More often than not, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey finds a trade partner ahead of the annual deadline. Although it didn’t happen last year, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that the team is confident something will transpire this time around.
While the mid-season additions of Austin Rivers and Kenneth Faried have impacted the Rockets’ list of needs, the club could still benefit from making a move for a versatile defender with three-point range.
Morey is said to be extremely active in talks so far this year and the Rockets even offered four first-round picks for Jimmy Butler prior to his trade to the Sixers.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- The Rockets care not for your factoid about James Harden scoring 304 consecutive unassisted points, Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle writes. Perhaps more impressively, Mike D’Antoni has coached the two players with the next highest streaks as well (Chris Paul and Steve Nash).
- In 2008, the Grizzlies packaged up star big man Pau Gasol and sent him off to the Lakers in exchange for Marc Gasol and a pair of first-round picks. Over a decade later, the brothers could theoretically be swapped again. While Marc has established himself as a franchise staple, the soon-to-be rebuilding Grizz are said to be open to offers for him. “There’s a part of me that would like that,” Marc told David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “He still has a place here.“
- Wednesday night brought a brief moment of levity for a fan base that’s been kicked in the pants repeatedly this week when the Pelicans removed Anthony Davis from the introduction video that plays for fans at the Smoothie King Center, Bleacher Report tweets.
It’s pretty insane that they’ve already removed AD from the intro video while he’s still under contract. It brings down his value if it’s a clear sign they’re not going to let him play as long as he’s there this year. Is it worth it more to them to punish him than to get the best possible deal for him?
It’s a bit bush league and high school ex girlfriend… ish to remove him from the video intro, BUT his trade value is not compromised if they sit him til they trade him. It won’t hurt his insanely high value at all. Tearing a groin muscle or blowing out a knee before you move him would GREATLY diminish his value to a team trying to win this year. If they’ve made up their minds that they’re moving him, no reason to play him.
Marc was a nobody then, a project, still a Euro.
If I recall, Pau was traded for picks and expirings, not for Marc, and many NBA fans were shocked (and mad) that the Lakers got Pau so easily. It was the first time expirings were considered so valuable in trading.
Pau teamed with Kobe to win titles and discourage Lebron from believing he could get a title with CLE. CLE’s path was blocked by BOS but it was LAL’s level that seemed unattainable in CLE. The next year, with the Heat, James did beat the Celtics, but the Lakers never did return to the finals! Pau got a ‘soft’ rep, but he was also in his 30s.
This NBA moment was brought to you by space heaters. Space heaters, keeping the air warm enough to poke fingers out into & type!
The rights to Marc were in there too. But yes he wasn’t the headliner
Morey’s been busy trading minimum contracts to save small increments of luxury tax.
I think he’s been neutered by Harden demanding (nicely) the CP3 trade (and the two demanding Melo) and then the new owner being uninterested in anything but getting the luxury tax bill down. Or he’s getting old. Maybe there’s only so many years you can get psyched to intervene in deals just to get or upgrade a 2nd round pick.
Morey is a little bit over rated… he over paid Luis Scola and had to cut him the second year into it , out bid himself for Ryan Anderson , ended up having to give up first round picks to move Asik and Lin.
and very honestly this chris paul deal is goin to blow up in his face I think starting next year.
I wonder if Morey was caught off guard by Fertitta’s frugality, maybe disrupting Morey’s plans based on Fertitta’s promising early comments.
Oh boy, that is such a classless move from the Pels, really embarrassing for the organization, no wonder AD wants out. SMH!!!
Lol yeah, he’s the only reason that franchise has mattered at all in the last 7 years. Not his fault the front office has been subpar
Small markets teams keep making these dumb mistakes. Trade picks for aging vets or role players instead of just drafting well and filling out a roster that can grow together.