Discussing Other Teams' Moves Part 3

[pancakes3]

With the right follow-up moves, Pau going back to Memphis would be a title run in itself.

[FAH1223]

LA potentially interested in Gasol to NY for Chandler+Shumpert, but if they're willing to do that I've got a better idea - Gasol for Asik+Lin.

The Lakers were willing to send Gasol to HOU in the CP3 deal that Stern nixed a couple years ago. He's clearly not fitting in with D'Antoni's style and I'm betting a lunch pail type like Asik would work better plus LA desperately needs a PG. They don't care about the balloon payments next year.

For the Rockets, Gasol gives them a guy they can actually run the pick and roll with, plus he'd be happy moving back to his natural PF spot and playing off Howard like he used to play off Bynum. And the move gives HOU some flexibility going into next summer.

Gasol is a Center. He's much better there and when LAL was winning titles, he played there exclusively with Odom at the PF spot.

[hands11]

Rudy Gay likes his new home.

King beat the Rockets 106 to 91

Gay went 10-20 with 6 FTA making 5 of them.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400489223

[LyricalRico]

The advice offered to us on Sunday was stern: Keep an eye on Boston. The Celtics possess two players in different salary ranges that would presumably fit in useful ways next to Dwight Howard: Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. The Celts also have a spare first-round draft pick or two to plug into any trade equation to sweeten the deal for Houston, amid rising suspicions around the league that Morey’s Rockets are going to find a way to come out of the Asik saga with at least one future first.

The same Rockets who happen to have a GM (Morey) and coach (Kevin McHale) who have long-standing relationships with Celts president Danny Ainge.

So, yes, I’d say you should keep an eye on Boston.

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post ... rogressing

BOOM! Called this about a month ago.

[hands11]

Wow

DET just beat Indy in Indy.

Hibbert had a terrible game.

[LyricalRico]

Who's tanking and what moves might they be interested in:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... big-reveal

(Says it's an insider video, but didn't ask me for a login.)

[Rafael122]

Who's tanking and what moves might they be interested in:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... big-reveal

(Says it's an insider video, but didn't ask me for a login.)

Hilarious, Boston, Phoenix, Toronto all made moves to get worse yet they're actually playing better than expected with Boston most likely being a top 4 seed as a result of a weak division. What's worse is that if Ainge makes a move to tank, he'll get ripped for it since the team isn't as terrible as the experts predicted.

Strangest NBA season I've seen in awhile. You're gonna have Randle, Wiggins, and Parker end up in Utah, Philly, and Milwaukee. I'm sure Phoenix GM is somewhere trying to figure this all out. They were suppose to be terrible, and maybe they will be, but they're the 6th seed in the West, they cut money left and right and they still can't tank right.

[LyricalRico]

^ One team the ESPN Insider article apparently discusses (maybe not in the video, but according to what HoopsHype quotes from the article) is Philly wanting to get worse now. Would they be interested in something like Gasol+picks for Young+Hawes+Wroten? With LA unlikely to get a superstar in free agency, a guy like Young could be great value as a small-ball PF under D'Antoni.

[Rafael122]

^ One team the ESPN Insider article apparently discusses (maybe not in the video, but according to what HoopsHype quotes from the article) is Philly wanting to get worse now. Would they be interested in something like Gasol+picks for Young+Hawes+Wroten? With LA unlikely to get a superstar in free agency, a guy like Young could be great value as a small-ball PF under D'Antoni.

I think what they mean is trade players for picks and expiring deals, who's to say Gasol won't make the Sixers better in the short term?

But all those teams Ford listed, 3 or 4 of them have been playing better as of late.

[verbal8]

The advice offered to us on Sunday was stern: Keep an eye on Boston. The Celtics possess two players in different salary ranges that would presumably fit in useful ways next to Dwight Howard: Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. The Celts also have a spare first-round draft pick or two to plug into any trade equation to sweeten the deal for Houston, amid rising suspicions around the league that Morey’s Rockets are going to find a way to come out of the Asik saga with at least one future first.

The same Rockets who happen to have a GM (Morey) and coach (Kevin McHale) who have long-standing relationships with Celts president Danny Ainge.

