Ford - Mock 6.0

[Crazysauce]

What about a deal around Rubio for Julius Randle? Trade back into the first to grab Tyus Jones. That would be sweet.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

What about a deal around Rubio for Julius Randle? Trade back into the first to grab Tyus Jones. That would be sweet.

I think you've raised the best question/trade proposal in a long while...

It's definitely something to think about. I love Randle, AND he'd be a great fit next to Towns.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

What about a deal around Rubio for Julius Randle? Trade back into the first to grab Tyus Jones. That would be sweet.

I think you've raised the best question/trade proposal in a long while...

It's definitely something to think about. I love Randle, AND he'd be a great fit next to Towns.

Why trade for Rubio when they can sign Rondo who is close with Kobe?

Bottom line is Rubio holds more value to us then he does in a trade. I just don't see a realistic path to move back into the top 3.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

What about a deal around Rubio for Julius Randle? Trade back into the first to grab Tyus Jones. That would be sweet.

I think you've raised the best question/trade proposal in a long while...

It's definitely something to think about. I love Randle, AND he'd be a great fit next to Towns.

Why trade for Rubio when they can sign Rondo who is close with Kobe?

Bottom line is Rubio holds more value to us then he does in a trade. I just don't see a realistic path to move back into the top 3.

1. They can sign Rondo, but he's older and worse than Rubio in everything and he's more expensive.

2. Rubio already has great on-court chemistry with Love, who you know they're going to pursue in 2016.

3. Rubio's the best post-entry passer in all of basketball. Assuming Flip's not going to break my heart and not take Towns, the Lakers would have a post dynamo in Okafor.

4. Rubio holds more value to us because we don't know what we can get for him. The unknown is the only reason why we say this. If Rubio could haul Randle and perhaps Clarkson or a future 1st, then I think you have to consider it.

5. LaVine/Wiggins/Randle/Towns is a hell of a core to move forward with and everyone compliments each other nicely. Also, point guard is the deepest position in basketball. I don't want to make it sound like I don't value what Rubio brings, but we're going to be a lottery team next year more than likely. There's going to be a good point guard we could probably select.

[Lipoli390]

You don't trade a core asset when its value is at its lowest. You'd be trading him for pennies on the dollar now. I agree with bringing in another player who can play point, but realistically if we ever trade Ricky it should be when he's healthy and can command a decent trade return. No need to do a panic trade after all we are building for the future which will be at least a year away to give Towns/Okafor Wiggins and Lavine time to develop. Lets revisit the Rubio trade talk next year.

Finally a voice of sanity in this thread. It's not the optimal time to trade Ricky and I'm not sure trading him for draft picks (i.e., unproven 19 year olds) would ever make sense.

Moreover, this isn't the time to roll the dice. We have last season's rookie of the year -- a proven NBA caliber player with star potential. Flip told a group of us late last season that he expects him to become a top 10 player in the League. We have a lot of additional young talent in LaVine, Shabazz and Dieng who have already proven themselves to be NBA caliber players with considerable additional upside. And we have the top pick in the draft with the opportunity to take an elite two-way big man who has the versatility to play outside as well as inside the paint and play both big-man positions. Oh, and we have a 25-year old PG who has already proven himself to be an elite playmaker, defender and rebounder (for his position) at the NBA level.

So we're on the right path. The surest way to fall off the path is to take unnecessary risks with the assets we have. I happen to believe taking Okafor over Towns would be a significant mistake, but I wouldn't view it as a high risk blunder. Trading Rubio right now for a draft pick -- even for a guy like Russell who I like a lot as a prospect -- would in my view be the sort of risky move and potential blunder we should absolutely avoid at this point in the team's development.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I'm not on board with trading Rubio. His value to us is readily apparent in looking at on/off stats, or our record with him out injured. Yes, he did have good on-court chemistry with Love, and the Lakers might like them as a package deal. But I look at it differently. If Ricky can help Love average 25 PPG, what can he do with Towns or Okafor? Heck, Ricky spoon-fed Pek to some high-scoring nights, so I think he can help whatever big we draft become a high-scoring partner to Wiggins. And don't forget that Martin and Shabazz are also easily capable of putting up 20 on any given night. We have enough scoring punch coming from different sources that Ricky's scoring challenges will become less important. Just keep feeding the offensive talent surrounding him, and if the defense leaves him alone, burn them with an upper 30% 3-point shot. And if Penberthy can work magic with his mid-range jumper, we will really have something special in our starting PG.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

I'm not on board with trading Rubio. His value to us is readily apparent in looking at on/off stats, or our record with him out injured. Yes, he did have good on-court chemistry with Love, and the Lakers might like them as a package deal. But I look at it differently. If Ricky can help Love average 25 PPG, what can he do with Towns or Okafor? Heck, Ricky spoon-fed Pek to some high-scoring nights, so I think he can help whatever big we draft become a high-scoring partner to Wiggins. And don't forget that Martin and Shabazz are also easily capable of putting up 20 on any given night. We have enough scoring punch coming from different sources that Ricky's scoring challenges will become less important. Just keep feeding the offensive talent surrounding him, and if the defense leaves him alone, burn them with an upper 30% 3-point shot. And if Penberthy can work magic with his mid-range jumper, we will really have something special in our starting PG.

In order to get Russell you would have to give up Muhammed and probably LaVine along with Rubio to get him. So yes trading Rubio doesn't make sense because you would want something better in return.

What Rubio gives us vs what he would fetch in a trade makes Rubio untradable in my view. I don't think LaVine is a PG and if you trade yours you have to have someone replace him.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

What about a deal around Rubio for Julius Randle? Trade back into the first to grab Tyus Jones. That would be sweet.

I think you've raised the best question/trade proposal in a long while...

It's definitely something to think about. I love Randle, AND he'd be a great fit next to Towns.

Why trade for Rubio when they can sign Rondo who is close with Kobe?

Bottom line is Rubio holds more value to us then he does in a trade. I just don't see a realistic path to move back into the top 3.

1. They can sign Rondo, but he's older and worse than Rubio in everything and he's more expensive.

2. Rubio already has great on-court chemistry with Love, who you know they're going to pursue in 2016.

3. Rubio's the best post-entry passer in all of basketball. Assuming Flip's not going to break my heart and not take Towns, the Lakers would have a post dynamo in Okafor.

4. Rubio holds more value to us because we don't know what we can get for him. The unknown is the only reason why we say this. If Rubio could haul Randle and perhaps Clarkson or a future 1st, then I think you have to consider it.

5. LaVine/Wiggins/Randle/Towns is a hell of a core to move forward with and everyone compliments each other nicely. Also, point guard is the deepest position in basketball. I don't want to make it sound like I don't value what Rubio brings, but we're going to be a lottery team next year more than likely. There's going to be a good point guard we could probably select.

I agree Rondo sucks, but I'm not sure why they would trade so many assets for a PG who doesn't score the basketball and isn't a modern day PG.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

Is Rubio a better pair with Towns or Okafor offensively? (I'm pretty sure the Towns guys will say Towns and the Okafor guy will say Okafor). We always talk about fit with Wiggins, but how is the fit with Ricky?

[Lipoli390]

Is Rubio a better pair with Towns or Okafor offensively? (I'm pretty sure the Towns guys will say Towns and the Okafor guy will say Okafor). We always talk about fit with Wiggins, but how is the fit with Ricky?

I'm a Towns guy, but I think Ricky would be an equally good fit with either one.