Will Duncan come here for the MCE or whatever small cap figure we have available..most likely no What do we have , aside from Francis, that SA would sign-and-trade for? MoT, KT, EG, Tmo, Mooch, Cat, etc. If I were SA I would call Duncan's bluff if he were trying to force a deal with Houston(which is the only way it would happen anyway). Duncan will not leave money on the table and I do not blame him. I would love to have him but our core for the future is set and ready to start working together. PG - Francis SG - Cat SF - Boki PF - EG C - Ming Let a team like that mature together and something special is coMING!
I agree Duncan coming to Houston is a very remote possibility. However, I don't think people can take for granted that Duncan will stay in San Antonio. If I'm Duncan and winning actually matters to me, the Spurs better pick up some quality free agents or I seriously consider looking elsewhere, less money or no. Don't forget that Duncan already seriously considered leaving. You may feel confident that the Spurs will pick up some quality free agents, but money's not the only factor that will play in Duncan's decision-making. I agree Duncan is the Spurs' to lose, but if the Spurs for some reason can't put a reasonable supporting cast around him, I don't see him staying in San Antonio just for the money and loyalty.
As much as I think Duncan is even better than Shaq, I don't want him in Houston. It would seem too much like how the Yankees buy their championships. The Rockets' titles were homegrown with Olajuwon being the core. Cassell was our draft pick, OT made his name here, Horry began here. Drexler was a Houston legend, even though he played almost all of his NBA career in Portland. The 'Houston-ness' of those teams make the championships even more special. I'd rather the Rockets win another with the talent that they have now: Francis, Mobeley, Ming and Griffin all coming from our draft.
I agree that "homegrown" is preferable. I like our present core of players and am content to watch them grow and mature together. I wouldn't want the Rockets to go out of their way to pursue Duncan unless Duncan first expressed an interest in coming to Houston. However, if there were a possibility that Duncan wanted to play with the Rockets, I would totally explore options of getting him here. A championship with a homegrown core might be sweeter, but getting Duncan makes us championship contenders now, not five years down the road. Most players don't stay with the same team. It's tough enough to put a contender on the floor, and even more difficult to do that without signing any key free agents or making any key trades.
I dont think he'll be coming here, with San Antonio up and coming with Parker, Daniels, and now that they've resigend Rose, I think he'll stay put. Of course, now that they're about to lose Robinson, which will probably make Duncan the Center, maybe he'll say "Hey, I can go to Houston and play with another 7 footer, and go back to my original PF position." Of course, Ming is a little more than just a 7 footer, but hey, you never know. Pugs
I understand your point, Relativist, and I agree that key trades are made for championship contenders. Acquiring Drexler was a key trade. Acquiring Barkely was also a key trade, and if we had won with Barkely I would have been just as excited as the other two. However, IMO, based on the fact that I've been a long time fan of the Rockets and always will--so I don't care so much that we win Now as much as how we win--is that a championship team with Duncan would not be nearly as satisfying as those with Olajuwon. It's a weird sense of integrity in the organization that I appreciate. Continuing the baseball analogy, hell, yeah, I'm pissed that the Astros haven't won a World Series, yet, but they came very close with a very well run organization from the minors up through the MLB. And, how bitter it would be, after all these years of being loyal to what they represent to have them turn into the Yankees (which obviously would be impossible). In basketball, the Lakers bought Shaq, but at least, they did pick Kobe. In my different way of looking at the 'homegrownness' of a team, then, the Lakers still have a good sense of it. One can also say that they picked up Oneal early in his career, and even that the move itself was one of astute management (but free agency doesn't count as much as a trade in this sense). All this said, it is a game, and how we win the game means as much to me as winning it itself. I'd still root for the Rockets, though, if we had Duncan.
Duncan doesn't have to use the Rockets as his leverage. He can threaten to sign with a Denver, or an Orlando. Both of those teams can give him a max deal and have some pretty good players alongside him (Denver is my pick to win the LeBron James sweepstakes). Duncan can give the Spurs a list of teams they can trade him to or he goes and wins with McGrady in Orlando.
No one commented on my Griffin, Ming and Rice for Duncan deal? They'd probably have to exchange their pick with ours the following year. Their s would be high, because they wouldn't have Duncan, but ours would be late first round (Duncan). Basically: Ming Griffin Rice #15 (let's say) for Duncan #6 Would you do that? This is after Griffin has shown he's easily the starter over Mo T and KT, and after Ming showed significant improvement towards the end of the season. Ming, Griffin, and Rice probably will make something like 15-16M, but I don't know how much the MAX is for DUncan, so I don't know if it works salary-wise. We thrust them 2 years past the rebuilding phase, and they push us 2 years into being contenders. Cato Duncan Nachbar Mobley Francis Is their a more perfect team?
