Doc, OP, and others have been vewwy, vewwy quiet watewy. Maybe they just have real jobs? Chicago owes us (a) future draft pick(s). We could erase that debt. I don't know who we have that they'd want.
Well, the only players that we could trade would not be worth it. For instance, we could trade Mobley for Lewis or Griffin and someone else for Lewis. Would I want to do it? Hell no! But, those are the only two trades I can see the Sonics actually considering. Taylor and Moochie are BYC, so cross them out. Cato makes too much, and they really don't need him. Kenny makes too little. Nachbar can't be traded until December 15th. Rice makes too much. So you're right. I don't know what kind of sign-and-trade the Rockets could even be pursuing. And as JoeBarelyCares informs, a sign and trade must be three years anyway. So...Lewis for the exception...anyone?
Here's how I think a three-team trade could work cap wise to do a sign and trade that would not violate the CBA. The players used are mostly for illustrative purposes: Seattle trades: Calvin Booth $5.0 mil. Rashard Lewis $4.4 mil. cap value (BYC - last year's salary is used as BYC figure because it is greater than 50% of new salary); signed to seven year deal starting at $8 million per year (Seattle can take back salaries totaling $9.4 mil., plus 15%, plus $100K) Houston trades: Glen Rice $9.0 mil. Kenny Thomas $1.4 mil. Jason Collier $1.4 mil. Terrence Morris $.5 mil. Chicago's pick obligation for Bryce Drew trade (no cap value) (Houston can take back salaries totaling $12.3 mil., plus 15%, plus 100K ($14.2 mil.)) Chicago trades: Eddie Robinson $5.7 mil. (Chicago can take back salaries totaling $5.7 mil., plus the cap space they had prior to this deal) Seattle receives: Eddie Robinson $5.7 mil. Kenny Thomas $1.4 mil. Jason Collier $1.4 mil. Total received: $8.5 mil. Houston receives: Rashard Lewis $8.0 mil. Calvin Booth $5.0 mil. Total received: $13.0 mil. (Rashard's deal could be up to $9.0 million to work!) Chicago receives: Glen Rice $9.0 mil. Terrence Morris $.5 mil. Drew obligation returned (Chicago needed only $3.8 million in cap space to do this deal). Not to bolster this deal as legitimate, but Chicago dumps the ERod contract for Rice, which is a 2 year contract and is paid in part by New York, and gets TMo and the Drew obligation as bones. Seattle dumps the Booth contract, and gets 1 or 2 good players in return. Houston gets Rashard, dumps Rice, but has to take on the Booth contract and loses KT and TMO. Rashard gets a 8 year, $77 mil. deal, with an opt out. A Rashard sign and trade to Houston is possible with a third team involved, but probably very difficult/complicated.
From the looks of it, the most attractive player to add in the sign & trade is Glen Rice because his contract expires the earliest. Mo Taylor is under BYC, so let's cross him out. Kelvin Cato's contract expires in 2007, so I doubt the Sonics will be interested. I doubt the Rockets are interested in trading away Francis, Mobley, Griffin, or Yao Ming. So, now the question is what we can add to Glen Rice to make this deal work. The options are Kenny Thomas, Bostjan Nachbar, Terrence Morris, Jason Collier, Moochie Norris, Tito Maddox, and draft picks. Of all of these players, I doubt the Sonics will be interested in Morris (fringe prospect), Collier (fringe prospect), and Moochie Norris (Sonics have enough PG, and probably won't want to pay his salary). So the Rockets have available to them Kenny Thomas, Nachbar, and Maddox to offer along with Glen Rice for Rashard Lewis. If that is not enough, the Rockets probably can offer some future draft choices to make this deal work. From what I see, I think the Rockets definitely have enough to offer the Sonics to make a S&T lucrative. So, this brings to us a tougher question. How do we make this work financially? Frankly, I don't know enough about the BYC rules to truly understand how to fit it in. However, if a 3rd team must be involved as some people here say, the Rockets can probably give up a bit more talent to make it happen. If someone can send me a link for the CBA rules, that'd be great. I'm still hoping that Lewis will settle for signing the MCE because that'd be the least hassle. However, a S&T is not a bad idea if we can get rid of a dead salary (Rice's salary if Rashard is going to sign on).
