# Trade Talk: Ten Teams to Watch



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

> *Houston Rockets*
> 
> Remember I said there are three kinds of teams feeling the pressure to deal? They were teams that are playing well who want help for the playoffs, teams that are playing poorly and want to retool, and teams that could do a little maneuvering and save a bunch of luxury tax? The Rockets hit the trifecta. They will likely be in the playoffs, where they will face brutally tough opposition against whom they could use help. On the other hand, with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady in their primes, they should be winning more than they are. And the team continues their search for the right point guard to make these valuable pieces more valuable. They are also a mere $1.5 million over the luxury tax line. That means that, at a minimum, finding a taker for seldom-used Kirk Snyder (who makes about $2.35 million) could improve the team's bottom line by more than $6 million.


Truehoop


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

I'm gonna plaster it all over the board. TRADE TMAC NOW!


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

James + Snyder for Smush Parker and Jason Williams. Tell Smush not to report, forcing him to opt out. 

Sign Calderon with cap relief next season.

Or

Try to send James/Snyder/somthing to Seattle for package including Wilcox

Granted this isnt a fix now for this years run (if any), but it could create good possible options for next year.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

I really don't see this team making blockbuster deal. The most we are going to move is maybe Francis, James, and Snyder. If we are going to compete for the free agency for this coming offseason, then we are maybe going to dump James contract. We are going to give up draft picks though if we choose to go that route. I would rather bring in young blood then signing a veteran. 

I don't think there is a player on the market that is going to put this team over the top. I think with the emergence of Tracy McGrady he is that person to give us that extra boost now that everybody has found their roles on the team. Sometime not making a move is the best move.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

OneBadLT123 said:


> James + Snyder for Smush Parker and Jason Williams. Tell Smush not to report, forcing him to opt out.
> 
> Sign Calderon with cap relief next season.


It would have to be James/Snyder/Francis to make the salaries work. I still would do it though.

I think we would still be over the salary cap and all we could offer to Calderon is the MLE.




OneBadLT123 said:


> Try to send James/Snyder/somthing to Seattle for package including Wilcox
> 
> Granted this isnt a fix now for this years run (if any), but it could create good possible options for next year.


Why?


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Anyone know who is on an expiring contract apart from Mutombo & Wells?

Cause 76ers want expiring contracts or draft picks for Andre Miller.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Cornholio said:


> It would have to be James/Snyder/Francis to make the salaries work. I still would do it though.
> 
> I think we would still be over the salary cap and all we could offer to Calderon is the MLE.


In a heartbeat I would do that. Instantly. Also remember Bonzi may not be coming back next year, so that is another 3 million off the books. 



> Why?


Because in all seriousness, this season we are not winning anything. We already have put us in a situation where we are screwed come playoff time. Putting us up against SA, Dallas, Suns, Lakers...etc.. We are not winning anything.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

I mean, why Wilcox?


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Cornholio said:


> I mean, why Wilcox?


ohhh..

Well with Deke retiring after this season, we will have no back up center. Our next biggest option will be Scola...
A nice athletic PF/C combo player would be nice to have behind Yao


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

James and Snyder is not going to stay to long. I think James is out the door when this season is over. Snyder? He's not going to get much time if he stays. It's up to him. He hasn't complained, as far as I know, so I guess he is "Ok" with his position on the team.

If the Rockets decided to do a trade before the deadline, I hope we can at least get a decent center. Deke isn't going to stick around for another year.


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## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

OneBadLT123 said:


> ohhh..
> 
> Well with Deke retiring after this season, we will have no back up center. Our next biggest option will be Scola...
> A nice athletic PF/C combo player would be nice to have behind Yao


He doesn't seem like a guy that would like coming off the bench, even for Yao. My guess is we'll draft a guy to be the backup.


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## stillfantasy (Jan 20, 2008)

I've been hearing that Memphis is shopping Gasol around and I think a Yao/Gasol combo would be hard to stop. I have faith in the current team if everyone stays healthy but I just have a feeling McGrady is going to get injured again sometime later this season. So while he still has value, I wonder if Memphis would accept a McGrady for Gasol and Mike Miller kind of deal. Of course we would have to give up at least another player for salary purposes but a starting lineup of Yao/Gasol/Battier/Miller/Alston seems good to me.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

stillfantasy said:


> I've been hearing that Memphis is shopping Gasol around and I think a Yao/Gasol combo would be hard to stop. I have faith in the current team if everyone stays healthy but I just have a feeling McGrady is going to get injured again sometime later this season. So while he still has value, I wonder if Memphis would accept a McGrady for Gasol and Mike Miller kind of deal. Of course we would have to give up at least another player for salary purposes but a starting lineup of Yao/Gasol/Battier/Miller/Alston seems good to me.


Welcome to the board!

With that, I would do that trade in a heartbeat. A Yao/Gasol combo would be really nice to have. But the question is Memphis really looking to trade a big for a guard. That is generally one of the unspoken rules that you cant break during trades. Teams are usually hesitant to trade bigs for guards...

