What if Philly sucks and the Brand/2nd pick is on the table again? Do you think Morey will work it again like he did on draft day to say a guy named Kanter is available? I bet you he will think about it if the opportunity presents itself again.
I think it's pretty clear that DD is assuming other top players would be hesitant, which is reasonable if the minute/back to back limitation stays all season. If that is bumped up to 28-30 minutes, he can play back to backs and, most importantly, plays at a high level into the playoffs, all that goes away, in my opinion. At that point, they have gone up against him and found he's still a load. Heck, a GM is far more likely to worry about his future health than a player, or even their agent, considering the benefits of being on Yao's team in terms of added endorsements and the like. The deadline is too soon to assume he's good to go and healthy. The expiring contract is a sweetener for GMs, but not for players seeing Yao as a big reason to sign with the Rocks. I have a difficult time believing Yao would be moved in a deadline deal. He'd have to be kickin' ass, taking names, and relatively unrestricted in his play by February to make it even a possibility, in my opinion. How many really think that's what we'll see by the deadline?
i dont think superstars necessarily want to go to a winning team...sure, they'd prefer to go to a winning team over a 20-62 team, but i dont think it matters much when the teams are around .500 or better. What they really want it to contribute to success, have some control over it, so they'll get recognition for it. If yao is the centerpiece and you can't control his injuries, you'll never have a shot at the recognition. Or at least it'll feel like it.
Need 2-way players that play both sides of the court. This is what i'd do. I'd trade Jeffries, Lee AND Patterson for Smith. I'd trade Brooks, Hill, Battier, pick via Atlanta for Wallace. Then i'd trade Scola, Lowry and Miller for Brand/1st round pick on draft day and select Enes Kanter. So basically you'd have NY swap pick and Phillies top ten pick so basically 'two' top ten picks. Yao / Kanter Brand / Smith Wallace / Budinger Martin / Taylor Smith / Llull AND NY swap pick to mess with. With this pick you have Budinger/Pick for Rubio as an option. It's the only thing i can think of if Houston wants to stay competitive and also land a franchise player or two and resign Yao. Bringing in Brand / Smith / Wallace really improves your team defense a lot. Haaahaaa what can you think of?
well, apparently Roy's knee is gone to ****, so that really only leaves Iggy and Nash as the only two "superstars" that will be available this year, and possibly in the next two years. If they dont jump on that, i think they'll have to acquire at least another two way player that's a semi-star...Dont think there's room at the 4/5 spots and SG is set.
You have to decide - win now, or win in 4 years. But staying pat is a mistake. You either make a big deal now to win with Yao or you make the deal for the future, and you trade Yao and anyone 28 years old or older for picks. Then you shoot for the draft. You have to suck before you get better. So which is it, are you saying you want to end the Yao Ming era?
Ask me that towards the end of the season, right now, the answer is just not an informed one. I would entertain trade offers for him right now though.....if that is a clue. DD
You realize he can just walk at the end of the season right? I hear you on drafting and growing talent, and Morey did a good deal of that, afterall, Yao was a number 1 pick. We also had Francis, Scola, Brooks all come from the draft. You trade Yao, then you have to trade Scola and Martin as well, because you are committing to a rebuilding phase and basically saying the last one (the francis/yao draft) was a failure. Talent takes years to develop, and we'd have to get into the draft sooner the better. It seems to me the best bet would first try one more time to win with Yao by getting him the outside superstar he needs to be unstoppable and then blow the team up. I think Yao will return to form, but there's no guarantee that going into rebuilding will lead us any place better.
Why do you want to trade Yao away? Because he and AB don't fit, and the rockets should build around AB? If you still cannot figure out what's going on right now, you are ... Obviously, Yao, Scola, Battier, & Martin are all not fit with AB's style. Yao and Battier are half-court players. They are not efficient in uptempo style. Scola is getting older, he is prefering half-court play as well. Martin is not good at defense, and AB is not good at defense too. AB and Martin cannot play together. In fact, the only starter fit AB last season was Ariza. But, he was traded away, and AB's fate has been sealed.
DD, good thoughts on this subject and I agree with your points. Look, posters may not want to hear this, but this is the truth, none of the top echelon players want to come to houston mainly because of the uncertainty of yao. Tracy made his move even though Indy had the better deal because yao was a very good durable player. Players now see Yao as a paint clogging,injury prone,salary cap killing player, especailly a wing play. I think if they can upgrade the talent around to some more now player with flexibility on offense and defense and resign Yao for a good reduced price, I think they can be in the hunt alot closer than what they're in now.
a few questions/comments: 1. why would Atlanta take that garbage package for smith? They will definitely want more. 2. Why would we trade Scola, Lowry and Miller for Brand? are you nuts? If anything we would trade something like Jeffries and Battier for Brand and a pick (even then I would want more in return). 3. Do you really want Smith/Lull as our pg rotation? 4. I doubt think the Wolves are going to trade Rubio for Budinger and a pick. I would be willing to do something like (and I think it may be reasonable): Jeffries, Hill,Battier,Scola and two first round picks for Smith and Wallace (not sure if it works moneywise) this leaves us with AB/Lowry/Smith Martin/Lee Wallace/Budinger Smith/Hayes Yao/Miller
It has been a failure. Maybe not a failure like greg oden, but 1 series win since 02 is not success to me. I don't think they will trade Yao, but if they did,what do you think they could get for him from a team like memphis?
Totally agree. It seems some people don't know the structure of the rockets team at all, although it sseems they spend all their time on this board.
Haahaa I was thinking on draft day they trade Scola etc for Kanter being the center piece not Brand. Battier and Jeffries wont be under contract to trade for Brand unless you do it before the deadline. You can probably trade NY swap pick and add it to the garbage for Smith. If not then NY pick/Budinger for Rubio.
how can it be a failure when it's not over yet? The problem with the trade for T-mac was that we didn't have enough talent surrounding Yao and Tracey to build the team. And of course by the time we did, the injuries were too much. But you still got Yao. And you got a lot of pieces to make a trade for a superstar and still have oodles of supportin talent. No one on this team is a future Rudy Gay at this point. We have nothing to lose in making deals for a big name all-star. This team can't acquires a superstar or grow talent from the draft because we don't have the picks. And even if we did, you're talking many years before that person blossoms. Why wait 4 years when Yao will be gone, Scola will be on the decline, Martin will be declining....it makes no sense.
Well said, I think IF they decide to move on from Yao then OKC is the spot for him. They need a legit big man to contend with the Lakers, Celtics, Magic and exploit the Heat's weakness. He wouldn't be asked to carry much of the load but just be Yao. I think Yao's tenure here has been a disappointment, I don't blame the Rox for selecting him since he was the logical and obvious choice but with all the injuries, he has that "what if" label placed on his career.
Hmmm what could you get for Yao Ming or his real value? Memphis is where i'm located it's hard to vision him in Memphis. You wont get much for him any team looking to deal picks AND that team must also be a contender.
