This post was dead on the money. His defense and defensive rebounding were never great but seem to have become non existent in his recent games.
I think McHale doesn't like playing people who can't hit their defensive rotations. Parsons could, Smith couldn't. DMo couldn't in the beginning of the year and is still a bit shaky. Lin got benched often when he cheated too much.
Considering how thin we are at the 5 spot behind Omer, I guess the powers that be figure Smith (and the team) are better served dealing with The Wall down in the Valley (assuming that's Smith's problem, and not a lack of brain cells). Aldrich is a hard worker, but it is hard to imagine him getting the whole 18 minutes per game that Asik doesn't play. Not hard to imagine the Rocks getting a backup 5 that's a bit better by the deadline. Meanwhile, I guess we make do.
it's personal not business. the coaches should be able to send themselves to the d league when they make a couple of mistakes, to learn to correct them of course.
We need somebody capable of backing up the 5 position. We suffer tremendously whenever Omer sits out. I think Jason Thompson would be a great pickup for us - would give us so much flexibility with our lineups. PG Lin / Beverly SG Harden / Douglas / Anderson SF Parsons / Delfino PF Patterson / Parsons C Asik / Thompson I think this lineup would be very effective: PG Lin SG Douglas SF Delfino PF Parsons C Thompson Would let us retain scoring punch with Harden on the bench, and we could stagger Lin and Harden's minutes more easily. Same thing: PG Beverly SG Harden SF Parsons PF Patterson C Asik I think those lineups complement each other better than the status quo. We just need a bit more flexibility, and need lineups that complement Lin and Harden separately so their minutes can be staggered.
If we are showcasing Cole that would be great. Because I prefer Greg over Cole.Yes I know Gregs team D is awful.
No need to panick, Smith has not been playing great as of late and the front office is just trying to raise the trade value for Aldrich. That's all!
Jason Thompson is a nice young player, but he's in the first year of a five-year, $30+ million deal. No way the Rockets eat that much cap room for a backup center.
I know we all love to hate Cole, and he still makes dumb plays but he's been a good back-up of late. Hope he gets his value up, lol. Maybe this is why Morey wanted Mchale, so he could pull players/ showcase players for the deadline. /s
My guess is that there is a number of these "nice role player" types out there that the Rockets' front office is keeping an eye on but won't move to acquire until they first land that 2nd star using their projected cap room (either via straight FA signing or via trade). Thompson is one of these guys. But perhaps a more likely SAC target of this kind is Chuck Hayes. If a team moves for a backup C, I'd expect it to be someone with an expiring or small contract, like the Samuel "The Haitian Sensation" Dalembert or Zaza "The Caucasian Sensation" Pachulia. Maybe even Aaron Gray.
This is how I see it as well. I can't know if there's an attitude issue or something else tht led to his demotion, but what's clear is that he hasn't improved at all on the defense end (always looks lost), and that he wasn't going to get any significant minutes in the rotation baring an injury to Asik or Aldrich. Aldrich is just plain better right now, and as raw as Smith still is, it's better for him to get real minutes in the D-league and continue improving his game. I hope he's tough enough to understand that this could be an opportunity to come back a better player rather than dwell on hurt pride. I like the kid and think he's got a bright future if he keeps working hard.
I'd love to have Chuck back, but I doubt that Morey is willing to pay nearly $6 million a season during the next 2 years. More likely to be a "small or expiring contract" guy, like you mentioned. Someone considered an upgrade over Aldrich that's cheap.
We are, but just barely. Players cannot be re-acquired by a team that trades him away IN THE SAME SEASON. The Rockets completed the Dalembert trade two days prior to the 2012 NBA Draft. The new season began a week later. Therefore, the Rockets are eligible to reacquire him.
There is absolutely nothing to back this up. Combine that with the fact that what we have done to this point has led us to the best offense in the league and wins over some pretty good teams. Sure our defense sucks but dmo and jones are not going to cure that themselves. Rookies come into the NBA and score but I rarely see any come into the NBA and turn an entire defense around. I don't see Jones or DMO being that guy. I think most definitely they do no give us the best chance to win. Even when a trade comes it will most likely be us shipping our a pf's and a pg and in return getting a pf. The only difference will be that one of the rookies will get 12-15mpg. Then we will see how they handle the minutes and how decent their defense is.
Yes, we are. Team are not allowed to re-acquire players that they traded away within the same NBA season. The 2012-13 NBA season started on July 1, 2012. Sam was traded to MIL shortly before the 2012 draft in late June 2012 (in exchange for, essentially, moving from the 14th to the 12th pick), during the 2011-12 NBA season. So, the Rockets can re-acquire him right now under the rules. On the other hand, the Rockets are not allowed to reacquire Courtney Lee, Marcus Camby or Kyle Lowry. Each of these guys were traded by the Rockets some time after July 1, 2012.
I like Smith, but he hasn't been playing well lately. Hopefully Aldrich doesn't injure himself running or something like that.
