More than anything, Morey and Les are on the same page about getting something back for a player they are about to loose in free agency. The Rocket WILL trade Dragic or Lowry. Bank on that. Will Conroy will most likely get the Gatorade call up, and I wouldnt be surprised to see Lee in the starting lineup listed as the PG. Chandler Parsons can initiate the offense just as well as any PG on the roster now not named Kyle. Lee has the ball handling skills to bring the ball up the court. In McHales offense, thats really the only main responsiblility of the PG.
Lowry won't get traded. Potentially out for a month with an infection is going to scare any buyer away and Morey isn't going to be giving any discounts for Lowry. Well maybe if Stern decides to give us the New Orleans' highest pick for Lowry then he could get traded, but that's not gonna happen. Second, I don't feel like Les will be willing to do any deal that tells the fans we are giving up on the season. He has consistently stated he is against tanking. But I hope you are right and hope he will finally wake up to reality. And I won't even get in to your last paragraph.
What, you mean like trading Shane Battier for a first round pick and a draft bust during the middle of a playoff chase? Yeah, he'd NEVER sign off on a move like that.
doubt very serious a bacteria infection prevents a team trading for one of the best player/contract deals in the nba for the long term. May try to get a discount but the lakers would still bite.
True. Lakers could waive a physical because Kyle didn't go out on an injury. I really give Morey a bit of leverage because whoever wants Kyle must REALLY want him if they choose to waive a physical. I still think that would be downright nasty to trade a player on a hospital bed in a city you drove through for a road game.
Yeah, but this time it would be different imo. Trading Battier wasn't a complete punt on the season, but you have a fair counter point that gives me hope.
For what it's worth: Milwaukee has now passed the Knicks in Hollinger's playoff odds as the team most likely to get the eighth spot. The new odds are: Bucks 53.3%, Knicks 46.8% and Cavaliers 12.8%. http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds
Bima bro, to be fair, Kyle Lowry means a hell of a lot more to the Rockets playoff chances than Battier ever did. Just saying...
Actually they need Dalembert more than Martin in Milwaukee. If we trade Dalembert for their 1st pick and S-Jax we'll end up with their pick and probably a top ten pick from NY.
True, but at least Lowry will be a Rocket after the trade deadline and next season. This is about getting something for Goran Dragic before he leaves as an unrestricted free agent (like the Rockets knew Battier would). The question Rockets fans need to ask themselves: Which is worth more: (A) a first round pick (or "X" - whatever they can get for Dragic in trade this week) or (B) [six more weeks of Goran Dragic] Sure, the value of (B) may have increased due to Lowry's illness, but unless the Rockets are going to contend in the West this season (which wasn't outside the realm of possibility two weeks ago but seems unlikely after this recent slide), I think the Rockets opt for the better LONG-TERM move for the franchise.
It will never be a first round pick and the Rockets can just buy a second pick as they have been doing in past drafts. The best option is B.
I think you can probably get a late first round pick for him. A move that makes perfect sense (albeit not necessarily from a 2011-12 Western Conference standings perspective) is to trade Dragic to the Lakers for one of their two first round picks. I'd ask for the higher of the Lakers' own pick or the Mavericks' (top-20 protected) pick; but I hear that the Lakers prefer to trade the LOWER of the two picks. For all the talk of the Lakers trading a first round pick to Cleveland for Ramon Sessions, trading for Dragic makes a TON more sense for the Lakers. Sessions will cost the Lakers (a current luxury taxpayer) an additional $5-6M this season and a whopping $9M next season. Alternatively, Dragic would cost them less than $3M this season, with no financial commitment for next season. (And, by the way, this conversation got WAYY off topic!)
Do the Rockets really need another first-round pick this year? They already have the Knicks' pick, and it seems increasingly likely that they will miss the playoffs and will keep their own pick (especially if they deal Dragic). Add in Motiejunuas and maybe Llull next year and that's a lot of new rookies to bring in. The only reason to take a late first-round pick is if they have a foreign player targeted who they could keep overseas for a season or two. I don't mind trading Dragic, but I would ask for something other than a 2012 pick.
Picks are always useful simply because they are like "cash" on the NBA trade market. They're very handy commodities when making trades regardless of position. The Rockets can always package the pick along with one of their players to get a better player, for example. Or trade up in the draft, or make it part of a big trade. There's always value as long as the GM knows how to utilize it.
I like (A). You can never have too many 1st round draft picks. You can always package them for a better draft pick, or a good player. While in the form of a draft pick (and not a player who has been drafted), they seem to have higher value than good players (obviously not stars or rising stars).
(1) I think the Rockets COULD get a (late) first rounder for Dragic. The Lakers and the Thunder are two teams that come to mind immediately that would gladly give up a first round pick. I'd prefer the Lakers' pick (or the Mavs' pick, if higher) over the Thunder's pick, though. (2) "Buying" first round picks will not be as easy under the new CBA. Teams are now limited to an AGGREGATE $3 million cash to be used in all trades throughout the year, not just on a per-trade basis. For instance, the New York Knicks are PROHIBITED from paying any cash for picks this season, since they spent their full $3M allotment in the Tyson Chandler trade. Also, first round rookie scale salaries are going to be much more valuable under the new, more punitive CBA from a cap and tax perspective. Having a player locked into a cheap four-year deal is quite a benefit for most teams. There will be fewer teams willing to dump picks than under the old CBA, IMO. As meh and Aruba77 have pointed out, having extra first round picks are just as valuable as "currency" as they are in taking players with those picks. Just look what the Rockets did last year with the picks they got in the Battier and Brooks trades. They packaged them, moved up in the 2011 Draft and drafted Motiejunas. With 2-3 first rounders in the 2012 Draft, the Rockets could either (1) package picks to move up, (2) trade back in the draft to acquire even more (future picks) or (3) trade one of the picks for a future first rounder. Heck, I'd be okay with Morey acquiring 2013 first round picks. If he can get a 2013 second rounder for any of the 09 draft busts, have at it!
Generally agree that Dragic as Unrestricted FA make him likely as a trade candidate. However, I wonder of they might consider keeping him long term. Is possible for them to sign him to a reasonablenlong term deal?
I wouldn't mind signing Dragic to a long term deal, if the contract is the same price as Kyle's. Otherwise, I'll opt for trading Dragic first. But if we could somehow resign Dragic to a deal similar or cheaper than Lowry's then I would be a lot more willing to part with Lowry.
