TBH Hayward nor Griffen are coming to HOU. If I where DM I would find some way to trade for DeAndre Jordan by giving up Anderson and Capela. I would than sign Gallinari who is a way better player than Anderson simply because he's a 6'10 forward who can shoot and also create his own shot. Going into the offseason with hopes of landing Griffen, Hayward, or even Paul George is laughable because none of hose players will come. However a lineup of: Jordan Gallinari Ariza Harden Beverly Is a very solid lineup that can compete. If I where to make any other move here it would be to trade Dekker and a future 2nd for a more serviceable 3 man and move Ariza to the bench. Someone like Simmons from SA would be nice. My ideal lineup to compete would look like this: JORDAN/NENE/NANU GALLINARI/ARIZA SIMMONS HARDEN/GORDON BEVERLY/LOU Yes this would be an overhaul roster but it would def compete in the WEST
While I love the idea of floor spacing, I think we need a banger that could rebound. If we keep Anderson, I would prefer another Utah Jazz player by the name of Derrick Favors. Health is a concern, but it was also with both Anderson and Gordon. I say go after this guy and get him at a discount, when healthy he is really talented and on both sides of the ball was Utah's best big.
What exactly does moving Anderson, if you're so fortunate enough to do so, then turning around & signing Gallinari to a similar contract you just gave Anderson do? Or are you moving Ariza+ out? Harden-Beverley-Gallo-Anderson-Capela? Trying to have the softest front line in the league? http://bkref.com/tiny/zygFC http://bkref.com/tiny/6Woes
Blake Griffin is soft, lazy and complacent with losing. He is comfortable where he is, and being babied by the Clippers organization. The time for Griffin to emerge as a competitive personality, or develop good leadership and practice habits have passed. If he fell in the Rockets lap, you obviously take him.... but mentally he is another Dwight Howard. Griffin is a child, he is not going to make the sacrifices or exhibit the dedication to win.
If Gallo is able to stay healthy, he makes the Rockets a better team than Ryan Anderson. I would assume the Rockets wouldn't stop with Gallo though. Your greater point stands though. The Rockets were not built on high draft picks, because the owner wouldn't allow it. It is very very hard to have multiple star players without using the draft. The Rockets were able to trade for one (Harden). The second one they signed as a free agent had lots of warts, a bad back and the emotional maturity of a 10 year old. It didn't work. As a result the Rockets are scrambling to sign guys that can masquerade as stars or sign a player that will become a star player than no else has identified. Both options are very, very hard to pull off.
I think Milsap wants: (1) to get PAID (2) to leave Atlanta if he can while getting paid If it's not an amazing fit or sell, and Atlanta is offering him the full max they can, he stays with Atlanta. If someone else can offer them their max, and really sell him on the fit and winning potential, he leaves. The Rockets could be that someone, regardless of whether we still have Anderson or not (if they can find the cap room), as Milsap seems like a great fit in this offense and team. I think he's an infinitely better option than Gallinari... in that he's not allergic to defense, or rebounding. Before I would have said too old to give that contract to... but at this point the likelihood of making it out of the West with anything short of 1 or 2 absolutely PERFECT offseasons culminating in multiple all-stars joining the team is basically about 0%... so if the mandate is to remain good and put up a fight and hope for the best, than Millsap is a solid option.
Unfortunately,I fear this is actually true. Let's say we get lucky and sign Hayward and maybe we get even luckier and get rid of Anderson and sign Gallinari or some other big that can shoot. Would we be real contenders then?
Real contenders? Sure the Rockets can be real contenders and possibly the second best team in the NBA next season if they have a very good off season. The Warriors are going to be the favorites, and in a static world they will win the next couple championships. However, things can change quickly. Players can get hurt, not perform, etc.
