nbadraft.net reports that Toronto is looking to trade down into the 5-10 pick range. Houston should have a go...
and let the ridiculous trade ideas commence... ok lets trade them swift and our pick for the #1. swift is practically lamarcus so it would be a great trade for them.
Honestly though.. what's the point of moving up? We aren't gonna get a game-changing player (LeBron, TD, Shaq, etc.) The top 3 are mostly on potential, sans Morrison. I don't think it's worth moving up and losing another rotation player (Swift) and youth (Extra picks)
Is Eric Williams still on the Raptors roster, with just a year left on his contract? Utilizing the Moochie TE, trade #8 + Luther + #32 (if necessary) for #1 and Eric Williams. The Raptors dump another 4 million or so to help sign Bosh to the max, not to mention maybe go after other players (Luther would replace James who they don't really want to re-sign anyway).
It's starting to look like are everybody from top to bottom in this draft is trying to trade into the middle of the lottery. The #8 pick has some value. There really is no consensus #1.
I personally think the reason that Toronto wants to trade down is, because they have their sights set on Andrei, who has stated that he won't play for any other team apart from the Raptors, so why not get him at the 8th spot, along with a useful pickup from another team, rather than just get him in the 1st slot.
It's sad to say, but I wouldn't be all that excited about moving up in this draft. I'd have loved for the ping pong balls to have landed us a top 3 pick, but I'm not impressed enough with the players in this draft to want to sacrifice anything to move up to get one. I really feel like most of the players slated to go early would have been late lotto to mid-first rounders in previous years. Anyway, as weak as we are depth-wise, I can't imagine us being able to throw in anything appealing to get Toronto's pick - unless they're willing to take our pick + cash considerations.
I really don't think this trade would benefit either the raps nor the rockets. For the raps, there is nobody that they really want here. Remember, it's no longer babcock in head office, but an actual gm with brains. stro is a PF which is exactly what the raps don't need. Besides, moving up to the #1 draft spot puts pressure on the team to draft the consensus #1's in LA, morrison, bargnani, etc... whereas none of them are really that impactful. Staying at 8 and getting Carney or someone there may turn out even better for the team.
i'd guess that because of the quality and quantity of free agents this summer more teams will be open to trades on and after draft day. the raptors only have 8 players on contract. with bosh and charlie v performing now, adding vet's for the min wouldn't be too desirable. it's too short sighted. again with the lousy free agency it's probably not going to get the pieces coleangelo wants anyway. the speculation regarding bargnani's willingness to head over to nba (if not selected by tor) could see the raptors secure him regardless of where they are in the lottery. the fran vasquez incident could even help guarantee this. i'm predicting the raptors will select bargnani with or without the no.1 pick.
Moving to #4 or #5 would be good because that would ensure acquiring Rudy Gay or at least a Brandon Roy. However, I don't think we have any real assets to trade in order to move up. If the players we want are gone by #8, I hope the Rocks trade the #8 to New Orleans for #12 and #15 (Cedric Simmons / Patrick O'Bryant / Rodney Carney / Ron Brewer -- in that order -- at #12 and Maurice Ager at #15).
You guys are on the money. The Raps have a good GM now and he realizes it would be stealing if some team drafting 5-10 gave up a real asset just to move into the #1 spot this year. You can roll the dice on picks 1-10 on who's likely to be a keeper and who's likely to fail. Finally, we don't have anything the Raps want so it's unlikely we make a deal with them. My prediction is they do a deal with Portland or Atlanta and don't get much for trading down OR they trade Villaneuva and draft Bargnani at #1. Chris Bosh has come out (without saying his name) that he doesn't want them to draft Bargnani. He wants a passing PG (apparently he's written off Mike James). Marcus Williams would be such a good fit for them it isn't funny. There is no way that guy gets by Atlanta either, so it's likely the Rockets have no shot at him. If the Hawks let him slip by after what happened with Chris Paul they should force the owner the sell the team. If the Hawks swap with the Raps, they will take Aldridge at #1 and sign a free agent PG. I'll say it again: The Rockets picked a bad year to land in the lottery.
It's the freaking league that picked a bad year to implement the age limit. And WTF was with the Florida guys and McRoberts going back to school, in the face of next year's monster class.
Adam Morrison is going to be a stud in the league. He has tons of moves and plays with the passion and killer instinct that make players stand out. I would take a shot at the pick if we could keep Tmac and Yao and add Morrison.... DD
As most have said, trading up to #1 doesn't benefit us. We don't have time to wait for Aldridge or Bargnani to develop, and Morrison isn't a good fit. If the price was right, I would trade up to #4 for Roy or Gay, but as it stands, I'm pretty satisfied with where we are at. We have a chance to add an athletic swingman - a prototype that is very easy to develop in this league.
Morrison isn't a good fit? What kind of water have you been stewing in Cabbage? Move Tmac to the 2, and start Morrison at the 3, now you have 2 guys with range and driving ability to compliment Yao. All you need now is a PG that can shoot and drive and a 4 that can block shots and rebound and away we go.... DD
