Question for the Day.....

[Diesel]

Would you trade:

JT/#17/#35/First from Philly 2007 for Steve Francis?

[Blunt91]

Hell No. Does it take all that to get Francis?? I would give them Terry & Hendu/Crawford and let that be it.

[Packfill]

No. Obviously he is more talented than Terry, but he basically has many of the same flaws to his game. He is not a true point guard, just like Terry, and that will hold a team back to a certain extent.

[Iman]

Nope, I'd trade JT and pretty much anything but a first round pick, including a 2007 one. Diaw maybe but I'd rather trade JT/CC/and 2 of our second rounders.

[jezmund]

Definitely not. How you guy's taken a look at Stevie's contract? It's close to the max for another 4-5 years. Is Francis that much better than JT? How is his Defense?

[Lascar78]

wasn't there talk of a trade where we got rid of only JT and got Francis back ? and suddenly now we need to add THREE picks? Hell no! If we're gonna solve our PG dilemma, let's get one who can run an offense, not just a better scorer with the same issues

[jezmund]

From what I've seen, Francis is better than JT. The question is, how much better? I think he's a similar type of player with less of a 3-point shot and more of just about everything else. If Francis and JT had the same sort of contract, I'd probably be all over it. I think we'd be taking less of a gamble to just hope Duhon last til one of our 2nd rounders and pick him up. I'm still curious as to what JT/#17 could get us.

[Lascar78]

yes he is slightly better, and much more fun to watch. He's also a better defender IMO. I'd trade JT for Francis in a heartbeat. But as far as including three draft picks, I say no. Because we're getting rid of a problem for another. You need a PG who can control tempo and run an efficient cannon. That's not Francis. He can be a loose canon

[CHORO44]

I think Francis is overated. Yeah I know he is fast and an exceptional athlete but I would never make that trade. I would actually take Cuttino Mobley over Francis for JT straight up. Cuttino is a tough defender and he plays bigger than he is. That guy will post up any guard in the league even if he is shorter. I think Francis is a baby.

[Diesel]

Francis is a legit 20/6/6 player.... He is a recognized star in this league. He has been an allstar and will be again. Terry is a poor rendition of Francis.

Terry + #17 + #35....

or

Terry + Diaw for Francis

are two deals that I would make in a heart beat...

Any takers..

[Diesel]

What it could be in Atlanta.....

Say JT/Diaw/#35 goes to Houston for Francis...

Steve Francis

Bob Sura

Josh Smith

Swift

Foyle

[Wretch]

When he refused to play in Canada. I believe the offer was for JT + conditional 1st round pick(s). Babcock turned it down.

[Wretch]

So that alone is worth taking a look at. He doesn't come with the same problems that JT does either; he isn't a converted college 2 guard. He knows how to play the point. He's more athletic, he's a better penetrator, and a better scorer. He can't shoot it as well as JT, and he isn't faster, but he doesn't have the defensive/height liabilities that JT has either.

Francis' biggest problem is Yao Ming and VanGundy. The Rockets want the offense to go through the post - and they want to establish the Rockets as Yao's team. They're not going to do that (or really get anywhere) with Francis controlling the ball and wanting to shoot the ball at the same time. I imagine that Francis wants to run and gun too, but going through the post means they'll have to slow it down for Yao.

It's not a matter of talent, it's a matter of a better fit. I'm not sure JT is that better fit, because he can't run the offense. He can shoot the hell out of that ball, but playing though Yao, they'll have to get the offense set up first.

All that being said, I think JT + anything besides a lottery pick/multiple 1st rounders would be a good deal.

[Lascar78]

no I'm talking about rumored deals this season. Not actual deals that fell through. I think it involved AI moving too

[Diesel]

Francis is a much bigger, much stronger guard than JT. JT commits less turnovers. JT shoots from three better. Francis is a better PG. Francis is a better penetrate and pass guard. Francis is a better defender.

All that said, I would easily give JT, Diaw, and #35 to Houston for Francis.

From their perspective.. They get just what they want.. a catch and shoot gaurd who can hit the outside shot. A defender at the SF position.

From our perspective.. We get a huge name. A do everything PG....

Put Francis and Sura and the backcourt together.... DANG.

Draft Smith... Double Dang.

Offer a load of money to Swift and make Memphis jump or sit down... Triple Dang.

Pick up guys like Humphries/Sato out of the draft....

Pick between Foyle and Pryz.

and we have a monster squad with enough money to make a run at TMAC next year!!!!

[Wretch]

There was no actual deal out there...only what could be done for 3 franchises with PG issues. They were talking about two separate situations a) a deal between ATL and Philly, whereby Phi receives JT + our first rounder and we get AI. The reasoning was obvious, a big name, a big draw, a splash for new ownership and, talentwise, a lure for a big free agent - such as Kobe.

The other was a straight up swap for Francis, but since there is like 6 or so million dollars in salary differences, and an apparent talent disparity, we take back a bad contract from Houston as well - specifically Mo' Taylor (3+ remaining, around 7 million per).

It was all suggestive, speculative journalism...nothing solid.

[Traceman]

I would NOT give them a future #1 or #35 (maybe our last 2nd though) in the deal.

Francis is an unbeleivable talent and he would be the most exciting player we've had since Nique. The only thing JT does better than Francis is shoot it from deep. Francis is like a JT on steroids.