I think there's a middle ground between complacent with losing and not an alpha #1 guy. Mind you, you can google Blake Griffin work ethic and find a ton of, basically all positive things about it... just like you can with Harden. Just like you can call Harden soft, lazy and complacent with losing, with bad leadership skills. It is what it is, we are where we are. I think the one interesting point might be while I don't think he's "mentally another Dwight Howard"... he may have some of that passive aggressiveness in him, especially as it relates to him playing under CP3 all these years and then potentially having to move to playing under Harden. But again, as you stated, if he falls into your lap you obviously take him. Again, in 14/15, he might have been the best player in the playoffs until the time they were eliminated by the Rockets. He dominated Tim Duncan and the Spurs that 7 game series, and he was just as good if not better against the Rockets. He was not good in the 4th quarter of game 6 when they blew that lead, but who was for the Clippers? Basically, offensively, he'd be a great fit here. You'd still have problems defensively, his rebounding has fallen off though is still light years better than what we have at PF, and more than anything the injury concern is still an injury concern.
Hayward is the classy family-oriented version of Chandler Parsons. Remember when people were arguing Parsons was better than Hayward?
Uh, uh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, uh Miami, uh, uh South Beach, bringin the heat, uh Haha, can y'all feel that Can y'all feel that Jig it out, uh Spoiler Here I am in the place where I come let go Miami the bass and the sunset low Everyday like a mardi gras, everybody party all day No work all play, okay So we sip a little something, lay to rest the spill Me an Charlie at the bar runnin' up a high bill Nothin' less than ill, when we dress to kill Every time the ladies pass, they be like "hi Will" Can y'all feel me, all ages and races Real sweet faces Every different nation, Spanish, Hatian, Indian, Jamaican Black, White, Cuban, and Asian I only came for two days of playing But every time I come I always wind up stayin' This the type of town I could spend a few days in Miami the city that keeps the roof blazin' Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn "Welcome to Miami" "Bienvenidos a Miami" Bouncin' in the club where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn I'm goin to Miami "Welcome to Miami" Yo I heard the rainstorms ain't nothin' to mess with But I can't feel a drip on the strip, it's a trip Ladies half-dressed, fully equipped And they be screamin out, "Will we loved your last hit" So I'm thinkin' I'mma scoot me somethin' hot In this salsa-merengue melting pot Hottest club in the city, and it's right on the beach Temperature get to ya, it's about to reach Five-hundred degrees In the Carribean seas With the hot mamis screaming "¡Ay papi!" Every time I come to town, they be spottin' me In the drop Bentley, ain't no stoppin' me So, cash in your dough And flow to this fashion show Pound for pound anywhere you go Yo, ain't no city in the world like this An if you ask how I know I gots ta plead the fifth "Miami" Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn "Welcome to Miami" "Bienvenidos a Miami" Bouncin' in the club where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn I'm goin to Miami "Welcome to Miami" Don't get me wrong, Chi-town got it goin' on And New York is the city that we know don't sleep And we all know that L.A. and Philly stay jiggy But on the sneak, Miami bringin' heat for real Y'all don't understand I never seen so many Dominican women with cinnimon tans Mira, this is the plan Take a walk on the beach, draw a heart in the sand Gimmie your hand Damn, you look sexy Let's go to my yacht, in the West Keys Ride my jetskis, loungin' in the palm trees 'Cause you gotta have cheese for the summerhouse piece on South Beach Water so clear, you can see to the bottom Hundred-thousand dollar cars, e'ybody got em Ain't no surprise in the club to see Sly, Stallone Miami, my second home "Miami" Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn "Welcome to Miami" "Bienvenidos a Miami" Bouncin' in the club where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn I'm goin' to Miami "Welcome to Miami" Party in the city where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn "Welcome to Miami" "Bienvenidos a Miami" Bouncin' in the club where the heat is on All night, on the beach till the break of dawn I'm goin' to Miami "Welcome to Miami" Party in the city where the heat is on
What's wrong with being mediocre for a couple of years to let this Warriors dominance thing die down? If you try to sign free agents to compete with them now you only tie your hands with big contracts you can't unload and you still probably can't beat them. I say be patient and focus on the 19'-20' season.
Harden can be a FA in 2019. If we just stay mediocre then why will he stay? He'll leave and then we'll be looking at a multi-year rebuild.
