Rumor: New Orleans Pelicans pushing Eric Gordon on trading block

[Moranis]

new orleans should have asked for more than gordon as the centerpiece when they traded cp3

  They got an (IIRC) unprotected 1st rounder from a team that had been close to the bottom of the league for the previous 3-4 years as well.

Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, 2012 1st (Rivers) for Paul and 2 seconds.  But they also got really bad and ended up with Davis and cleared a bunch of cap space which let them acquire Evans and made acquiring Holiday a good trade.

[Nerf DPOY]

If Boston goes all in (so to speak) then I think Gordon would be a reasonable target that probably won't cost that much.

Boston - Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Omer Asik
New Orleans - Gerald Wallace, Jordan Crawford, 2016 Boston 1st
Houston - Bass, Bogans, 2015 Clippers 1st, 2015 Boston 2nd
Minnesota - Humphries, Sullinger, 2014 Boston 1st, 2014 Brooklyn 1st

(the picks can be modified somewhat i.e. maybe give Minnesota one of the future Brooklyn picks and keep one of the 2014 picks as an example)

Boston thus goes all in this year with the following post-trade lineup

PG - Rondo, Bayless, Pressey
SG - Gordon, Bradley, Brooks
SF - Green, ?
PF - Love, Olynyk
C - Asik, Faverani

A little light at SF, but I'd take my chances with that lineup against team in the league as long as they are relatively healthy come playoff time. 


*I edited this a bit after it was quoted.*

That is one expensive starting 5 and doesn't include Bradley's extension.

Dallas makes the most sense to me for Gordon. They seem determined to try and make a run with Nowitzki, and Gordon may be the best player they could acquire considering they have nothing substantial to offer in a trade outside of willingness to take on a salary. Once Wright is eligible to be traded, something like his 5 mil, Carter, Ledo, and the rest of the bench warmers.

Edit: Ellington makes close to 3 mil and has basically no role with the team.

[D.o.s.]

new orleans should have asked for more than gordon as the centerpiece when they traded cp3

  They got an (IIRC) unprotected 1st rounder from a team that had been close to the bottom of the league for the previous 3-4 years as well.

Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, 2012 1st (Rivers) for Paul and 2 seconds.  But they also got really bad and ended up with Davis and cleared a bunch of cap space which let them acquire Evans and made acquiring Holiday a good trade.

Not to mention they got bad enough to snag The Brow 1st overall.

That pick is the real deal breaker. Even though there's not a whole lot of talent outside the 2012 top 10, they definitely could've picked someone better than Austin Rivers.

Jeremy Lamb, for instance, or Sully.

[SHAQATTACK]

Have to save cap space  and keep Rondo
 
Not to at least offer Kevin Love a max deal when he departs

Would just be a crime., not to try and sign him.

[Moranis]

If Boston goes all in (so to speak) then I think Gordon would be a reasonable target that probably won't cost that much.

Boston - Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Omer Asik
New Orleans - Gerald Wallace, Jordan Crawford, 2016 Boston 1st
Houston - Bass, Bogans, 2015 Clippers 1st, 2015 Boston 2nd
Minnesota - Humphries, Sullinger, 2014 Boston 1st, 2014 Brooklyn 1st

(the picks can be modified somewhat i.e. maybe give Minnesota one of the future Brooklyn picks and keep one of the 2014 picks as an example)

Boston thus goes all in this year with the following post-trade lineup

PG - Rondo, Bayless, Pressey
SG - Gordon, Bradley, Brooks
SF - Green, ?
PF - Love, Olynyk
C - Asik, Faverani

A little light at SF, but I'd take my chances with that lineup against team in the league as long as they are relatively healthy come playoff time. 


*I edited this a bit after it was quoted.*

That is one expensive starting 5 and doesn't include Bradley's extension.

Dallas makes the most sense to me for Gordon. They seem determined to try and make a run with Nowitzki, and Gordon may be the best player they could acquire considering they have nothing substantial to offer in a trade outside of willingness to take on a salary. Once Wright is eligible to be traded, something like his 5 mil, Carter, Ledo, and the rest of the bench warmers.

Edit: Ellington makes close to 3 mil and has basically no role with the team.

