According to the Toronto Globe & Mail and some other basketball rumor websites the Pistons and the Rockets are discussing a deal that would send Francis and Pike to Detroit for Billups and Prince and some other expiring contract ( didn't say who ). Salaries match if they include Sura in the deal. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040218/JUNK18/ Detroit trades: SG Bob Sura (3.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.6 apg in 13.4 minutes) PG Chauncey Billups (17.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.2 apg in 36.0 minutes) SF TayShaun Prince (10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.4 apg in 34.5 minutes) Detroit receives: PG Steve Francis (16.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg in 40.0 minutes) SF Eric Piatkowski (4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 17.0 minutes) Change in team outlook: -9.7 ppg, -3.4 rpg, and -2.8 apg. Houston trades: PG Steve Francis (16.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg in 40.0 minutes) SF Eric Piatkowski (4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.5 apg in 17.0 minutes) Houston receives: SG Bob Sura (3.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.6 apg in 51 games) PG Chauncey Billups (17.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.2 apg in 54 games) SF TayShaun Prince (10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.4 apg in 54 games) Change in team outlook: +9.7 ppg, +3.4 rpg, and +2.8 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED
absolutely ridiculous. people...get over it.... say it with me... FRANCIS. IS. NOT. BEING. TRADED. at least not until the offseason
Nice find Amed. I adjusted your post to include the source article. I think it's obvious Francis won't be dealt pre-deadline and the writer probably didn't know that, but it is an interesting read.
It is an interesting deal and a trade I think I'd do - I think Billups is a lessar player than Francis, but in Prince you get a potential long-term SF with some good height. Not a great 3 poitn shooter unfortunately, and is getting too many minutes at this stage of his career.
Billups & Prince for Francis as the principals.... I think Billups and Prince would fit well on the Rockets. Billups is a spot up shooter at the PG spot and Prince is a nice defensive SF that has some game. In fact I think the Rockets were seriously looking at drafting Prince if Nachbar wasn't there on the board. Too bad we didn't get Prince. He would fit in nicely here in our current defensive system. However, Billups and Prince is not fair market value for Francis in my opinion. We should get more in that deal.
First of all, I dont want to trade Francis. He is our best player and he is just having a hard time adjusting to the Van Gundy offense. Second, I was just reporting the rumors that are floating around about the Rockets. And third I hope the Rockets keep the players they have and make a run with the players they have now and if they fail again then blow up the team during the offseason.
I don't want Francis traded either and secondly I don't think this trade will ever happen. You mean to tell me the Pistons are willing to let go of Tayshaun "The reason we didn't draft Carmelo" Prince just to marginally upgrade their Point guard spot and acquire a bench warmer? I DON'T THINK SO.
Nice trade. I would do it. Billups would give us the consistent shooting and Sura is the veteran point that we've been looking for. Prince would do wonders coming off the bench with Mo-t.
Nice article, thanks! I'm not sold on that deal at all, but its interesting. I think Francis would have more market value than that, but some people are high on Prince. Billups is a better shooter than Francis, so he fits the scheme a little better. In truth, I like Billups, but I think we need someone other than Prince in the deal.
Maybe the Rockets will trade Steve to Detroit, Prince fails his physical, and Steve comes back and leads the Rockets to a title...
Since Francis is BYC, beyond Billups and Prince, DET would have to send an additional $6.6m in contracts to match their side of Francis and Piatkowki (~$12.5m incoming). Expiring contracts have no value to the Rockets because they can't get under the capenough to be bigtime FA players and they lose the TE $ for $ if they do go under the cap. This one makes absolutely no sense. If we're talking about Darko, Okur, and/or Wallace as part of the $6.6m DET needs to send...discuss it. Otherwise, let's take the current team into the playoffs!
I do not want or expect a SF trade; however, there is a gap in our team still that Denver and Memphis do not have. Those teams have so much above the rim, athletic guys while we have a boat load of undersized players. Memphis has been taking it to Dallas and last night was no surprise as they kept going at Dallas in waves with these fast, young, and athletic players. Their depth is unbelievable. It will be interesting to see how we do against the Mavs on Sat. Boki is perhaps the closest thing we have to that. If the team stays the way it is then I would like to see Boki in the rotation.
Why does everyone want to get rid of Steve for scrubs....all the deals I hear involving Steve are for subpar players...If Francis is traded he will win a title before the Rockets do.
I don't think Larry Brown is fond of Steve Francis. Anyone remember that game about 3 years ago when Houston stomped the Sixers and Brown got mad because he thought Steve and Mobley were showboating at the end?
