Explain why. Explain how that makes the Rockets worse before spouting off? Lawson and Faried both get paid about half as much as Dwight (meaning you are in the same cap situation you are right now, where you can find ways to make room and add another significant piece), both are 27 or younger, both play in 70 plus games a year, and both address positions of need. Say DM could flip Dwight+ for Lawson, Faried and then make room to sign someone like Tyson Chandler. That team, on paper, is way better. Losing Dwight would create a new position of need... but frankly, center is not that important a position anymore. Absent someone that could be a truly dominant center - maybe a DeMarcus Cousins - I'd rather have my center be a solid solid role player. For all the good Dwight provided - defense and rebounding - in the playoffs, he was equally bad at times. It's nice to point to Harden's struggles in game 5. Which completely overlooks the fact that McHale tried to run a Dwight-centric offense to start the 2nd quarter, and the Warriors went on a 10-0 run before Harden was forced back into the game, with not enough rest. It overlooks the fact that Dwight again made stupid fouls, and twice just threw random balls into the stands - meaning Dwight also had a WTF game. The only surprise was his FT shooting was actually competent. Offensively it was more par for the course than WTF. His best playoff quarter was the Game 6 4th against the Clippers where he completely controlled the defense and didn't care about the offensive side. I'd love THAT Dwight all the time... if that Dwight was paid $16 million a year instead of $22 million, and would actually play like that.... which he doesn't. I'm not sure why people are all aboard the Dwight bandwagon?? As far as second fiddles go, I'd MUCH MUCH MUCH rather have Blake, Klay, Kyrie, Butler, Gasol (or Conley, whoever is the second fiddle there), Westbrook than Dwight. The Rockets weren't exactly good defensively in the playoffs anyway. They were better with Dwight, and they played amazing offensive opponents, but they still weren't good. In fact, during the regular season, they were seemingly better defensively when DMo was healthy regardless of whether or not Dwight was... But hey, what do I know?
Faried would kill spacing even more than Jones and he also is a bad defender. Look at how packed the paint is already for Harden when he has to drive into the paint.
Guys and girls, who do we get? My current priority ranking.. anyone else available and optimal? Conley, Lowry, Lawson, Beverley, Rozier, Sessions, Jameer, Lull, Brooks
He's not a beast. He's an above average starting PF. Would have been the best PF for this squad in the playoffs if healthy. Also, you can't just hope for good health. Everybody has injuries, all the time. The Warriors are generally the exception.. but it's not like they were 100% injury free either. Speights was out. Bogut missed in the regular season. They just have incredible depth... they found their star guys and got them on cheap contracts after fixing their cap issues. DMo is definitely a keeper, but you don't ignore upgrading or adding depth, if you can
the thing is we need a PG but we also need a PF to shoot to make the offense work.. another playmaker is good but hes has to have to have someone to make plays with. we dont need major upgrades at both spot, one SOLID upgrade at PG and a PF who can shoot is fine
I don't think your trade ideas are broken or something, but might send wrong message to future star FA players, especially since Morey is claiming to be all about chemistry now... I also don't think Les would ever agree to get rid of a big name still producing, it's just bad business.
Mike Conley Kyle Lowry Ty Lawson Patrick Beverley Terry Rozier Ramon Sessions Brandon Knight Jameer Nelson [Sergio Lull] Mario Chalmers Avery Bradley Jarrett Jack George Hill Rajon Rondo Mo Williams Patty Mills JJ Barea Steve Blake Aaron Brooks Kirk Hinrich
What's interesting is if houston did manage to upgrade the pg for DMo during the season (especially if we could have known he was done) it could have changed a lot... But now that he's coming off injury might as well keep developing him. I know it's a what if scenario (and I think most of us here didn't immediately picture WCFs), but man everything was aligning and it could have been the difference.
Since we are throwing out absurd suggestions... why not Parker or Chris Paul? Heck, let's go after Westbrook.
The thing is we need TWO new PGs. 1) Replacement for BEV (IDK realistically who is both avail and affordable. Knight, Jackson, Dragic, Rondo, Conley, etc.. all want to get paid) 2) 1st bench option replacement for Jet, Prigs. (Brooks, JJBarea, MoWill, Hinrich,etc...)
That has nothing to do with it. Morey didn't agree to the player option. Nevertheless, if the player option was getting in the way of creating cap space for Howard, then it's a moot point.