As for my trade, Boston ideally would get Bradley at MLE type dollars, but if not maybe trade him somewhere and just sign Bayless to be the third guard.  Championship starting 5's are expensive no matter how you slice it.  Look at the true contenders, they all have big money contracts (8 figures or more) at at least 3, if not 4 of the positions and rarely do the starters make the minimum (unless they still have guys on rookie deals like Lillard in Portland or George in Indiana). 

That Boston team above has Love and Gordon in the 14 to 15 million range, Rondo at 12, and Green and Asik in the 8 to 9 range (at least for cap hits).  Which makes it a rich starting 5 no question, but there are no super max deals either (the Heat for example have 57 million from James, Bosh, and Wade which is only slightly less than that starting 5 on the whole).  The Nets have the richest starting 5 in basketball (or did before Lopez got hurt) with KG's 11.5 million being the lowest deal.

[get_banners]

new orleans should have asked for more than gordon as the centerpiece when they traded cp3

  They got an (IIRC) unprotected 1st rounder from a team that had been close to the bottom of the league for the previous 3-4 years as well.

Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, 2012 1st (Rivers) for Paul and 2 seconds.  But they also got really bad and ended up with Davis and cleared a bunch of cap space which let them acquire Evans and made acquiring Holiday a good trade.

Not to mention they got bad enough to snag The Brow 1st overall.

That pick is the real deal breaker. Even though there's not a whole lot of talent outside the 2012 top 10, they definitely could've picked someone better than Austin Rivers.

Jeremy Lamb, for instance, or Sully.

don't forget, rivers was thought to be a good pick. the draft is...unpredictable. most experts thought he'd make a good pro.

[D.o.s.]

new orleans should have asked for more than gordon as the centerpiece when they traded cp3

  They got an (IIRC) unprotected 1st rounder from a team that had been close to the bottom of the league for the previous 3-4 years as well.

Gordon, Kaman, Aminu, 2012 1st (Rivers) for Paul and 2 seconds.  But they also got really bad and ended up with Davis and cleared a bunch of cap space which let them acquire Evans and made acquiring Holiday a good trade.

Not to mention they got bad enough to snag The Brow 1st overall.

That pick is the real deal breaker. Even though there's not a whole lot of talent outside the 2012 top 10, they definitely could've picked someone better than Austin Rivers.

Jeremy Lamb, for instance, or Sully.

don't forget, rivers was thought to be a good pick. the draft is...unpredictable. most experts thought he'd make a good pro.

I'm pretty positive that the consensus was that 10 was a reach for Austin Rivers, who had a famous last name and one solid buzzer beater in school. I know for sure it was here, and I'm fairly certain that it was nationally, too.


You don't consider Skip Bayless an expert, I assume?:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/46807/coach-k-weighs-in-on-rivers-future

[Nerf DPOY]

If Boston goes all in (so to speak) then I think Gordon would be a reasonable target that probably won't cost that much.

Boston - Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Omer Asik
New Orleans - Gerald Wallace, Jordan Crawford, 2016 Boston 1st
Houston - Bass, Bogans, 2015 Clippers 1st, 2015 Boston 2nd
Minnesota - Humphries, Sullinger, 2014 Boston 1st, 2014 Brooklyn 1st

(the picks can be modified somewhat i.e. maybe give Minnesota one of the future Brooklyn picks and keep one of the 2014 picks as an example)

Boston thus goes all in this year with the following post-trade lineup

PG - Rondo, Bayless, Pressey
SG - Gordon, Bradley, Brooks
SF - Green, ?
PF - Love, Olynyk
C - Asik, Faverani

A little light at SF, but I'd take my chances with that lineup against team in the league as long as they are relatively healthy come playoff time. 


*I edited this a bit after it was quoted.*

That is one expensive starting 5 and doesn't include Bradley's extension.

Dallas makes the most sense to me for Gordon. They seem determined to try and make a run with Nowitzki, and Gordon may be the best player they could acquire considering they have nothing substantial to offer in a trade outside of willingness to take on a salary. Once Wright is eligible to be traded, something like his 5 mil, Carter, Ledo, and the rest of the bench warmers.

Edit: Ellington makes close to 3 mil and has basically no role with the team.

