If available, would you trade for Deshaun Watson?

[EDGECRUSHER]

Unlike many of you I'm not a lawyer so I'm guessing what is legally right and wrong. Either way I do know that "proving" a crime has been committed is different than actually believing someone committed one.

100% but the Texans are such a stupid organization and a lot of owners are also dumb and corrupt, so if records were ever subpoenaed I am sure they would find something.

[masterfins]

To make it crystal clear:

The act of any NFL team asking a competitor (in this case, the Texans) to reject a deal because doing so would help teams in future dealings with the players is illegal collusion.  Period, end of story.  It doesn't matter whether the Texans follow their advice, or ignore them.  If Dan Snyder calls up Cal McNair and tells him not to trade Watson to "keep the NFL from turning into the NBA," the Washington Football Team has committed illegal collusion, full stop.

You are legally not allowed to coordinate actions with your competitors outside of collective bargaining.  Now, if the league wanted to go directly to the NFLPA and handle things that way, that would not be collusion... but that's not what has been described.  What has been described is illegal collusion, plain and simple.

Well it would be tough to prove.  NBA Players are not allowed to collude either, but they blatantly do it.

[Spider-Dan]

If you're talking about NBA players teaming up, I don't think that can qualify as collusion.  Players do not compete against each other for the services of other players (by definition, as players cannot make hiring decisions).

Now, there is definitely an argument to be made that NBA players are tampering with other players who are currently under contract to a different team.  For now, teams have chosen to look the other way on this.  Maybe they believe it motivates other teams to compete instead of tanking?  Who knows.

But I think the best analogy for this overlooked tampering in the NBA is something else that recently happened in the NFL: when DAL and WSH "violated the salary cap" in a season that was supposed to be uncapped.  The NFL penalized DAL and WSH for going over a cap that (on paper) did not exist.  Normally, the NFLPA would have a pretty strong argument for collusion between the teams, but apparently during the last CBA, the league was able to offer the NFLPA something significant enough to get them to look the other way, and the outcome was that WSH and DAL were penalized for violating an (illegal) shadow salary cap.

[EDGECRUSHER]

If you're talking about NBA players teaming up, I don't think that can qualify as collusion.  Players do not compete against each other for the services of other players (by definition, as players cannot make hiring decisions).

Now, there is definitely an argument to be made that NBA players are tampering with other players who are currently under contract to a different team.  For now, teams have chosen to look the other way on this.  Maybe they believe it motivates other teams to compete instead of tanking?  Who knows.

But I think the best analogy for this overlooked tampering in the NBA is something else that recently happened in the NFL: when DAL and WSH "violated the salary cap" in a season that was supposed to be uncapped.  The NFL penalized DAL and WSH for going over a cap that (on paper) did not exist.  Normally, the NFLPA would have a pretty strong argument for collusion between the teams, but apparently during the last CBA, the league was able to offer the NFLPA something significant enough to get them to look the other way, and the outcome was that WSH and DAL were penalized for violating an (illegal) shadow salary cap.

Seeing as how the NFLPA is a pathetic union for the players, I'm sure the owners just offered them the rest of their sandwich and they accepted.

[EDGECRUSHER]

NFL Network interviewed the Texans new coach and the whole thing was filled with phrases like "he is our QB for now" which led the interviewer to believe Watson will be traded. This has dragged on for so long I just want to keep Tua and our picks but we will keep talking about it until it's finally over.

[CF DolFan]

Looks like Miami and New York are out of the mix. I couldn't be happier about both.

Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said there’s a “rumor” Watson doesn’t want to play in Miami or New York. Hard to know what a “rumor” means other than it’s something a team official said he heard. Lombardi has access to people he worked with while in the front offices of the Browns, Raiders and Patriots. Here’s what Lombardi said on The Rich Eisen Show: “The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in New York. The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in Miami. He wants to play in Denver (or) San Francisco. So now you’re (Texans General Manager) Nick Caserio, and now your trade options are limited, especially when you know he controls where he wants to go.”

[EDGECRUSHER]

Looks like Miami and New York are out of the mix. I couldn't be happier about both.

Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said there’s a “rumor” Watson doesn’t want to play in Miami or New York. Hard to know what a “rumor” means other than it’s something a team official said he heard. Lombardi has access to people he worked with while in the front offices of the Browns, Raiders and Patriots. Here’s what Lombardi said on The Rich Eisen Show: “The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in New York. The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in Miami. He wants to play in Denver (or) San Francisco. So now you’re (Texans General Manager) Nick Caserio, and now your trade options are limited, especially when you know he controls where he wants to go.”

I don't believe these rumors, he may have preferences but there is zero chance he refuses to be traded unless it's to the Broncos or Niners, Niners being the better option. I would be shocked if he comes to Miami and I hope he doesn't at this point but it doens't make much sense for him to not want to include us as a top destination considering over talent, future and Miami just being a great city....except their pizza. Your pizza sucks.

[masterfins]

Looks like Miami and New York are out of the mix. I couldn't be happier about both.

Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi said there’s a “rumor” Watson doesn’t want to play in Miami or New York. Hard to know what a “rumor” means other than it’s something a team official said he heard. Lombardi has access to people he worked with while in the front offices of the Browns, Raiders and Patriots. Here’s what Lombardi said on The Rich Eisen Show: “The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in New York. The rumor is he doesn’t want to play in Miami. He wants to play in Denver (or) San Francisco. So now you’re (Texans General Manager) Nick Caserio, and now your trade options are limited, especially when you know he controls where he wants to go.”

In other words he understands that NY and Miami don't want him, so now he says he doesn't want to play in those places.  Well he isn't going to SF, I've heard from a very reliable source that SF is set with Jimmy G.  So I guess that leaves Denver.

[Sunstroke]

...Miami just being a great city....except their pizza. Your pizza sucks.

Methinks you might be eating at the wrong pizza joints.  Next time, try Jets Pizza and/or Motor City Pizza.  Damned tasty pies...

[EDGECRUSHER]

Methinks you might be eating at the wrong pizza joints.  Next time, try Jets Pizza and/or Motor City Pizza.  Damned tasty pies...

Only went to two and one of them served me raw dough like I was Gordon Ramsay at a failing restaurant. I'm sure there is better but I live in NYC, pizza is one of the few things we do right.

[CF DolFan]

I don't believe these rumors, he may have preferences but there is zero chance he refuses to be traded unless it's to the Broncos or Niners, Niners being the better option. I would be shocked if he comes to Miami and I hope he doesn't at this point but it doens't make much sense for him to not want to include us as a top destination considering over talent, future and Miami just being a great city....except their pizza. Your pizza sucks.

Hard to say but Joe Rose and crew seemed to be a little off put by the news this morning. I realize many people find it hard to fathom but the South Florida environment isn't everyone's cup of tea.

[ArtieChokePhin]

I don't believe these rumors, he may have preferences but there is zero chance he refuses to be traded unless it's to the Broncos or Niners, Niners being the better option. I would be shocked if he comes to Miami and I hope he doesn't at this point but it doens't make much sense for him to not want to include us as a top destination considering over talent, future and Miami just being a great city....except their pizza. Your pizza sucks.

You obviously went to the wrong pizza places then.  There's a couple that I frequent that are amazingly good.  Granted, both owners are from the New York area and import water from that area down here every day.  

And to stay on topic, it may not matter where Watson prefers to play at this point.  His market value may have just taken a nose dive due to the sexual assault lawsuit filed against him.  

[masterfins]

And now there is a civil lawsuit against Watson for sexual assault. It could just be someone looking for money, but either way it doesn't help his cause.

[CF DolFan]

Hmmm ...  who had the Texans paying a massage therapist to make sure Watson stays home?

[EDGECRUSHER]

The Houston QB pushed back on social media. “As a result of a social-media post by a publicity-seeking plaintiff’s lawyer, I recently became aware of a lawsuit that has apparently been filed against me,” Watson posted to Twitter. “I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. The plaintiff’s lawyer claims that this isn’t about money, but before filing suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn’t about money for me — it’s about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that.”

It's a detailed denial, on the surface I tend to believe those. Compare this with other denials like what Antonio Brown used to say. Watson seems like a good egg, I don't think he did anything wrong but maybe the evidence says otherwise.