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Harden + all new starting line-up

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by OTMax, May 25, 2016.

  1. OTMax

    OTMax Member

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    I was not totally convinced that Ariza and Beverley should not start anymore and we only needed a PF upgrade, but it's clear we need everybody but Harden to be replaced. Seeing Roberson from OKC make an impact and how limited Ariza is at driving to the basket and how inept Beverley is at initiating anything, our bigs cannot shoot nor strongly rebound and Dwight is more than likely gone it is time for a big shake up.

    Beverley off the bench with Ariza would be just fine, but as starters, no. We need a wing who can at least do more than catch and shoot and some goes for the PG position. Total overhaul is needed! Capela as a starter would be okay, but preferably a strong veteran to start. D-Mo and TJ hopefully will be gone along with Dwight.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. jev5555

    jev5555 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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    You keep DMo. Dont discount a 7 footer who can shoot.
    Coming off an injury...should be vintage plus DMo next year.
     
  3. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    The starting lineup is irrelevant.

    The team needs talented players, at any position, ie Stars.

    Once you have your stars, or foundation players, then you can worry about who is starting alongside of them.
     
  4. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    Forever chasing stars, then force them to shoot 3s only.
     
  5. OTMax

    OTMax Member

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    Of course it matters, regardless if we get stars, we should replace all our starters except Harden is what I'm saying.
     
  6. Liberon

    Liberon Rookie

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    Did you get the memo and the consensus of what went wrong? The team had locker room issues that were not fixable. They didn't fully get on a basic same page and imploded. The way the guys played doesn't matter when there wasn't a game plan or decent team chemistry to begin with. Any team would have lost given those circumstances.
     
  7. CDrex

    CDrex Contributing Member

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    There's a place for 3-and-D guys who can't create for themselves on a winning team.

    Only thing is, it's not in a lineup with a single creator and a bunch of other middling players.

    I would argue that we are overstocked with excellent 4th and 5th wheels, and replacing them all would be dumb. Good fifth wheels are hard to find.

    I believe that if you replace two out of four of (Dwight/Capela, D-Mo, Ariza, Bev) with more dynamic players in the starting lineup, the two guys who remain actually look really, really good in their catch-and-finish / defensively focused role, and don't need replaced.
     
  8. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    I would easily take a dip in DMo's shooting for an improvement on the defensive end. If DMo played defense better, late game stretches would go a lot smoother. I'd almost want a 7 footer who can play defense and set a screen over a 7 footer who can shoot.
     
  9. J Sizzle

    J Sizzle Member

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    We don't need better players. We just need better leadership.
     
  10. Houston79Astro

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    Why would you want to get rid of DMO? Who would replace him? a guy who shoots 3, but is undersized and crap on D? Or a defensive stopper who can not shoot to save his life? How about a guy who can post up and play defense, but unable to hit a shot 15ft from the basket? Dmo contributes in every way you need. is he elite? no, not at all, but replacing him isn't easy and pointless. If you let him walk, you will be chasing after him later (or someone with his skill set).

    Moving onto Bev, is his Defense what it was? No, but under the last coaching staff who wouldn't suffer? Plus all these star guards running around who can stop them? Bev is perfect next Harden, unless you can find a crazy lengthy guard who can shoot threes.

    As for Ariza, he needs to come off the bench. I love the guy and think the hate he got wasn't to warranted this season. You play 48 minutes every night and play top tier D against the best offensive players on every team, then run down the court to run a offensive game plan based a non existent offensive system.

    To replace him, I would like a sharpshooter who can come off screens and hit every shot on the floor.

    At center I would try to get a guy who is a defensive anchor, dependable free throw taker, and can Jam every ball down your throat. If you can't find a guy like that, then find another Capella and go cheap at the position and spend your cap on depth.

    We need another play maker for this team when Harden sits.
     
  11. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

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    Dmo is mediocre and is not worth the money he will command.

    That money is better spent elsewhere.
     
  12. RocketsJumer

    RocketsJumer Member

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    In my opinion, the PG and SF positions are fine. If we can upgrade them, then more power and depth for us. But I'm "comfortable" with Bev and Ariza starting next year, as long as we have proper depth behind them.

    Power Forward and Center need to be our focus.

    Power Forward has been a weakness for us ever since we waived Luis Scola. D-Mo seems to be the answer but with injury concerns, I would not give him anymore than 10M/year to return.

    Center is a big question mark. I wish Capela showed a little more last season than what he did because if he did, I would be more comfortable with giving him the reigns at starting center next season. Him starting is still a very good possibility, though.
     
  13. fallenphoenix

    fallenphoenix Contributing Member

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    i guess it's better than forever chasing scrubs that can't shoot 3s and forcing them to shoot 3s, as we have been doing.
     
  14. ibm

    ibm Member

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    i am not sure about that. why cant we consider replacing harden?

    fool's gold is no real gold...
     
  15. jimmyv281

    jimmyv281 Member

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    Horford
    Anderson
    Beasley
    Harden
    Beverly
     
  16. StupidMoniker

    StupidMoniker I lost a bet
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    Look up the stats for the Beverly-Harden-Ariza-Motiejunas-Howard lineup and then come back and reassess this thread topic.
     
  17. Harden's beard

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    I'm telling you, until we get a legit second scoring option or a second star to pair with Harden, this team is going nowhere. Ariza and Bev are not bad players but at what cost are they coming? Four teams currently playing in the Conference Finals all have two lethal perimeter scorers on their team (WB & Durant, Curry & Klay, LeBron & Irving, DeRozan & Lowry). Not only Harden doesn't have a partner, we are trying to pair him up with the declining player at the wrong position.

    The game has changed, teams don't need a dominant big man to win anymore, we need to acquire an elite perimeter player at SF of PG position who can score 20+ points at will to go along with Harden, that would make this team a true contender.
     
  18. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    DMo is a 7 footer who plays plus defense and is always setting screens.....and he can shoot. C'mon people did you watch the games at all?
     
  19. hakeemthagreat

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    I'd replace DMo easily with Ryan Anderson. Good D? Stop it. DMo's good at taking charges. His one on one D is horrendous. His rebounding is even worse. He's not good enough to be untouchable
     
  20. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    So you'd go with less rebounding, a lot less defense, for a bit better 3 point shooting? LOL that's a brilliant plan.
     

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