Random Houston Rockets Trade Ideas - 2012-13

I literally just posted thus same offer 2 days ago. Just less simple.

 

As much as we all want Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge, we can't offer them a package of Asik and Lin since Minnesota and Portland have Ricky Rubio and Damian Lillard, respectively. Dirk Nowitzki? Not a chance. Cuban will never trade his BFF, let alone sending him to Houston. Ryan Anderson trade rumors seems to be dead as well.

So, looking into other team's current rosters, i found one team that's in need of a point guard and a legit center.

Enter, Atlanta Hawks.

They are bound to lose PG Jeff Teague to Milwaukee and they just lost C Zaza Pachulia to the same team as well. Acquired PF Paul Millsap via free agency.


My trade proposal:

Hawks receive: C Omer Asik ($8.3m), PG Jeremy Lin ($8.3m), and future 2nd round picks or a future 1st round pick

Rockets acquire: PF/C Al Horford ($12m)



For Atlanta, they will get a legit center who's a double double machine to start alongside Millsap. Being one of the worst NBA teams in home attendance, they will now have a crowd drawer and a very capable starting point guard in Jeremy Lin. They will also receive future draft pick/s.

Why Houston does it? They get an All-star power forward who can post up and also spot up from 15-18 feet and who's also a workhorse down low.

So, who says no? Probably, the Hawks. But i can't find a much better deal that works for us and the team we're trading with as well.

 

Pimpn I would love to have Horford as a Rocket. He is exactly what we need at the PF position. Dude can rebound, play defense, hit that mid range jumper and live above the rim. If Morey pull this out,,,watch out there boi..

 

Atlanta would laugh at Morey if he calls trying to get Horford. And from what I've heard _ they are going to use Milsap at the small forward position a lot which is probably where he should be anyway.

 

Deng only has one year left on his contract and he won't be cheap to resign.

 

Triple H in H-Town! H-arden H-oward H-orford

 

Who starts at PF and C for them? And who will be their backup C? Horford's natural position is at the 4. As i've said, the Hawks would most likely say no but i'm not so sure about the "laugh at Morey" part.

 

IMO, we're not going to get an all star caliber power forward in return for Asik (unless it's in a package deal giving up more assets).

And the way people have been crying for Howard around here claiming he can walk on water _ TJ, D-Mo, Smith, and Parsons (when we go small) will be just fine in the frontcourt with Howard. If Howard can make it to the finals with Ryan Anderson, our 4 position is good. And I believe management is high on TJ.

My suggestions...

Trade Asik to Toronto for Terrence Ross, Camby, and their first round pick in next year's draft. Ross is athletic and long... Can shoot the three and he can get to the rim. When Harden goes through his point guard routine, Ross would be a great fit with him in the backcourt...

Or, trade Asik to Portland for CJ McCollum, Leonard, and a future pick.

Or trade Asik to Philly for New Orleans first round pick in next year's draft in a player.

These are just suggestions but I think when Morey makes a trade it will be something along these lines.

 

Call Atlanta and ask them about that homie. I'm just going off of what I heard Sam Mitchell say. But Horford is a power forward and not a center. And he's freaking good and Milsap can play the small forward position. And Horford has an excellent contract. That sounds like a backwards move for Atlanta.

 

Plus both Lin and Asik will count $30 million towards their cap the season after this coming season ---> Yikes...

 

Both Lin and Asik only count $8.5M against the cap, but they are both being paid $15M.

 

Edited:

As much as we all want Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge, we can't offer them a package of Asik and Lin since Minnesota and Portland have Ricky Rubio and Damian Lillard, respectively. Dirk Nowitzki? Not a chance. Cuban will never trade his BFF, let alone sending him to Houston. Ryan Anderson trade rumors seems to be dead as well.

So, looking into other team's current rosters, i found one team that's in need of a point guard and a legit center.

Enter, Atlanta Hawks.

They are bound to lose PG Jeff Teague to Milwaukee and they just lost C Zaza Pachulia to the same team as well. Acquired PF Paul Millsap via free agency.


