Other than a trade for Mcgrady, these would be 2 moves I'd like to see. Maurice Taylor to Seattle for Vlad Radmanovic and Calvin Booth Seattle gets the post up threat they need and gets rid of a bad contract (Booth). The Rockets get a sharp-shooting small forward to spread the defense that has the size to slide over to the 4 and guard some of the quicker 4’s that give the Rockets problems. Francis to Golden State for Jason Richardson and Speedy Claxton The Warriors are very high on Pietrus, making Richardson expendable. Van Exel is probably not sticking around, so they’ll need a new point. And Golden State doesn’t really need a pure point because Dunleavy is a point-forward. I think Richardson’s upside is huge. He’s still only 23 years old so he definitely has the time to develop into a superstar. As opposed to Steve, who I think has passed the point of still having the potential to be a superstar. In time, I think Richardson can become what Vince Carter would have been if not for the injuries (a +25ppg player). Starting lineup can either be: Yao/Cato/Radman/Richardson/Claxton or Yao/Radman/Richardson/Mobley/Claxton With Cato/Cat, JJ, Boki, Booth off the bench. The Rockets could also sign a free agent point guard like Damon Jones or Troy Hudson and move Claxton to the bench.
I just don't understand the facination some of you have with Croshere. The guy has one good game in the playoffs, can barely get off the bench during the regular season, and has a rediculous contract based on production he never matched again. Don't we have enough of those players already? Why bother getting another. If he was the price of getting someone else, maybe.
So, Al Harrington and Damon Jones are just as good 3pt shooters as JJ? If that's the case, then we'll die by the 3 more often than we'll live by the 3. Steve would be terrible in the west as a two, his driving into crowds hoping for atlesat 40% of them to go in, while having a bad jumpshot, a lot worse than Cat's (for those who complain about Cat's jumpshot) just isn't gonna cut it. Not to mention, Steve's slower than Cat and could barely get through Kobe in the LA-Hou playoff series, the times he did go one on one with him. And of course, we must not forget, Steve has no D, WHATSOEVER. Those who say he improved on that aspect of his game, must've been seeing Cat and confused him with Steve. How many more offensive weapons do the pistons have? Pretty irrelevant, considering, that lineup you have, has NO defensive weapons, which the Pistons abudantly have. And as for my question over Magloire. I was simply asking for someone to infrom me about him. I've never seen him play. So, I've no idea if he'd be an improvement over Taylor.
would you like the trade better if we gave them steve instead of cat? it seems like you wont be happy with any line-up that he is in. the fact that the pistons dont have many offensive weapons is relevant because you said that this team has no scorers. i was making the point that with the right players you dont need a bunch of scorers. i think we would all agree that we were a good defensive team this year. so to say that trading cat for al (who is a better wing defender) leaves us with no defenders doesnt make sence to me. i agree with you that steve at the two hurts us on d, but we play such great team defense that i don't think it would hurt as much as you think.
No, I wouldn't liek the trade better if we kept Cat and gave Steve. Steve should be traded only for someone like T-mac. And yes, we were a good defensive team this year. Because of Cato MAJORILY and because of Cat and JJ helping. Really, it was mostly the interior defense we excelled so much as a team on. We were on of the worst perimeter defenders, couldn't defend the 3, mostly of which laid on Steve who just can't gaurd any Pg in the league if it isn't a slow Payton. Secondly on JJ who has slowed down due to age, and finally on Cat, who as good as he was defending two's from driving it in, he wasn't as consistent defending the 3. Our so called "team defense", WAS due to the reasons of starting Cato next to Yao most of the season, Cat developing defense and the addition of JJ oh and of course a coach by the name of JVG. So, you don't only take away Cat, you also take away Cato, who was the majoral reason for our outstanding interior defense and add Croshere? Yet, you say Steve as a two is the only defensive liability in your lineup? A question I have, since i've seen little of Al Harrington. Is his game as balanced as Cat's? An offensive game as solid as his defensive game? I mean all I've heard so far, is he has "potential". As for the Pistons who you keep bringing up in comparison. It is irrelevant, because the point you're trying to make does not match that comparison. The Pistons do not have a bunch of scorers, true, but they also have great team defense, way better than the Rockets' due to the fact that they CAN defend the 3 along with the interior. Comparing your proposed lineup for next season to the Pistons when it comes to having more defense and small offense, is like taking that same lineup of yours and comparing them to Sacramento because they both can score as a team despite their mediocre D. Because, they do not have the Pistons overall team defense and they do not have Sacramento's consistent dependable team offense. They're 'tweeners, mediocre defense and mediocre offense. What we want, is to use JJ less, we all saw how he tired out in the playoffs and started making mistakes. And to not lean on Yao ALL of the regular season offensively, again, the guy was running on steam, if that in the playoffs. I really don't see how Al Harrington, Damon Jones and Croshere, my god Croshere.. in the starting lineup are the answers for those needs. To me, it would make us worse defensively and probably keeps us the same offensively if not worse, just a worse overall team compared to this season's team, IMO.
