LA, NJ, HOU. Three way deal!!!

[Who]

is T-Williams worth a pick between 10-20?

Yes.  He's shown that he can play in this league and he has a ton of potential.  He was a lottery pick just a couple years ago.  That means he's a surer asset than a late lottery pick in 2012.

It was a lottery protected pick. So it would be in the 14-20 range ... and given the strength of the West at the bottom of the playoff picture versus the East ... it would be a 17-22 range pick.

Terrence Williams is far more valuable than a pick in that range.

I haven't seen how long the protection on the pick lasts ... but at first look, it doesn't look good for NJ.

-------------------------------------------------

Via ESPN link on page one of this thread

The trade, which has been agreed upon in principle, will also send Nets veteran power forward Joe Smith to the Lakers, while New Jersey will receive Los Angeles' 2011 first-round pick and Houston's 2012 lottery-protected first-rounder, sources said.

Update: The Houston Chronicle says the draft pick is lottery protected all the way up to 2017. Bad move by New Jersey.

[Edgar]

lakers have no use for smith
they got bynum back///on paper
 and tahts about it

[indeedproceed]

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked if he thought Smith could help his team.

"Well, John Doe could, the way we're playing," Jackson said. "We're hoping that John Doe would be a big guy."

That's pretty funny.

[pearljammer10]

Good trade for L.A and Houston, terrible trade for NJ... I don't understand why they would sacrifice Terrence Williams for Vujacic and two useless 1st rounders.

If those two first rounders net them Melo then I dont think this is much of a sacrifice...

[snively]

LA went with the cost cutting move.  You'd think they could get something a little better for Sasha and a pick. 

Jersey must have really hated T-Will.  That's a weak package for such a talent.

Houston with best value of the bunch. Wonder if this trade will put one of Houston's other wings on the market.  Might be tough to find minutes for Lee, Budinger and Williams every night with mainstays like Martin and Battier in the starting spots.

[Who]

Houston with best value of the bunch. Wonder if this trade will put one of Houston's other wings on the market.  Might be tough to find minutes for Lee, Budinger and Williams every night with mainstays like Martin and Battier in the starting spots.

Houston should trade Kevin Martin and hand the starting position over to T-Williams. That Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks backcourt is unsustainable with their current choice of sidekick perimeter players.

Or the Rockets could trade Brooks and either (1) make T-Will the starting PG, or, (2) start Lowry and give T-Will 27-32 minutes a night off the bench as a utility perimeter player off the bench with Budinger playing a some minutes as a backup SF.

Courtney Lee has no future with the Rockets if they keep A.Brooks and K.Martin. T.Williams is a far better fit to that team than Lee is largely due to his rebounding.

If they did choose to trade K.Martin, which is highly doubtful, then C.Lee would be a solid backup two guard to T-Williams (could be a backup combo guard also).

[Who]

I hope the Rockets do not try to convert Terrence Williams into a small forward. He is too undersized there. Limits his impact defensively which should be one of his main strengths as a player.

They need to give him one of the backcourt positions. Either give him an opportunity to develop his ball-handling and decision making and grow into a starting PG or stick alongside a PG and make him a playmaking two guard.

But not a small forward.

[PosImpos]

Houston with best value of the bunch. Wonder if this trade will put one of Houston's other wings on the market.  Might be tough to find minutes for Lee, Budinger and Williams every night with mainstays like Martin and Battier in the starting spots.

Houston should trade Kevin Martin and hand the starting position over to T-Williams. That Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks backcourt is unsustainable with their current choice of sidekick perimeter players.

Or the Rockets could trade Brooks and either (1) make T-Will the starting PG, or, (2) start Lowry and give T-Will 27-32 minutes a night off the bench as a utility perimeter player off the bench with Budinger playing a some minutes as a backup SF.

Courtney Lee has no future with the Rockets if they keep A.Brooks and K.Martin. T.Williams is a far better fit to that team than Lee is largely due to his rebounding.

If they did choose to trade K.Martin, which is highly doubtful, then C.Lee would be a solid backup two guard to T-Williams (could be a backup combo guard also).

I really don't think T-Williams is far enough along in his development to be starting yet.  Trading either one of Kevin Martin or Brooks makes no sense, as both are borderline All-Star players.  T-Williams just got traded for a pick by a team currently slated to win 20 games.  He has a lot of potential, but there's no telling if he'll ever reach it. 

I tend to agree, however, that it's hard to see both Courtney Lee and Terrence Williams having a long term future with the team.  The Rockets already have a long term commitment to their backup point guard, Kyle Lowry, and one can only assume an extension for Aaron Brooks is likely to come along eventually.  Battier will probably get traded or sign with another team by next season, opening up things somewhat, but they still have Chase Budinger, who will probably command a fair number of minutes at SF.  Kevin Martin is young (though injury prone) and will probably be their starting SG for the foreseeable future. 

[LooseCannon]

LA went with the cost cutting move.  You'd think they could get something a little better for Sasha and a pick. 

Why would you think that?  No one wants Sasha.  The Lakers had to send out a draft pick just to compensate a team for taking on Vujacic.  In return, they got $9 million in savings (due to luxury tax) and Joe Smith.

[jdpapa3]

[LakersFan_33]

Some more details:

"Lakers acquire Joe Smith, two No. 2 picks and 6-11 Ukrainian Lishouk."

http://lakers.ocregister.com/2010/12/15/lakers-acquire-joe-smith-two-no-2-picks-and-ukrainian/44996/#more-44996

I think that the Ukrainian is about as much as a project as you can get, but if he can somehow be half as productive as Semih Erden is for you guys in a couple of years, I'll be happy.

[Who]

Some more details:

"Lakers acquire Joe Smith, two No. 2 picks and 6-11 Ukrainian Lishouk."

http://lakers.ocregister.com/2010/12/15/lakers-acquire-joe-smith-two-no-2-picks-and-ukrainian/44996/#more-44996

I think that the Ukrainian is about as much as a project as you can get, but if he can somehow be half as productive as Semih Erden is for you guys in a couple of years, I'll be happy.

That GSW second round pick will be almost as valuable as the first round pick the Lakers gave up. Probably a #34-#39 pick versus #25-#28 pick. Good chance LA can pickup a decent young prospect there.

The Bulls pick will be in the 48-55 range. Not much value here.

[nba is the worst]

Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked if he thought Smith could help his team.

"Well, John Doe could, the way we're playing," Jackson said. "We're hoping that John Doe would be a big guy."

That's pretty funny.

Indeed.  Joe Smith will likely play harder for the Lakers given the chance at a ring. No one is expecting much, but I mean they are THIN after Gasol/Odom and rehabbing just back (for how long) Bynum

[housecall]

Good trade for L.A and Houston, terrible trade for NJ... I don't understand why they would sacrifice Terrence Williams for Vujacic and two useless 1st rounders.

Maybe they are stock piling those picks for future bigger deals.

[Chris]

I love this deal for all teams involved.

LA save a ton of cash, get a nice trade exception, and add some much needed depth up front...and all it cost them was a draft pick they likely wouldn't have wanted anyways.  This years draft could be terrible if there is a threat of a lockout, and that pick would be in the bottom 5 of the first round, which are generally even less valuable than the ones at the top of the first round (I hope you are reading this Danny!).

NJ gets a couple draft picks, and another expiring contract to include in a major deal for someone like Carmelo.  They are collecting a ton of assets right now, and are in a great position to make a big splash.

And Houston gets by far the best player in the trade.  Williams may be a bit of a nucklehead, but he is a heck of a talent, and could thrive in Adelman's system, and with the mentorship of someone like Battier to keep him in line.