My trade proposal:

Hawks receive: C Omer Asik ($8.3m), PG Jeremy Lin ($8.3m), PF/C Donatas Motiejunas ($1.4m) or PF/SF Terrence Jones ($1.5m), and future 2nd round picks or a future 1st round pick

Rockets acquire: PF/C Al Horford ($12m)



For Atlanta, they will get a legit center who's a double double machine to start alongside Millsap. Being one of the worst NBA teams in home attendance, they will now have a crowd drawer and a very capable starting point guard in Jeremy Lin. They will also receive a young talent in Motiejunas or Jones and future draft pick/s.

Why Houston does it? They get an All-star power forward who can post up and also spot up from 15-18 feet and who's also a workhorse down low.

So, who says no? Probably, the Hawks. But i can't find a much better deal that works for us and the team we're trading with as well.

 

Sorry $8.3

 

AL Horfords Shot Chart: He would be a nice fit next to Howard. He can hit those long jumpers.

 

I think that's just if they stay with the Rockets... If they are traded it goes back to the poison pill contract that Morey made for them... If that was the case, Chicago probably would have matched Asik's deal... Maybe same with Lin in NYC. That's why I believe it will be hard to trade both Lin and Asik together to the same team.

 

Signing Paul Millsap is a move going backwards, to be honest. They should be tanking. Not spending on 2nd tier players that would only make sense for contending teams. They don't have the luxury of using Millsap at the SF even if they wanted to since their only other big man right now is Al Horford.

By the way, It's exactly why i posted this on a random trade ideas thread. It's just a fan made trade proposal, which i created just for fun. I am not even trying to argue with you. I asked you an honest question. Was hoping we could have a healthy debate but you clearly shut it down with wise guy replies such as "They will laugh at Morey" and "Call Atlanta and ask them yourself". I never post unrealistic trades and i also explained why it makes sense for both teams. Even said Atlanta would probably say NO to it.



Just a reminder:

 

First of all, I want to say up front...I really like Horford. I think he is a quality ball player. He plays good D, he works hard, he's a team guy, he's a great professional.

I think there are 3 main factors when you look at trades:

1. Of course, what you are giving up versus what you are getting back.
2. What can you trade the acquiring player for later on? What is his trade value after you acquire him?
3. Does his best skills synergize with what you are trying to accomplish at the position he plays?

.........

1. You are giving up a top 5-10 center and a quality slightly-overpaid point guard who are on the books for $16.7 million per season for the next 2 seasons and will actually be paid like luxury tax players at $20 million per season for 2 seasons. You are giving up some trade flexibility since you could trade that much salary for around $21 million of incoming salary.

You are getting back a quality top 10 center. You are also getting back around $4.7 million of cap space to either use in an unbalanced trade or to sign a free agent. However if you make this trade now and you sign Casspi, Garcia, Williams...then this cap space disappears. So, it's only good as long as you can execute a second trade or sign a free agent in waiting speedily before you sign the other guys that you've promised contracts to.

2. It's good that Horford has positive trade value. That means if you put him on the market somebody would want him. Secondarily he has enough trade value that you could move him out for draft picks to create cap space to sign a free agent you really, really liked. However, what is the value of those draft picks?? And what would incoming player value could you receive for him alone and him in tandem with other expirings or young talent? (see this is the problem with Jeremy Lin's contract now. there's very few teams that need a starting point guard that's a middle-of-the-pack player at his position) Horford is a slightly above middle-of-the-pack starting center in the NBA in an age when there are precious few great centers and a whole pile of guys in the middle of the pack. We know that. As such it would be difficult to "trade up" for a better overall player using him as one of the assets.

On the other hand we have a small idea really what kind of PF he would make because he hasn't played at the 4. He's only been a 5.

3. Fit - Does Al fit? Do we need to pay a guy $12 million to back up Dwight for 12-18 minutes a game? No...we're moving a guy that we're paying less than that who is arguably better defensively and on the glass while not being as good offensively.

