other words, Seattle is not very worried about Rashard walking for nothing because the two teams that can offer him to do so aren't very attractive.
I guess if Rashard wants out there is nothing Seattle can do, but I'd be real surprised if they don't make a real serious offer to this guy. With Durant(possibly Oden) coming in this year, they would be crazy to let him go... Look at this lineup! Wilcox Lewis Durant Allen Ridnour You've still got guys like Collison and Wilkins coming off the bench. This is a good team, and they would be stupid not to do everything in their power to keep him. Especially replacing him with Battier who is pretty much limited to being effective as a small forward. He would end up taking minutes from Durant or becoming a 15 minute a game guy...It doesn't make sense for them and I just don't see it happening.
Orlando is very attractive and someone in the other thread mentioned something about Rashard already mentioning it as a place he'd like to go. Rashard can replace and be considerably better than Grant Hill, who is a FA. Rashard and Howard team up in the East, Orlando keeps adding pieces around them via FA and draft and that is a playoff team consistently. Rashard ahs better shot at consistent all-star selections, imo, and gets paid.
