Seriously, you need to check the salaries before proposing any sort of trade. Penny makes Max money, something like $12 mil if I'm not mistaken. Kurk I believe signed an extension for something like $6-8 mil per. If you want the salaries to come within 15% as the rule states, the Rockets would have to give up 3 of the following: Weatherspoon, Taylor, Piatkowski, Juwan Howard. Unless the Knicks want overpaid crap, there's no way they can trade Penny to the Rockets.Originally posted by Long
Both Mo Taylor and Juwan Howard are on 'biggish' type contracts. NY are on the look out for a PF. If the deal with Dallas for Walker doesn't come through, Houston could try to ship Taylor and Howard to NY for Penny Hardaway and Kurt Thomas. NY are trying to get rid of these players. Leaves Houston with.
PG - Penny Hardaway (had an okay play-off series)
SG - Tracy McGrady
SF - Jim Jackson
PF - Kurt Thomas
C - Yao Ming
If I were Houston I would be looking to get a "passing" PG who averages around 6 to 9 assists per game, and around 10.0 ppg.
I certainly wouldn't touch "hungry" players like Nick Van-Exel, Brent Barry, and whomever else they're thinking with a pole. These guys are only concerned about "jacking" up shots and are no different to the combo of Mobley/Francis, whom they've just dealt away.
Penny's ppg has dropped to around 9.0ppg, but he can still pass if they play him at PG. A position he played for the Magic.
Oh, and Van-Exel today isn't exactly the All-star Van-Exel with the Lakers a few years back. The guy knows he's now a role player and wants to play in Texas. With Yao Ming and T-Mac, he's not going to be stupid enough to jack up shots like Francis. And I agree with Spooks on Barry, except for the fact that the Rockets do have the money to get him. They only need to pay up 4 years at the max Mid-Level exception. Although that looks too much for a 32 year old role player.
I'm hoping it would be Fisher though. The guy probably doesn't even have to learn anything. He's spent years mastering the art of throwing it to Shaq/Kobe that passing to Yao/T-Mac would be second nature. And players like Fisher flourish when there are superstars who draws attention.