[Chron] Keeping Scola becomes Rockets' top priority

I'd really like to see the Rockets make a play for Josh Childress. I wonder if he would take the MLE.

 

wtf...ya, now Scola won't ask for an inflated contract

 

If we get Bosh, great. But Scola would be our Paul Millsap. Grossly overpaid backup who deserves to start, even if he isn't on the level of a Bosh or Stoudemire (or, in Millsap's case, on the level of Boozer).

I still say draft a 4/5 and use a trade to upgrade the passing (Joe Johnson) or the defense (Gerald Wallace).

 

Uh duh.

 

Scola strikes me as someone who isn't that interested in money - from what I understand, he could have made more money if he had continued to play for Spain, but he wanted to come to the best basketball league in the world more than he wanted the money. I don't think there's much validity to the idea of him leaving the NBA for money, particularly since he's obvious going to get a nice raise.

 

I agree with Scola being the most important Rocket on this current roster. That being said, I am torn on whether acquiring Bosh at the expense of Scola has a significant positive effect on our team. If we can get both and have a frontline of Yao, Bosh, Scola, and tall/athletic shot blocking center via draft or Camby pickup (draft would be better in this scenario), we will boast the best frontcourt in the NBA and it wouldn't even be close. I believe this is Morey's #1 priority this summer.
My personal preference would be to use Brooks, Battier, Jeffries and the New york picks to go after Chris Paul. We would have to do a three-way because N.O. wouldn't need a PG which got me thinking... wouldn't it be crazy if we did a three-way deal with Toronto and New Orleans?

Houston out: Brooks, Battier, Jeffries, NY 2011 swap pick, NY 2012 pick
Houston in: Paul, Posey


N.O. out: Paul, Okafor, Posey
N.O. in: Bosh, Battier, NY 2012 pick, Jack


Tor out: Bosh, Jack
Tor in: Brooks, Okafor, Jeffries, NY 2011 swap pick


I'm not too sure about matching salaries because it was just a preliminary scenario, but I tried to accommodate to each team's needs.

2011 Rockets
Yao/2010 draft pick/Hayes
Scola/Hill
Ariza/Chase
Martin/Posey/Taylor
Paul/Lowry

Thoughts?

 

Why each team does it.

For N.O. they have a stud PG in Collison who is on a rookie contract (he's been averaging something ridiculous like 20ppg 9assists and 4 rebounds on good percentages as a starter, and he's only a ROOKIE!). That being said, Paul is a top 5 player in the league and you almost never trade away someone of that caliber when they are in their prime BUT getting back Bosh, who is a top 10 player with potential to get better, might convince NO's management. If that was not enough, getting rid of two cap-killing contracts in Okafor and Posey would be a co-perk. They can field a very competetive team with:

Bosh/Draft pick
West/Wright
Battier/Peja
Thorton/Peterson
Collison/Jack




For Toronto, they get Brooks and Okafor as main pieces. Okafor is a better fit next to Bargnani and Brooks has proven that he can be a consistant 20ppg scoring option even when opposing team defenses key-in on him. Their current team is boderline playoff material, so they rebuild.

Okafor
Bargnani
Hedo
Derozan/Belinelli
Brooks/Calderon

 

Scola was a former MVP in Europe who has gotten better since then.

I would not be surprised if a European team comes out offering $10M/yr+

What would we do then? Would it be worth matching? Or does it become viva jordan hill?

 

Exactly what's in my mind, and don't forget that he also paid his own buyout. He's back.

 

I want Scola, but at the same time I really wonder what it would have been like if Amare was in Houston... He's been insane since the deadline.