NBA Trade Scenarios: 10 Moves the Rockets Can Make To Turn Their Season Around
The Houston Rockets are going through an identity change this season, and by the trade deadline in February, the Rockets roster could look totally different than what it does right now.
Houston has a lot of personnel moves to ponder, the biggest being the impending free agency of franchise center Yao Ming.
Ming is constantly injured, primarily with foot problems, and extending his contract wouldn't be a smart financial move.
The Rockets have plenty of value to offer in a variety of trade scenarios. They are stocked with young talent, including Kevin Martin, Aaron Brooks, Chase Budinger, Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola.
The Rockets are a quality team that's struggling to find an identity and team chemistry, and while making some trades may prolong the process of becoming familiar with one another, the future is more important.
The season is still in its early stages, and there are many possible trade scenarios for the Rockets to think about.
Here are the ten that make the most sense.
Keep in mind the NBA rules for trades involving team(s) over the salary cap:
Incoming salaries must not be greater than 125% plus $100,000 of outgoing salaries. The ESPN Trade Machine was used to make sure all of the following trades obeyed this rule.
Rockets Trade For Carmelo Anthony From The Denver Nuggets
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Carmelo Anthony would help the Houston Rockets in a variety of ways, but from a business standpoint, he would help them sell lots of tickets and fan merchandise.
Anthony would give the Rockets one of the most recognizable superstars in the NBA, and his immediate impact on the court would be felt with his scoring.
Houston lacks a go-to guy in crunch time, someone who demands the ball when the game is on the line, and Anthony can be that player.
Anthony and Martin would be the major players involved. Martin gives the Nuggets most of the scoring they would lose giving up Anthony.
Parting ways with Afflalo allows Ty Lawson to earn more playing time, and the acquistion of Patterson and Jeffries give Denver more depth in the frontcourt, an area that haunts them every postseason.
To figure out the specifics of this deal, here are all the players and money involved.
Houston receives:
Carmelo Anthony (Salary - $17,149,243)
Aaron Afflalo (Salary - $1,959,577)
Renaldo Balkman (Salary - $1,675,000)
Denver receives:
Kevin Martin (Salary - $10,600,005)
Patrick Patterson (Salary - $1,823,280)
Jared Jeffries (Salary - $6,883,800)
Rockets Trade For O.J. Mayo From The Memphis Grizzlies
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OJ Mayo is a tremendous player, and has already received high praise from veterans like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.
However, the Memphis Grizzlies have not played Mayo as much as they need to, and their great depth at the guard positions is the reason why.
If Houston cannot acquire Carmelo, they should look at Mayo. Giving up Kevin Martin as part of the deal would benefit Houston because Mayo is a better passer and stronger defensively.
Mayo for Martin is a pretty even swap in terms of scoring, and the Rockets would benefit from the defense and passing Mayo would give them that Martin cannot.
Patterson would be another big man with great potential for the Grizzlies, who are unlikely to re-sign Zach Randolph after this season.
Thabeet has been a bust so far, and with Marc Gasol the starting center for the future, Thabeet may benefit from the coaching experience and wisdom of Houston's Rick Adelman.
The specifics of the trade would look like this:
Houston receives:
OJ Mayo (Salary - $4,456,200)
Hasheem Thabeet (Salary - $4,793,280)
D. Carroll (Salary - $1,085,400)
Memphis receives:
Kevin Martin (Salary - $10,600,005)
Patrick Patterson (Salary - $1,823,280
Houston Must Part Ways With Yao Ming: Scenario 1 With Atlanta
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Yao Ming's foot injuries are not only a major pain to his feet, but to the entire Houston organization.
The Rockets are a much better team in every facet of the game when Ming is in the lineup, but his inability to stay healthy hurts them nearly every postseason.
Trading Ming is their only option, because re-signing him now or at the end of the season would be a disastrous financial move.
The Atlanta Hawks desperately need a true center, and playing Al Horford at center does not help him nor the team because he is a power forward. Battier would help the Hawks defensively, an area they struggle very much in.
Houston would acquire Josh Smith and Marvin WIlliams, both young players who have yet to discover their maximum potential. Smith and Williams haven't worked out in Atlanta, and after a two consecutive seasons of getting annihilated in the second round of the playoffs, the Hawks need a defensive change. Smith blocks a lot of shots, but one-on-one, he gets beaten often.
Here is the first trade scenario for Yao Ming.
Houston receives:
Josh Smith (Salary - $11,700,000)
Marvin Williams (Salary - $7,262,500)
Zaza Pachulia (Salary - $4,251,250)
Atlanta receives:
Yao Ming (Salary - $17,686,100)
Shane Battier (Salary - $7,354,500)
Jordan Hill (Salary - $2,669,520)
Houston Must Part Ways With Yao Ming: Scenario 2 With Philadelphia
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In Scenario 2, involving the Rockets parting ways with center Yao Ming, we swap Atlanta with Philadelphia.
The 76ers haven't had a great center since Moses Malone in the 1980's, and Ming would give them a dominating presence in the middle they have lacked for some time.
