If the same player is the willing-to-pass Harden I know, I don't see the problem. If we have two willing passers in the starting lineup (I'm for getting Gordon, just not getting him and starting him with Harden AND Lin). Combo Guard Backcourts rarely work because those guards aren't willing to pass (looking at you Monta). However, with two combo guards who can and are willing to pass the ball, then I think it could work. If this report is true and Morey really does see it working, then I will back him.
Monta is on his 6th straight year of over 5 assists per game. Yes he can be / is a volume shooting ballhog so not the best comparison.... BUT the issue is there's a difference between playmaker and a PG like distributor. There's a difference between a CP3 assist and a Kobe assist. If James was more of an obvious 1 or 3 then is be more open to the idea (though still not in love)... But he's not. Same with Gordon - he's a clear 2. In a league of limited capspace, this seems dumbly redundant if your goal is championship.
Other than that Paul is a flashier passer who averages more assists than Kobe, what's the difference between a Harden assists and a Paul assist per say? Seems like its still an assist to me.
I've made the argument that Houston will very likely attempt to become the proverbial "third wheel" in pre-February deadline trades involving big money players, wherein Houston leverages its nearly $7 mil in available cap space to "facilitate" a trade between two other teams, and Houston walks away with something for basically nothing. It should go without saying that Daryl Morey has been very actively pursuing such transactions, and also that Houston has been very actively pursued by various teams interested in making such transactions and requiring Houston's involvement. If Houston has made inquiries about Eric Gordon, this is very likely why. That is, Houston is not interested in acquiring Gordon. Instead, Houston is interested in getting involved so as to exploit one or both of the other two teams, and/or to get something for basically nothing. Let's take a look at one very obvious example: Eric Gordon and Patrick Patterson to Dallas Shawn Marion (owed $9.3 mil in 2013-14; contract expires at the end of the 2013-14 season) to Houston O.J. Mayo (will opt out of his contract following the 2012-13 season to cash in on a career year; in other words, he's an expiring contract), Dahntay Jones (expiring contract), and a future Mavericks first round pick to New Orleans Dallas (hopefully) gets its young star SG to pair with Dirk Nowitzki, along with the useful Patrick Patterson, and still has plenty of cap space to play around with this summer which they will presumably use to acquire one of the multiple young centers available. Dallas gives up Marion, who they do like, but not as much as the $9.3 mil in cap space freed up by unloading Marion. New Orleans gets a first round pick for Gordon, a short-term replacement in Mayo (who they may or may not seek to re-sign to an extension, we'll see), and no financial obligations extending beyond the 2012-13 season. New Orleans values $9.3 mil in 2013 cap space more than it values Marion. Houston gets back a big upgrade at the "power forward" position and does not take back any contracts that extend beyond the 2013-14 season (so they can remain positioned to sign Lebron James, who will be a free agent that summer and will seek to sign with whoever offers him the most attractive supporting cast). Houston still has a large amount of money to play around with this summer, and they are still very much in play for a max salary guy. For our purposes, Shawn Marion = Kevin Martin; in other words, Marion, like Martin, is a) a relatively large expiring contract and b) a very good veteran ballplayer. Marion can, like Martin, be packaged with various picks and prospects for a big name, big money guy. Alternatively, the Lakers may be more than happy to swap Pau Gasol (owed $19.3 mil in 2013-14) for Marion and, say, Marcus Morris; this trade would trim nearly $8 mil from the Lakers 2013-14 payroll, and the Lakers would presumably believe that Marion is a better fit in the Lakers starting lineup than Gasol, and that Morris is possibly a useful role player. Mostly, this trade would save the Lakers a very large amount of money in 2013-14. In this scenario, Houston winds up with a significant upgrade at PF (replacing Patterson with Marion) for the 2012-13 stretch run and, in 2013-14, they wind up with Pau Gasol, on the final season of his big contract. In other words, Houston swaps Patterson for Marion for the remainder of this season, and, for all intents and purposes, Patterson and Morris for Gasol for the 2013-14 season. I could come up with a few more scenarios, but this demonstrates my point. Again, if Houston gets involved in an Eric Gordon trade, it would be as a third wheel. Houston wouldn't be the team that winds up with Gordon here.
But he isn't a willing passer. He's averaging 2.8 assists per game this year. Maybe he can change his game up a little but I don't think it is natural. Both Gordon and Harden are natural 2s who look to get buckets first and foremost, not distribute the ball.
Ignoring injuries for a bit, Gordon has reason to not be a "willing passer." His teammates have sucked offensively for most of his career. If you look at Hornets roster, he's the only scorer. They play defensive-minded half court games in which no one else on the team can score efficiently. So in this aspect, I trust the Rockets scouts more than just raw stats. Since they can analyze his game on his actual floor vision and decision-making. But due to injuries, I probably prefer the Rockets go with Mayo in the offseason if the price tag isn't enormous. Because I think any trade with Gordon would require Parsons plus others, and I don't want to give up Parsons for Gordon.
lol why do you want to go for Mayo....sixth man before the secondary all star? This is like going for Kevin Martin before acquiring Russell Westbrook
Eric Gordon is injured for so long, I can't even remember how he plays. But just looking at raw numbers, is he better than Lin other than 3p% and FTA?
Don't know about Minnesota. Gordon visited the Pacers first (I think he's from Indy? or has some such connection), then visited us, then went to Phoenix, where of course he signed an offer sheet. Phoenix can't trade for him this year thanks to the offer sheet. I don't see us 3-waying with Indy (Granger's 28 years old and hasn't played yet this season). Maybe Morey really wants him out there with Harden and Lin. I remember McHale seemed to have a thing for undersized lineups (undersized 2's, really). We were gonna trade him Luther Head and the #8 pick if it turned out to be Foye in exchange for Brandon Roy; Portland scuttled our plan.
Seems more likely to be a part of a 3 team trade where Gordon is send to another team which sends someone to Houston.
I really like this. It gives us a player that can fit our style of play, brings super veteran presence, upgrades a position even at his age... a nice stopgap until we find the second player to really spend big bucks on or getting lucky via draft or trade
