I love that idea, its exactly what I was thinking, except I not good words use right, you are better vocabulator than I. all joking aside, if we could do that, I would personally quit college and move to Houston.
How much is a lottery pick outside the top 3 worth? The Suns will be well over the Luxury Tax threshhold and their owner Sarver doesn't want that. The most obvious and discussed solution for the Suns is to move Diaw. Rockets aren't in the picture on that. However what if there are no takers and his lesser role this year has Diaw labelled as a one season wonder? The Rockets can offer an alternate deal. It won't get the Suns under the LT but it does get them close by shaving c.7M off their books. Kurt Thomas, Marcus Banks, James Jones, and Pike for Howard, Sura, Head, and Lucas. That'd be equivalent to saving $14 million. Though Rockets would have LT worries of their own. If they can swing a deal with a team below the salary cap team looking for PG depth they could get away with it along with a non-guaranteed 15th man to help fudge the numbers. Teams like Orlando (e.g Alston for Diener), Hawks, and Bobcats would have to be interested in Alston given his production, salary and experience. Banks, Spanoulis, (Diener) McGrady, Snyder, Pike Battier, Jones Thomas, Hayes, Novak Yao That'd leave 3 roster spots open. 1 for the draft pick and 2 for min. salaried players.
SF to the Rockets might just have to happen now to keep the fickle Houston fanbase interested at all next year. This BBS will be absolutely torn if that goes down, but for the LLE, why not, I can already see the posters with Yao in the middle with T-Mac and SF on his left and right, arms crossed, lol! Slogan: "OK, this Year, We Promise!"
THe Rockets should just sign Chucky Atkins, and PJ Brown (maybe Jamaal Magloire). They should be able to get that done with the salary they are working with. Give Sura a 1 Million $ buyout. Dont re-sign Big Jake. Let Bonzi walk. Resign Hayes and Deke. PG - Alston, Atkins, Lucas, V-Span SG - Mcgrady, Head, Snyder SF - Battier, Novak PF - Hayes, Brown, Juwan C - Yao, Mutombo They would need to pick up a quality wing in the draft to back up Battier!
That lineup still doesn't address our need for a 3rd scorer/slasher/athlete, sure we have a better bench, but that quality wing you speak of better start!!! Afflalo anyone?
