Should the Rockets be shopping their first round pick?

JV, in THEORY what you are saying is sound. Adding at least 2 solid players each year and then perhaps a 3rd with the Trade Exception.

However getting a "solid player" via the draft is ANYTHING but a given. It is a crap shoot and we have been rolling snake eyes. If we drafted like San Antonio then perhaps I would agree with you.

Then in terms of the MLE, we got one solid player for half the MLE in Sura. Ward it appears is worthless. Perhaps getting a solid player for the FULL MLE for 4 years or less would be a better move. Longer contract but at least the player is worth a damn. Case in point, someone like James Posey or Brent Barry. If you split the MLE for 2 lesser players then your talent isnt as good. This team needs PIECES, solid pieces. And if for some reason the pieces dont fit at least they are good players that can be traded. There is no way we can trade Ward unless he is a throw in, in a deal.

As for the T.E. That is all up to Les in my opinion. He has to be willing to take on another 5.9M of salary without giving up salary. We can do it. But it is on him to make that call.


On a side note about Chandler....In Chicago right now Chandler is coming off the bench for Scott Skiles. I believe Skiles is similar to JVG in terms of the style of coaching. If Chandler is coming off the bench for Skiles because Skiles believes he isnt giving a full effort, what makes us think JVG would give him anymore time here? Something to think about. On the otherhand, maybe the point would be moot if JVG wasnt the coach!

 

I would absolutely NOT trade the pick. In fact, I hope the Rockets try to acquire more picks.

We need youth and athleticism. Instead of going for veterans this off-season, the Rockets should have gone after youngsters that can be molded into the type of players Van Gundy wants.

It's obvious Van Gundy is having problems getting players to buy into his system. The reason for this is he's got a bunch of veterans that have been playing in this league for several years and are used to playing a particular way.

 

I think the rockets should package the pick with a power forward and trade to a team with a player for an expiring contract.

For instance a trade to GSW for Dale Davis for MoTaylor, Boki and the pick (or Juwan, Clarence and pick) could be useful. I don't know why GSW would do it but it could help us in short and long term.

Dale Davis couldn't be any worse of a forward than we already have and his huge salary would come off the books at the end of the year. That means we could pursue Stromile or any other free agent that might be slightly more pricey than the MLE.

 

Well, do you think we could trade JJ + pick for either Bobby Simmons or Wilcox + 2nd rounder?

Because I tihnk I'd do that pretty damn quick.

 

Exactly.

That is why I voted no because I am sure the NBA will not allow it unless you are talking about the 2006 draft. Or unless there was a recent rule change on this matter.

By the way, who says we do not have tradable players or players with value outside tmac and Ming?

 

This point cannot be overlooked. Like I said this summer, a deal CAN be made. I think they can easily get a Wilcox or a Chandler. The question is whether or not they'de be willing to take back excess garbage. Will Les see the situation dire enough to take back salary?

That leads me to my next point. It's obvious these young players here aren't responding to JVG. What makes us think some underacheiver from elsewhere will thrive? Ultimately, the coach has to be replaced because I don't see any trades making much of a difference under these circumstances.

And like others have said, any trade needs to be for a PEICE. This franchise has screwed itself over a thousand times by piss poor personnel decisions, squandering cap space, wasting draft picks, letting EG and James Posey go. The draft and MLE are our only ways to build ourselves back up again. If they're going to trade one of our few assets, it needs to be for a guy that can be here for the long haul, not a quick fix for Larry Johnson or Charles Smith.

 

I am curious as to how you think we can "easily" get a Wilcox or Chandler. Basically I guess you are saying we send a #1 pick and the T.E. to one of those teams and they give us Wilcox or Chandler + a bad contract. And the "bad contract" is us basically willing to take on a salary.

What proposed deals do you think we can make for those players that those teams would be interested in. To be honest, I am doubtful that we would be able to obtain them.

Total agreement.

 

I did. That is not how I understood the rule to be. I understood the rule to be the other way.

Make sure you do not assume too quickly next time.

 

Well, but you are wrong.

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#70

In addition, teams are restricted from trading away future first round draft picks in consecutive years. This is called the "Ted Stepien Rule." Stepien owned the Cavs from 1980-83, and made a series of bad trades that cost the Cavs several years' first round picks. The trades, as columnist Chris Young put it, "amounted to giving up Manhattan for a bag of beads." As a result of Stepien's ineptitude, teams are now prevented from making trades which might leave them without a future first-round draft pick in consecutive years.

This rule applies only to future first round picks. For example, if this is the 99-00 season, then teams can trade their 2000 first round pick without regard to whether they had a 1999 pick, since their 1999 pick is no longer a future pick. But they can't trade away both their 2000 and 2001 picks, since both are future picks. Teams sometimes work around this rule by trading first round picks in alternate years.

Make sure you make sure you are at least right before you try to "challenge" the owner of the site... .

 

To be safe, even if you are "right"...I still wouldn't challenge the owner of this site.

 

With regards to the question asked in the thread, I think that we should be shopping our first-round pick, and ideally, we should really try to get rid of one of our soft power forwards, coupled with the first-round pick and try to get a tough, rebounding power forward back.

With Jaric's recent strong play, I am sad to say that getting him will most probably be a pipedream, but for instance bundling some of our players (e.g., Ward, Lue, Gaines), the first-round pick, some cash (Sterling likes that) for Wilcox and Jaric would have been so nice...

 

I agree .

 

ahh, so "we'll burn that bridge when we come to it."


i'm loving that saying.

 

Thank you. I am glad you and I feel better now. How is deutchland?

Nothing feels better than yanking Clutch's tail every now and then. You know this as well.

 

No probs Clutch.

Heaven knows I love you like a brother. You a solid guy but every now and then it feels getting pwned by you.


PS. At least I am not on your ignore list like Jeff did to me

 

sure i'd trade it for a young fast body... ie someone in your PF thread in the dish

if we a TE or another deal we could land an Antonio Daniels type at the point that would help

i would also keep it if it meant getting us some grunt at the 4 or speed and smarts at the 1 or length, speed and athletisms at the 3

 

No way.

That pick looks damn good right now.