His value is really low right now, although he will never be worth what he's making. He can do 2 things that are necessary on a Yao-oriented team: Hit the 3 and rebound better than MoT. Clearly, no one thinks he's the savior or anything... He'd just be a nice addition, who could help a team like us. What's the facination with MoT? Nothing. They're both overpaid, although MoT produces better numbers. However, throughout his career, when given minutes, Croshere has produced. So basically, we know what both these guys can do, and if we absolutely HAVE to overpay one player, then some people (maybe not you) think that Croshere's skills would benefit our team more than MoT's skills. I probably agree with these people.
:::edit above::: Hmm: excelent points...however, i sugested we trade cat, MO, and TE. i wanted our line-up to be: yao cato al jj steve i agree 100% that cato was the most important part to our D next to JVG. i also agree that we couldnt guard the 3. this is why i wanted the trade for al. in my earlier post i talked about a 5 man group we can use during the game if we go into a scoring rut (subing cato for cro). i also agree that jj is a little slow to guard the more athletic 2's, however with the PG situation we have i felt like we needed a back-up who can play 24-30 minutes and not turn the ball over. that means steve playing some time at the 2. again thats not the best situation, but steve deserves PT.
Well it's time once again to dust off my pet trade scenario. 1. Send Steve to the Clips for the #2 and Wilcox or the #2 and Magatte or the #2 and Jaric depending on which one they would bite on. 2. Trade the #2 to the Jazz for Kirilenko. Or if that isn't enough, trade the #2 and Mobes for AK-47 and one of their first rounders. Or the #2 and Cato for just AK-47. (though I don't think the Jazz would want Cato, but you never know) 3. If we still have Mobes then we send him to Indiana for Harrington (This is only if we don't have Wilcox, otherwise we just keep Cat.) 4. At this point if we don't have a pg then we try and move Mo to Seattle for Barry in a sign and trade along with either Luke Ridnour or Antonio Daniels to solidify our backcourt. So in the end we would come up with one of these lineups: Barry / Ridnour or Daniels Cat (or 1st rounder SG) / JJ AK-47 / Boki Wilcox / Padge Yao / Cato Or Barry / Ridnour or Daniels Maggatte / JJ AK-47 / Boki Harrington / Padge Yao / Cato Or Jaric / Free agent PG JJ / Pike or FA SG AK-47 / Boki Harrington / Mo Yao / Cato Without a doubt the best, million-to-one shot, in my dreams scenario is the following: 1. Trade Steve for the #2 and Wilcox 2. Trade the #2 and Cat and Cato to the Jazz for AK-47 and the #14 pick. 3. We draft a pg with the #14. Hopefully either Ben Gordon or Devon Harris will fall here. 4. Expose Mo in the expansion draft and the Bobcats actually take him. Here would be our team in '04-'05 Rookie PG / Short term FA PG JJ / Pike AK-47 / Boki Wilcox / Padge Yao / Cheap FA Body Then in 2005 we try to buy out Spoon's final year and save about $2 million or so. Maybe trade Pike for a 2nd rounder or something for a team that's looking for a veteran SG. In short we get as far underneath the cap as possible and give Kirilenko his big time contract and still make a legitimate run at T-Mac or Ray Allen. So the best case scenario for 2005-2006 is: Ben Gordon / My Grandma T-Mac or Ray Allen / JJ AK-47 / Boki Wilcox / Oakley (Just Kidding) Yao / 7ft stiff And there you go. Dream scenario. Finally Les can actually utter the phrase "greatest team ever assembled" without embarrassing himself. Too bad this will happen... in my dreams.