The Rockets acquire an athletic scorer in Iguodala, who has four years remaining on his current contract. Philadelphia acquires a franchise center in Yao, as well as a promising young shooting guard in Lee.
Kapono would provide a temporary long distance shooting boost for the Rockets, and is a free agent after this season.
Scenario 2 would look like this:
Houston receives:
Andre Iguodala (Salary - $12,345,250)
Maurice Speights (Salary - $1,773,960)
Jason Kapono (Salary - $6,641,440)
Philadelphia Receives
Yao Ming (Salary - $17,686,100)
Jordan Hill (Salary - $2,669,250)
Courtney Lee (Salary - $1,352,640)
Houston Must Part Ways With Yao Ming: Scenario 3 With Oklahoma City
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are one great center away from being able to easily defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven game series.
While Yao Ming may be a temporary solution to their starting center spot, letting Ming go at the end of the season would provide Oklahoma City with enough salary cap space to sign a max contract player.
For the Rockets, acquiring Cole Aldrich and Nenad Krstic the fix for their starting center position for now, and Collison would provide them with a consistent power forward.
Here is the breakdown of the trade:
Houston receives:
Nenad Krstic (Salary - $5,543,116)
Cole Aldrich (Salary - $2,126,520)
Nick Collison (Salary - $13,270,000)
Oklahoma City receives:
Yao Ming (Salary - $17,686,100)
Jordan Hill (Salary - $2,669,520)
J. Taylor (Salary - $780,871)
Rockets Acquire Moon and Parker From Cleveland To Bolster Depth
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Houston could add to their small forward/shooting guard depth with Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker. Both are athletic, and can score driving to the basket, or from three-point land.
Giving up Courtney Lee and Jordan Hill is not a big loss to the Rockets, and Hill has yet to show he can play well at the NBA level.
Moon and Parker are both free agents this summer, so if they do not fit in, Houston can let them go and look for a free agent.
Here are the specifics (J. Taylor is a throw in to balance salaries)
Houston receives:
Jamario Moon (Salary - $3,000,000)
Anthony Parker (Salary - $2,855,769)
Cleveland receives:
Courtney Lee (Salary - $1,352,640)
Jordan Hill (Salary - $2,669,520)
J. Taylor (Salary - $780,871)
Rockets Trade Shane Battier To Detroit For Young Players
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Shane Battier is a free agent after this season and the Rockets could use his value as a superb defensive player to acquire talented young players.
Detroit could use a veteran player, who would set a defensive example each night.
Acquiring Austin Daye and Jason Maxiell would give Houston a younger small forward to replace Battier, and a proven post player (Maxiell) to combine with Yao Ming of Patrick Patterson.
Let's look at the actual deal:
Houston receives:
Jason Maxiell (Salary - $5,000,000)
Austin Daye (Salary - $1,803,720)
Detroit receives:
Shane Battier (Salary - $7,354,500)
Rockets Swap Kevin Martin With Gerald Wallace
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A swap involving Kevin Martin and Gerald Wallace makes sense for both the Rockets and Bobcats.
Both salaries are around the $10,500,000 area, so the finances of the deal would not be complicated.
Wallace would give the Rockers versatility, which will help if they get rid of Battier. Wallace can play the shooting guard and small forward positions, and would provide consistent scoring and rebounding.
Martin would give Charlotte a go-to scorer, and a guy who is still young that does not have an outrageous contract.
Rockets Try to Find Jason Thompson's True Potential
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Jason Thompson has had Kings fans waiting for a breakout season, but has failed to deliver such a year.
It may be time for Sacramento to move on, and Houston coach Rick Adelman may be the coach to find Thompson's potential.
Patrick Patterson is a fine young talent himself, but to me, Thompson can be a better player.
The risk in acquiring Thompson is not large at all, and the reward could be massive.
Houston Gambles That Greg Oden Can Be Productive One Day
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If the Rockets decide to let Yao Ming go at the end of the season, Greg Oden is a possible replacement, but he comes with his own injury concerns.
Oden has had loads of trouble trying to stay healthy, but when he is in the lineup, he has shown he can be very effective both offensively and defensively.
In exchange for Oden, and the frustrated Rudy Hernandez, Houston would send Shane Battier to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers need a defensive stalwart like Battier to defend players such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Manu Ginobili in the Western Conference.
Here are the specifics:
Houston receives:
Greg Oden (Salary - $6,760,524)
Rudy Fernandez (Salary - $1,246,680)
Portland receives:
Shane Battier (Salary - $7,354,500)
Recap: Plenty Of Possbilities For Houston
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The Houston Rockets have many possible trade scenarios to explore in order to improve their team for the present, and the future.
They have a nice selection of young players and expiring contracts that many NBA teams will find appealing as we approach the February trade deadline.
Rockets center Yao Ming is the most likely player to be looked at by other teams, and while his injury history makes him quite a gamble, if he stays healthy, his new team could become a championship contender overnight.
If you feel I missed a possible scenario let me know.