So, yes, I’d say you should keep an eye on Boston.

http://espn.go.com/blog/marc-stein/post ... rogressing

BOOM! Called this about a month ago.

Good call.

If I had to guess at this point, I would guess something with HOU/BOS/PHI with Asik(to PHI)/Jeff Green(to HOU)/Thad Young(to BOS). I think Boston throws in an incentive probably to HOU. I think it is more likely to be a player(s) than a pick.

[verbal8]

Apparently there is a rumor that Rondo may be headed to SAC. Not a bad option to try to start a core with Rudy Gay and Cousins.

[fishercob]

I am not buying the combination of two reported factors in a potential Asik trade: (1) that HOU will trade him by tomorrow and (2) that they will trade him East because they don't want to trade him to a rival that they'll have to face in the playoffs.

This makes no sense, even though it has been reported that HOU wants the flexibility to re-trade whomever they acquire before the deadline. The only way to be sure to not face Asik in the playoffs (and btw, he'd bother Howard and allow his team to single cover him) would be to trade him AFTER tomorrow so he can't be re-traded before the deadline.

So if HOU trades Asik to say, Philly, there's no good reason for Philly not to trade Asik to Portland or OKC or Dallas at the deadline for the right package or expirings, prospects, picks.

I am guessing Morey knows this and he'll simply trade Asik for the best package he can.

[nate33]

Apparently there is a rumor that Rondo may be headed to SAC. Not a bad option to try to start a core with Rudy Gay and Cousins.

With the way Isaiah Thomas is playing, I don't see why Sacramento would want to trade for a PG. But then, that's why they're Sacramento.

[mhd]

Apparently there is a rumor that Rondo may be headed to SAC. Not a bad option to try to start a core with Rudy Gay and Cousins.

With the way Isaiah Thomas is playing, I don't see why Sacramento would want to trade for a PG. But then, that's why they're Sacramento.

Agreed. Why would Sac trade Mclemore (which would be the price) for Rondo? Rondo has 1+ year left on his deal while Thomas is a FA. Just resign Thomas to a deal a notch below what Lawson/Conley get.

[nate33]

I am not buying the combination of two reported factors in a potential Asik trade: (1) that HOU will trade him by tomorrow and (2) that they will trade him East because they don't want to trade him to a rival that they'll have to face in the playoffs.

This makes no sense, even though it has been reported that HOU wants the flexibility to re-trade whomever they acquire before the deadline. The only way to be sure to not face Asik in the playoffs (and btw, he'd bother Howard and allow his team to single cover him) would be to trade him AFTER tomorrow so he can't be re-traded before the deadline.

So if HOU trades Asik to say, Philly, there's no good reason for Philly not to trade Asik to Portland or OKC or Dallas at the deadline for the right package or expirings, prospects, picks.

I am guessing Morey knows this and he'll simply trade Asik for the best package he can.

It makes sense to me. Yes, there is the small possibility that Asik gets moved again, but the preference to avoid having him on a rival is secondary to the preference of maintaining flexibility to make further trades before the Deadline.

The part that I don't buy is all these rumors of all these teams having TONS of interest in Asik. Morey is obviously trying to drive up his value by planting rumors in the media. I think, at best, he ends up trading Asik straight up for somebody like Millsap. He's not getting 2 future firsts.

[fishercob]

Zach Lowe had a great piece on Asik/Morey last week,

[pancakes3]

I think the asking price for Asik is so high that any team that tries to flip him won't get back equal value so the resale threat is pretty low. I guess it's a possibility but I agree with the simplest explanation that Morey is simply holding off for the best package he can, as late as he can.

[closg00]

Remember when everyone was flaming Morey for the Asik deal when he pinched him from the Bulls? Morey is still stacked with talent/assets and he is going to get more. The exact opposite of the Wizards.

[mohammed10]

Remember when everyone was flaming Morey for the Asik deal when he pinched him from the Bulls? Morey is still stacked with talent/assets and he is going to get more. The exact opposite of the Wizards.

Morey - the anti-Ernie

[Nivek]

Doesn't Morey know he has enough young players? Doesn't he know he has enough draft picks, enough talent?