Harden can defend 5's better than Covington too but no one would say hes the better defender. Use inductive instead of deductive reasoning.
Who's going to do that? I mean, cap no obstacle, would you give that to Shumpert? I wouldn't. His value to the Rockets, as stated ad nauseam, is as a contract by which a struggling team can dump a contract with Shumpert's guaranteed money X 1.25, for the contract's first year. AIUI, the hypothetical player the Rockets get for Shump can have raises in each subsequent year of his deal; it's only the first year that needs to match. If they want to dump their equivalent of Ryan Anderson, and his play fits a need for the Rockets, so much the better.
Didn't 538 just come out with a defensive evaluation metric that had Harden among the top guards in the league? I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if they thought more of Harden's defense than RoCo's. He's come a long way from that, "Defensive?! What do you mean I'm defensive?!" commercial.
Defending 5's for a wing doesn't make one a better defender. The advanced metrics show that Covington is one of the top defensive wings. You can have an informed opinion without going over the edge. I have favorite players too but you take it to the extreme.
Keep watching defensive advanced metrics. I'll keep watching basketball games. You don't prove anything by advanced metrics. Especially defensive advanced metrics. You can confirm what you see. Verify. But comparing defensive metrics to determine the better defender??? Thay would mean Andre Drummond is a better defender than both of these guys. And he totally sucks defensively. But his defensive metrics sure do look good.
I didn't say you couldn't prove something using math. Your post shows how you extrapolate my words to your own erroneous conclusion.
The problem with the idea of getting Winslow is I have a hard time thinking Riley will let go of prime assets. It's probably more likely that Miami trades Dragic (expiring) + Leonard (expiring) + Olynyk for Westbrook. Maybe even sending Olynyk to a 3rd team. Thing is, Leonard can't be trade aggregated until September 1.
I agree, Riley seems to always get his way but Presti is in a position of power in this situation. They don't have to trade Westbrook, there are definitely teams who would take a lesser contract into an exception to get them out of the luxury tax. I think we are going to see Bam traded for Westbrook and people are going to flip out. Let's be honest, is Adebayo really better than Capela? Riley and Heat Fans act like Adebayo is untouchable in a way few players are. The Heat couldn't even make the playoffs in the East, yet everyone on their team is getting valued like a superstar. Winslow, Richardson, Herro, Adebayo YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE but we'll give you Dragic or James Johnson or Whiteside!
I don't think BAM is in any Westbrook trades. Dragic + Leonard + Olynyk Dragic + Leonard + Waiters Dragic + Olynyk + Waiters Dragic + Leonard + Winslow (Riley grits his teeth) Herro & BAM will be held back. Probably Winslow too. And James Johnson is probably too negative for OKC.
I truly cannot see Presti biting on that. Westbrook would be absolutely horrible here but he still has value. I know the narrative is no Bam but I think Bam or Herro were needed to get a deal done. I know Heat fans scream it will never happen but Riley is getting old and Presti can use that in negotiations.
I don't think Westbrook has much value right now because of his contract. Presti got the asset package with PG. Getting off Westbrook is its OWN reward in terms of getting out of the LT and resetting the cap and the timeline. Dragic + Leonard both being expiring are huge. And you might even be able to *re-flip* Dragic for another asset. I think it all comes down to the 3rd guy Olynyk or Winslow. How many REAL suitors are out there for RW? Can't be too many imo.
You're probably right but all it takes is Detroit, Chicago, NYK or Orlando to enter to the fray to actually create some value.