I love it when people on this site make the comment in reaction to someone's far out trade hypothetical, "well, the other team has to agree to it!" As if we did not know this. As if you do not think that GMs and Coaches around the league do not play fantasy trade hypotheticals...this is how trades get life.....just because I do not think another team will accept a trade does not mean that you do not throw it at them...it opens dialogue. I know from first hand knowledge that GMs and Coaches do not make their best offer in any trade on the first pass. You think we gave them everything they wanted for Steve Francis from the outset. Why would a team want to make it even and leave players on the table before the trade is complete......Negative trade hypothetical posers just zip it...this is the fun of the site and of being arm-chair GMs...it is okay to question "why would Seattle do that", but it is not okay to respond, "that is a stupid trade...other other side has to agree" as if we thought they had to take it...... MoT for Rashard makes sense for Seattle if if can be had in a S&T....Seattle has like 9 centers, 2SF and 10 guards or something like that...they need a PF badly...... sorry had to rant there...I digress...let's get back to this excitement
Houston Sends -- Maurice Taylor, Glen Rice, Future pick Houston Rcvs -- MICHEAL FINLEY Seattle Sends -- RASHARD LEWIS Seattle Rcvs -- Maurice Taylor, Glen Rice, Future pick Dallas Sends -- MICHEAL FINLEY Dallas Rcvs -- RASHARD LEWIS ** i dont know if this would work... but the rockets could work with this... we also got Kenny thomas, Jason Collier, Terrence Morris, Tito Maddux, ect. **
Houston trades Torres Thomas Collier Rice Future draft pick Seattle Trades Lewis Forte Lineup Francis/Mooch/Maddux Mobley/Forte Lewis/Nachbar Griffin/Taylor Ming/Cato Ir Morris
JBC, the deal doesn't work for Seattle at all. Basically they'll be exchanging the EdRob contract for Calvin Booth's. They, actually cont on Booth since they are extremely thin at 4 and 5. Without Booth they'll have Jerome James (who is back-up anyaway) and KT (undersized 4).
first hand, as of earlier today... he told his ex-girlfriend and highschool sweetheart that he expects to be a rocket.
another brother, you are the man... make it happen bro! PS: Should we keep this on the down-low or shout it out for all the world to hear?
The Rockets and our insiders are just too quiet for words. But it seem very difficult to get done. Insider today, did have some choice phrases that suggested that he is gone.
I thought rookies (that have already been signed) can't be traded until a certain date. If that's the case Nacbar can't be traded until after the start of the season. As for the Lewis situation, I know he's schedule for a visit to Dallas on Thursday. Dallas is said to be offering a 3 year/$15 million deal. Cuban is going to show him around the AAC, and basically attempt to wow him. Dallas is only a 30 minute plane ride to Houston, and don't forget that Cuban has his own private jet so Lewis could go to Houston anytime he wanted. Plus he'll be able to advance further in the playoffs playing for Dallas. With that being said I still think Houston is the front runner. If he's going to sign for 3 years/$15 mil why wouldn't he just sign with his hometown team. He would add to an excellent core of young athletic players. Plus they are all young enough to outlast the Shaq era. They could be getting VERY good by the time Shaq desides to walk away. It's basically Lewis' decision. Does he want to join ... PG - Nash SG - Finley SF - Lewis PF - Dirk C - Raef or PG - Francis SG - Mobley SF - Lewis PF - Griffin C - Yao
first hand as of 2:00 today ... he told he ex-roommate that he's not sure Houston wants him, and that Dallas now looks like the place he'll sign.
Another Brother, I hope you are right. It's about time we let Shard come home and help lead us to the promise land. Any other insiders wanna back this up or what? The guy's 6'10. Talk about versitile ... Eddie, Yao, Kenny, Shard. All those guys can play 2 different positions in the front court.
I truly hope she is right. They did break up on bad terms, but she is fine as hell. I don't know of any roommates there TG but I could be wrong.
