I'm not suggesting we should go after a Carlos Boozer. I know we don't have those kinds of assets. But if we're prying a power forward away from Seattle, then personally I'd rather trade for Nick Collison - who, by the way, ranked a few spots higher than Wilcox in rebounding while playing few minutes less per game. but you know, the whole discussion is probably irrelevant because Moneyball Morey is probably not going to be as enamored with this guys athleticism. He's going to look at his stats and balk. However, if by some miracle Morey does decide that Chris Wilcox is the guy and we do trade for him, you better believe I'll be praying I'm wrong and you're right and jumping up and down with joy if I have to apologize to you for being wrong.
I'm still thinking that Morey is gonna pull a fast one. Probably not Collison and Probably not Wilcox. If the draft showed us anything, it's that Morey relies on stats. It'll be some cheap power forward with lots of potential who's stats are going to be really good extended over the entire game. He'll normalize the data so that each player can be compared to objectively. Then we'll be pissed off cause we'll all be scratching our heads saying "who? WHY...arghh"
Raef and Outlaw and next year's #1 for Rafer, Sura, Head, and VSpan (if he don't come back) or Snyder.
I was lobbying for haslem a month ago when we traded for mike james. Everyone was b****ing of how he didnt play D, lol. Now it seems everyone is being desperate for ANY of the top 25 power forwards in the NBA being on this team. Haslem is our man, the heat will take battier/ head in a second for him if we offered it.
Well, I'll admit I haven't seen a whole lot of Haslem in recent years. My interest in the NBA as a whole has waned some due to all these expansion teams diluting the talent pool, so I just watch the Rockets now. But I remember Haslem playing hard on both ends of the court. Has that changed?
Ummmmm, yeah. And Outlaw is a young baller with loads of upside and good size, athleticism. And Raef is a $11+ million expiring deal after this year, that would be very tradable. And Raef is a great distance shooter and very good face up offensive player along with being a very good shot blocker, average to below average rebounder, and mediocre defender. And Rafer is what he is......very limited offensively, a problem matchup deficit, and Sura is retired, and Head is a one dimensional shooter, and Snyder is just a knucklehead athlete. Outlaw is the best player in the deal. ....and?
I can't start threads, so maybe someone can copy and paste this one, but Hoopsworld was talking about possible trades and it mentioned Camby being available, and that Head is someone the Nuggets have wanted for over a year(They tried to trade Najera for Head last time). Now, just a Hoopsworld RUMOR and MY speculation, but that could mean that our next PF is going to be Camby. I was thinking Luther Head, Sura's contract and possibly another player like Kirk Snyder to help match Camby's contract.... IMO this is a trade that should be done. Camby next to Yao and Mutumbo when Yao is tired or in foul trouble is intriguing as hell. The guy is very versatile and could play C if Mutumbo gets hurt. Once again this is rumor, but I know other Rockets fans can appreciate the subtle hints here: Denver is unloading Camby, the Rockets need a PF, and Denver loves Luther Head....
And we would be taken to the cleaners. I would consider Battier for Haslem and the Heat's 08 1st rounder if we had a solid swingman for the MLE (like Barnes, Pietrus). Haslem is better than any PF we have, true, but he was really no presence at all in the Chicago series and was quite exposed (as were Kapono, Posey and the other Heat "role players"). Lee is a much better target than Haslem, and Battier + something else (Head, Alston, pick) probably is in the ballpark. Particularly in that we would have to take on a bad Knicks contract (Q, Jeffiries, Rose, James) to make it work.
In mentioning LaFrentz... Portland recently signed, thus can't be traded: Oden, Koponen, McRoberts, and Green. They can't be traded. On contract: Francis, Jack, Rodriguez, Koponen, Green Roy Miles, Webster Aldridge, Frye Oden, Przybilla, LaFrentz LaFrentz was never in Portland's plans and was just a means of making a trade work on draft night in 2006. Last season he was buried behind Randolph, Aldridge, Przybilla, Magliore, and Outlaw. It was only two seasons ago in Boston (a team that did make use of his abilities) that LaFrentz was giving the Rockets fits with his 3pt shooting and using his quickness to keep Yao at bay (foul trouble). His shotblocking and rebounding would also be useful next to Ming. Portland are expected to buyout Steve Francis and rumored to trade for a vet PG to replace Jack who they feel is more of a backup than starter. Trade: Alston, Sura, Spanoulis, Lucas For Raef LaFrentz. + Draft rights to Badiane for draft rights to Rudy Fernandez & Joel Freeland. Trade: Snyder for Channing Frye. *Frye was recently traded so can only be involved in an one for one deal. James Brooks (Free Agent) McGrady Bonzi Head Battier (Free Agent) Reed Frye Hayes Landry Novak Yao LaFrentz Deke So essentially Rockets trade Rafer and take on LaFrentz's contract in exchange for Channing Frye and the draft rights to two late first round picks in Rudy Fernandez (24th) and Joel Freeland (30th). Rafer is the only player that was involved in either teams's main rotation, ie big multi-player trade but they're all scrubs barring one.
Even though Isiah is an arse, I cannot see why the Knicks would part with Lee who's ranked 11th in rebounding. Rebounds are almost as important as scoring because it gives you more scoring opportunities through possessions. Even Isaih isn't that stupid.
Well, 1) They traded for Randloph who will get the bulk of the PF minutes. Curry is there entrenched at C. They are also really high on Balkman and drafted a PF. 2) They also have lots of contracts they would love to rid of (Q and Jeffries as kinda bad, Rose and James as horrible). 3) They could really use veterans and shooters to round out the lineup. -So I think we have a lot of ingredients for a deal. We could also consider a trade that includes Balkman. Balkman is more of a 3/4 right now, but he is a good rebounder and shot blocker and might fill into a PFs body over time. Basically the Knicks and us look like great trade partners. Different conferences, we are in need for power forward help while they have a glut on the bench (Lee, Balkman, Jeffries, Rose, Chandler), and they need vet stability and shooting (Alston, Battier or Head as principals). -For Lee and a bad contract, start with Battier. -For Balkman, maybe Head for Balkman strait up. -For Balkman and Jeffiries/Rose for Alston and Snyder. Lots of deals I think would help both teams.
1. Lafrentz did give Yao fits, I remember it well. He has great shot block timing. His defense and rebounding, while not great, are maligned more than what they really are, although now he is older. 2. I think I would go nuts if we were able to pick up the reigning DPOY who is a double digit rebounder, shotblocker, and good midrange jump shooter to boot, all for Head and trash. I can't believe Denver would do that deal, but I would think that deal makes us very serious contenders. I would think that deal, if it went down, would shake SA, Dallas, Phx, and Utah.
What Denver wants more than anything is to clear money so they don't go over the cap. They also need a PG since they'll likely lose Blake. With all of that in mind, I give them Sura and V-Span's contracts, plus Alston and a 1st rounder, for Camby. That may look like a steal, but it's probably quite fair considering Camby's age, injury history, and contract. But I'd be okay with including Head instead of a 1st rounder. That would leave us with: PG: James / Brooks or Lucas SG: McGrady / Bonzi SF: Battier / Snyder or Novak PF: Camby / Hayes or Landry C: Yao / Mutumbo Only problem with that lineup is that your backup PGs don't have much experience between them. But if a 1st round pick (Brooks) can't contribute off the bench, that's Morey's mistake.
Finally, someone who sounds like they know what they're talking about. The trade sounds good, and I think Brooks will be a good back-up. I'm probably one of the few that thinks he is a good player, and if Boykins can succeed in this league then Brooks for sure can.
