Like most trade ideas, there are issues here but I love and appreciate how you laid it out. Folks, this is the standard for presenting your trade idea and getting them to the front page.

As for the deal, I love it for the Suns but my thoughts on JRich are well known. Move him.

And I LOVE LOVE LOVE Courtney Lee for both the long term and he’s a PERFECT fit next to Nash.

But, the Magic also love Lee (unless they are nuts) and with Battie they would be losing their backup Center since Gortat is a free agent and Magic aren’t expected to have the money to sign him unless they aren’t able to keep Hedo (who has an ETO this summer).

Now, if Hedo walks then this deal might make more sense for the Magic b/c JRich can “replace” Hedo’s perimeter scoring and he is a good fit next to Jameer and Howard. He even has a decent post game which no one else on that team has.

In the pantheon on trade ideas, this is a fairly good one overall.

I feel like the team is actually being downgraded by trading J-Rich, and all you’d get in return (based on the depth chart) is a back-up point guard, a back-up shooting guard, and a back-up center. Maybe it’s just me, but for a team that didn’t even make the playoffs last year, making your starting five even weaker isn’t going to present the possibility of making a championship run, let alone even getting home court advantage.

Isn’t it true that in like say 2 years tops, this trade would leave us with just Dragic at point? Alston is 33, and sitll playing decent, but it’s not like he’ll last much longer.

I love the deal for Lee and Battie, but the Suns need a young pg in return.

I also agree with ‘royforprez’ when he says that it’d be downgrading our starting 5.

I don’t think J-Rich’s offensive talent is ‘something the suns have plenty of’. We used to… But think of all the good/great shooters the Suns have lost the past few years: Q, JJ, the other JJ, the other other JJ, Marion, Bell, T.Thomas.
Really, in terms of shooters,with J-Rich the suns have Nash, LB, and Barnes. That isn’t a whole lot of firepower.
I say we either keep j-rich, or trade him for a defensive oriented sharpshooter of a lower caliber (Rodney Stuckey+others). That way the suns don’t lose much offensively.

The days of the Suns automatically being considered great shooters should be gone if we lose J-Rich

I have been saying this for a while, but we need to try and swing a deal with the magic for Redick. Loved his play in college. Best shooter in the game ever. If he were with the Suns it would work out fantastically. He’s stifled in Orlando, Van Gundy makes him pick up the “odd job” stuff, the pressure to be a good shooter is too much along with trying to be a great defender. In Phx, he would shoot better just like Dragic did under Gentry. He has freedom, options and can run an offense if he needs to. Get Alson out of that trade and put in Redick and you have a deal my friend.

With all the trade rumors that have been going on for the past 2 seasons now, and even deals that were done *cough*shaqmarion*cough*, I have not had one deal that I liked or even felt slightly comfortable with. But this trade right here, this is a good deal.

If there was one solid poll, Yes or No, as to if we should move JRich, I think it would be highly in favor of Yes. I dont even give a damn who we get for him, honestly.

Courtney Lee, phew, this dude can ball and hasnt even started to really come into his own. Dude is brand new, and would flourish under our bright sun. Alston was a big score for Orlando, and I dont think they’d want to move him just yet. Actually, I dont think Orlando wants to move Lee either.

I do also agree with N8lol on Mr.Better Basketball shooting ace, JJ Redick. I like this guy and I really think the best team for him to display his ability is with us. He’s a spot up shooter, straight up. With a Nash/Amare pick’n’roll, Amare post up, or even Hill/Barbosa slashing, JJ will be waiting on the outside for the kick and open shot.

But, like I said, I dont give a damn about JRich so I’ll take damn near anything for this guy. Lee alone would be worth it to me. Point is, this is finally a good proposed deal. And finally, one not involving Amare!

And thanks for publishing my trade idea on the front page, I’m glad to contribute to the blog in some good way.

I agree that this trade isn’t really good for Orlando but for example, in your scenario, Phoenix Stan, if you substitute Hedo and Gortat I think the trade would please the Magic : let’s say that they let Turkoglu walk and decide to keep Gortat (who is a great backup center, and whose place in the rotation is very mportant because of Howard’s usual foul trouble), then they would be glad to acquire Richardson who can “replace” (kind of) Turkoglu, though they would lack Hedo’s passing ability. Other than that, J-Rich pretty much does the same thing offensively, but I don’t know about his efficiency in crunch time.

This scenario is unlikely but who knows… if somehow the Magic can’t afford to re-sign Turkoglu because he asks too much money or has signed with an other team, Orlando would keep Gortat and this trade would make sense for the team.

royforprez, maybe I’m too high on the “championship run” chances of the Suns but I feel that the current roster, combined with new pieces, can compete at a high level next season. Maybe I’m just too optimistic and blinded by my love for the team but anyway I think that it would be foolish to start the rebuilding of the team this summer when you will have all the opportunities to start from scratch in the summer of 2010.

Plus, you may have noticed during these playoffs that no team is invincible, especially in the West. The Lakers almost lost a series against a depleted Rockets team, and the Spurs are finally done (or kind of). I assume that the Suns will be in the playoffs next year, and from then I like their chances, yes.

Just thought I’d give my two cents on this idea. Obviously it would be great for Phoenix but there’s no way Orlando makes this trade. We drafted Lee as a long-term franchise player and want to keep him. He gives us versatility as a SG, provides high energy lockdown defense, and has a great jumpshot that will only continue to improve. Alston won’t be the starter after this year, but assuming he doesn’t want to leave, he is an incredible backup for Jameer and gives Orlando that solid full-game PG play we’ve needed for many years. And Battie isn’t a star but he is a valuable part of our team and a necessary one at that if Gortat leaves. (which all signs say he will) Battie is high energy, gives great defense, has a sweet jumpshot for a big man which spread the defense, and is overall a solid backup to D12.

That said, I don’t ever see the Magic making this trade. Lee is untouchable imo and the return wouldn’t be worth giving up Alston or Battie either since our main priority is maintaining our roster for another run and managing salary cap.

Yeah everybody does he’s a pretty special player…and if he was to go somewhere I’d want him to go to the suns since you guys are my second favorite nba team, but frankly I’m just too selfish and I just want Lee all for us =P

Too bad Orlando didn’t do it with Phoenix for Richardson!

This scenario wasn’t as absurd as we thought it was since Orlando basically offered Lee and the other two expiring contracts (Alston and Battie) to acquire a great guard scorer.

Richardson would have been a good fit in Orlando too, don’t you think? The Suns would have completed a good deal in this scenario, too bad it happened with New Jersey instead.