We are not contenders yet, lets develop some ****ing talent instead of always looking for one. Houston has no needs right now besides a point guard. Beverly seems to choke in crunch time situations.
We don't need any new players. We can get rid of Asik for a plus but we dont need anything. We need them to continue working on chemistry and working on defense. We need them to get coached on D.
Good OP and topic but I don't think we have the answer to that question yet. I think the Rockets are in the process of finding out the answer to that question now and the early returns from TJones are looking real good. All I would say at this point is remember Derrick Chievous before declaring that TJones has solved the PF issue for the Rockets. Derrick Chievous looked outstanding for a few games and looked to be on ready to unseat Buck Johnson at Small Forward. It didn't take long for Derrick to come back down to Earth. I have issues with this satement. TJones has started 5 games and has only been outplayed in 2 of them. I don't think you can give him a negative grade for the games against Melo and Dirk since both of those guys are Hall of Fame players. Add to the fact that both Melo and Dirk are the featured scorers on their respective teams while TJones is clearly not 1, 2 or 3 in the offensive pecking order. Against Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Farried and Brandon Bass; TJones out played Farried and Bass while playing Young even. Young scored 5 more points than TJones but TJones had 11 rebounds and 3 blocks to Youngs 8 and 1. TJones is a complementary player not a featured player so IMO you have to grade him like that. As a complimentary player he is averaging: 14.4PPG 8.4 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.6 APG .566 FG% .500 3PT%. I don't think we know for sure if TJones is answer at Power Forward but I think your statement about the Rockets being massively outplayed at the Power Forward position is way off base.
They have a point guard. Jeremy Lin. And Bev doesn't choke in crunch time situations. I agree with you to develop what you have instead of looking from without. If you have to find someone from outside, look not for a star player, but for a veteran that can mentor some of the young players and provide leadership but doesn't even have to play much.
No, I think our biggest need is coach. That's the one that will affect our performance the most. After that, I'd go with a defense-and-3 guard/wing.
Can Lin average 17 ppg? I think maybe. Trade Asik and somebody for a legitimate $10 million player, any position but center.
I am sorry but this is nuts. The team didn't just sign Dwight Howard to a max contract for what is likely the last few years of his late prime so he can participate in the development of mid-first round picks like Jones and Motiejunas and other ancillary pieces. They are not gonna punt a year or two of Dwight Howard's (and James Harden's) career just so Terrence Jones (or Motiejunas or Canaan, or any of a number of guys) might become a better player. This team may or may not be a serious contender yet, but as Morey has said many times, the team will be trying to become a serious contender right away once Dwight entered the fray. This doesn't mean you don't care about younger guys at all, but it does mean that your priorities are different. You are not worried about, say, Paul Millsap or Thaddeus Young taking minutes away from Terrence Jones if these veterans are better than Jones this year. If a playoff-ready upgrade is available, the team should absolutely go after it. The same thing happened when the Pacers decided to compete and signed David West. Heck, Miami traded away a young Michael Beasley for peanuts so they can sign the big 3 and still have the flexibility to fill our their rosters with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller.
Need a veteran who can provide leadership and toughness, preferably a guy who's won a championship, a guy who commands respect from the younger players. Need a smothering defender, preferably a guy who can play both 3 & 4.
Actully, our number 1 need is: James Harden playing defense. Here is what I posted on another thread. Team defense can only go as far as the weakest link. No matter many elite defenders you put around Harden, the team defense is going to bad as long as Harden plays no defense. Think about "Domino" effect. You cann't unplug a hole to fill another hole. Soon, you will have holes all over the place. This is why Hard must put efforts in defense and play at least "accetable" defense. Let other player driving by him and then trying to poke the ball out is simply pathetic . I would put better coaching as number 2 need though if our aspiration is to win a champaignship. I just do not say we win a champaignship with our current coaching staff.
I'm happy with T-jones so far. He's the story of the season. I think our guard rotation can be improved. Lin is decent on offense but he's redundant with Harden and will be even more redundant come the playoffs. Beverly doesn't seem to be able to create on offense and so far, his defense hasn't had any significant impact for us in games. He's looking like a solid backup. I can't think of many other teams where he would be starting point guard. I'd love it if the Rockets could get shumpert. I'd say trade Asik + Lin/bev for a combination of shumpert + pick + back up C. Then you have a better 3 guard rotation. If we can get a decent two way starting point guard. Of course even if you get Shumpert, Harden still has to raise his game. No one can do his work for him.
ummm someone agrees with my NY trade rockets in bargnani Shumpert Knicks in Lin Asik rockets get perimeter defense wing that can guard 1-3 & a backup center/PF... that has shown he can D up Howard and hibbert yesterday, could have used TT with him on dirk because of his height and length. He can knock down the mid range and 3 so TT against certain team can work with him. but can't happen until dec15th ASIKS value is dropping fast because of his offense, requesting a trade, and $15mill he gets next season on a expiring contract. N.O seems to not want him anymore already http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....rleans-anderson-trade-dont-bet-on-it/related/
We've really only gone from PF terrible to PF average to below average. We have room to improve everywhere except for Harden and Howard. A wing defender is of marginal usefulness, unless he is starting over Parsons.
Our problem is defense, defense in on the coach. Maybe if we still had hill, scola, budinger, martin and brooks as our starting lineup, it wouldn't be on the coach then. This isnt the case anymore, we have howard DPOY center and then jones, parsons, beverley who are all capable defenders. Its on the coaching staff. Harden has all the tools to be a solid defender as well, hes 220 6'6 long wingspan and athletic, the coach needs to tell him to play D.
Woah woah woah! Have you lost it? this trade must be missing like 4 first round picks to the rockets.... btw asik is making 5 million this season so over two seasons it's like 10
let me guess your in the camp that thinks asik is going to get us LMA or LOVE ? guess what its not happening, if you read that article i posted N.O doesnt even want him anymore. Lin numbers can drop, and asik will still be a bench player here. Getting millsapp or eran is just a small upgrade over jones because their midrange game is better thats it.
and i understand thats $10mill over the next 2 seasons, that would have been trading him this summer, time is ticking now... if a team gets him at the deadline thats almost close $20mill for next season and 2 months this year.. and he will be a free agent so he could leave, thats alot for an owner to consider.
