Suggestion to Danny : do your best to trade for Shane Battier!

[Fafnir]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

Wade + LeBron + Joe Johnson ... am I forgetting anyone? Not interested in any of the bigs. Only in top quality perimeter players.

Yeah those are the three I think Houston should pursue. But they'll be able to do that in the offseason easily enough right? I mean they should be able to get someone to take Battier off their hands if LeBron/Wade/Johnson are receptive to their offers.

If they can pickup Johnson then there is no problamo for them. Battier plays the 3, Johnson the 2

I was under the impression that they need to move Battier/Ariza to get the cap room to sign Joe.

Time to take a look at shamsports!

[Who]

Who do you think fits with that team?

Also I think any incoming FA would be very worried about Yao's health. At this point he's becoming the Bill Walton of our generation.

Wade + LeBron + Joe Johnson ... am I forgetting anyone? Not interested in any of the bigs. Only in top quality perimeter players.

Yeah those are the three I think Houston should pursue. But they'll be able to do that in the offseason easily enough right? I mean they should be able to get someone to take Battier off their hands if LeBron/Wade/Johnson are receptive to their offers.

That's a very good point.

The Rockets would need somebody below the cap -- Miami, NY, NJ, Chicago ... I don't think those teams would take Battier unless they have enough money for his contract + a max contract ... Minnesota, Oklahoma, Clippers, Kings -- you gotta like the Rockets odds of finding someone in that second group of teams. Or maybe a trade exception (do they count towards the cap? I don't think so but I'm not sure).

The Rockets would have to decide what to do with Landry + Hayes prior to free agency opening though (otherwise the Rockets still don't have enough cap space). Team options. But even if they declined those team options prior to free agency + held off on trading Battier/Ariza they would decrease their level of risk considerably.

Yeah, Houston should do that.

[Who]

By my calculations, Houston have $40.2-to-$40.9 million in salaries (depending on draft pick) if they decline their team options on Hayes + Landry + waive Dorsey's non-guaranteed contract ... and have $44-to-$44.5 million in salaries if they keep those three.

So they'd have $10.3-12.7 million in cap space if they declined to keep those players or $6-9 in cap space if they kept those three players.

Add a Battier ($7.4 million) to the first figure and Houston have enough cap space to offer a max contract. Ariza is $6.3 million.

[Fafnir]

Or maybe a trade exception (do they count towards the cap? I don't think so but I'm not sure).

They don't effect the cap, they allow a team to take back a player with equivalent salary without sending any back. So a team with a trade exception could take on Battier without sending back any salary.

[Who]

That's an excellent idea Fafnir. Much better plan of attack for the Rockets.

[Fafnir]

That's an excellent idea Fafnir. Much better plan of attack for the Rockets.

I'll have to e-mail Morley it, along with my resume  .

[manl_lui]

is it possible to trade two + 1st round pick for either battier or mcgrady...

I know i might sound crazy but i know a lot people say that mcgrady is done...i dont think so, he still got a lot left in the tank in my opinion...he wants to play and i see him every night only playing 7 minutes? Are they afraid hes going to get injured again or what?

Read many articles on yahoo and espn that they might want to move mcgrady...if so you think we can give them like two of our guys and a 1st round for him?

[Tai]

Why would I want to trade for a player who the Rockets don't feel comfortable playing for more than 7 minutes, if that's really true? This also assumes we have to give up Ray Allen just to make the starting 5 still "fit" with McGrady on the team.

Not happening. No offense, but I feel you should know better.

The Rockets aren't trading Battier, especially not for our junk. We probably have to give up significant role players, maybe even a starter or two. Not worth it.

[CbrewEra]

This team has became very solid with no true super star playing for them.
 Yao and T Mac have been out so long that they seem to have developed a great chemistry amongst a squad of good role players.  Theres no way they give up the leader of that group in Battier, for our garbage/ expirings. 
Its definetly Mcgrady that's gonna go if anyone.

[RJ87]

Read many articles on yahoo and espn that they might want to move mcgrady...if so you think we can give them like two of our guys and a 1st round for him?

I big NO THANK YOU to trading for McGrady. He's def not worth his salary at this point. He's got a lot to prove.

And if we traded for him, it would definitely include Ray Allen and there's nothing good for the Celts in that trade. We lose a great locker room guy and sharpshooter in Ray. And get back a former star who can't accept that he's past his prime. Chemistry-wise, I don't think it'll work.

[wiley]

Trade ID #5333283

Rasheed Wallace
Glen Davis
Marquis Daniels
Shelden Williams
Bill Walker
J.R. Giddens
Celtics 1st round draft pick                  for:

Shane Battier
Carl Landry
Chuck Hayes
Kyle Lowry

Looks imbalanced on trade checker but that's because Glen hasn't played at all.......

I think that would help us present and future and extend championship window, though it would mean Scal is our 5th big unless we signed someone else....

It would give Houston a pick, some solid big men, a good backup for Ariza in Marquis and some potential in Billy Walker (and the pick)

My question to you is would this deal be interesting financially for the Rockets?

[Fafnir]

I don't like that trade. To match up with Orlando and the Lakers we're going to need a third big of Sheeds length. Or someone who can muscule with Howard.

Landry/Hayes aren't enough depth to beat either the Lakers or Orlando in my opinion.

[wiley]

I don't like that trade. To match up with Orlando and the Lakers we're going to need a third big of Sheeds length. Or someone who can muscule with Howard.

Landry/Hayes aren't enough depth to beat either the Lakers or Orlando in my opinion.

I hear you, though I liked what Houston did last year against the Lakers in the playoffs, but I don't remember if Bynum was playing in that series....
I'm a big Landry fan.  Maybe it would be a better idea if Hayes could be turned to another team who has an extra center or taller PF.  Along those lines, are there any bigs ala PJ Brown out there to be picked up this year (me thinks no...)