Rudy Gay to the Raptors?

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Being reported on ESPN.com. My first thought is, what's the point? This is a three-way trade that helps none of the teams involved. My second thought is that, why did Memphis trade Speights, if they were going to get rid of Gay, anyway? And my third thought is that trades like this are why small market teams are, basically, never able to compete. Even when the GM does everything right, the tightwad owners will **** up a wet dream.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Actually, I like the trade for the Grizzlies. I think you have to start from the perspective that he's got a huge contract that would be putting Memphis into the luxury tax for the next two years (even though they had managed to slide under it this year), and add to that the fact that his efficiency has dropped to an all-time low this year (a TS% of .478) while taking the most shots on the team. He's a dynamic player, but I don't think the Grizzlies felt he was worth the big cash AND the luxury tax hit.

In return they end up getting both Prince (who will open up more shots for Gasol and Randolph while providing better D), and Davis, who steps in as a capable third big. Daye probably doesn't help much, but who knows? They lose payroll, they lose bad shots, and they add to their frontline and defense. I like it.

 

[Warhawk]

They lose payroll, they lose bad shots, and they add to their frontline and defense. I like it.

Um, so why haven't we been doing this for the past few years?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Actually, I like the trade for the Grizzlies. I think you have to start from the perspective that he's got a huge contract that would be putting Memphis into the luxury tax for the next two years (even though they had managed to slide under it this year), and add to that the fact that his efficiency has dropped to an all-time low this year (a TS% of .478) while taking the most shots on the team. He's a dynamic player, but I don't think the Grizzlies felt he was worth the big cash AND the luxury tax hit.

Then what was the point of trading Speights and Ellington, if they were going to get rid of Gay, anyway? The best long-term prospect they got back was a guy who plays a position where they needed the least amount of help, and now they have no viable long-term options at SF. This was a three-team trade between one good team, and two bad teams, and the team that came out the worse for wear was the good team. I mean, what's that all about?

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Then what was the point of trading Speights and Ellington, if they were going to get rid of Gay, anyway? The best long-term prospect they got back was a guy who plays a position where they needed the least amount of help, and now they have no viable long-term options at SF. This was a three-team trade between one good team, and two bad teams, and the team that came out the worse for wear was the good team. I mean, what's that all about?

I can't speak to the trade they made with the Cavs. I didn't like that trade for the Grizzlies at all. And yes, it appeared to me that they did it solely to get under the tax for this year. But I'm not evaluating the Memphis/Toronto/Detroit three-way in light of a previous trade that now looks silly, I'm evaluating it for its own merits. And I'd assume they would say that Prince is a viable long-term option at SF - they have him for his age 32-34 seasons (though 82games.com, at least, would suggest that his calling-card defense has been pretty poor the last 4-5 years and thus is unlikely to get any better).

But in the end I don't think I can say the Grizz came out worse for wear. Gay makes a super-ton of money and in my opinion doesn't deliver value on it. I'm not convinced Memphis will make a step back at all due to the trade, and they're definitely better off financially.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Prince will turn 33 before the playoffs start: if they think he's the long-term solution to anything, they're in trouble.

But in the end I don't think I can say the Grizz came out worse for wear. Gay makes a super-ton of money and in my opinion doesn't deliver value on it. I'm not convinced Memphis will make a step back at all due to the trade, and they're definitely better off financially.

That's all well, and to the good, if you can get a player in Rudy Gay's class with that cap space. But they can't. Because they're in Memphis. And they're not going to be bad enough to draft one any time soon, either.