Hypothetical trade just posted to Yahoo the Vertical from Bobby Marks - Saying the C's are the best fit because they won't have to break up their core:
Here is a look at a hypothetical trade that could work for both teams:
Houston receives
David Lee
Jonas Jerebko
2016 Boston first-round pick
2016 Dallas first-round pick
Boston receives
Dwight Howard
Montrezl Harrell
you absolutely do that deal
It's nice to know that Danny is in a position to trump pretty much anything another team offers, if he wants to.
I haven't been a big Howard guy but if that's all it takes to get him you have to do it IMO. Adding Howard immediately puts you in the mix for ECF and Cleveland can implode at any time with that group. I stated it earlier come next Friday I would be surprised if the C's didn't have one of Howard or Horford and I wouldn't be stunned if they got both....
I'm just trying to imagine how good we could be with Howard and Horford, without even giving up the 2016 Nets pick and I can't even believe that it's a possibility
I'm just trying to figure out how to work that. I'm probably not giving up the Brooklyn picks, so I'm looking at the Memphis pick. I don't think they fall out of the playoffs (protected 1-5, 15-30), so I'm guessing that it conveys next year (protected 1-5), making it likely a 2019 pick (protected 1-8) or 2020 (protected 1-6). Wonder if they would do it for KO, the Memphis pick and someone along the lines of Young or Hunter.
Hmm, let me think about that Brooklyn pick...If we had Howard on the above deal and could get Horford for the 2018 pick, I'll have to admit, I'm tempted. Those picks are like frequent flyer miles: You can hoard them so you never run out, but you risk a situation where there isn't a flight available when you want to use them.
Mike
The later Brooklyn picks are much more risky - I'd be very open to giving those up for any player who significantly improves the team.
Think about it - Joe Johnson expires next year, and Deron's contract has already been shipped out. Thadeous Young is one one of the best contracts in the NBA (IMHO) at around $10M/year. That leaves Lopez as the only big, unpleasant contract on the team...meaning when the cap goes up after this season they WILL have cap space.
Much as I hate to admit it, having Young and Lopez in your front line is probably a decent lure to free agents as well. That's a legitimately strong (and still pretty young) core to build around. Add a good PG in free agency and a couple of solid role players (Afflalo type guys) and that team could VERY quickly turn from the 3rd worst team in the league to a #8 seed.
I think the 2017 pick is probably going to be late in the 10-14 range, with the 2018 pick being around the 15-18 range.
IMHO those picks are both too high a risk to NOT cash them in if you can. This year the Nets are crippled and can't do anything to improve, which is why that pick is solid and gold and practically untouchable.
If trading the 2018 pick puts us in a position to get Howard AND Horford, I would be all over that.
This team is strong at PG, strong at SF, and solid at SG. Our positions needing upgrading the most are PF and C, where we really don't have a clear starting caliber player. Adding Horford AND Howard would make us absolutely deadly. Even Golden State would have their hands full with us.