If the Rockets were really blown up, then one of Steve or Yao would have to go. If it was Steve who was traded this offseason, then who would you want in return and what do you actually think we could get. I would love to trade him for Kidd Jermaine O'Neal Elton Brand and possibly Darko and other bits to compete in the West these days you need some impressive size, imagine a front court of Yao and Jermaine or Yao and Brand. Finally, if even after the move to SG, and his play is the same, great highlight reel moves, high turnovers, no defense, bad decisions and the team is no further than first round playoffs, Do you think young Stud Power Forwards would be offer from other teams if we traded him then? My guess is we would looking at SFs and guards.
Heh, if we made any of those trades then the Rockets' guard tandem would be worse than the Chinese NT!
That pretty much sums up who I would trade him for, absent, of course, the crazy Shaq, Kobe, KG, Duncan trades. I'm still a little iffy on the Jermaine Oneal one, just because I think he is a little soft, but you can't discount the 20 point 10 rebound average for what, 2 straight seasons. As per the backcourt minus Steve (and assuming no J. Kidd deal), you would think that if the TWolves can constantly replace their backcourt and have it still be good than other teams should be able to (or is this just another Flip Saunders thing?). I mean, wasn't Troy Hudson their second choice last year until Cleveland matched on Ricky Davis. Essentially, Hudson, not an allstar but a decent point, was just sitting there ripe for the pickin.
Howabout packaging him with Mobley and some scrub for Brand and A. Miller (Clippers sign&trade)? Sounds impossible but I'd do it in a heartbeat. I love Francis, but.. I like a Brand and Miller combo slightly better (for stability's sake). Mobley is garbage.
O'Neal yes, Kidd or Brand no...and I haven't seen Darko play, so can't comment. Brand is a very good player...but IMO has reached his peak. I don't see him being a guy who can carry a team to the playoffs, I see him being a SOLID 2nd on a good team, 3rd guy on a great team. I don't see the same ceiling for Steve, unless it's in his head. Kidd doesn't, IMO, have that many years left at this level of play. Steve should continue to improve over the next year or two. Also I am not sure that Kidd and Yao would be that great of a long term fit; Kidd is best running high tempo, Yao can do it on occasion, but trying to run with Kidd full time would wear him down, or else he's left out of a lot of the mix. O'Neal hasn't peaked yet, and has a much higher ceiling than Brand. Right now it's about even, but Brand's arrow is pointed sideways, whereas O'Neal's is pointing up. Yao and O'Neal would be scary, except they both operate best out of the L-Block, and it might be an Olajuwon/Barkley thing where they take turns; not the best use of offensive weapons...but it also could be rectified. Other players I would trade Francis for, as good fits: I think Steve has a higher ceiling, but Baron Davis is a pretty good match value-wise. Pau Gasol is pretty close, in terms of value, unless he regressed this year as much as his critics have claimed. I suppose you could make a case for Stoudamire...as painful as that is to mention in here. This only if you think that Steve has reached max output, or near. There are other guys who are lower ( Chandler, Brand, possibly Jefferson) but who might be enough to be the focus of a reasonable deal for Steve, or higher ( Carter, Pierce, probably O'Neal ) who, if they became available for whatever reason, you could get for a package with Steve as it's primary component.
Funny, how if you replace "Brand" with "Francis" in that quote, then you can see why Smeggy started this thread. hmmmmm
Definitely arguable...I just don't see the same physical limitations in Steve's game that i see in Elton's. I agree that mental limitations are just as real...they just seem more easily fixed.
you see his mental limitations more easily fixable, glad you you some chance they will be fixed, i see NO chance, he has reached his mental ceiling andit is somewhere between the basement ans the foundations. btw is it a mental or physical limitation that he dribbles the ball so damn high??? After watching the Hornets v Sixers series i would definitely trade him for Baron Davis, love his game. MacBeth Gascol is another i forgot about, another definite.
I see more physical limitations in Francis than Brand. Which is worse, a 6'3 shooting guard or a 6'8 power forward with extremely long arms? I really like the idea of Yao/Brand inside. Kind of gives the team a McHale/Parish look.
Kidd. All the others can be had for less than Steve. MacBeth, I don't think Yao has to run with Kidd's fastbreaks. How often do you see centers running with the fastbreaks anyways? You just need some fast guys on the wing (Posey, Boki, even Eddie) In fact, Yao is the perfect center for the break because he can grab the rebound and throw the outlet pass in a hurry.
Question for you and anyone else who feels qualified to answer ...........will it be harder to find another player who can step in as a PG and allow SF to move to the 2 while at the same time complimenting him on the court? Or will it be harder to simply find a better option at the 2 than Mobley and leave Francis at the 1? My gut feeling tells me that Steve will be back at the 1 next year because we will have a difficult time acquiring the right type of PG that will compliment Steve (i.e. a big PG who can cover other team's SGs on D).
Yeah, #2. Because Steve still needs to be the main offensive weapon on this team. When I say main, I mean leader, and mobile scorer. The problem is that Mobley plays that way too, but doesn't offer anything that Steve doesn't do already. I mean, at least Steve tries to pass. Neither play D. What we need is a 2 guard (TALL) that is a has slashing ability and DEFENSE to play along side Francis (if SF stays at the 1). Now, if we got Barry, then Steve could move to the 2.
Smeg's question is: who would you trade Steve away for? So the idea is not to compliment him. It's to replace him with another star. But, yeah, I agree that finding a good complimentary PG is harder than finding a good SG.
