I agree with you that Martin and Scola would be a fair move. It would have to be a multiple team move cause I don't see the Lakers needing Martin. Domino maybe simplifying things a little bit, the whole situation is complicated and you maybe successful with somethings and fail at others.
Your whole premise is incorrect as ammo and guns are in high abundance while Robins are pretty rare and Batmans are the utmost elusive of them of. Please try again.
I want to clarify on the domino comment. I think your misuderstanding what Im talking about. Just FYI, Im not talking about attracting a Superstar fee agent to team up with Gasol like a team like Dallas was banking on doing this Summer if they aquired one of the two of Deron/Dwight. Its incredibly unrealistic and Morey himself has said that he believes banking on attracting stars in free agency is not the way to go, and the way to build teams are through trade. I personally think that if the Rockets would have aquired Gasol/Nene there probably would have been another trade on the docket maybe for a Danny Grainger or a Andre Iguodala type of player... who knows. Every player Morey seems to trade for comes completely out of left field so its pointless to speculate who he's looking to trade for just as it is pointless to assume he is going to trade for Gasol again. Jonathan Feigan of the Chronicle said more than a few times that they had several other moves that were pending the trade and weren't able to happen because of the nixed deal. Maybe he is just referring to the Thabeet amnesty and the Nene signing, but it sounds like there was more on the docket. Hope that helps clarify what I mean by domino. I dont think Gasol alone is going to "entice" any star to want to come to Houston, or that Morey would be dumb enough to assume it would.
Well said. The whole point of Gasol was to mix & match all stars at different positions on our team in the very likely scenario that we aren't/weren't able to get a legit superstar to pair w/Gasol. Personally though, now that LA has a quality starter PG, I think we should shift our focus to ATL with a Lowry+Scola+filler(s) for Josh Smith as ATL had another playoff fizzle. I still think Gasol is the better overall player (for 2-3 years tops), but Josh Smith brings some great defense with some great and frustrating offense. I believe Morey and co. were enamored by Gasol's passing skillz and how he could fit into Finch/McHale's offense.
I understood what you meant by the domino comment. As I had pointed out earlier, even with Nene and whomever else the Rockets would have gotten, it would have made them competitive -- sure, but contenders? Hardly. Hypothetically, a team of Gasol, Nene, and Igoudala is pretty decent and much better than what we have right now, but this concept is obviously built to win now, given their respective ages. However, this team wouldn't be able to compete with the elite teams in the league and do understand you will have depleted all of your main assets in obtaining Gasol and/or Igoudala. What you have on your hands is essentially a less deep, more costly, and older version of the Grizzlies (Gasol, Randolph, and Gay). The biggest problem with your proposed solution is that you are banking on a hell of a lot of dominoes falling into place to get your scenario to play out as planned. I don't doubt the Rockets had a plan, but obviously you have to be prepared for curveballs. All I'm trying to say is that the Rockets would be better off going for a younger and more cost-effective solution, instead of wasting more than a third your salary cap on a player who obviously isn't getting any young or any better. The Rockets are nowhere near a state of contention and need to figure out a way to build a strong foundation to compete maybe 3-5 years down the line. To me, Gasol is not the answer.
Simply put it takes the right combination of players to get a championship, that is it takes a superstar(s)+ the right mix of role players (these can be Pau Gasols, Chandler Parsons, Lee, etc.). Now since, the boss man wanted to not tank we have to do it the "competitive way" so why the hell are you trying to argue otherwise? Furthermore , this article is from Feb 2012, you know the whole point of the OP and thread? I think with LA's new PG, their situation has changed with Gasol. Maybe an outside shot, maybe used in 3 team trade.
No, your analogy tossed supply and demand out of the window which is central to the situation at hand.
Yes, it's an oversimplified analogy of the situation, but it makes perfect sense. If you only have X amount of dollars to spend at the moment you will purchase the gun first and then you would purchase your ammo. You need to know what type of gun you are firing before you purchase the ammo. Your not gonna spend all your money on ammo and not have enough money to purchase your gun. Gasol represents a very expensive investment. You are banking on the fact that you have a plan in place and everything will fall squarely into place. What I'm trying to say is, there are too many variables to factor in and you only have a very limited time frame to do it, if you were to go the Gasol route. All I'm trying to say is that there are more cost effective solutions then going with an aging/overpaid PF/C that everybody deems soft. You simply can't justify paying $20 millions for Pau Gasol.
