Rockets trade Lowry to Toronto
 

Ken Berger ‏@KBergCBS
Source confirms that the Rockets have agreed to send Kyle Lowry to the Raptors for a future lottery pick, as reported by @WojYahooNBA

Guess the Rockets really believe that Jeremy Lin is their future at PG.

Not sure I really understand what Morey is doing this off-season.

They must think they are landing him no question.

Nothing all that special about Lowry. They clear some cap space and get a future lottery pick? That sounds pretty good to me.

I would assume they are. I can't see the Knicks matching 4 yr @ $30 million.

Since Dragic agreed to a deal with the Suns they really have no PG alternative that I can think of on their roster.

He can run a team and play premium defense. It's a good trade for Toronto. He fits with what their coach wants to do.

The Knicks lost out on Nash, and Lin makes the team what they pay him back in marketing. They most likely match.

Now, Morey can decide that he needs Ridnour, and Kevin Martin is worth acquiring him....

I do have to say, though...future lottery pick?

Is that assbackwards protection? We confer our pick on you ONLY if we miss the playoffs.

He's certainly not a bad player. Unless Houston lands Howard, they're probably not going to do much this year. I don't see any point in keeping Lowry if they can get a good draft pick.

At this point don't the Knicks need to sign Lin. Who is going to play point for that team. Fields is already gone.

Is that what Houston demanded? Toronto probably sees the East opening up (though I'm not sure I agree) and that they could be in the playoffs for the next 3-4 years. So if they're trading a 2017 lottery pick, I guess it's really not all that bad.

I don't see Toronto making the playoffs anytime too soon though. Possibly . . . but Miami, Chicago, Indiana, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Boston, New York, Milwaukee, Atlanta should all be ahead of them this year. I expect Cleveland to take a step forward this year as well. And even if they lose Howard, will Orlando get enough back to make them at least competitive?

Isn't Andre Miller a free agent? Ramon Sessions opted out. Lou Williams is available. Delonte West, Derek Fisher, Raymond Felton.

There are some options -- some of them obviously worse than others.

(Not sure if any of those guys signed yet, but I'm sure some are still available.)

This is a harder decision for the Knicks than they probably expected but they could match. The Rockets are going in a different direction (half-assed tanking aka youth movement+2 big contracts) after years of not contending for a title or a top 5 pick because he's put together such 8th seedish teams. I can't see them trading Martin for Ridnour.

I would have to assume the writer just expects Toronto to be a lottery team next year.

Fields is a RFA so the Knick could match his deal as well.

Miller has already agreed to re-sign. Williams and Felton are to expensive for the Knicks (Sessions may be ass well). West andFisher are not starter material.

Doesn't mean they won't try....

Nope, assbackwards.

Of course, the Raptors might be best off making sure the Rockets get that pick next year, when the draft is likely to be ultra-weak.

I think Atlanta and Orlando drop out of the playoffs this year. Chicago may as well.

Raptors have a nice talent influx coming this year, and a byproduct of that is that Bargnani won't be playing center anymore. Raptors have more talent than Cleveland, and while not as deep as deep as Milwaukee, probably more pure talent than they have as well. Washington may make a push to get to purgatory as well.

randy wittman is the wizards coach, they're not going anywhere

bite your finger.