I'm surprised that no one's thought of a three or four team trade that would bring us a Ray Allen or a Tracy McGrady... Something along the lines of: Philadelphia trades Allen Iverson Philadelphia recieves Steve Francis Houston trades Steve Francis Houston receives Tracy McGrady Orlando trades Tracy McGrady Orlando recieves Ray Allen Seattle trades Ray Allen Seattle recieves Allen Iverson Contracts don't match up? Throw in a Pat Garrity. Jim O'Brien wants more defenders and three point shooters? Bye bye Adrian Griffin, Eric Piatkowski! Nate McMillan needs more tough guys? Goodbye Clarence Weatherspoon, Hello Calvin Booth! Philly needs someone to sweeten the deal? Guess what Cat, you get to play in your hometown!
Probably because Philly won't trade AI for Francis straight up, Orlando would trade T-Mac for Francis straight up or T-Mac for Allen.
I don't see why not? Steve gives them AI's offensive numbers, once he becomes the focus of the offense and adds rebounds to their team. But, then again, why would we want AI here?
OK, here is a trade idea. I couldn't get it to work on Real GM, but I suspect since is is for second line players, pieces can be made to fit. Rockets trade Kelvin Cato to Dallas for Travis Best (back up PG), Edwardo Najera (back up PF) and Josh Howard (small forward - may start or not). If they won't go Howard, substiture Marquis Daniels (two guard). The Mavs get a big man they desperately need. They don't give up any of their key players to get him, and best of all - he doesn't need many shots. He will fit right in with that team. They do however have to give up one of their two good rookies. On the other hand, both rookies were plesant suprises, so they could afford to give one of them up. For the Rockets we get a back up point guard, which we need and a back up power forward who is an energy guy. Josh Howard would conflict with Jim Jackson, but is much younger and will eventually replace him. Personally I would like to see JJ minutes reduced (just a consession to age - beside, if not this year - certainly by next). I think a team that has JJ as a back up 2 and 3, each position for about 15-17 minutes a game is a strong team. This would create a hole at back up center and it does not address our need for a power forward. Either Howard or Daniels would allow us to use Cat (possibly packaged with MoT - who I am willing to throw away) for PF bait. A good and bad contract paired together may work. FYI, I am a big fan of Cato's and not "trying to get rid of him". I just think he and Cat are our only real trade chips. What do you think?
I'd be surprised if we did a trade within our division. Why help a rival get a big man they need? And is this the best we can get for Cato? I really like Najera, but Best has really had a decline in his shooting % the last 2 seasons and couldn't make the playoff roster for Dallas. (was he hurt? or just playing that bad) Howard is a good prospect and has that "P" word, potential, but lost his shot in the playoffs. (rookie jitters?) I don't know, Pat. I would hope we'd do better for Cato, big men being so far and few between for most teams these days. Sure, Cato can't hit a jumper to save his life, but he turned a lot of heads this past season. I'm greedy... I want more.
i wouldn't suggest trading for a back-up PG. there are a lot of them in the FA market this year. im sure we can get one at a reasonable price. we need to find a PF that fits well first. i would wait to fix our weakness at the 3 until after seeing boki play back-up to jj for at least until the trade deadline. jj shouldn't play more than 30MPG next season anyway. give boki 18MPG.
Here's a tweaked trade based on Pat's trade idea. By the way, did anyone know that Dallas originally drafted Cato? Houston sends Cato to Dallas. Dallas sends Howard/Delk/Bradley/2nd round pick(#50) to Houston. I'd try to get their #1 pick next year, but might have to settle for only their 2nd round pick this year.
dallas wouldn´t even trade howard for cato (even if their salaries were matching) ....let alone adding multiple players only to get cato....
I agree. They are really excited about their rookies last year. I wouldn't mind seeing Delk or Daniels on the Rox. Daniels is a FA, but a lot of teams have seen him play and might get some nice offers.
