http://games.espn.go.com/nba/featur...4~2754~2015&teams=22~22~22~10~10~10&te=&cash= Ron Artest, Rafer Alston & Luther Head for Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw & Channing Frye PG- Blake, Brooks SG-McGrady, Wafer, Barry SF- Battier, Outlaw PF- Scola, Landry, Hayes C- Yao, Frye/Mutumbo
Rockets get upgrades at SG and PG. Najera is mostly a salary dump to sweeten the deal for New Jersey, but has also proven to be a great hustle guy at the SF/PF. The end result is that we rid ourselves of what many now believe to be our biggest albatrosses. Some will argue that the contracts we get in return are too big or too lengthy, but if we make a move right now we are going to have to live with A) less talented players, or B) bigger contracts. I think Hinrich/Carter is enough of an upgrade to warrant the move, especially when you consider that Carter's 4th year is a TEAM option. This move also lowers this year's cap figure by $4,696,312 immediately. Bulls move Hinrich and his somewhat expensive 4 year deal, clearing the way to give Derick Rose the reigns at PG full bore. In return, they receive Ron Artest for a one year rental. They get a chance to evaluate him this year and either resign him or let his money come off the cap. The Bulls also pick up Keyon Dooling, who has a much smaller contract than Hinrich and fits much better into a backup PG role than Hinrich does, especially for their contracts. Nets move the contracts of Carter & Dooling, as well as Najera...all of which go beyond the 2010 off season. In return they receive McGrady who expires just in time for the Nets to reap the benefits in 2010. In the meantime, he may actually get some game back after some recovery time. The Nets also recieve Alston who can be a solid PG behind Devin Harris and also expires in 2010. In total, the move cuts $23,928,000 off their 2010 cap.
If the rumors are true that the Bulls and Suns are talking Amare for Tyrus Thomas + filler, why not get in on the deal? Rockets are able to get rid of Alston, packaging him with Artest for something (Hinrich) before he expires in the off season. They also get Sefalosha in the deal. After early struggles, he's actually started to show signs of being a solid wing defender with good size, as originally advertised. The move also frees up minutes for Wafer. Bulls get Amare, who is their main target. Not much to explain there. They also receive Artest on a rental, and can decide whether they want to keep him on board or let him expire in the off season. In that sense, that aspect of the trade is win/win. You also throw in Alston, whose contract is considerably cheaper and 2 years shorter than Hinrich. He is not a good starting PG in this league, but I can see him being a very good backup and veteran mentor for Derick Rose. Suns move Amare and pick up their prime target: Tyrus Thomas. He's obviously much cheaper than Stoudemire, he's every bit as athletic, and yet he doesn't have any serious injury history. He's also a more willing rebounder and shot blocker (the 2 main issues the Suns have with Amare). Honestly, I can really see Thomas excelling with a PG like Nash setting him up (see Marion, Amare). Drew Gooden is a solid player, but is mostly attractive as an expiring contract. *Insert draft picks as needed.
So...is everyone under the assumption that we can NOW by just getting a starting caliber PG and a good swingman?
I assume you meant to say "win NOW". I think the general formula for having a championship team is a very good big man, a big-time wing scorer, a point guard who can defend and is at least solid offensively, shooters, and depth. Right now we are lacking the big-time wing scorer and the point guard I described. But with that proposed trade, we cover every area. Let's look at some recent champs. Celtics Rondo (point guard who can defend and is at least solid offensively) Pierce/Allen (big-time wing scorer) Garnett (very good big man) House, Posey, Pierce, Allen (shooters) Spurs Parker (point guard who can defend and is at least solid offensively) Ginobili (big-time wing scorer) Duncan (very good big man) Finley, Barry, Ginobili, Horry, Bowen (shooters) Heat Wade (not a point guard, but can defend them) Wade (big-time wing scorer) Shaq (very good big man) Kapono, Posey, Williams, Antoine Walker (shooters) Pistons - the biggest exception to the rule Billups (point guard who can defend and is at least solid offensively) Hamilton (big-time wing scorer) Wallace/Wallace (very good big man combo) Billups, Prince, Okur, James (shooters) Lakers Fisher (point guard who can defend and is at least solid offensively) Bryant (big-time wing scorer) Shaq (very good big man) Fisher, Bryant, Horry, George, Hunter (shooters) Rockets (after proposed trade) Hinrich (point guard who can defend and is solid offensively) Carter (big-time wing scorer) Yao (very good big man) Battier, Barry, Wafer, Brooks, Carter (shooters) ...and the depth is obviously there.
Yes, i did. I understand your point, i guess everyone here just thinks more highly of Yao than me. I don't think he's enough to make up for the deficiencies of VC and Hinrich. The Yao-VC-Hinrich combo is not impressive to me at all. I think it's MUCH worse than any of those combos you listed. Sure it's better than the Yao-Tracy-Ron combo that got blown out by the Bucks (w/o their best players) but i doubt they can win anything significant. I'm just baffled by how people would like to put a band-aid on this situation. All of these vets are useless unless we can find a way to make a Celtics like trade to bring in a couple other stars. I don't consider either of those guys in the trade stars. VC doesn't make his teammates better, he isn't much better than John Salmons, if he is at all. Hinrich is better than what we have but nothing special. I'd rather break out the dynamite than continue mediocrity. I do agree that we have depth, though.
