Okafor can't shoot, can't pass and must play inside the paint. That is not the guy you want next to Yao, especially in an Adelman system.
He's a ok shooter from 12ft. He's a really good finisher, good shot blocker and rebounder. This is about what's best for the "team", not yao. Yao would benefit from a guy that's more physical, good weakside shotblocker and good rebounder as much as anything. The hi/lo game between the bigs would be great. The rox wouldn't have to go "find" yao a backup because that's emeka also. The final thing is u matchup against everyone in the west.Bynum-Gasol,shaq-amare, west-chandler,oden-aldridge,duncan-whoever, boozer-okur.
Big E, you= legendary caller on NBA Sirius Radio, you talk to Frank Isola, Yam, Kenny Smith, Rick Mahorn, Mark Jackson, Dee Brown the other guy= wrote a thread about the Rockets not making the playoffs like 3 months into the season Come on E! its like Jimi Hendrix vs some kid who just plays guitar hero
What I'm "telling" you is that Ben Gordon is a #3 Lottery pick who has been in the playoffs 3 prior seasons and has been out of the 1st round. What I'm "telling" you is that Gordon plays on a poorly constucted team that fired it's Head Coach and has no current sense of identity. Especially on offense. And that based upon their FGA's/min for the current season, the difference for 34.3 minutes of floortime (Alston's avg) between Gordon and Alston is a whopping 3.5 FGA's/game. An amount easily attained in transition and in an Adelman offense. What I'm "telling" you is that I suspect you've based your entire opinion on Gordon's "transparent" HOU games. Here's Gordon to Alston this season vs the WC elites... SAS - 15.0 ppg vs 10.0 ppg FG% - Gordon 40.6 to 32.6 UTAH - 19.0 ppg vs 8.0 ppg FG% - Gordon 50.0 vs 36.8 LAL - 14.0 ppg vs 15.7 ppg FG% - Gordon 42.3 to 39.0 PHX - 24 ppg vs 12.3 ppg FG% - Gordon 45.0 to 44.1 NO - 31.0 ppg to 12.8 ppg FG% - Gordon 58.8 to 35.8 That is worth $5m per year more than Alston. End of discussion.
wasn't there rumblings that the kings are not willing to deal with the rockets (something maybe having to do with adelman)? i'm not sure, maybe someone else can identify what i'm talking about.
I have been a Ben Gordon advocate for a while now. This team does not need a PG in the mold of D. Williams or CP3. The PG position on this team simply does not have as much responsibilty because of TMac and Yao. We need a player with decent ball handling that can get the team into their sets and make defenses pay for doubling Tracy or Yao. Ben Gordon has made a living out of scoring tough buckets for a Bulls team with no offensive identity. I have no doubt that Ben Gordon would be more effective on this team defensively and offensively. Not to mention that Ben Gordon has ten times as many game winning clutch shots than Rafer.
Okafor would be nasty. Do you really believe he would want to move away from the Bobcats though? I can see them giving him 50mil something close of what they would give him. I thought about bringing in Yao or McGrady off the bench next season as ultimate 6th men (giving them more rest for the playoffs). They would still get their minutes just in different ways. When Yao playes the team becomes "Yao-centric" as one guy pointed out before, and when T-Mac playes the team becomes bipolar. This is when one or the other is off the court and the other is playing. Bringing in a guy like Okafor is a possibility the way this team playes without Yao in the starting 5. Keeping Yao with Scola or Landry off the bench makes alot of sence. I mean looking at the team and how they play without Yao just think of what it would look like minus Mutombo in the mix and Okafor added and Yao on the bench with Scola. Adelman has a long history of keeping his bench more firepowered than his starters. Either of the 3 guys Yao/Okafor/McGrady would be ultimate 6th men. There would be times where you could pound the ball all day long on those run n gun teams and times when all 3 would be on the court at the same time. Have T-Mac come in with Scola or Landry and a point guard capable of running with small ball line ups like Alston wouldnt be such a bad idea. Alston plays better with a front court Scola/Landry/Yao but not Mutombo/Hayes on the floor. Then you have Landry? But the point im making is you would get the most out of the team and individual play when 1 or the other is playing and the other is resting. As for T-Mac finding him a role off the bench like Ginobili with alot of cutters/slashers/attackers/shooters off the dribble, would benifit him just as much. Guys who can find their own shot or create for others off the bench makes sence as well. Bottom line is they would still get their minutes stating or not starting. Its about what roles fit them best for the team.
Teams don't want expiring contracts for a S&T. So it's going to cost the Rockets... Maybe a package of Alston, Head, Hayes, and Brooks for Gordon and Sefolosha? Though Sefolosha needs to be included otherwise the Rockets lose out on too much depth and Gordon needs to accept a deal starting at $8m.