So, to get value from Al on the floor, he's got to play primarily at the 4. In our system we need a 4 that can S-t-r-e-t-c-h the floor. Folks, that's just the way it is here. So, if we're acquiring a guy that we're going to pay $12 million per season for and tie up our cap space, then he either needs to be able to shoot the 3-ball OR if he's going to be a midrange floor spreader he's got to be efficient from midrange...at least 55% or more out there. 55% from midrange is the same thing as around 36-37% from 3. Al really hasn't shot the 3-ball, only taking 18 shots out there for his career. Probably half those shots were some sort of bail-out desparation heaves...although he has hit a third of them. So, I am somewhat intrigued by his ability to hit the 3. I really don't know if he can shoot the 3 consistently or not. Now....if we discovered that he indeed could shoot the 3 at a 36+% rate, now we've possibly got something. OR if we knew that he could convert the 15-20 footers at 55+% then we know we've got something.

Guess what? Al is nowhere close to 55% from midrange. He's just not nearly efficient out there to put him out there and use him from midrange to contrast with Dwight down low. Al is what Dwight is. He's a finisher down low. Great percentages at the rim. Al is one of the best finishers in the game...I'd say top 10 easily. Amongst bigs probably top 3. But once again...that works great....when Dwight is on the bench for 12-18 minutes. The rest of the time when Dwight is in the game...Al has to get out to the corner because he would tear down our offensive efficiency at the elbow. Can he do shoot the corner 3???? We simply don't know. Can he guard PFs consistently outside? Don't know that either. Defensively I think he would be ok because he's the consumate pro who works hard. Offensively..don't know if he's got the stroke to shoot the 3 ball.

So if we bring him in and find out he can't shoot the 3 then what? Then you've got to look to trade him. But now you are in a weakened trade position. Other teams know you've got to move him. And they also know that Al has limitations that have been exploited. So his trade value goes...down.

.........

What's a fair trade for Horford??? Asik for Horford straight up. Leave Jeremy out of it. Use Jeremy to get something else. Why Asik for Horford straight up? Because it's a better fit for both teams. Atlanta needs more at center and Millsap is at the 4 for them now. Horford really needs a chance to play some 4 minutes and backup at the 5 where he would be in more favorable matchups. Asik also saves Atlanta money that they can spend elsewhere. And a Horford/Lin package makes a lot more sense for a team like the Knicks if they decide to trade Melo.

I would do Asik for Horford straight up but not with the idea of Horford being our long-term solution at the 4. I'd do it because he could possibly be the long-term solution at the 4 BUT also because he's attractive enough and has a higher salary than Asik..so it would be easier to put together a trade package for Melo or Love or Bosh or conceivably LaMarcus if we felt that LaMarcus would be an upgrade to Al. I personally don't know if LaMarcus would be an upgrade to Al because although that silky high-release jumper looks great the reality is Aldridge doesn't even shoot 50% from midrange with it.

 

Asik and Lin's cap hit would be only be $8.3m for any team they are traded to. Those poison pills would've only worked against Chicago (Asik) and New York (Lin) if they chose to match at the time they were offered.

 

I thought it only applied to Chi and NY, if they were to match?

 

Relax Spark... I didn't call you crazy or stupid (which you are not). I can't comment on Atlanta because I don't follow that organization like I do the Rockets on why they should do what.

But, why should Atlanta tank when they are a playoff team...? And as of now the only player of significance they lost was Smith. And many times last year when I seen Atlanta play Horford was at the 4 and Smith was at the 3... And they just replaced Smith with Milsap who is more of a tweener than a power forward, IMO... And plus Atlanta drafted Mike Muscala who was supposedly one of the best shooting centers in the draft and they still have 3 other centers on the roster (if they make the team) to try to work with it...

I'm not saying it's a bad idea.. Not at all because Horford is an excellent player. But I just can't see why a playoff team would trade their best player for a solid center who can't catch and a bunch of question marks. That's why it looks like a backwards move for them IMO...