Spoiler <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sTF_wJW7N4g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Still a few years away, if at all or if there's a chance. Right now, I'd say that chance is low but what the heck do I know.
The quick fix easiest pi k up is milsap.... trade for him ASAP, have his last few months with the rockets be an audition for next season and see how deep we can go in the playoffs then decide to keep him or go after k.Love... hopefully Utah is selling low... The most possible quick fix scenario.... MILSAP
Mid-range jumper (10-15 ft) is a critical skill for a PF in our system. Here's some comparisons This year/last year & *small sample Patrick P: .500/.419 Paul Millsap: .265/.246 Kevin Love: .562*/.287 David West: .423/.440 LMA: .459/.404 Kevin Love has only taken 16 shots this year from mid-range. So that number is definitely an aberration. Looking at this, it's clear that only LMA & David West are going to get you a good jump-shooting big man from long range. Of course, these numbers are depressed because they aren't all wide open looks - the type of shot that you expect to get with Harden & Lin driving and dishing - but they help for comparison purposes. Kevin Love is attractive but how is he going to score without taking the ball out of Lin's and Hardens hands? You need a PF who can post or get a quality shot off when necessary - when Harden is out of the game and Lin is being heavily pressured.....but you also need a very competent mid-range jump shooting PF in order to spread the floor and create room for Harden/Lin to drive while keeping PF's defender honest and preventing him from collapsing to the paint. I don't think LMA is going to be available. David West is the guy to target.
He really does sound perfect for us. Good overall defender, rebounder, can run the PnR well, great for our running style. The only thing that worries me is that he's not "great" individually. Having that match-up advantage at one position is such a great advantage in the playoffs since that puts a lot of pressure on the opposing defense. I suppose his success within our team structure could substitute that though. Who knows with Morey. He may even be able to flip some of the players on the borderline for other assets and then make moves with those. It'd be great if we could stay flexible while adding Millsap.
The 6'6" Millsap is a good idea if you know for certain you won't be facing the Clippers, Lakers or OKC in the playoffs. Blake Griffin absolutely murders the guy every time he plays him..... and the Lakers' big men score over the top of Millsap with the greatest of ease. It's a layup drill for opposing big men when they face Millsap. I imagine big Serge Ibaka also laughs in his face. No team with Millsap in its stating lineup will ever win a damn thing.
Agreed. If we're thinking about getting Paul Millsap I would hope it's on a very cheap contract and we don't have to do a sign & trade or lose an asset because Greg Smith would bring anything he could to the 4.
also, i want to point out that aldridge is a better midrange shooter than klove. if mchale likes his big shooting 3s more than midrange, then i have nothing to say about getting LMA
If the Rockets PF cannot reliably make a 3 point shot, the offensive system that the Rockets have built will have to be heavily modified. The prettiest play that the Rockets run is when everybody other than Asik is at the 3 point line with perfect spacing. Harden or Lin drive and if Asik's defender helps, the that leaves Asik wide open for the pass and the layup. If Asik's defender is late then it is just a layup drill. The other three defenders cannot get there in time. Bringing in a PF who does not have a reliable 3 point shot just brings another big defender into an area where they can offer help defense. Then it becomes a matter of the defenders defensive rotation. And points off the drive to the basket become much more difficult.
1 Love 2 Cousins 3 LMA 4 JSmith 5 Faried but I'd settle for Milsap, Al Jefferson or Derrick Williams....
This summer the best we can get are millsap or jsmith without giving up any of our assets. Again I think morey will target both, yea they might now make us champion favorites, but it gives us another star and if things don't work down the road, a solid trade asset if we want to get someone like Love/LMA.
Love doesn't take many 10-15 foot shows in the flow of the offense, they're usually shot clock heaves and the like because he's a very good 3 point shooter so will usually stretch all the way out instead (he'd need to shoot 55% for those mid rangers to be worth it). This year he's taken a few more actual setup shots because his injuries have been impacting his 3 point range, however he probably shouldn't be playing at all right now. Another thing, who on earth thinks the 10-15 foot shot creates spacing? It's the 16+ and especially the 3 pointer that actually matters for spacing in this team, that's part of why we look better with Morris than Patterson, better extended range. It's not overly necessary for Harden, but it is for Lin (Harden can operate in far less space than Lin, probably why he gets the max contract...). Love basically stood miles off Morris and let him go brickfest, and instead Lin had nowhere to operate, and really neither did Harden til he went all superstar on them in the 4th quarter. Aldridge has a good 16-23 foot game, but they're just not very good shots, especially with the volume he shoots. You talk about what Love would be like with the ball being dished to him, the vast majority of his assisted shots are his 3's, by a very large margin, of which he's typically a 35%+ shooter (37% before breaking his hand). For Aldridge, his assisted shots are at the rim (are we looking at getting rid of Asik? he's scored a grand total of what? 2 shots outside 3 feet all year? it's the only thing he does on offense), and at 16-23 feet where he shoots about 40%, pretty good for that range, however not even close to as good as 37% from 3.
Josh smith fits our run n gun style and he is FA. Aldridge is injury prone and not good defender, milsap is shorter than Parsons smh
I like Milsap, but if you buy him in the off season, that is it, thats your team going forward. Obviously LMA is the best fit/player. I am not 100% sold on Love, he has looked horrible lately. David West is a good player, but too old at 32 IMO. If we go with the old route, Id prefer Nene, who is outstanding. I am conflicted about whether or not Josh Smith is the way to go. I am kinda crossing my fingers that Paul and Howard go to Atlanta in the offseason. It will make Horford available and will make the Western conference that much easier to climb. I think Horford would be perfect here. He is very good at a lot of different things. I agree though, PF is the best opportunity for an upgrade. Patterson is a fine player, but its a prime spot to add an impact player.
On the baseline a 10-15 foot jumper creates spacing by pulling the defense away from the center of the floor. You don't have to go all the way out to the 3 point land. Because these guys are taller they dont need to go out as far to get a clean look at the basket either. It's hard to close on 10 feet in a few seconds against someone 6'10' or taller. But yeah, they have to be on the baseline. The basic Idea is you have your small forward on the strong side baseline behind the 3 point line to create space and set up the 3 (strong side needs more space obviously) and the PF is on the baseline for the 10-15 foot jumper. Center sets the pick up top to initiate the drive. This creates space for Asik if the ball comes to him, or if they don't switch Lin/Harden has a step and can force the SF or PF's man to pick him up setting up the 3 or the short jump shot. You can go stretch it to the 3 point line but it's unnecessary. Look what the Bulls used to do with Bill Wellington. Just baseline jumpers galore. I understand the rationale for taking 3's in our offense. And yes Love can shoot well from 3 point land - but you know I don't like taking a physical player that far out of the action. he won't be rebounding much. He won't be banging around. And besides, the guy covering the other player (lin or harden) can easily drop down to defend the baseline 3 if his man pulls away to help defend the drive.