Another possibility is Camby and his role would be perfect on this team. Can play the 4 spot and the high-post or center because he has before and a guy who averages 3 assist almost every season would fit in nicely. Denver lacks point guards big time and could use Alston and Jackson is some type of trade only if they make a run at Ron Artest this offseason which is still likely to happen once they figure out Anthony/Iverson is not enough. They still have Kleiza and Najera producing for them and with Nene and Hunter filling in the 4/5 spots they might want to move Martin some how to any team just to get him off the books so they can resign J.R Smith because they like him alot. This gives them the MLE to fill in the rest more than likely another 4-5 Diop? A back up 2/3 or combo guard in free agent market.
You aren't going to pay 15 for Yao and 20 for T-Mac for them to be a sixth man. You pay that for a starter that's perenial All-Star.
15 million dollars for Yao and 20 million for T-Mac if you weren't sure what the 15 and 20 were for. Our biggest bargaining chip is going to be Bobby Jacksons expiring contract next season. He's making a little above 6 mil. Only Shane, T-Mac, and Yao make more money. We can ship off some one like Luther, but a lot of our guys don't have big contracts. Also if we want to trade for say someone like Mike Miller, they are going to want us to take someone like Brian Cardinal as well with a crappy contract. The only way we get a decent player without having to kill our cap is a sign and trade with two willing partners. That means both Chicago and Ben would have to be willing to do it, but Chicago isn't going to let Gordon go for nothing and Ben isn't going to sign for chump change just to play for us, which is all we can offer him. We don't really have the cap to sign anyone with signicance this summer unless they are willing to take small money. We still have guys like Jackie Butler and Justin Reed that count against our cap. Lord, we still had Sura contract on our books for this year. We also have to have money to sign Chuck Hayes this summer if we want him back and Deke if he decides to play again. As far as Francis, love him or hate him he's not really a tradeable assest. As strange as it sounds, he doesn't make enough money to be worth a trade, unless someone really wants him. Ditto for guys like Luther, Scola, Landry, and even AB. They have tradeable talent, but don't have big enough contracts on their own to get a good trade out of it.
I dont mind making the moves that put 1 of the 3 on the bench as ultimate 6 men some nights. Battier would be the ultimate 6th man defender. Yao/T-Mac/Battier. Our starting 5 is good enough as is and the right move will bolster our bench into bolivion. If we make the right move for a 3rd scorer in Battier's position can slide to the bench some or most nights and not lose a whole lot of playing time. For the fact Head would be shipped away and he would see minutes at the 2/3 spot. Ron Artest? Corey Maggette? As for T-Mac he would be coming off the bench for the likes of anybody that excells playing on the court with Yao in the starting 5. Mike Miller? Ben Gordon? As for Yao he would excell coming off the bench playing some or most of his minutes when T-Mac is on the bench resting. Omeka Okafor? Marcus Camby? We would lose no production even if it means putting 1 of the duo on the bench still upgrades the team without giving up to much. Its not what the contract saids it is what is on the floor that matters. That is if we cant find a PG to take pressure off T-Mac. Calderon? No to T.J. Ford. We cant get a point guard with the likes of Davis? Nash? Paul aint happening without giving up T-Mac/Yao/Battier. Any point guard better than Alston which isnt that many besides what is on playoff teams already. That is if we cant find a center who is better than Mutombo. Marcus Camby? Tyson Chandler types. I have noticed the more T-Mac playes on the court without Yao Ming his numbers dramatically increase. I have noticed when Yao playes on the court his numbers stay about the same even without T-Mac. To add a piece like Camby this make Landry more expandable in another trade. To add a piece like Maggette or Miller this makes Novak/Head more expandable in another trade. To add a piece like Calderon this makes Jackson/Alston more expandable in another trade. It will basically take Alston Jackson Head Brooks Landry Novak Hayes All expandable any combination that improves the team without giving up Yao T-Mac Scola Battier Because this is our core will improve the team. Still need a point guard and still need a 3rd scorer just think about it what team needs what and go after it without giving up those 4 above.
The best offseason move the rockets could make would be to trade for Brad Miller. I think his time is up in Sacramento and we could probably get him for draft picks and or expiring contracts. He is not the big name player everyone wants but he knows our system. With him you address backup center and not to mention you could play him at PF with Yao when we need to go big. Great passer, good rebounder, and he is a 7footer with 3point range. Yao and Scola as starters and Miller and Landry off the bench sounds solid to me. Again he is not the big name but if you think it over I think he would be a perfect fit.
