I thought the David Thorpe on Zach Lowe podcast today was quite a good listen. Personally i would rather keep Howard and adjust the role players and coach. I thought the fake Kevin Love trades to Detroit and Boston were interesting where both teams could benefit. Thorpe's fake Kevin Love trade idea to Houston had Houston keeping Howard and instead moving out some combination of Dmo/Jones/Harrell or other guys. I am sure Ariza would have to be included.
It's a lot simpler than this. Just go trade for Rubio. Take the ball out of Harden's hands and send him the message he's got to D up and play off the ball. If Harden doesn't like it and pouts, then trade him for the best possible return and move on.
Do they have to trade for Rubio to do this? In theory, couldn't they just take the ball out of Harden's hands now and give it to Lawson? To change Harden's mindset, they need to get a coach that will "show him the way." (Thibs) Need to do a little "inception" with Harden.
Butler hasn't been developing into one of the leaders for the Bulls? I guess you might of missed that memo
They could. But Lawson is never going to be the plus defender Rubio is. And handing the ball to Lawson at this point when there's already a history here would be a bigger slap in the face than bringing a new guy. Trading for a guy and giving him the basketball while simultaneously making a coaching change and tweaking the system for the new coach who was hired because the owner of the team is pissed because the team has underperformed...a little more palatable for an underperforming superstar and perhaps a chance to get him back on track and convince him he's better off playing off the ball with a guy that can get him (and Dwight) the basketball in easier positions to score. Simultaneously with this is a revamping of the perimeter guys around Harden (both the 1 and the 3). His little buddies (Bev and Ariza) gone and replaced by upgrades at both spots and the hopes of making a run this season. (We all know Lawson isn't the answer here. We've got to have a 1 and 3 that both D up something fierce around Harden because he is so bad out there. Lawson is never, ever going to be a plus defender. It's the wrong fit. It's obvious. Even if Lawson was playing point and running the team it still wouldn't work. Because Lawson/Harden is the worst defensive backcourt in the association, even worse than Philly's back court.)
Trade for Rubio and you will see him fall in front of Harden. Lawson is a perfect example. If you want to argue on the defensive end, look at Dragic with Wade. You will get nothing but a glorified Beverley that can't shoot.
You can see this most in Ariza. Just watch his body language on offense and defense, dude has had enough. I dont blame him; when you have to chase after every player that gets hot and watch the Superstar chill on defense and hold the ball on offense why would care if the Superstar doesnt.
You can't let one player shanghai the whole franchise. Harden is an awful defender and a mediocre playmaker. He is an excellent, highly efficient, highly proficient scorer/finisher. We are lacking a playmaker. Harden already acknowledged he needs help handling the basketball. Instead of trading for one of his buddies that he recruits we should go trade for the best playmaking/defending point guard that we can get that will get both Harden and Dwight the basketball a ton and let them do what they do best on the offensive end, which is finish. It would be very simple to explain this to Harden after the fact, especially right now with this team treading water. We are going nowhere. We cannot continue to put little pieces parts around Harden and Dwight. We need to upgrade the guys around Harden and Dwight and they need to accept the upgrade, even if it's a young star level player coming in. We need a player that is at least as good as Howard and possibly as good or better than Harden for us to make a serious run.
Oh yes. Rubio is the ideal point guard for this team. He is wasting away in Minny, playing slow-down, set up basketball with a bunch of kids. And we need a playmaker and defender on the perimeter in the worst way. He's on a reasonable contract that's going to look cheap when he's throwing alley oops to Dwight out the ying-yang and generating 2-3 steals a game for Harden to dunk on the other end. Not to mention how he's going to look in our full-speed helter-skelter style. His true basketball genius is waiting to be unfurled here in H-Town as the chemical straw that stirs Harden and Howard together. It's time.
I agree with you, but I don't think it will change. I just don't see a coach can that contain Harden, who probably has owner backing him. We don't need a Rubio to make the case, no point. Keep Lawson for cheap next year, get a new coach, and see if anything changes. Most likely it won't. Only thing we can do really is to hope Harden grows up.
Lawson doesn't defend, can't defend. It's over here with Lawson. Time to move on. Send Lawson and Brewer to PHX for Knight/Morris with Morris non-guaranteeing his salary after this season. Then send Knight/Dekker/pick to Minny for Rubio/Rudez/Prince. Then send Ariza/Bev/Jones to Charlotte for Batum/Roberts/Hansbrough. Sign Putney. Go to war. Rubio/Roberts Harden/Thornton/McDaniels Batum/Prince/McDaniels/Rudez/Putney Dwight/Capela/Morris DMo/Morris/Rudez That's a very dynamic starting 5 with plenty of ball movement and defense. And Harden can lead a second unit that is uptempo with plenty of D around him. And we've got plenty of options with cap space and Morris' non-guaranteed deal this summer.
One thing I admire about you holic is that you stick to your guns! I almost hope this happens just to see at this point. For the record they should give the keys to Ty imo if they are willing to do that for Rubio in a trade scenario. Rubio may have better D but he has a significantly worse shot. I feel like the way this team is constructed we may as well go all O and clamp down as best as possible late. Win every game 125-120
C- Kevin Love . Noah PF- Gibson, Capela SF - Ariza , Thorton SG - Harden , KJ PG- Beverly, Ty Gibson and Noah would def. make up for howard lost.
