Ok, admitedly this is a longshot to actually happen, but seems to make sense so I thought I would post it. The Rockets are having major locker room issues and are reportedly looking to shake things up:
Kings trade:
Brad Miller
John Salmons
Beno Udrih
Rockets Trade:
Tracy McGrady
Aaron Brooks
Why the Kings do it: Unfortunatley, this trade does not bring back the haul of young players and picks I would ideally like to see in a trade. However, we get two players who's contracts will expire in 2010 for close to 22 million dollars. We would eliminate our locker room cancers. We would free up more PT for our Utes (pronounced with Joe Pesci accent). We would get a young PG who is essentially a rich man's Bobby Brown and a legit future backup. And finally, I assume we would shut T-Mac down for the rest of the year and let him heal; however, if he came back better next season, he would be a very intriguing trading chip as a potentially great player with an expiring contract.
Why the Rockets do it: First, they get rid of their locker room cancer and get the team back on the same page. They also get a wing player in Salmons who may be better than McGrady for THIS season (due to injuries, obviously McGrady has more overall talent). They get a backup 7 footer who can help on D (by size alone) and really help them on O. They also get a more veteran backup PG who can shoot and who's defensive deficiencies would be more easily masked on their team. They definitley get better for this season.
Quick rebutals to some objections I anticipate:
1 - Why would the Rockets trade for our cancers when they are trying to improve thier locker room?
Sometimes cancers are team specific. Brad Miller has mailed it in for us and would not be of use to any 11 win team. However, playing for a ring, he would likely be rejuvinated a la Mike Bibby. Also, Rick would put his skills to better use than Natt does. Salmons is the bigger ?, if he could defer being the primariy cog on O with a winning team.
2 - Shouldn't we get more back for our players than a potential back up and cap space?
Well, yes, I woud like to as well. However, based on what we have seen so far the market for their services just might not be there. If we can get LaFrentz and Bayless from Portland, I would jump all over it. However, at a certain point the opportunity cost of having locker room cancers poinsoning our locker room and stunting the development of our young players outweights the marginal gains of a late first round pick we might get if we made the same deal at next year's trade deadline. Besides, McGrady could be a real asset to trade if he gets healthy getting the rest of the year off instead of having to play hurt the rest of the year and at least one playoff series. Pontentially we could get the Rockets to toss in a 2nd round pick, Joey Dorsey, or someone else too, but I wouldn't let them be a deal killer.
Kings trade:
Brad Miller
John Salmons
Beno Udrih
Rockets Trade:
Tracy McGrady
Aaron Brooks
Why the Kings do it: Unfortunatley, this trade does not bring back the haul of young players and picks I would ideally like to see in a trade. However, we get two players who's contracts will expire in 2010 for close to 22 million dollars. We would eliminate our locker room cancers. We would free up more PT for our Utes (pronounced with Joe Pesci accent). We would get a young PG who is essentially a rich man's Bobby Brown and a legit future backup. And finally, I assume we would shut T-Mac down for the rest of the year and let him heal; however, if he came back better next season, he would be a very intriguing trading chip as a potentially great player with an expiring contract.
Why the Rockets do it: First, they get rid of their locker room cancer and get the team back on the same page. They also get a wing player in Salmons who may be better than McGrady for THIS season (due to injuries, obviously McGrady has more overall talent). They get a backup 7 footer who can help on D (by size alone) and really help them on O. They also get a more veteran backup PG who can shoot and who's defensive deficiencies would be more easily masked on their team. They definitley get better for this season.
Quick rebutals to some objections I anticipate:
1 - Why would the Rockets trade for our cancers when they are trying to improve thier locker room?
Sometimes cancers are team specific. Brad Miller has mailed it in for us and would not be of use to any 11 win team. However, playing for a ring, he would likely be rejuvinated a la Mike Bibby. Also, Rick would put his skills to better use than Natt does. Salmons is the bigger ?, if he could defer being the primariy cog on O with a winning team.
2 - Shouldn't we get more back for our players than a potential back up and cap space?
Well, yes, I woud like to as well. However, based on what we have seen so far the market for their services just might not be there. If we can get LaFrentz and Bayless from Portland, I would jump all over it. However, at a certain point the opportunity cost of having locker room cancers poinsoning our locker room and stunting the development of our young players outweights the marginal gains of a late first round pick we might get if we made the same deal at next year's trade deadline. Besides, McGrady could be a real asset to trade if he gets healthy getting the rest of the year off instead of having to play hurt the rest of the year and at least one playoff series. Pontentially we could get the Rockets to toss in a 2nd round pick, Joey Dorsey, or someone else too, but I wouldn't let them be a deal killer.