As for my trade, Boston ideally would get Bradley at MLE type dollars, but if not maybe trade him somewhere and just sign Bayless to be the third guard.  Championship starting 5's are expensive no matter how you slice it.  Look at the true contenders, they all have big money contracts (8 figures or more) at at least 3, if not 4 of the positions and rarely do the starters make the minimum (unless they still have guys on rookie deals like Lillard in Portland or George in Indiana). 

That Boston team above has Love and Gordon in the 14 to 15 million range, Rondo at 12, and Green and Asik in the 8 to 9 range (at least for cap hits).  Which makes it a rich starting 5 no question, but there are no super max deals either (the Heat for example have 57 million from James, Bosh, and Wade which is only slightly less than that starting 5 on the whole).  The Nets have the richest starting 5 in basketball (or did before Lopez got hurt) with KG's 11.5 million being the lowest deal.

I've been kicking around a Kevin Love trade in my head, I just think it'll take a better package than that. My crazy dream would be to dump Bass and Green for expirings and a pick(s), bottom out and offer our pick along with Sullinger,Wallace, and either our Nets/Hawks pick or a future pick. At that point we're only paying Rondo and Love. That'd leave enough space to sign Melo and also be an attractive destination for him. They'd still have future picks to trade to smooth out the roster as next season goes on.

Taking on Gordon's salary would make that scenario impossible and compromise a lot of better options for us going forward.

[byennie]

Gordon + Ryan Anderson
for
Wallace, Green, Bass + $8.3M trade exception

Anderson is hurt right now for tanking purposes. Saves us $3M each of the next 2 years on the cap. Gordon goes into 6th man role and takes some nights off, focused on optimal health. Next year we roll with:

Rondo, Bradley, Gordon (guards)
Sullinger, Anderson, Faverani, Olynyk (bigs)
+ draft picks + ~$20M cap room

New Orleans rolls on with Holiday, Evans, Green, Bass, Davis and doesn't have to break the bank for Aminu in the offseason. They get a good sized trade exception for 1 year.

[LarBrd33]

If Boston goes all in (so to speak) then I think Gordon would be a reasonable target that probably won't cost that much.

Boston - Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Omer Asik
New Orleans - Gerald Wallace, Jordan Crawford, 2016 Boston 1st
Houston - Bass, Bogans, 2015 Clippers 1st, 2015 Boston 2nd
Minnesota - Humphries, Sullinger, 2014 Boston 1st, 2014 Brooklyn 1st

(the picks can be modified somewhat i.e. maybe give Minnesota one of the future Brooklyn picks and keep one of the 2014 picks as an example)

Boston thus goes all in this year with the following post-trade lineup

PG - Rondo, Bayless, Pressey
SG - Gordon, Bradley, Brooks
SF - Green, ?
PF - Love, Olynyk
C - Asik, Faverani

A little light at SF, but I'd take my chances with that lineup against team in the league as long as they are relatively healthy come playoff time. 


*I edited this a bit after it was quoted.*

That is one expensive starting 5 and doesn't include Bradley's extension.

Dallas makes the most sense to me for Gordon. They seem determined to try and make a run with Nowitzki, and Gordon may be the best player they could acquire considering they have nothing substantial to offer in a trade outside of willingness to take on a salary. Once Wright is eligible to be traded, something like his 5 mil, Carter, Ledo, and the rest of the bench warmers.

Edit: Ellington makes close to 3 mil and has basically no role with the team.

As for my trade, Boston ideally would get Bradley at MLE type dollars, but if not maybe trade him somewhere and just sign Bayless to be the third guard.  Championship starting 5's are expensive no matter how you slice it.  Look at the true contenders, they all have big money contracts (8 figures or more) at at least 3, if not 4 of the positions and rarely do the starters make the minimum (unless they still have guys on rookie deals like Lillard in Portland or George in Indiana). 

That Boston team above has Love and Gordon in the 14 to 15 million range, Rondo at 12, and Green and Asik in the 8 to 9 range (at least for cap hits).  Which makes it a rich starting 5 no question, but there are no super max deals either (the Heat for example have 57 million from James, Bosh, and Wade which is only slightly less than that starting 5 on the whole).  The Nets have the richest starting 5 in basketball (or did before Lopez got hurt) with KG's 11.5 million being the lowest deal.

