Gordon is way above average off the bench. Absolute weapon when healthy. I don't want Wilson Chandler that bad, imo he's not that good but he's still a better offensive player than Ariza. I'd rather have Gallinari as he's a far better three point shooter but that's not happening. I've actually addressed your query multiple times; the solution is to pick up undervalued, low risk high reward guys. I agree that our combination of assets aren't going to net us a massive upgrade without crippling the team elsewhere. What we should be doing is picking up more wings/guards who give us more versatility and can provide D'Antoni with more options; which means Ariza's limitations aren't as glaring as they are now. McLemore Hardaway Jr. Muhammad Robinson III Justin Holiday Gary Harris Sfelosha Kilpatrick Casspi Barton etc. etc. These are all guys who can instantly help this team. 100%. Some of these names would command more than others, but some members of this list could be had for pennies on the dollar. It infuriates me that we miss out on these type of players year and year again. It's not Rocket science (pun intended), until there is a clear upgrade or our assets are worth more, make calculated risks and add to the depth of the team in a position sorely needing it.
I feel u imo Ariza is a high quality bench player on a contender. He would def see 20-25min a night on the Cavs Spurs and Warriors but it would be off the bench. I would love to have Ariza back up say Paul Goerge or Gordon Hayward. Pipe dream I know. On another note I prefer Paul Goerge over Hayward but looking at Haywards numbers from three this year I'm liking what I see. 39% on over 4 attempts. PG is the better defender tho and shoots just as well. A great sf with Capela Anderson harden and bev/Gordon would be a nasty top 5-6 player rotation. You could keep up with the Warriors imo.
It's a different NBA now I think harden could have won atleast one ring with that bulls team if you swapped him out for Jordan. The bulls still had pippin who's hands down better than anyone we have on the team next to James. Get us Paul George and I would change my mind lol
i think gordon will reunite with brad stevens this summer in boston, or just stay where he is since the jazz are pretty good. the best player that we have a realistic shot at is ibaka. he's parting with the magic one way or another has a relationship with james, fits a need for us, and don't cost a supermax. he should be priority #1 instead of waiting on durant, blake, gordon etc... as a fall back, i'd go after iggy. he's older but he still adds an overall talent upgrade to our roster and most importantly hurts the warriors. they won't be able to pay him that much so a decent offer might lure him away. we see how much losing their bench had weakened them this year, taking him from them would get us pretty close to their W/L record.
Cool. This is interesting.. To clarify, I was not benchmarking Gordon against other backup shooting guards. I was benchmarking him against other teams' #2 options. That is his role with the team, as I see it.
With the Warriors around, you are probably correct. I don't think you can say a front office is failing because your team is not as talented as Golden State though. I was more responding to the idea that Ariza being a below average SF ensures our doom. On a normal, non-GS team with the usual constraints, their SF may be better than Ariza, but the advantage our strength (Harden) has over their strength more than compensates. I don't think you can pick one position and say we can't win (against any team but GS or maybe the Cavs) b/c that position is below average. It's about talent across the board and coaching, not one position.
I agree I like what the rockets have done. There just building the best team they can around Harden and as constructed is a 55-60 game winner. The fact that they did that with only one superstar surrounded by not even another allstar shows that not only is harden amazing but fit and depth still have a major place in today's NBA. I seriously think adding another good player like Gordon or Anderson would propel this team to 2nd best in the NBA. Unfortunately the Warriors are around which really does suck for the NBA and it's fans. It'll be cool for a year or two but when fans realize that this team literally won't be challenged for the next 4 years (maybe more) it's going to put a dark cloud around league imo. But building around this core is the right move. Everyone is 28 or under besides nene and Ariza. You never know, maybe harden goes on a crazy run in the playoffs one year like dirk and Beats the juggernaut Warriors, Maybe curry or KD get hurt. Just have to be ready and building around what we got is Still best option. I want Paul George bad but gutting the team for him does not make us better. This team would be lethal with a upgrade at sf or just a high level role player like Gordon/Anderson starting or coming off the bench. Thai team has shown for a 25 game stretch that they can have the best offense and a top 5 defense. Part of our defense being elite is us scoring at historic rates. Adding more offensive minding players would only help that cause imo.
As I look at the history of nba champions, or even finals contenders, it seems pretty clear that all of those teams had #2 and #3 options that were meaningfully better than what the Rockets have. I'd certainly take an upgrade at SF. Or PF. Or C. Upgrades are needed across the board. Even more so in this GSW world. I think Gordon Hayward or PG13 are the perfect fits, but seems unlikely either arrive. Not sure how DM can go about really upgrading the roster. The reason why many say go for Ibaka is because he's available, at what should be a relatively cheap price. But he's not on a level of a guy you'd really want as your #2 guy.
Injuries will happen. Don't forget it takes both having a great team and a lot of luck (good health, matchups, players peaking at right time) to win the title. If one of the big 4 goes down, we are in the conversation to win it all.
Don't know if don't try is the problem. Like you said, Beverly was a win for us. Just like Mario Elie was a win for the Rockets' championship teams. Whiteside is all-star caliber player now. Covington was a starter for Philly. Wilson Chandler played in China before breaking out. Yogi Ferrell is not just starting but added a winning spark for Mavs recently. Players are out there, Houston just has to not only find them, but play them. Whether as small rotation players or actual back ups.
I'm not so sure about that but I guess I'll hope your right. I think they can afford to lose or klay and still be the hands down favorite to win the chip. As long as KD and green are good to go they will be hard to beat as along as they have one of the other two. I agree that we would be in the convo but still the odds would not be great. The Warriors are just that good, the best team I have ever seen in my 25 years watching the NBA. I have never seen a collection of talent like this all 28 and under. The sad thing is that any other year the Rockets would have as good a chance as any to come out the west and win a ring and the year we can legitly claim that the Warriors put together the 73 win team and add Kevin Durant. It's actually Gross to think about. I know a lot of people think it was a good idea for KD to go to GS and that it's his choice which it is but man I know life isn't fair but this just seems like a big FU to the rest of the league. I don't see how these other 29 teams and players arnt thinking strictly about the $$$. And if they secretly did I wouldn't blame them.
GSW weakness has always been their bench players. Can Cousins be healthy and productive enough to replace the role of McGee? That's very very possible and this is why people were shocked by the signing.
it hasn't always. its only been that way within the last year or so bc the likes of livingston and iguodala are getting older and hurt more often. but they have no problem finding people chasing basically a sure ring to fill it out
