Im just going to go out there and say it.... what the hell. Im going to put my reputation on the line here. IF for some reason Morey can trade for Gasol, not mortgage the future, and given good health for Gasol, this trade will make the Rockets a very good, if not contending level team the next few seasons with a few improvements elsewhere with trades, and small improvements to the existing roster. The Harden/Gasol combo is something Rockets fans should get extremely excited about if only for 1.5 seasons. Gasol is still the most skilled 7 footer in the world. Make no mistake about it. Im just asking the skeptics here to keep an open mind, and see what happens with this story.
Right. A good veteran to make the development of our young players less rocky. Harden will have less of a burden. Added plus, his game fits the team well. And when Pau's gone, most of our young players will be beginning their prime. That said, I can't see Pau coming that cheaply unless he's injured.
You don't have to put your rep on the line because Gasol is not worth it. Even if he came here, just let it happen. The guy is not a messiah. Damn! No reports that Gasol is even close to a deal anyway.
they didn't need all that speculation to introduce a Josh Smith idea, it's a 26 year old for a 32 year old. The Lakers would do that deal in a blink even if Gasol was averaging 20-10 right now.
You are kidding me with the most skilled big man in the game stuff right? The most skilled big man is still Nowitzki and Tim Duncan. Would rank Garnett over Gasol too. Give me Durant over Gasol any day as well. The new era PF are hybrids, guys who have the length of a 4 but the game of a 3. Like Durant, Lebron, Melo, etc. And Morey may have been enamored with Gasol before the acquisitions of Harden, Lin and Asik but the guy is not a good fit with this current team. Even if was not declining (offensively & defensively & physically). This current team needs a 4 who can space the court (just like the Lakers, that is why they want to get rid of Gasol). Smith is younger, plays above the rim (offensively & defensively) and fits the young Rockets run and gun philosophy. Smith is also a better defender and shot blocker.
Josh Smith spacing the floor isn't pretty, Gasol is better. Josh Smith does bring a lot of value with his athleticism and versatility, and he's young. But I suspect he'll get massively overpaid, and at least so far he hasn't become a legit all star player and I suspect he might never get there. So this is what this thread has been about, really: do the Rockets want to commit to someone like Josh Smith with a huge 4 year deal for 2013-2017, or would they rather keep that flexibility and keep exploring other options? Gasol is someone who'd help the team win and allows to keep that flexibility because of his short deal. To me, the best path for the Rockets is either to (A) do nothing major, stay patient and probably stay out of the playoffs / keep collecting little assets for the next 2 years, or (B) upgrade short term with someone like Gasol and become a playoff team, but without losing key assets or flexibility.
I just hope the Lakers would amnesty Gasol ASAP so we could have him cheap, he would definately improve our interior offense and could teach Asik a trick or two
We need a back up point guard and back up shooting guard before we need Gasol. Seeing Toney Douglas dribble the basketball is like watching a dentist pull someone's teeth while another dentist is drilling your teeth...very painful. DaeQuan Cook can shoot &
nice analogy :grin: Calderon is very blatantly available. The Raptors gave his agent freedom to look at trades. I could see a deadline deal where the Rockets get him basically for free, like cap + Cook or such to make salaries work. That's assuming the Rockets don't find a better way to use their cap.
If we can get Pau for cheap then I think we should do it. It would only be for one more year after this year so if the experiment didn't work out we would have a huge expiring contract on our hands. I think a Gasol/Harden combo would be pretty deadly. Gasol is still one of the best big men in the game imo. I think a trade package would involve ppat and Morris? Besides that the rockets would need to look to upgrade at the pg position. Maybe the rockets could get Calderon from Toronto and let him be back up instead of T Douglas?
Doing both would be impossible (without giving up players like Lin or Asik). But as a basketball fan, I'd love the Raptors to get Pau and make a Spanish national team reunion...
No Im not kidding. He is the most skilled big in the game, and its not even close between him and Dirk or Garnett. Both Dirk and Garnett have things about them that might make them move VALUABLE if they are both healthy, but as far as well rounded skills, its Gasol all day every day. Duncan is a legend, and impacts the game much on the defensive end, but offensively, Gasol's passing ability, combined with his shooting & low post skills edges him over Duncan at this point of their careers at least offensively. As for Durant & Lebron.... They are not bigs, they are hybrid wing players who have the size to play in the post in the later years of their careers. I think Durant will eventually transition to the PF position in a few years, and Lebron is already making a nest in the painted area even though he is still playing the SF position. Still, I stand by my initial statement. I do believe Gasol is the most skilled 7 footer in the game right now even though his younger brother might lap him up here pretty soon. He could decline dramatically at any given moment if a knee gives out, but just last season only SIX bigs averaged at least 17 points and 10 rebounds a game. Gasol is still producing at a high level even despite the fact that his game has not been featured in LA under Mike Brown and now with the D'Antoni mess that is the Lakers. Its just amazing how fans on this board listen to the media making Gasol out to be the GOAT over there in LA constantly, and make it out to believe that Gasol is some sort of overpaid scrub. He has been far from that despite the unfortunate situation he has been in with the Lakers the past 3 years. In Houston, I stand by my word that if healthy, it would be a fantastic move for the Rockets to insert him into this lineup. Perfect fit, and great franchise for him to be in that would embrace him and treat him right.
Perfect fit??? Houston is a pnr team that likes to run. Gasol is being forced out by the best pnr coach in the game and as for running, Gasol is a plodder, when our team needs bigs who can run like gazelles, space the floor all the way to the arc and play above the rim (offensively & defensively). Gasol is skilled (do not agree that he is more skilled than Nowitzki, Duncan, Garnett, Lebron, etc.) but he is on the wrong side of 30 and is in an obvious decline. He is better off playing in a system like Adelman's, even JVG's.
If Gasol is better than why do the Lakers want to trade him for Smith? Gasol has not been a good fit on a pnr team, led by the ultimate pnr coach. Why do you expect he would do better on a Rockets team with a similar offensive system?
Pau is not being used as the P&R big man in the system, he is being used in the offense as a stretch big with Howard being the roller. That's why he isn't fitting in with the Lakers. With the Rockets, you might see a decreased role for Asik with a good majority of the minutes going to Gasol manning the 5 spot sort of like Bynum's role on their team in his first few seasons with the Lakers. Especially in late game situations when they love to go small & offensively efficient. Gasol's best days offensively in LA were when Bynum was either injured or used much more sparingly under Phil Jackson in the triangle offense. Also, yes, they ran a ton of P&R with LA when Gasol was starting at center with Odom playing the 4 spot. Also, in his Memphis years before they traded Battier, Gasol played the 5 quite often with Battier at the 4 spot. That team won 52 games with Gasol as their primary big running the P&R primarily. Just saying... the guy is perfectly capable of playing the pick and roll he just needs to be the roller/pick & pop big. He just isn't suited as a stretch 4 sitting out for the 3 point line or inside the 3 point line crowding the paint. I doubt the Rockets will acquire Gasol, but if for some reason they do, I think people will be shocked at how much better he is then what he is sold to be in LA. I personally think he would fit in very well, and would be well suited for running the P&R with Harden/Lin when Asik is on the bench.
I think that's his lot in life. He's lived with being the scapegoat the entire time he's been a Laker. Kobe b****es at him, the fans complain and call him soft, coaches misuse him and then cut back his minutes. And he just takes it and acts like a professional. I mean imagine how much it sucks every single day to have Kobe as your teammate? Pau must have bad karma.
