Maybe your dumbest response yet. Telling me how dumb my post is and then explaining how it may happen. Sheeeeeeeesh. Lol
Above all I think McHale is a veteran's coach. If they did not play much this preseason, it probably just speaks to how secure their jobs were. Bench guys: 6. Papanikolaou 7. Motiejunas 8. Terry 9. Daniels 10. Canaan 11. Johnson (NBADL) 12. Capella (NBADL) 13. Garcia 14. Adrien 15. Dorsey ---------------------- 16. Black (I know, I want him over Dorsey too, but that guaranteed year tho on Dorsey's contract...Morey probably thinks he can stash Black on the Vipers. We'll see. If we lose him no biggie, I mean how many 6'9 bruisers are out there? Probably tons.) 17. Smith (Would be a veteran, except he has never stuck on any of the teams he has ever been a part of. At this point just a AAAA player, too good for the D-league and never with one elite skill that will entrench him on an NBA roster for more than a cup of tea.)
They're different players though, whereas Black and Dorsey literally do the exact same thing. Adrien is agile enough to drop out to the perimeter and guard some SF's, Mike Harris style. Black and Dorsey are in the Chuck Hayes mold, impossible to move out of the paint, with perhaps more hops for rebounding and less intelligence for getting to the spots opposing PF's like before they do and disrupting their timing. I really wish we could have had the old Chuck Hayes out there against Aldridge in that Portland series last year .
Adrien deserves a spot over Garcia. Adrien is better defensively, rebounding, position flex, shot blocking and even scoring. Garcia's only advantage is the 3 ball and he has not looked nearly as good as he did in 2012.
Adrien's deal is for one year, fully guaranteed. I wouldn't say that Adrien has nearly the versatility that you do. He's much closer to Black and Dorsey, but with a bit of a mid range game. I don't think he can guard SFs. I do like him, though.
Roster should be: Beverley, Terry, Canaan Harden, Daniels, Nick Ariza, Papa, Garcia TJ, D-Mo, Adrien Howard, Capela, Black
The main differences between Black, Dorsey, and Adrien Dorsey- -Career nagging foot problems -Strongest of the three bigs to defend true 5's -the most accomplished rebounder -guaranteed $ this year and next Adrien- -Can play the 4 -Can shoot somewhat -probably the best finisher below the rim of the 3 -guaranteed $ this year (doesn't really matter though. Rox aren't needing cap space). Nothing next year -Best NBA experience Black -Is going to get better with experience -already does much of what Dorsey and Adrien do now -Has earned more minutes than the other 2 in the preseason through sheer hustle & energy -Potentially better trade asset later on (if they need to make a big deal) ..... The cuts that make the most sense to me are Garcia and Adrien, but I think Ish and Adrien probably end up being the last 2 cuts. Something tells me that Garcia had a guaranteed spot before he showed up to camp due to his relationship with the Rockets decision makers. Dorsey should end up staying regardless. They need 3 centers on this roster IMO.
I am sticking with my analysis here (see above). It is important to recognize that the roster on 10/27 will not be the roster on 2/27. Jason Terry's expiring contract will be packaged with the Pelicans first round pick and/or Terrence Jones and/or Clint Capela (and/or other such desirable assets) for a very good veteran player, such as Paul Millsap. The glut in the frontcourt will thus be resolved via trade. Take a look at this sample rotation/roster, following a) waiving Francisco Garcia and Ishmael Smith and b) trading Terry, Jones, and the Pelicans pick for Millsap and DeMarre Carroll: Starting lineup PG Patrick Beverley (32 minutes/game) SG James Harden (36 min/g) SF Trevor Ariza (32 min/g) PF Paul Millsap (32 min/g) C Dwight Howard (32 min/g) Key reserves Kostas Papanikolaou (16 min/g) Donatas Motiejunas (16 min/g) Joey Dorsey (16 min/g) Isaiah Canaan (16 min/g) Troy Daniels (12 min/g) End of the bench Jeff Adrien Tarik Black DeMarre Carroll Stashed in the developmental league Clint Capela Nick Johnson Lots of flexibility here. Maybe Motiejunas is flipped for a draft pick if management views Adrien or Black as an upgrade. Maybe Papanikolaou gets packaged with Motiejunas and/or Beverley and/or Capela for an upgrade at PG. Lots of options here, thanks to the team's cap flexibility. All by design. I still expect the Rockets to emerge as a dark horse championship contender after Morey makes a trade or two in February.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>OFFICIAL: Akeem Richmond signs with the <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets">@HoustonRockets</a> his agent says</p>— Sportando (@sportando) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportando/status/526062269214760963">October 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> NBDL bound
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Official: Rockets sign Akeem Richmond & request waivers on Geron Johnson. Story: <a href="http://t.co/bNGGlbBdqI">http://t.co/bNGGlbBdqI</a></p>— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/526063762235588608">October 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I like Adrein. I think it will be a mistake to cut him, but I think he is on the way out. Black might be retained.
Bev, Canaan, Smith Harden, Terry, Daniels, Johnson Ariza, Pap, Garcia Jones, Donuts, Adrien Howard, Black, Dorsey, Ndumba /17 18. Covington 19. Clark 20. Richmond Released: Powell, Mitchell, G. Johnson.
Congrats Black. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Don't know, but Black seems to have made it. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/texanfan2785">@texanfan2785</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen">@Jonathan_Feigen</a> who do you think will be the final 5 cuts from the roster?</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/526076094818942976">October 25, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
