May. 20 - Rumors continue to swirl that the team is looking at trading troubled forward Lamar Odom this summer. GM Elgin Baylor didn't exactly close the door. "We don't want to trade Lamar," coach Alvin Gentry told the OC Register Sunday. "But you always have to listen to teams when they ask you about players." The Heat have shown the most interest in Odom over the past two years, but probably don't have the players it would take to get a deal done. The Clippers, who are said to covet Jay Williams, might be willing to part with Odom in return for the Rockets' No. 1 pick.
You know those stories you always see about people who win millions of dollars in the lottery, then squander it all and are broke again two years later? That's the Rockets if they trade their number one pick for Lamar Odom.
Odom is a multi-talented budding star who is in his early 20s. I doubt if that is "squandering" the lottery.
Let me say it again... just Odom or Lewis for the No. 1 is NOT enough. I believe we could get Odom or Lewis AND keep the No. 1.
The #1 pick is special. It comes around VERY rarely. You don't just trade it for a player unless you are CONVINCED that the deal is beyond great. The #1 pick is as much symbolic as it is practical. Odom is a real talent but is he worthy of a #1 pick and all the hoopla that surrounds it? Probably not. You didn't see the Texans taking a linebacker with their #1 or trading it away. They understood the value of rolling the dice. I'm not saying that you roll the dice on someone just because. However, the deal you get for the #1 has to be considerable. Remember, Golden State gave up Anfernee Hardaway (it's #1 pick) and TWO MORE NUMBER ONE'S (one that ended up being Shaq) for Chris Weber (the #2 pick). You have too REALLY make a splash or you don't deserve that pick in the first place.
Great post Jeff. You need to make a copy of this and post it in every thread where someone posts a ridiculous trade offer for the #1.(You would be at 20,000 posts in like 2 weeks if you did that). But seriously, you convey my sentiments exactly. If we trade #1 then we better get multiple picks and/or multiple contributing players. There is no way we trade this pick unless we get a much better deal than 1 player unles sit is a top 5 guy(and that just won't happen). CK
I agree Will but I will throw out a three way deal to get us Odom and see what you think... Supposedly Chicago is happy with Crawford at the poing and Krause covets Ming, so let's swap picks with chicago and they throw in Curry... Okay now La desperately wants Jwill so we give them the second pick and Rice for Odom and their 8th pick... Now you can do what you want with the 8th pick thereis a whole number of trade possibilities... or we could just draft Nene or maybe even Butler would drop this low (doubtful) but Woods might. So here's our team you pick the draft choices... C- Cato/Curry/Collier PF- Griffen/MoT/Nene(8thpick) SF- Odom/Morris/Nachbar or Rush (15th pick) SG- Mobley/Torres/Nachbar or Rush (15th pick) PG- Frances/Norris/Brown I forgot to mention KT but maybe we could package with or 15 and get the Wizards 11th or throw in or 8th with that deal and trade for Denver's 5th they need more help than just one player... and we could pick up Butler with the 5th and use him as our 6th Man behind Mobley and Odom... And there's still the Rashard possibility Hell the possibilities are endless and I loss sleep thinking about them last night... I don't envy Rudy and CD's job right now but I think it's a great opportunity...
1. How about the #1 for Odom and their #8? 2. Or our #1 and #15 for Odom and #8 and #12? 3. Or same scenarios except Olowakandi instead? I like Olowakandi with the 8 and 12. We could try to pick up Tskitishvilli at 8 and Stoudemire at 12. We get the veteran we want and two POTENTIAL stars. Plus don't we have a middle class exception? Francis, Norris Mobley, Torres Rice, Morris, Tskitishvilli MoT,Griffin, Stoudemire Olowakandi, Cato I think our front line would be taken care of... Would this work? Would the clippers actually do this?
If I remember correctly, Orlando traded CWebb (the #1 overall) to Golden State for Penny (the #3 overall) plus 3 future first round picks.
I would do that in a heartbeat. Only difference is that I take Borchardt with the 8th pick if he were still there.
Our #1 and #15 for Odom, the Clip's #8 and #12....nothing less!!! The #1 pick is special, like Jeff mentioned. it gives the chance at a potentially franchise-changing, dominant player (Ming, Williams). Otherwise, just say no to Odom (unless we can trade our #1 and #15 for Odom, and Kandi). Pretty sweet, though......Houston has gotten the #1 picks in both the NBA and NFL drafts this year!!!