Can we please just put your gun and ammo analogy to the side because as you said it is very overly simplified. The road to contention is never cheap. But that's why Morey has always maintained flexibility to sign multiple players to large deals, even max. And how is that different from rebuilding through the draft? How is that different from any route? Stop being naive. Everybody? Think that's a bit of an exaggeration. I'm pretty sure most GMs in a position to go to the playoffs or content would take a $19 million aging, soft PF/C to make up their core. I'm sorry if you don't understand why Gasol is so good and I'm sorry if you can't see the bigger picture. And lastly I'm sorry you're somehow still stuck on Gasol since the Lakers will be in a less likely position to trade. You must really dislike Gasol to keep at it.
If you read my previous posts, I never mentioned that I hated Gasol. He's a very likable player, but it's simply my opinion that he isn't the piece the Rockets should be going for. I think you're being a bit hypocritical about me going at this as it seems as though you like Gasol very much (and likewise won't stop talking about him). I don't have a problem with your opinion. It's obvious we both have different ideas of the "bigger picture". Neither of us are right or wrong. We can agree to disagree.
Wait til he's 37..his prime age according to Morey just like all the other players morey has acquired.
You've made that clear. I thought this was what the thread was about? Gasol? Am in the wrong place? Actually yes, you are wrong. Les has stated he wants to stay competitive so you were arguing something that the management doesn't want to do. Maybe they have changed their mind, but I don't think so.
To get Gasol I think we need another team involved. Even if we land Gasol we can't assume we will automatically land other stars in the same summer. It may take time for the Rockets to rebuild.
At this point we would need another team for Gasol, but I believe that ship has sailed. This article was from Feb 2012 so....
How does going after a younger, more cost-effective solution to Pau Gasol makes us any less competitive and isn't something that management would consider? For instance, if the Rockets were to set their sights on obtaining a Roy Hibbert or even a James Harden instead of going after Pau Gasol. How am I wrong for thinking the Rockets could and should go after such targets as I see the upside in them, especially for a team that is nowhere near a state of contention. With Pau Gasol, you would be forced to build a contender with him as one of your main pieces within the next two years. I just don't see how feasible that is considering the fact that there are far more competitive teams out there that are built to win now. In case the Rockets aren't able to put together a team to contend for the title in the course of the next two or three years, you would still have young cornerstones to build your team upon. Look, it's really obvious you like Pau Gasol and honestly I don't have a problem with that. I don't know why you are being a prick, just because I don't happen to agree with you on how Pau Gasol could benefit the team. Can Pau Gasol benefit our team? Sure. Are there better alternatives out there? Hell Yes. Just because I don't happen to agree with your assessment that Pau Gasol IS the piece that the Rockets need to get us off the "mediocrity treadmill" doesn't mean my assessment is wrong. If you want to disagree with my assessment, honestly, that's fine by me. However, as you have already pointed out, this is a forum where people can share different ideas and thoughts on a variety of different topics. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't make them wrong. Look, I respect your opinion on the matter and you make some valid points, but IMO, there are better and more cost effective solutions out there than allocating more than a third of your salary cap to Gasol.
Probably not, but the Lakers getting Sessions significantly altered their need for a PG. I just don't see us having what the Laker's want/need now.
amen. if they go down in the 2nd round, i'm thinking (and praying) what we have to offer isn't going to be all that enticing.
My sincere apologies, I was under the impression you were arguing for a different type of youth movement. I'm not hung up on Gasol... again that is the topic of the thread. I've said in many posts that I think Gasol will be unavailable and have given my suggestions to alternatives. Here's one from earlier: I have been merely explaining the logic behind getting Gasol. There are better options than Gasol, but that was the best option at the time given our assets and the assets of Lakers. I'd rather have Love than Gasol, but there's no way Minny would consider trading Love. I'm not sure what's so hard to understand about that notion?
