what are the realistic players the rockets will try to target in the 2012 free agency? i dont think that any time soon superstar players will want to come here nor be title contenders. Omer Asik, Chicago Bulls – $1.9 million – Unrestricted* Nic Batum, Portland Trail Blazers – $2.2 million – Restricted ($3.2 million Qualifying Offer) lowry lee/ twill batum pat asik
Asik might be attainable, the question is what his price will be. Expect his price to be high, especially if the Bulls do well and he plays a big part. Teams like Charlotte are bound to raise his price way more than he's worth.
We should trade Bud and Hill for Batum and 2nd rd pick and try to sign him back that way. Underrated player who won't get a fair chance to start with Wallace ahead of him. Blazers get more depth which they desperately need. Asik will get offered a lot of money from probably the warriors who are desperate for an inside presence. Pass on him. Also, making a move for RoLo wouldn't be a bad idea either. We may be able to sign him back for MLE seeing as most teams will trying to court D12 or D-will
I dont understand this talk about how no super star will come to Houston. T-mac came to Houston and other super stars like Carmelo put Houston on there list as a place they would play. The only markets bigger that Houston are LA, NYC, and CHI. I'd say were in a second tier of big markets of the likes of Dallas, Boston, and Miami (off of the top of my head). I doubt we will make a move for either Asik or Batum we already have plenty of solid role players, and don't have much room for FA without a trade. I guess it never hurts to add another good seven footer in Asik but I think the bulls will offer Asik a contract extension before the season ends or shortly after.
TMac came here because of the opportunity to play next to a 7'6 freak of nature from China.. Not to mention the extremely nice people of Orlando wanted nothing to do with him, and oh yeah, he was traded here so he kind of didn't have a choice. Houston is not on the same level of the Miami, Boston, or Dallas as far a "popular" market. I would consider Houston comparable to Atlanta, somewhere in the 8-12 range when ranking NBA cities. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. If Asik is smart and has a solid season, he will wait for this summer and let the market dictate his value. He could see a Gortat type contract, and I don't think Chicago could get close to that which IMO is why I think he gets traded.
It's not necessarily just the market, but it might be the team and management. While, it's also other factors at work for players, it's not necessarily a roster issue, sometimes. Also, I do not know how well players perceive working for the Rockets.
what is with the Batum infatuation? People act like he would be this huge upgrade over Bud but that is just not the case. Their numbers are almost identical as starters as well as their per minute production. They are both 23 as well. I've heard so much love for Batum vs so much hate for Bud the last couple of years you would think that one was a superstar while the other was still trying to figure out the ball was round. The Rockets have Bud for less than 1 million next season and would be crazy to give Batum 8 million in one season. Batum at this point is not worth the MLE much less all-star caliber money. He is a good player though, do you see him making huge improvements in his game? I'm not sure I would want the Rockets to pay someone who has been in the league for 4 years based on potential.
Both are 23 with almost identical numbers. Both have similar athletisism and height. Yet somehow Batum has upside and Bud doesn't? Sounds like nothing but Bud hate to me. Bud's bad defense has all but been proven a myth. Evan Hollinger has numbers to back that up. Batums defense is better but not by as much as you seem to think. Neither are going to remind you of Ron Artest in his prime.
Classic example of looking at boxscores and not watching the games. Batum is a great defender and a decent shot blocker at sf. Bud is terrible at both.
Eh ... their both high leapers but that's about it in similarities in terms of athleticism. Batum is laterally quicker, better sprinter, higher vertical reach and also he has a much longer wingspan (7'2) compared to Bud's 6'7 wingspan. Thus making his defensive potential alone much higher then Bud's.
I watch almost every game. I watch enough to know that Bud gets a bad rap on the defensive end. So you think Batum is all that and bag of chips? Why was Portland so eager to get Wallace?
2012 is basically Dwight Howard or bust. No other option matter. Especially because Lowry plays the same position at Deron Williams. IMO, the best the Rockets can offer in terms of a lineup is something like this. Dwight Howard(20) Patterson(2) Gerald Wallace(8) KMart(13) Lowry(6) Morris(2) CBud(1) Parsons(1) Motiejunas(2) Lee(3) Salaries are estimates to the nearest mil. But it's fairly doable to get Dwight Howard and Gerald Wallace. Wallace would be brought in at a somewhat discount for a top team. Dwight Howard would basically get an all-star(Lowry assuming he continues to produce), Ray Allen-esque shooter(KMart), semi-star and defender(Wallace) and overall depth. I think it's the best team Dwight Howard can get. It would require the Rockets to trade Scola and Dalember though.
Am I the only one who needs to put an * in Budinger's athleticism? He's just a high leaper and that's it. He lacks all those qualities you describe about Batum, plus he lacks strength -or at least plays in a way that makes it seem that way, some highlights he seems unflinching by contact but a lot of times he looks weak, it might be a demeanor issue. Would I trade Chase straight up for Batum? Hell yes. But I only see Batum as the ultimate glue-guy, he has a lot of tools but I don't see a star in him.
