Source: If Twin Towers don't work, Rockets may look at LaMarcus Aldridge

Good, because trading Howard for LMA doesn't make any sense.

 

Pekovic is a horrid defender
Gortat isn't THAT Great of a jumpshooter.

Bosh, Aldridge, Millsap are the best options for our team. Millsap is the only realistic option. You people criminally underrate him big time. He's a very good all around player, high IQ, good teammate, Can shoot well, amazing contract so if it doesn't work we can still go after another star in FA. He's the perfect fit next to this team. Asik is obviously the better defender, but Millsap is very good defensively still and he helps our offense so much. A Milsap/Casspi PF rotation will be very good. The only plug needed in our roster is a 3 and D player and a solid backup center

 

I don't see Atlanta trading Millsap. He fits them. They are in a good place with salary cap. They just need to get a star wing.

 

Well actually Horford doesn't wanna play Center since he is undersized and he is more of a PF,So I can see a Millsap/Asik trade happening,they have the same salary and Millsap's contract is just too good.

 

No Clips? I would expect them before Mavs, Blazers, Wolves, Grizzlies or Warriors.

 

Horford has cried for a defensive center for some time now. It may not be likely but it's still possible

 

Not sure we need LMA. I read this on ESPN this morning,

"With two elite defenders in the paint, the group has been as advertised defensively, holding opponents to a defensive rating (95.7 points per 100 possessions) that would rank fifth in the league. But with two non-shooters down low at the other end, the big lineup has struggled to score. Its 92.3 offensive rating would rank ahead of only the Utah Jazz."

......

"All it takes is one substitution -- Casspi for Asik -- to turn Houston from one of the league's worst offensive teams to its very best. When Howard is on the floor and Casspi is in for Asik, the Rockets have scored 119.6 points per 100 possessions, which would be the NBA's best offensive rating by an enormous margin. (They've been good enough offensively with the small lineup that they lead the league overall at 111.1 despite their poor starts.) Casspi, a 46.2 percent 3-point shooter in the early going, gives Houston four outside threats that opponents must respect, forcing them to choose between giving up open 3s or letting Howard play one-on-one in the post."

LMA would be nice to have, but I think we have the personnel we need. IMO it will take some time for the chemistry to develop, but once it does I believe this team is going to be hard to beat. I like that we have Asik as insurance (health/foul-wise) for Howard and I think that will really benefit us come April.

 

spurs
rockets
timberwolves
warriors
mavs
thunder
blazers
clippers

forgot about them idk how

 

It's been floated around here that a trade for Millsap + signing Okafor would provide the best PF option and backup center option.

I don't know much about Okafor's game. Can anyone speak to 1) would he be a sufficient enough defensive back up center and 2) how difficult is it to pick him up assuming a buyout happens?

 

There is no way Portland will give us LMA for Asik. But LMA would be the perfect fit.

No matter what some say about us being anti-mid range game - any time you can get a guy who can hit a jumper from 15-20 feet reliably and play strong inside and also is a decent defender - take him! LMA is an all-star. He can score. He can play effectively next to DH.

WE aren't getting Kevin Love either.

 

it all depends on how Portland is doing before the TD. LMA's contract has one more year left. if Portland isn't doing good and LMA wants to move on, we have a chance.

 

I can't see Portland trading for Asik when they have Lopez.

 

My sarcasm meter is busted...............Hunh??!?!?!?!?!?

 

make sense but we can give up other assets to get him.:grin:

 

I wouldn't consider it any more "reliable" than LMA.

On Horford, he has been a lot more valuable as a center than a PF for his career. When he says "I want a defensive center", I hear "I want to be a worse player, but keep paying me like I'm a center". It will be tough for Atlanta to bend to his demands unless he can show he can PF just as well as C.

 

Right.... but does Houston for sure have the best offer out there for him? That's the problem.

Cleveland has the ability to blow the Rockets offer out the window. They have large expiring(2014/15 non-guaranteed) in Varejao & Clark, a whole slew of great draft picks, and Waiters, Thompson, and the #1 draft pick in Bennett.

Also the Cavs already tried to trade for him once.... so obviously they are sold.

If Cleveland has a good first half of the season which is possible, they might make the deal for LMA and LMA might be more than happy with that deal.

 

The one and only, TIM DUNCAN, ladies and gentlemen.

 

I didn't say trade Howard for LMA straight up necessarily. We probably could get more than Aldridge in return and didn't have to give up a lot of our depth alongside Asik.

 

If LMA is gonna get traded, a team with better assets would step up and get him over us.
A la Chicago

 

True, but I could see Chicago 3 waying, wanting Asik and a scoring option. Chicago's like Erkel on Octopussy's island of women. Couldn't score if he wanted to.