Great!!! BTW - would the deal, as outlined, not leave Detroit unable to resign Okur -- their stated priority? So, neither side would consider it. Please, get me Vecsey's take on this so I'll know what to think!
Interesting trade rumor. If we adjusted it and sent Stevie, Cato and Pike for Billups, Prince and Wallace (plus cap fodder) that would be sweet. We need a big 'fro on the team since Moochie shaved and traded his. We would have a team that could excel in the playoffs (if we made it) with Yao and Wallace in the middle and Prince playing tough D off of the bench... we could wear teams down.
Does Tayshaun Prince have any upside? Otherwise it's such a bad trade, I'm worried it might be true, because the Rockets have a terrible GM. Raven
Maybe, but in my opinion the Rockets improve. The problem with Francis is twofold - first, his style of play isn't quite what is needed; second, and more importantly, while he struggles to accept his new role, and that tension will always exist. In Billups, I think you get almost Steve's equal. In Prince, you get an eventual 15+ ppg, 6+ rpg SF who is tall, long and can play good defense, all while giving up Piatkowski. My opinion is that this would be a trade that benefits the Rockets. Now fi the argument is that there are better trades out there for Francis, especially if we wait till the summer, then that is understandable.
IMO that is an unfair and incorrect belief on your part. I believe CD is constricted by his marching orders.
Before we trade steve we need to move him to the two and let him play his natural position. Then if that fails we can explore a trade.
Generally I am against posting in trade rumor threads with such posts as, "I'd do it if they threw in...", But, I'd do it if they threw in Darko. Its not like they're using him. At all.
The first thing I thought was about that article I read where Detroit was pursuing Rasheed Wallace so they could have enough expiring contracts at the end of the season to re-sign Okhur. Makes no sense for them to take on a max contract like Steve's because it could mean they'd lose out on Okhur. Good find, though.
Wow.... I don't see why you would do that. Billups shot selection is worse than Steve. Steve is not being traded
I don't fully understand the details of the BYC, but I hear many posters on this site saying the BYC prevents Francis from being traded until the offseason. While I have been taking these posters' word for it so far, seeing so many trade rumors popping up around the league involving Francis has me questioning their information. Can someone please clarify why the BYC prevents Francis from being traded before the end of the season. Either way, with the trade deadline fast approaching this point will soon become moot.
Again, this is most likely nothing. But as far as Darko, I can't see the Pistons giving him up at all, especially in a deal for Francis, unless they already view his stock as having dropped. They could have just selected Carmelo Anthony instead of Darko and kept all their other players, so they'd have to be real disappointed in him or realize they way overrated him to deal him in a package deal. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72928
Please someone tell me if I'm wrong that we have a trade exception that could offset Steve's being traded...? Everyone keeps mentioning the BYC. I can understand if no one reads my long-winded posts, but others have mentioned it, too. ESPN did mention that the Rockets are trying to dump salary as well just to better position themselves for the long run. If we're looking to trade Steve for Chauncey, then it would have to involve Sura's expiring contract, and it had better include Darko (which I kinda doubt). Because Steve is having a bad year with us but will open it up elsewhere, guaranteed, and his presence means a sexier roster for Detroit. Steve and a lesser player for Billups, Sura, Darko. Otherwise hang up the phone.
Only way I do this is if Darko's involved. If he is...and a case can be made for the Pistons looking that way...then I'd do it. I'd probably add more, or do Darko, Billups and filler. Darko is going to be a stud. Billups is the kind of PG to mesh with Yao, and Detroit is reportedly going after RW partyl because Brown et al want to load up for this year, feeling that they have a real chance at a run. If that's the case, they might be willing to give up on a long term seriously high end project like Darko if it meant having a great shot at the whole shebang this year. Then you've got Darko, Yao, Billups, and say Pronce for the future. Not bad at all.
Tayshaun is a rising star, the guy showed a lot of character last year in the playoffs (as a rookie too). The guy has a decent shot and plays pretty good D, he is tall too. I don't want Steve traded, but this is one trade that doesn't seem too bad. But I do think Chauncy and Prince would fit nice on this team.
I think it only means his contract is worth half value until then. So for a deal to happen, they would either have to accept a player with only half of SF's contract, or they would have to add a second player (like Pike) to SF's contract in order to get a high value player in return, or offer SF's contract plus the excepton they have. Since no player as good as SF would have a contract half his size, then in order to get a great player in return, they have to offer SF and another contract to equal the star player's contract they are getting in return. That's why it's tough to trade him, because any team trading for SF knows his contract will ballon after the season, possibly pushing them over the cap because they had a take a second Rocket's player for the trade to work. The bottom line, is that any trade involving SF would have to be a multi player trade. Raven