But I wouldn't mind


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

hroz said:


> Anyone know who is on an expiring contract apart from Mutombo & Wells?
> 
> Cause 76ers want expiring contracts or draft picks for Andre Miller.


andre miller would be perfect for thi time, the only problem is that no way will deke be traded in his final season and bonzi is considered an important part of the 2nd unit. if we are going to chase miller we will have to give up draft picks and young players such as brooks, landry or novak plus draft picks and a non-expiring contract to make the salaries work which is the major hurdle cos we dont have assets that the 76ers want


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## ray_allen_20 (Dec 26, 2007)

OneBadLT123 said:


> Welcome to the board!
> 
> With that, I would do that trade in a heartbeat. A Yao/Gasol combo would be really nice to have. But the question is Memphis really looking to trade a big for a guard. That is generally one of the unspoken rules that you cant break during trades. Teams are usually hesitant to trade bigs for guards...
> 
> But I wouldn't mind


There is no way the grizzlies would give up Gasol and Miller for T-mac. I'd be surprised if they even gave up Gasol for T-mac. The rockets would probably have to give up scola too for the loss of what little inside presence the Grizzles have. 

Jose Calderon would be a perfect pickup.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Bonzi for Miller is looking more appealing. Why did Bonzi only play 7mins against the Jazz? I mean he didnt play that badly.


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## seifer0406 (Jun 8, 2003)

Calderon won't be just a "pick-up". He's going to cost at least 7-8 mil next year. Anything under that the Raptors will match it for sure.


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## stillfantasy (Jan 20, 2008)

ray_allen_20 said:


> There is no way the grizzlies would give up Gasol and Miller for T-mac. I'd be surprised if they even gave up Gasol for T-mac. The rockets would probably have to give up scola too for the loss of what little inside presence the Grizzles have.
> 
> Jose Calderon would be a perfect pickup.


Gasol is only worth Brown and Crittenton and picks. I guess McGrady is worthless in a trade then.


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## ray_allen_20 (Dec 26, 2007)

seifer0406 said:


> Calderon won't be just a "pick-up". He's going to cost at least 7-8 mil next year. Anything under that the Raptors will match it for sure.


Calderon is definitely worth that much. He is easily one of the most underrated players in this league. Look at his stats! He is averaging over 50% from the floor, 40% from 3 and 90% from the free throw line. Not only that, he is number 1 in assists per turnover, giving you a total of 9 assists as well as 12.5 points. These are nash-esque stats we're dealing with people, but with better defense. He completely shut rondo down. Not to mention he is clutch. I think with a point guard like him the Rockets have a shot at contention, but if I'm the raptors I'm not letting my claws off of him.


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

stillfantasy said:


> Gasol is only worth Brown and Crittenton and picks. I guess McGrady is worthless in a trade then.


Hey, Newbie that is already a lifetime member. Stick around.


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

My first post in a while...

I think more than anything on Les Alexander's mind is improving the team's balance sheets. He's the first NBA team owner to appoint a Money-Ball statistician as General Manager and with good reason given how Yao and McGrady will make a combined $40 Mill by 2009. 

In such a situation we want to minimize our exposure to long-term financial commitments while maximizing our short-term performance. One way is to unload Mike James and Rafer Alston's contracts to teams in need of a point guard. The problem is that those teams in need of a point-guard are also strapped for cash - i.e. Cleveland, Miami, Denver and Boston.

With the exception of one team, the Washington Wizards. The Wizards are doing just as well without Gilbert Arenas, going from a 7th seed team last year to a slated 6th seed in a stronger Eastern Conference. Arenas has given Wizard's fans lots to worry about as he's confirmed that he will test the market next season. The combined success of the Arenas-less Wizards and the threat of losing Gilbert in the off-season significantly drops his market value.

*Proposed Trade:* Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks for Gilbert Arenas

Battier is a glue guy and Aaron Brooks has potential to be a future starting point-guard but neither of these players, obviously, have All-Star potential. While it feels like were giving up a lot for a 1-year rental All-Star, I am sure those in the Wizard's camp will feel like this is high-way robbery. From a salary perspective, we've just unloaded three rotation players who have a combined salary of over $40 million over the next three years. Worst case scenario for us is that Arenas walks for a fat deal and we clear up $12 mill in salary cap space for a free-agent willing to negotiate a more reasonable contract.

*Proposed Trade 2:* Bonzi Wells for Thabo Sefolosha

Thabo has been compared to Doug Christie (without the outside shooting touch) and Boris Diaw (without the rebounding). He would be perfect next to Arenas and McGrady and would help to tighten up our poor perimeter defense.

The resulting team would look a lot like the old Sacramento Kings. We would have allocated our money better than if it had been tied up in a bunch of marginal rotation players a la Rafer Alston, Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells and have acquired Gilbert Arenas and Thabo Sefolosha.

PG: Gilbert Arenas
SG: Thabo Sefolosha
SF: Tracy McGrady
PF: Louis Scola
CN: Yao Ming
6: Steve Francis
7: Carl Landry
8: Luther Head
9: Chuck Hayes
10: Steve Novak

Our 1st round draft pick can be used to pick up talented wings like Chase Buddinger or DaVon Jefferson or maybe a backup Center like Andrew Ogilvy. In any case, we can look to patch up any holes in our depth chart through the draft.


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