Are you watching the games? Scola has absolutely not plateaued. He has at worst began getting adjusted to the NBA. Is this a long process? Yes...for a player his age that has played sooo long in Europe. You play the same game for five years or so the same way and try to change it....you see that it's not gonna happen over night. Okafor is good, but he hasn't shown the steady progress that would project beyond what I think you'll eventually get from Scola, and the other guys. When yo make trades, you hope for at least close to equal production, this isn't even close. Jackson's contract will be up soon (if I'm not mistaken) which would make for some good trade material. Head's contract is reasonable...not bloated for his production. I don't like this deal....
I know I've said it before but with everyone off the books I believe Maimi could potentially draw two big name fa's...but the potential of that happening is not likely. I believe it is like the year Orlando went into the free agent season trying to get two big established stars like Duncan and Grant. They ended up getting Grant and a potential guy like Tmac...liken to anyone offering the max to Josh Smith this year. Still I believe Maimi will probably only be able to attain one this year. They get to shed J Williams and Ricky Davis off the books. We trade Tmac, Battier, Brooks, Landry, Jackson, 1st pick, and future 1st pick for Marion, Parker, Blount, and 1st pick. Best case scenerio: They sign Brand and Diop in the off season. We sign Artest. Why they do it- They get a steady solid player in Battier whose contract is smaller and shorter than Blount's. They get Jackson whose contract runs out this year, thus ridding themselves of Parker. They get a legitimate playmaker/star in Tmac for Marion who might not return. They still get a run at one big name fa and get potential players in Landry, Brooks, and the picks. It moves Wade to pg where his size is more of an advantage than disadvantage. Diop/ Haslem Brand/ Landry Battier/ Johnson Tmac/ Banks Wade/ Brooks Come on... That's an impressive big three. Why we do it. We sell everything for a chance at winning now. We get Blount to back up Yao and Marion to replace Battier. We lose a lot of future pieces but I really believe that our team needs an elite pg...we aren't getting established one's like Paul anytime soon. The next best thing is Rose....he is the real deal. Watching him clank a ft against KU was killer but he led that Memphis team all year with a poise befitting a veteran NBA pg. He has a polished midrange game and can drive and penetrate very well. His court vision is top notch. He will be a top 10 player in the league. Think Chris Paul like handles with Wade like penetration... and I am not even exaggerating. Yao/ Blount Scola/ Hayes Marion/ Harris Artest/ Head Rose/ Alston Yao's production will increase with 4 legitimate offensive threats in the starting line up. We have a great pg rotation (Alston as starter is good, but Alston as backup is great). Our depth takes a blow but the Celtics seem to do pretty well for themselves. That's a solid team.
It will basically take. Alston Jackson <---- Head <---- Brooks <----- Landry Novak <----- Hayes <----S&T All expandable pieces any combination above that improves the team without giving up below. The arrows is who im looking at to trade first for that upgrade. Landry/Alston trade those guys only if you can land those guys at the very bottom and the rest is just fillers besides those core 4 below. Yao T-Mac Scola Battier Because this is our core will improve the team once you add to it. If you keep Scola/Landry then you need to keep Alston only because he playes so well with that duo upfront. Still need a point guard and still need a 3rd scorer just think about it what other team needs are what? Then go after it without giving up those 4 above. A) Basically all im saying is a scoring wing (3rd scorer) would move McGrady to the bench only because he playes better when Yao is off the court resting or injured. B) As for another big man (3rd scorer) this helps McGrady on the court only when Yao is resting on the bench or injured. Again someone who can play the 4 spot too in a interchangable rotation. Atleast this is what it seems like judging the last 2 seasons. This is just how the team playes for some reason. For some reason McGrady playes good with a bigman but even better without one. Basically only helps the team either way you look at it even if its a no point guard upgrade which Morey has indicated that is what he is after this offseason which tells me Shane Battier is as good as gone because of his moneyball approach that wont help in this situation or because he is trying to get the most from our guards play Alston/Brooks/Jackson could be a combination of both. Either way if he trades any of those 4 core players i mentioned for this upgrade then he is not really upgrading nothing. You cant just pluck away a core piece or pieces for someone and expect it to work because it wont work. Upgrades: S&T = sign and trade Omeka Okafor <--- S&T Ron Artest <--- Trade or S&T Jose Calderon <--- S&T Mike Miller <---- Trade Corey Maggette <----Trade or S&T Marcus Camby <---- Trade Ben Gordon <---- S&T Tyson Chandler <---- Trade Cant pluck away your best defender/intagibles guy. Cant pluck away your best wing/playmaker/scorer. Cant pluck away your best low post presence. Cant pluck away your hustle/intangibles guy. Just say NO to moving any of those 4 guys for a questionable upgrade better to play it safe then sorry.
I don't think we will ever get another blockbuster trade like Tmac with our current GM. Morey isn't a guy that known for getting big time player or major trade. We will still keep the following players Tmac Yao Landry Scola Battier Brooks rest of it either we trade them for another player or we keep them and add more thru drafts.