I have yet to see a championship team that isn't comprised of one of the following: 1. a superstar 2. superior defense -- with a few all-star players any 'win now' deal we make needs to bring us closer to this or just rebuild. I feel like Yao is a good star player as apposed to a superstar like Duncan and Shaq were when they won.
please DM make a move for Caron Butler and Javale Mcgee, get rid of artest and head and whoever else to get it done
At this point, I think Scola is the best/most promising player on the team. Outside of him, I wish the Rockets would just make a move to make a move. Just something to give me hope, because it's rough right now.
I'm sure Net's top priority is cutting payroll given the current economy and their desire to move to Brooklyn. With that in mind they almost certainly are targeting a package around an expiring contract and a pick/young talent. The only problem is that the entire NBA is feeling the pinch of the economy and only a handfull of markets are able to support Vince Carter, larger markets can take on the contract of Vince Carter because he'll draw enough fans to generate revenue. I'm almost certain New Jersey is most interested in a package consisting of Raef LaFrentz, Nicolas Batum/Travis Outlaw and a pick. LaFrentz's will actually pay the Net's via insurance. Unfortunately for the Nets, the Blazer's are trying to keep their players young so they can develop together. Anyone over 30 seems to be too old to play in Portland. That leaves the following packages for the Nets: 1) A package built around Wally Szczerbiak, Sasha Pavlovic and a pick 2) A package built around Bruce Bowen, Roger Mason, and a pick (Kurt Thomas is almost certainly a salary throw in) 3) A package built around Ron Artest, Barry/Head, and a pick/Carl Landry. I think the Rocket's have the most legitimate offer on the table. Jersey doesn't have to be terribly "interested" in Ron Artest. I think the Net's want to move some salary and be prepared for 2010. Right now, the best offer on the table is from us... unless Portland's Amare run is over and they feel they can take on Vince Carter's salary at his current age.
Tracy McGrady for Stephon Marbury. the Knicks are desperate - i repeat, DESPERATE - to trade Marbury away, and the fact that they'd be getting a former superstar back, a superstar whose contract expires by summer 2010, would be a perfect 'get' for them. of course, it's perfect for us, b/c that means we have $21 M to play with this summer, meaning we're under the cap. if we do another trade (for Hinrich, etc.), so be it. but this seems like a no-brainer. if we don't play Marbury, it's the same as if we don't play Tracy.
Trade Tracy McGrady and Luther Head for Vince Carter and Eduardo Najera. Houston does it because tonight's game showed that McGrady is the problem with this team but we still need a superstar to help out with the scoring so we get Carter. New Jersey does it because they give up the only 2 players (besides Harris) they have signed passed 2010 so they can go hard after one of the big free agents. They also add someone like Tracy who can keep them as an at least okay team for the next couple years and still sell tickets. This deal works out perfectly for both teams and works on the trade machine. What do you guys think?
Houston Trades: - Tracy McGrady - Shane Battier - Luther Head New Jersey Trades: - Vince Carter - Eduardo Najera - Bobby Simmons - Sean Williams Najera, Simmons and Williams are all having statistal down years but are still capable of doing good things on the court. New Roster P.G. - Rafer Alston____Aaron Brooks_______Brent Barry S.G. - Vince Carter____Von Wafer S.F. - Ron Artest_____ Eduardo Najera_____ Bobby Simmons P.F. - Luis Scola______Carl Landry_________ Chuck Hayes ..C. - Yao Ming_______Dikembe Mutombo___ Sean Williams____Joey Dorsey
Crazy!!! We were working on almost the exact same trade at the same time. Great minds think alike I guess!!!
no one is gonna touch tmac with a 10 foot pole until he shows he can play even at 50% of what he used to. next year is a different story, 20million expiring contract everyone and their mom will be calling.
Artest + Filler = Carter + Filler With McGrady obviously being in and out of the line up for probably the rest of the season, Carter can fill McGrady's shoes.
Keep the roster as is with the exception of a small move here or there. Keep T-Mac out for the entire season and playoffs. The team plays better without him if everybody is healthy. Next season when teams start hovering over the Rockets for McGrady's huge expiring contract, the Rockets cash in big. I think the Rockets should extend Artest. I would propose trading T-Mac's expiring contract for Stephen Jackson, Jamal Crawford, and Anthony Randolph. Jackson has had some problems with Nelly this season but is playing at a high level. He's got championship experience and takes and makes big shots. He's also played with Artest before too. Jamal Crawford is a combo guard, but he can play pg for the Rockets and he can shoot. People will be surprised by both Crawford's and Jackson's playmaking ability. Randolph will be Yao Ming's backup for the future. Our lineup would like this: Crawford/Rafer & AB Jackson/Wafer/Barry Artest/Battier (20 mpg) Scola/Landry Yao/Randolph If healthy, that is a championship contender. We don't have to rebuild. You can slavage the situation and then some if you trade T-Mac's huge expiring contract at the right time.
