Morey: "McHale will experiment with Asik at C and Dwight at PF"

the experiment doesn't commit them to any mins. its just a due diligence look-see. anyone opposed to a little preseason tinkering should give up forum coaching ...

 

Exactly.

 

Then Asik plays his 19 minutes off the bench as the backup C.

In the long run when the Rockets start winning games and become the best team in the league Asik (like Bosh in Miami, and Harden in OKC and Ginobili on the Spurs) will come to realize that being 6th man on a championship team is better than starting on any other team. Oops, change that about Harden...

 

Comparing Asik to Harden and Ginobili as 6th men doesn't make sense. Both guys averaged about 30 mins/game and neither was redundant with another star player. Also, if Dwight returns to form (which must happen for the Rockets to be a championship contender), there won't even be 19 mins/game for Asik.

 

Fair enough. Bottom line the Rockets will find a way to get Asik his 20 minutes per game. However those minutes may not be evenly distributed. For example he may start against Memphis or Clippers then only play 15 minutes off the bench against Golden State. I think Asik will buy into the team concept of "winning" and sacrificing for the team (even Harden will have to take less shots with D12 around!) and will choose in the long run to stay.

Hopefully also DMO or TJOnes will exceed all our expectations this year and one will turn out to be a solid NBA PF. Otherwise there are plenty of other decent PF's out there who might work out great next to Dwight (Anderson, PPat, Amir Johnson) and whom we could probably get--if Morey is patient, and wise--without having to give up Asik. To get a stretch PF AND keep Asik who will keep our team defense in the top 5...wow.

 

This was obvious to any intelligent fan. Everyone should have known that they'd at least try out playing Howard at PF with Asik at C, this announcement should not come as a shock to anyone.

 

Didn't DH play PF as a rookie? It can work if only DH can make his FTs again. 60% would be great.

 

He played there in his first 2 years.

 

It's easy to sacrifice for the team when you're getting max or near max money, or are on the downside of your career...when you're just coming into your own as a player, and have the opportunity to make a gazillion dollars, sacrificing for the team isn't quite as appealing

 

Yeah, but he's a Euro. Anything's better than playing in front of a mere 300 fans in a non-air-conditioned arena in the middle of Turkish summer; then, having to take the bus to Russia the next day (again, no air conditioning on the bus) and only getting paid like $50,000 a year for it. Yes I'm exaggerating; however Omer Asik just does not strike me as a guy who is spoiled, greedy, and difficult to please. We'll see.

Do you think a guy like Adlridge would be willing to play long term on the Rockets if he knew his role would be relegated to spot shooting only 7 or 8 shots a game? Trade Asik for a third star--and you'll have the same problem, just a different face.

 

The role really isn't much different on the defensive end. Honestly I'm not concerned about foul trouble or Dwight not being able to defend 4s. He will be taller, more athletic and can jump higher than 95% of the PF in the league.

Asik can't finish? Well guess what? We knew that already, he somehow shot 54% and scored 10pts a game on dunks and put backs last season. The offense won't run thru Omer. He can clear out baseline dive when the paint collapses on Dwight and do what he does best, rebound and put backs.

 

If we are going to trade Asik, I think it should be for Battier and Birdman. Don't know if Miami would do that. It would help spacing on the floor. Battier wouldn't have a problem jacking up 8 shots a game. Birdman would be PERFECT off the bench. If Lin is having problems, we take the rest of that money plus Lins contract and trade for a better PG.

 

The Twin Towers.:grin:

 

This is gonna be a sick lineup. Most 80's-90's PF/C combos couldn't shoot either. Just have Howard post up or pick and roll and Asik cut from the weak side to cleanup or get a dump pass. Beautiful.

 

Trade Asik for Battier and Birdman?




Hope that was sarcasm or something.

 

If Asik can hit those midrange shots better then he can do lay-ups then more power to him. While a small sample size last year, when Asik did release those shots, he had very good technique and form. Of course he was wide open but still made them.

 

Well, lets face it. We're probably not getting LMA or Love. Unless Minny or Portland tanks. I hope Morey is exploring other options... I am not saying we NEED TO GO AND GET BATTIER AND BIRDMAN. Thats kind of my last resort situation. Personally, I think we should trade for Al Horford if LMA and Love aren't available. If I were Morey, that'd be my plan C (A being Love and B being LMA).

 

You're right, LA and KL are probably long shots. (Although I would have told you the same thing about Harden and Howard, ha.)

I'd just keep Asik rather than going to get Battier and Birdman. Not even as a 'last resort' would I do that. I'd let or run the risk of letting Asik walk in two years than go after those two guys on their last legs.

I'm not sure Atlanta takes Asik (+ whatever) for Horford.

Okay sorry. Carry on. Didn't mean to derail this thread/turn it into random trade proposal thread.

 

Our interior defense will be scary but the problem on offense will be a clogged line which means less room for Harden to penetrate.

 

Morey has it flipped. ASik is more mobile than Dwight and Ibaka, for those saying it won't work. Asik can hit the midrange too.