Before the draft there were a lot of trade rumors involving a few Pacer players. So far, they are just rumors, but it got me thinking about some trade possibilities this summer.
Let's take a look at three trades that I have in mind....
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Currently the Pacers' roster looks like this:
PG: TJ Ford - Jarrett Jack (if he re-signs) - Travis Diener - AJ Price - Jamaal Tinsley
SG: Brandon Rush - Mike Dunleavy (injured)
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Troy Murphy - Tyler Hansbrough - Josh McRoberts (if re-signed)
C: Roy Hibbert - Jeff Foster - Josh McRoberts
There is a clear need for backups at the two and three and not a need for five point guards on the roster, so here are three trades that I propose:
- New Jersey gets - Jamaal Tinsley, AJ Price, future 2nd round pick
- Indiana gets - Rafter Alston, Sean Williams
This trade works salary wise and the Nets could then buyout Tinsley if they wanted. This will help them free up more money for next summer's free agent frenzy. The Pacers can get Alston, who has shown he is more than capable of hitting down the three pointer, which is something that is needed in the Pacers' perimeter oriented offense.
- Washington gets - Jeff Foster
- Indiana gets - Mike James
This trade gives the Wizards another big body, something that they don't have too many of right now. The Pacers would acquire Mike James and his expiring contract. He can help out at the point guard position for this season.
- Houston gets - TJ Ford, Troy Murphy, future 2nd round pick
- Indiana gets - Tracy McGrady, Chase Budinger
Houston received some bad news with Yao's injury and now will be looking for big men. Murphy can bring his double-double game to Houston and help out there. Ford and Aaron Brooks can split time similar to what Ford and Jack did in Indianapolis this past season. McGrady is an expiring contract and his health isn't up to par, but he is worth the gamble. If he gets injured, no big loss, because he will be off the books at the end of the season. Budinger provides some perimeter firepower to the offense.
After the trades, the roster would look like this:
PG: Rafer Alston - Jarrett Jack* - Travis Diener - Mike James
SG: Tracy McGrady - Brandon Rush - Mike Dunleavy*
SF: Danny Granger - Chase Budinger
PF: Tyler Hansbrough - Josh McRoberts*
C: Roy Hibbert - Sean Williams
This roster fits the perimeter offense scheme a little better, but still the post players will need some help. With the cap space that the Pacers have now, they can go and try to sign a player like Hakim Warrick, Stromile Swift, or maybe even Charlie Villanueva. Let's say that Indiana signs Villanueva. Here is what the Pacers' lineup would look like going into the summer of 2010:
PG: Alston - Jack - Diener
SG: Rush - Dunleavy
SF: Granger - Budinger
PF: Villanueva - Hansbrough - McRoberts
C: Hibbert - Williams - McRoberts
I doubt there will be this much turnover for the second straight season, but I'd expect some kind of moves to be made this summer. I'm just not sure where, when, or who will be leaving town.
Comments
Cause healthy he's better than most of the pacers roster?
And most importantly, he's a 22 million dollar expiring contract? (Approximate) That's the value of tracy mcgrady, he clears massive cap after the season.
Yes, John is right.
McGrady, when healthy is one of the top 10 players in the league, no doubt about it. Granger is getting to that point in his career, in my opinion. One thing the Pacers lack is a scorer that has the killer attitude. Like I said, Granger is getting there. However, there are too many dead spots in the game for the Pacers if Granger isn't doing all the scoring. McGrady would give them a 1b option on the offensive end.
Plus, the expiring contract makes McGrady all that more desirable. He would play harder for a new contract and he becomes desirable in trade if they went that route.
If he was to get injured, then no biggie, because he falls off the books at the end of the year and then the Pacers have 20mil+ to play with in free agency. This is a win-win for the Pacers either way.
It's a win win really for any team that the Rockets trade with. You gotta think that T-Mac might be a hotter commodity than Stat in this environment of cost savings.
The Rockets really are up the creek though, this Yao thing really must screw up any plans, plus no certainty when (if) he comes back.
Plus, is there really a need to re-sign Artest then if you are the Rockets and know that Yao is out?
The dudes at BDL (Yahoo bloggers) think that a reasonable deal for Artest might be a good idea.
The thing is that if Yao's out for a year, or the rest of his life, that's two entirely differently plans, If Yaos done period, then you're screwed and really rebuilding (I would think) and should trade a guy like battier while his value is high. If it's a year, that's a different thing :)
If Yao is out for a year:
* Let Artest walk
* Keep TMac until the trade deadline, if no good offers, then let his contract expire at the end of next season
* Shop Battier, if no good offers, then hold onto him
* If the season is bad, then you get a lottery pick, plus you will have a ton of money for the summer of 2010 to sign a few free agents to play along side Yao and Battier.
If Yao is out longer:
* Sign Artest
* Try to sign Gortat or make a trade for a big man
* Play your young wings as much as possible
* Then, if the season is a loss, you still get a lottery pick and you can still go sign a free agent with the money that TMac vacates and Yao will most likely get paid off insurance, so his cap number would come off the books, so even more money.
Why would the Pacers want McGrady sitting the bench due to injury?