That's a championship team right there! (Of course, it's an NCAA championship.) If nothing else, that team would land us in the lottery next year so we could pick up ever MORE talented youngsters.
A bench is something you put together after you secure star players. It's not THAT difficult. Just look at the rosters of the team in the EC & WC Finals. Stephen Jackson, Matt Bonner, Boris Diaw, Nazr Mohammad, Derek Fisher, Mike Miller, James Jones, Eddie House, Ronny Turiaf, Mikael Pietrius, Greg Stiemsma, Marquis Daniels.... to name a few...and most are FA signings or came dirt cheap in a trade by teams looking to shed salary. If you include the final 8 playoff teams...the list gets. Here's a novel concept...get a couple stars and then go get a bench. From my view, it doesn't work too well when done in reverse. (IOW, still waiting on turning all those assets into a star).
Okay, think of a star you want. Then ask yourself, does he want to be here? Most of them(the important ones)don't. There is really only one that will make a difference and thats Howard, who doesn't want to be here. The last thing we need is for Howard to come here and start that crap that he is starting in Orlando. Bypass all that star b.s. and draft a good group of players to take their place. It's the moneyball way.
Oh stop with that nonsense. Stars are professionals and want to win and get paid. I'm sure whatever "problem" they have with Houston can be solved with money and winning. Granted, it doesn't always work out that way, but I think it's overblown how "players don't want to come here". Lastly, there are other stars (not on Howard's level) that can be had and would be able to help out the rockets.
Lets say we swing a deal to get Howard. Who is going to be left on the team once we give up our draft picks and young players?? Nobody wants to answer this question because the truth hurts. That truth is, Howard comes to team with a couple of NBA players and 10 D-league players. Team is not winning enough for Diva Howard. Starts demanding trade right before trade deadline. Trade doesn't come through and three games into the 2nd half of the season, his mysterious back problems return. He sits out the rest of the season and team goes into toilet. But alas, team is rewarded with a top pick in the 2013 lottery!!! Come to find out, the 2013 draft is noticably weaker than 2012, so the pickings are slim. Anybody under Howard is not even worth the time and "assets".
Wow, that's a lot bad things happening coachbadlee. Well first, we would need to establish a hypothetical trade to see what players come and go to answer "who is going to be left on the team once we give up our draft picks and young players?" However, if your scenario plays out then we'll let Howard go for something(s) in return and rebuild. I think Howard is an acceptable risk, especially considering it further increases your chances of landing DWill. Again like another poster said, you get your superstar(s) and build around him/them.
Today, lets take a look at the teams that made it to the 2nd round without superstars, Indiana and Phillie. For this i will just name the players that mattered. Indiana George- #10 Granger- #17 Hansbrough- #13 Hibbert- #17 Collison- #21 Hill- #26 West- #18 As you can see, only one top ten pick. Now... Phillie Brand- #1(wow!!) Iggy- #9 Holiday- #17 Turner- #2 Williams-#45(wtf!!!) Hawes- #10 Here you have 4 top ten players. In both these cases, there were picks mostly in weak drafts. One good draft here, one good draft there. It is known and has been said many times that the 2012 draft is going to be deep. It was being talked about during the lockout. Luckily for us, we are ready to take full advantage of it. Get at least two more picks!!!
Let's get the four picks. Don't call it tanking. Maybe we get lucky and get something beyond role players. Chances are very high no immediate stars so we will draft even higher next year. It gives us two chances to get out of our mediocrity. Either that or go for Dwight Howard and hope we can keep him. If we keep him, we win. If not we are in contention for the top of the lottery Still two possible ways out of mediocrity. Just don't continue the present strategy which has never gotten a team above mediocrity. Maybe I'm wrong on this and someone can give me a counter example. Just no to Gasol or to keep gaining small advantages that lead nowhere except mediocrity.
Josh Smith? And you can count the number of all stars that don't have some serious warts to their game on two hands. Unless you can get Durant or Wade or LBJ or LA or Harden or DWill (the ONLY UFA super star available, and I don't think he is coming to Houston) or the like there just are not available. Howard was in that category until he threw a three month hissy fit and blew his back out. And other than Smith and Gasol I cannot think right now of any other all stars with possible warts that are available in trade unless Morey gets totally stupid with the offer. And RFA's are not available. We tried that last year with Marc Gasol and Nene - offered them the max and they did not come. Much to easy for their current team just to match and then game over. Anyway that is my personal opinion. For whatever it means.
It's all being set up sp perfectly for us. http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-saturday-russell-westbrook-silences-critics
Lol Reggie Jackson will forever be in the dogghouse in Oklahoma City. People say westbrook plays out control at the point. Well from what i heard, Reggie is even worse at running the point.
This is an okay bench with two too many question marks in it. Moultrie at center and my man Crowder at SG. Both will have problems early, but will pick up in their careers. My sig bench only has 4 players, but if i were to add a 5th, it would be Will Barton. He is being projected as a 1st rounder in a few mocks. The other thing about my bench is they will all be able to contribute as rookies. My opinion, of course.
I would love to have a bunch of Rookies on this team. Take a look at what the Thunder are doing now. Who cares if we have a few terrible seasons? It'll all be worth it a couple of years from now. What would you rather do: Rent Dwight Howard for 1 season and possibly win the West? But remember, when Dwight leaves after that one season...we are left with nothing with which to rebuild (traded current and future draft picks and young players to rent him). After the 2012 NBA season....it's back to square freaking one for the Rockets. OR Build a team the way it's supposed to be built. Bring up talented young guys from the Draft, give it a couple of years to come to fruition...and we could very well be where OKC is right now, two or three years from now. Dynasty talk in the future for the Houston Rockets. I choose to go with the latter.