Funniest post EVER! I damn near fell out of my chair. Tum Duncan to H-town is somewhat tantalizing but I really think we have a 0-1% chance of landing they guy. Like The Cat said, it is doubtful that he'll leave SA. They have some young talent (yeah right) but most importantly, they can pay him the most. And if he were to leave, it would only be to an Eastern Conf. team (Orlando, Nets). We are in a good spot though w/ Ming & Duncan as our PF & C tandum of the future.
You still here groupie? What's even funnier is that you actually got a number of people to believe your act. I'll be sure to drop by your seats next season and say hi.....groupie!
Why is everybody throwing in cat, griff, rice, kt, cato, and ming in the trade blocks. When it's only a sign-and trade deal. Didn't we just gave up some guy for pippen back in 99. I would just give them Kenny or Mo T and a draft pick.
I dont think the rockets should offer anything for Tim Duncan. I think that Eddie Griffin may be as good as Tim Duncan in a couple of years. Whoever suggest we should trade Griffin doesnt know what they are talking about. Whoever suggest we should trade Steve Francis is just stupid. If we should give up anyone its Dan Langhi, Tierre Brown, and Jason Collier. Throw Terrence Morris in too.
The Spurs would laugh at that offer. Tim Duncan is a franchise player, who can carry you to the playoffs. Ming and Griffin are still developing, and Rice is old with a terrible contract.
man, you really know who this guy is? You really think "in a couple of years" Griffin would become the league's MVP, averaging 25.5 pts, 12.7reb, 3.7asi, 2.48blk, shooting .508%, beating the likes of CWebb, KG, Dirk to be in the all NBA 1st team, and has a ring on his finger? "Langhi, Brown, Collier and Morris for Duncan"??????????????? I'm sorry but I really don't know what you are talking about! btw, do you know all four players you mentioned would become free agents at the end of next season? yes you can't trade FAs! because that year we have cap space to sign Pippen, Chicago helped the Rockets to be able to offer Max contract to Pippen and they got Roy Rogers and a conditional second-round pick in return for that. next year would be different- we'll be over the cap. so the only way we can get Duncan is if Duncan tell the Spurs he wants to play in Houston and Rockets offer something "Valuable" to Spurs for a S&T deal. I'd give up Cat, Griffin, and Rice to make it happen! I really think we have a good chance of getting Duncan. He'll get his Max anywhere he plays. so the only thing really matters is who can help him beat the Lakers? maybe Ming Franchise can. reasons we have good chance? 1.) we have enough talant for S&T deal to give Duncan his Max 2.) we have a good (maybe great) center to let him play his favored position (wow, Ming/Duncan twin tower) 3.) Houston is not too far from his home and located in the south which he preferred. 4.) we have an all-star point guard to complement his game. 5.) I believe Yao Ming will make Houston a big basketball market. 6.) new arena 7.) I believe Rockets' management, coaching staff, and trainer have good reputation in the league I also hope we can land Rashard this summer. since he already indicated he would like to play in Houston, maybe we don't have to give up too much for him in a S&T deal w/ the Sonics. I think Cato+Thomas+Morris+Chicago's picks we acquired in the B. Drew deal would do. We then trade Norris for Jahidi White to backup Ming(Collier and B. Simmon have to be throw in for cap purpose) thus our lineup for 02'~03' season would be: White, Yao Ming Griffin, Taylor Lewis, Nachbar, Rice Mobley, Torres, Simmon Francis, Brown, Madox I think that's good for 5th or 6th seed in the West. And if next season we can get Duncan (give up Mobley+Griffin+Rice) lineup would be: Yao Ming, White Duncan, Taylor Lewis, Nachbar Torres, Simmon Francis, Brown wow, we might win 72+ games!
"The Spurs would laugh at that offer. Tim Duncan is a franchise player, who can carry you to the playoffs. Ming and Griffin are still developing, and Rice is old with a terrible contract." That has to be the funniest thing I've EVER heard. Rice is OLD with terrible contract? WHO CARES. If Duncan leaves, they'll become crappy ANYWAY. So they might as well clear 10M in cap space for rebuilding. Ming and Griffin, do you know what the potential is on that? That can be their next twin towers. We're offering them basically 2 top 3 picks, and 10M in cap space. If with the 10M they sign, let's say, Lamar Odom, then we've given them their frontline for the next 7 or 8 years, and probably the best frontline in the NBA for the next whatever years. Thrown in Tony Parker, and all they have to pickup is a SG. The Cat, Would San Antonio laugh at Yao Ming (after a season of showing promise), Eddie Griffin, and Rice (10M in cap space)? This deal gives them time to build. In 2 years, when Ming, Griffin and Parker start to get past their "young" phase, they'll be an EXCELLENT core. I reall really really doubt they'll get a better offer than that. Especially if Duncan wants to leave.
Sane, if Duncan and Robinson leave in the same year they will be way under the cap so your theory about Rice clearing up all this cap space for them isnt valid.