I've been kicking around a Kevin Love trade in my head, I just think it'll take a better package than that. My crazy dream would be to dump Bass and Green for expirings and a pick(s), bottom out and offer our pick along with Sullinger,Wallace, and either our Nets/Hawks pick or a future pick. At that point we're only paying Rondo and Love. That'd leave enough space to sign Melo and also be an attractive destination for him. They'd still have future picks to trade to smooth out the roster as next season goes on.

Taking on Gordon's salary would make that scenario impossible and compromise a lot of better options for us going forward.

Honestly though a Kevin Love thing is never happening.  He will be a Laker in 2015 one way or another.  Book it. He's a lifelong Laker fan, grew up there, his dad played there, he went to school there, etc.  His uncles are the Beach Boys for god sakes. It's an inevitability. They'll have the cap space.  No way he goes to Boston.  In fact, I think the Lakers will tank this season, and then probably just sign and trade Pau + the pick for Love.  Or just let Pau walk and absorb Love's salary. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Honestly though a Kevin Love thing is never happening.  He will be a Laker in 2015 one way or another.  Book it. He's a lifelong Laker fan, grew up there, his dad played there, he went to school there, etc.  His uncles are the Beach Boys for god sakes. It's an inevitability. They'll have the cap space.  No way he goes to Boston.  In fact, I think the Lakers will tank this season, and then probably just sign and trade Pau + the pick for Love.  Or just let Pau walk and absorb Love's salary.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. And it's a shame, because I think Boston could put together a good enough package to acquire him in a trade with Minnesota.

[Nerf DPOY]

Honestly though a Kevin Love thing is never happening.  He will be a Laker in 2015 one way or another.  Book it. He's a lifelong Laker fan, grew up there, his dad played there, he went to school there, etc.  His uncles are the Beach Boys for god sakes. It's an inevitability. They'll have the cap space.  No way he goes to Boston.  In fact, I think the Lakers will tank this season, and then probably just sign and trade Pau + the pick for Love.  Or just let Pau walk and absorb Love's salary.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. And it's a shame, because I think Boston could put together a good enough package to acquire him in a trade with Minnesota.

We will see. For a while some were certain Lebron was going to New York over a sneaker contract, Howard was headed for Brooklyn, and that KG would never play in Boston. I'd still clear cap space for Melo and try and convince him we can make moves in the near future for the next disgruntled all star that comes down the pike.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Honestly though a Kevin Love thing is never happening.  He will be a Laker in 2015 one way or another.  Book it. He's a lifelong Laker fan, grew up there, his dad played there, he went to school there, etc.  His uncles are the Beach Boys for god sakes. It's an inevitability. They'll have the cap space.  No way he goes to Boston.  In fact, I think the Lakers will tank this season, and then probably just sign and trade Pau + the pick for Love.  Or just let Pau walk and absorb Love's salary.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. And it's a shame, because I think Boston could put together a good enough package to acquire him in a trade with Minnesota.

We will see. For a while some were certain Lebron was going to New York over a sneaker contract, Howard was headed for Brooklyn, and that KG would never play in Boston. I'd still clear cap space for Melo and try and convince him we can make moves in the near future for the next disgruntled all star that comes down the pike.

Good point, and I hope that proves true again for Boston.

[byennie]

Combining rumors here:

Hayward to the Celtics
RJefferson to the Hornets
Gordon, Olynyk + 1st rounder from Boston, future 1st from the Hornets

Celtics get their man for Olynyk and a pick.

Hornets completely shed the Gordon contract and get enough cap room for a max deal in exchange for a pick a couple years out.

Utah gets 2 years of Gordon, plus Olynyx, plus 2 x 1st rounders instead of being forced to pay the max for Hayward.

[Nerf DPOY]

Combining rumors here:

Hayward to the Celtics
RJefferson to the Hornets
Gordon, Olynyk + 1st rounder from Boston, future 1st from the Hornets

Celtics get their man for Olynyk and a pick.

Hornets completely shed the Gordon contract and get enough cap room for a max deal in exchange for a pick a couple years out.

Utah gets 2 years of Gordon, plus Olynyx, plus 2 x 1st rounders instead of being forced to pay the max for Hayward.

They're the Pelicans now. I got further confused because the Hornets/Cats have Ben Gordon.