Dr. Trade: One Move, Three Fixes for the Bucks, Rockets, and Jazz

Certainly, many of you would be quite entitled to ask, "Dr. Trade, do you do anything besides 3-team deals in your hypothetical columns?" 

The answer is, "Yes, just not yet." 

What can I say? I'm on a roll. Conventional two-team deals will be a part of this column one of these days.

I've enjoyed writing these hypothetical features of late for the great discussion that they foster. Of course, I am often accused of being a "homer" for Team X in the trade that Fan Y thinks is getting away with a steal.

I can assure you that these trades are honestly constructed in my own scatter-brained way with the intention of not only helping Team X, but also Team Y, Team H, and maybe even Team Z.78192, (if the situation warrants).

That being said, please continue to disagree and call me an idiot if you feel the need to. These hypothetical articles are ideas to get the ball of conversation rolling. While they are sometimes based on substantiated rumors, more often than not they are simply a concoction of my own imagination.

Let's get to it. Enjoy!

 

Trade:

Milwaukee gets: G/F Tracy McGrady, PF Joey Dorsey, two 2010 Second Round Picks (from Houston & Utah)

Houston gets: SG Michael Redd (from Milwaukee), PF Carlos Boozer & C Kyrylo Fesenko (from Utah)

Utah gets: Luis Scola (from Houston) & Dan Gadzuric (from Milwaukee)

 

Background:

Let's look at the goals each team would have in pulling the trigger on something like this.

Milwaukee

The Bucks must really be in big-time financial trouble right now—even bigger than we realize. They traded Richard Jefferson with the explanation that it was to save enough money to sign Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions.

Charlie V. is gone already, and Sessions might soon be following. At this point, the Bucks are going to stink next year anyways. It's time to rebuild by shedding whatever salaries they can for the long term, and by collecting draft picks.

A deal like this swaps Redd's contract for one that is slightly more expensive this year, but that also comes off the books next season instead of two years from now. 

If McGrady plays, the Bucks will get similar production to what they received from Redd. If McGrady doesn't play, Milwaukee has a trade piece to use, or the option of waiting the year out until they can cut costs further.

What's more, the Bucks also finally get out from under the ridiculous money that they paid Dan Gadzuric a few seasons ago. Since the Bucks still have to put a team on the floor this year, they get a prospect in Joey Dorsey at a spot where they are thin, and they also get a pair of Second Rounders next year.

Houston

Many Rockets fans may again attack me for getting rid of the expiring contract that is Tracy McGrady. 

Let's look at it this way. Would you prefer to roll the dice that LeBron, Wade, or Bosh is going to inexplicably choose to come to Houston? You know that even in the best case scenario you'll only get one of them, right? Or, would you rather turn a player who's on the way out anyway into two All-Stars right now?

Redd and Boozer would be able to keep this team afloat along with the rest of the Rockets core until Yao comes back. When he does, they'd have one of the most dangerous "Big Three" units in the league.

This Rockets team has no problem defending as currently constructed. The problem is, who is going to score the basketball with Yao out and McGrady questionable? Sure, giving up Scola isn't ideal, but when they're getting Boozer back in return, I'd be surprised if (m)any would have a problem with that.

Fesenko is a bit of a knucklehead, and nothing more than a project at this point; however, for those that have seen him play, he is a big, athletic kid with some tantalizing potential for a team that's willing to let him grow. For now, he's at least a body to throw in at center on nights that Landry/Hayes are getting overpowered.

Utah

The Jazz apparently want Luis Scola a lot. They obviously need to get under the luxury tax, too, but they are wanting to get someone usable in return.

Some will invariably (and inexplicably) say that Scola is as good as Boozer, but I would ask you to go back again and watch them play. 

Scola is a great team player who fits as the passing "glue-guy" in a starting lineup. Boozer, on the other hand, is a legitimate No. 2 scorer/rebounder who can produce at a No. 1 level on many nights.

The Jazz won't get a star in return for Boozer, as they are not in a powerful bargaining position when everyone knows that he has to be moved. Taking back Gadzuric's contract is not ideal, but that's the price for getting Scola in this trade

This deal would slash a little over $4 million dollars from Utah's current cap number, thus getting them awfully close to the luxury—tax threshold.  What's more, they get a player who would fit their system quite well as the first big man off the bench.

Rationale:

I'll preemptively predict, and then answer, some of the arguments that may be raised from fans on each side. This is not to discredit your concerns, but rather to explain my thinking behind each scenario.

Milwaukee

"You're giving Michael Redd away for practically nothing! McGrady may not play, and this deal brings back an identical amount of dollars for this year!"

Rebuttal—Do you want to see Michael Redd play for you this year, or do you want the Bucks to actually get better in the long term? First off, Herb Kohl needs to sell the team to someone who actually wants to spend money (and keep them in Beer-town). 

Second, they need to shed salaries in the next couple of years and start over with their youngsters and picks. Are you angry that there's no First Rounder in this deal? I have a feeling that McGrady's expiring contract could be easily turned into one for a team that wants cap relief by the trade deadline.

Houston

"Tracy McGrady might come back!  Giving up Scola is not something we're going to do with a rival like Utah!"

Rebuttal—Do you want to hope and pray that McGrady comes back for you?  Do you want to hope and pray that one of the 2010 guys wants to come and play with Yao?

Why not answer both those questions with two extremely productive players right now?  You can't tell me that a Boozer/Redd combo along with Brooks, Battier, Ariza, Landry, and Co. couldn't be very competitive this season. Add Yao to that mix in a year, and you can't tell me that group wouldn't be a Top Three favorite in the West!

Utah

"Does this get us close enough to the luxury tax threshold to make this worth it?  I don't think trading Boozer straight up for Scola would be completely fair, so why do we have to take Gadzuric's money back too?"

Rebuttal—You're simply not going to get fair market value back for Boozer right now.  Everyone is worried about their cap space, just like you. You're going to have to help someone like Milwaukee out a little bit if you're going to get much of anything back in return.

Maybe the Miami deal is still out there, but do you want Scola or Haslem out of it? You can't buy out Boozer if you get stuck with him. It would definitely be possible to buy out Gadzuric if you absolutely had to get $1-3 million dollars under the cap. At this point, buying him out or paying the luxury tax difference is probably a wash.

Verdict:

I like what this does for each team, but I think that Houston would be the winner here. Financial concerns are driving Milwaukee and Utah in this scenario, so they have to be willing to get a little less than market value for their players.

Thus, this deal does not make either a better team this year, but it helps those two squads accomplish their cap goals for the future.

Being that Houston is financially sound right now, they should be taking advantage of that fact by buying low for other people's talent. To sit and wish on McGrady's account could be as counter—productive as the rest of his tenure has been.

Trust me on this one.  After all, I am a Doctor.

—"Doctor Trade"