Offseason Plan If Memphis Lands Rose

[LUKE23]

Thought I'd throw something out there to generate discussion. Ideally, I want both Mo and Redd off this team, but I realize that the chances of that happening is somewhere around 5%. Given I think it's more likely Mo is traded given all the circumstances, here is my offseason plan if Memphis can land Rose, which I realize is very iffy.

Trade 1: Yi to Memphis for Conley. I think Memphis strongly considers this given the fact they just landed a better PG prospect in Rose, and Yi would fit into their fast paced style with Rose and Gay on the wing.

Trade 2: Mo/CV/Mason to Portland for Outlaw/LaFrentz/Portland's 2008 first. This one is more iffy, but LaFrentz is not expiring until 09/10, so I think they would love to get rid of that deal, Mo gives them a scoring PG, something they really don't have right now, and Villanueva increases their bench depth and gives them another scorer.

Draft: If Mayo is there at 7 take him and we can mold him as SG of the future. If not (which is more likely), draft Love. At 13, take BPA, I really like Westbrook here if he falls. Dorsey in the second round.

Starters:

Conley/Sessions/Bell
Redd/Westbrook
Outlaw/Simmons
Love/Dorsey
Bogut/LaFrentz/Gadzuric

Don't know if the Portland deal is doable or not, depends on how highly they view Outlaw. Might be a little rose colored, what do others think?

[blkout]

I haven't fully bought into the Conley hype BUT he is better than Lowry so I'm glad people have shifted their focus somewhat... the problem with trading Yi is that he would (you'd imagine) have alot higher value to certain other teams and maybe they'd give up more to get him.

I'm not an Outlaw fan at all but he'd be an upgrade over Bobby, and getting another pick just makes up for it regardless. Would be really happy with Love in the team... he's not going to be great defensively but the difference between he and Yi/CV is that he's extremely smart as a basketballer, so I'm fairly sure he'd still find a way to make himself productive in that way (like Bogut has)... also a fan of Dorsey, it'd be (Please Use More Appropriate Word) if he wasn't picked up in the 2nd I think, especially with all of these undersized PF's suddenly being so in fashion (Maxiell, Millsap etc)...

Overall if this were to happen I'd think it was a successful off season, it's not a championship team but it's a hell of a lot better looking than it is right now.

[oshmeehan]

I honestly think that Bucks team would be worse than the current team

[showtimesam]

Any offseason that ends with the bucks having a REAL point guard, an athletic small forward, and some improved toughness in the post is something I'm for.

Also, if the bucks would land mayo instead of Love in the draft they could look to trade Redd for a Power Forward.

[ReasonablySober]

Draft: If Mayo is there at 7 take him and we can mold him as SG of the future. If not (which is more likely), draft Love. At 13, take BPA, I really like Westbrook here if he falls. Dorsey in the second round.

You really seem to have come around on Love. I'm starting to as well.

I really liked Conley quite a bit. My first choice would be to do whatever it takes to get Rose, but if that doesn't happen, Conley would be a nice consolation prize.

[LUKE23]

I honestly think that Bucks team would be worse than the current team

Could you explain your reasoning here? They upgrade defense at PG/SF/PF in the starting slots from this years team (I think Love will be a better defender based on strength than Yi, probably about a comparable shotblocker), and the PG can distribute the ball. The bench has good defenders at PG, SG, PF, and if Bobby rounds into form you have two pretty solid scoring options in he and Westbrook. Dorsey brings rebounding/shotblocking.

The one weakness I see on this team is three point shooting. Conley isn't there yet and it's not Outlaw's strength either. Bell and Simmons would really have to bounce back from deep.

[europa]

Luke, it's highly doubtful the Grizzlies will consider Yi for Conley straight up. It will take another piece from the Bucks - likely the lottery pick. No way the Grizzlies trade Conley for a player they regarded as being worse in last year's draft and one who will be coming off a putrid rookie season.

So that makes the plan difficult to execute given how the Bucks likely won't their lottery pick if they trade for Conley.

I'm all for trading for Conley and then seeing if Mo can get the Bucks a later lottery pick. Or see if Villanueva can get that pick and move Mo to Portland per your proposal. I'd love to see the Bucks get Outlaw.

[ReasonablySober]

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Could you explain your reasoning here?

I'll take a stab at it.

Conley/Sessions/Bell
Redd/Westbrook
Outlaw/Simmons
Love/Dorsey
Bogut/LaFrentz/Gadzuric

- three rookies are getting major minutes.
- Outlaw has been panned by Portland fans for still not being much of a basketball player, despite some nice flashes here and there
- Our two PGs are second year players and neither has lit the world on fire in their rookie seasons
- where does the scoring come from? I think Love is going to have trouble, at least in his rookie season, getting his shot off against NBA PFs. Outlaw isn't yet a reliable scorer night and night out, Bogut's still limited unless he's going in for a dunk and Conley isn't much of a scorer either.

Now, I like the team you assembled. I think they'd be bottom three in the league, but you have to like the future.

[LUKE23]

Luke, it's highly doubtful the Grizzlies will consider Yi for Conley straight up. It will take another piece from the Bucks - likely the lottery pick. No way the Grizzlies trade Conley for a player they regarded as being worse in last year's draft and one who will be coming off a putrid rookie season.

So that makes the plan difficult to execute given how the Bucks likely won't their lottery pick if they trade for Conley.

I'm all for trading for Conley and then seeing if Mo can get the Bucks a later lottery pick. Or see if Villanueva can get that pick and move Mo to Portland per your proposal. I'd love to see the Bucks get Outlaw.

