I think the player that would best fit this team is Vince Carter. The guy is absolutely unself (and therefore willing to pass Yao the ball), yet can take over games when we're struggling. Even in a shooting slump, the guy gets 20 PPG and 9 dimes. Assuming he's healthy I'd do this trade in a heartbeat.
Give me a break! It was the same system. Same plays. Same calls. Same players. Same rotation. Same feel....
I've thought since the offseason that this was an awkward mix of players. Don't kid yourselves. Francis isn't getting dealt. I'm sure many of you would love it but Francis isn't going anywhere. Beyond that, only Ameche and Jackson are restricted for trades because of when they were signed/traded previously. Piatkowski isn't going anywhere because they felt like he was a fit for the team. IMO, there are three guys with trade value and three guys the Rockets would be fine (if not happy) with dealing: Mobley Cato Boki All those guys have some degree of value. Obviously, Boki's value is not terribly high, but there are teams who like his skills and would love to have him as a secondary part of a deal. Taylor Norris E. Griffin This isn't to say there is no market for Taylor. I'm sure there is a team out there that would like to have him, but his contract is prohibitive for most trades. Norris will only get dealt if it is a requirement of the deal - i.e. the Rockets won't do the deal unless he is includes. Griffin, with pending free agency and the risk he may never play again, is untradeable. JVG has said all along he wants guys to compliment Yao and Francis. From what I've heard, that has not changed. To me, that means guys like Mobley and Cato could be available and, if packaged with a draft pick and possibly our trade exception, could still net a good player(s) in return.
Great post! So, with that said, what are our options? What makes sense for us and for our trading partner(s)?
I know that is what JVG said, and has to say, but this doesn't mean he wouldn't trade Francis. The minute JVG says "maybe their isn't room for Yao, SF and me after all"--that will be the day after Francis has been relocating. Now maybe the Rockets would be determined to wait until summer, when Francis is no longer a BYC player and easier to get full market value (major market value for Francis), but if Francis struggles all-year in adapting to where the Rockets are going I don't know what other reasonable choices JVG, CD and Les have.
This is a salary dumpage move along with a roster turnover if the season turns out bad. Steve, Maurice, and Moochie goes to New York Knicks Weatherspoon, Kurt Thomas, Othella Harrington, Eisley, Charlie Ward, and a next year's 1st round draft pick goes to Houston Rockets total salary of $23.3 million for Rockets for 2004-2005 total salary of $21.3 million plus a $2 million/year 2-3 year contract for Charlie Ward Everything comes off the books after 2005-2006. two year experiment of this roster PG Ward, Eisley SG Mobley, Piatkowski SF Jackson, Weatherspoon PF Thomas, Harrington C Yao, Cato There is a possible change to this deal especially if Steve is not playing well by the end of the season. I imagine the Knicks might not want to let go of the 1st round pick which should be pretty high.
Charvo, add another #1 from the Knicks (next year and 06) and I'd think about it. Steve is worth more than Kurt Thomas and a high #1 (say top 6 pick)--which is basically what the deal reduces to.
I'm focusing on cap management since this essentially leaves this team basically free of contracts after the 2005-2006 season.
The reason I stated that they aren't going to trade Francis is because I know for a fact they don't consider Francis the problem. I know that is hard for a lot of you to believe or understand, but they believe they have two signature stars - Francis and Yao. They think that Francis is ALREADY markedly better than he was last year and they believe he will improve even more over the next few seasons. That is just the way it is.
No offense, but I doubt you know anything of the sort. Convincing yourself by trying to convince others is just not fact enough.
I have pined for trading Steve if only because I don't see him as our superstar. He makes too many mistakes still. But I know he won't go (this year) because there are a lot of season ticket holders rooting him on (and a lot of them aren't, but, well...) and a lot of Francis jerseys in the stands. Plus, the Steve vs. Yao factions would be in full swing if Steve were traded. So in that sense, I agree that Steve won't be traded (I can hope for Jermaine O'Neal but why would Indy trade such a player? *sigh*) Cat would go; Cato could go with him. We need offense in a bad way. I would love to have Shareef but, alas, no D, so no 'Reef. And if Cato goes, a separate trade for a decent backup center would have to be in the works as well (Battie?) Maybe Battie can be had for Eggie Griff (expiring contract) and part of the exception.
So Jeff, do you have personal conversations with Rockets coaches and management? Francis won't get traded during the season because of his BYC status. If the Rockets miss the playoffs, then anybody but Yao is fair game...
I am not personally opposed to trading Francis. However I first would like to see if I can build the team around Francis and Yao. Right now we are only STARTING to do that. The first step was adding JJ and Pike. The next step should be moving Cato/Mobley/Taylor to upgrade the SG position (as a passer & jump shooter) and the Forward position (SF or PF) to add more scoring punch. And of course if one of those players was the "3rd star" player that I think we need on this team then even better. I would rather try to make those moves BEFORE I blow it all up and trade Francis away. I really believe that this is the route the Rockets will go.