If the Grizzlies did land Rose I do think Conley would become expendable. You really can't play those two guys together, well I guess you could, but you woul have major size disadvantages against every team in the league save Golden State. I remember during the draft hearing that Yi was fifth on their board (Conley was fourth), so for a rebuilding team I don't think it is that far fetched.

And for the record, there is no way I would give up Yi and our top ten pick for Conley. I like him, but not enough to give up that much, that is a ton.

[europa]

If the Grizzlies land Rose I agree Conley could become expendable but I think there is a 0% chance they would trade Conley straight up for Yi. I don't see it happening and I don't see any way the Grizzlies could even begin to justify it.

[LUKE23]

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- three rookies are getting major minutes.
- Outlaw has been panned by Portland fans for still not being much of a basketball player, despite some nice flashes here and there
- Our two PGs are second year players and neither has lit the world on fire in their rookie seasons
- where does the scoring come from? I think Love is going to have trouble, at least in his rookie season, getting his shot off against NBA PFs. Outlaw isn't yet a reliable scorer night and night out, Bogut's still limited unless he's going in for a dunk and Conley isn't much of a scorer either.

Now, I like the team you assembled. I think they'd be bottom three in the league, but you have to like the future.

Well, I think Redd/Bogut alone combine for 40 ppg next year (Say Redd 23, Bogut 17). Those guys would definitely be the top 2 scorers. I think Conley is at around 11-12, Outlaw around 11-12, and Love around 10-11 in that scenario. So from your starters, you're looking at 74-75 ppg from your starting five. A lot of the rest depends on how well Westbrook could do and if Simmons could bounce back. Backup frontcourt scoring would definitely be a concern, as we only have hustle guys there, but between Bell/Simmons/Westbrook, I think they should be able to muster enough bench scoring to push the overall total to mid 90's or better.

[LUKE23]

If the Grizzlies land Rose I agree Conley could become expendable but I think there is a 0% chance they would trade Conley straight up for Yi. I don't see it happening and I don't see any way the Grizzlies could even begin to justify it.

Considering Yi and Conley have had comparable rookie seasons and both project a ton of protential, I don't see how you can justify this comment. If you like Conley better than Yi that's fine, but to say the two are world's apart based on this season and projections, I just do not agree.

[msiris]

No way do I want Conley. I would rather keep Yi over CV. I would love to see Redd and Mo go, but not with taking on bad contracts.

[LUKE23]

No way do I want Conley. I would rather keep Yi over CV. I would love to see Redd and Mo go, but not with taking on bad contracts.

What bad contracts are we taking on? LaFrentz has two years remaining, and Outlaw has two years remaining at $4M per year. Conley is on rookie salary.

We wouldn't have any cap room the two seasons LaFrentz is on the books anyway.

[europa]

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Considering Yi and Conley have had comparable rookie seasons and both project a ton of protential, I don't see how you can justify this comment. If you like Conley better than Yi that's fine, but to say the two are world's apart based on this season and projections, I just do not agree.

Here's how I justify it - Conley was considered by just about everyone (including the Grizzlies) as being the superior prospect in last year's draft. Conley has not had a great rookie season by any means but Yi has been pretty much pathetic as the season has gone on. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies still envision Conley as their PG of the future. So if they draft Rose and decide to trade Conley they will need to get back a good amount for their prior PG of the future. A player they liked less than Conley who was downright awful for most of his rookie season is not a good return in my opinion and it would be an impossible sell in my opinion for their fan base.

And again I'll say that even if the Grizzlies draft Rose they don't have to trade Conley immediately. There is nothing wrong with going with the two of them for a season or two and seeing if both improve, thus improving their trade assets for the future.

Trading Conley for Yi straight up would be a poor move in my opinion. Now these are the Grizzlies and they gave away Gasol for a used box of kleenex so I suppose anything's possible. But again I think there's a 0% chance that they would trade Conley for Yi straight up. I just don't see any realistic way that happens.

[LUKE23]

Well, I see some fans saying Yi is too much to give up for Conley, and I see some fans saying we couldn't get Conley for Yi. I think it's somewhere in the middle of that.

From their standpoint, it's all about whether they want to build around a core of Rose/Gay/Yi or a core of Conley/Rose/Gay. I think they would consider the former very hard, especially consider their PF/C situation is dire right now.

I think you're using your pre-draft notions here europa. Based on what they have shown this season, the two were pretty comparable. I know PG's are harder to find than PF's, but it's not like Conley had a Chris Paul type rookie season.

That's just my take. I definitely think it's a plausible deal.

[ReasonablySober]

Well, I see some fans saying Yi is too much to give up for Conley, and I see some fans saying we couldn't get Conley for Yi. I think it's somewhere in the middle of that.

From their standpoint, it's all about whether they want to build around a core of Rose/Gay/Yi or a core of Conley/Rose/Gay. I think they would consider the former very hard, especially consider their PF/C situation is dire right now.

Not really. For them it's Conley/Rose/Gay or Rose/Gay/[whatever they can get for Conley].

If Conley is shopped he might garner more than Yi.

[LUKE23]

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Not really. For them it's Conley/Rose/Gay or Rose/Gay/[whatever they can get for Conley].

If Conley is shopped he might garner more than Yi.

True, I'm just talking about this deal from their perspective.

[europa]

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Not really. For them it's Conley/Rose/Gay or Rose/Gay/[whatever they can get for Conley].

If Conley is shopped he might garner more than Yi.

I'm 99.9% certain he would.

[msiris]

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What bad contracts are we taking on? LaFrentz has two years remaining, and Outlaw has two years remaining at $4M per year. Conley is on rookie salary.

We wouldn't have any cap room the two seasons LaFrentz is on the books anyway.

LaFrentz deal is up next year, so I would do that deal. Still not sold not the Yi deal. But with the mid round pick I would look at Green instead of Westbrook.