Rockets acquire Thomas Robinson; Morris traded to Phoenix; Patterson, Douglas, Aldrich to Kings

Rebounding is a problem when Asik is not on the floor. He's so good he makes it look like we're an awesome rebounding team, but our rebounds suffer dramatically when he is off the court.

 

All our other guys, Parsons, Harden, and Lin, are good rebounders. That's why we are an overall very good rebounding team.

With Asik sitting, Smith and Aldrich were serviceable rebounders if need to. Again, rebounding is not our weakness. We don't need a rebounding machine to save us. Is it good to have a good rebounding PF? Of course. My point is, that's not a high priority right now. What we gave up in Patterson and Morris, i.e. shooting, is actually more important.

 

Stats may say were a solid rebounding team, even with asik sitting but we'd still be a much better rebounding team with a rebounding 4 next to asik and someone to be the official rebounder when asik's out. I'v seen plenty of times when asik is sitting, or when contesting shots how rebounding was a issue more then a couple times.

 

I get what you're saying, but I disagree. A good rebound is as good as a steal. Giving up an offensive rebound is as bad as a bad turnover. It's a possession keeper or changer and Lin/Harden/Parsons does not come close to overcoming our need when Asik sits. The more rebounders the better especially from that position I say. Rebounding is integral to success.

As for shooting, using your logic, we have plenty of shooters who can make up for the loss of PPats shooting as well. I believe we scored around 120 last game? In regards to defense, well, that would be my dream come true. A defensive monster front court. I don't know if Robinosn can provide that or not (I tend to doubt it) but its not like PPat and Mook were monsters down there. We could do better but then again, it's not such a big step down in my opinion.

Plus we gain even more athleticism, an above the rim game, a true hustles/energy guy, a top 5 draft pick, even more youth, and a better asset. There's no way around it, Murray done good. At the worst, it was a good risk that he rightfully took.

 

that's a fair point. rebounding is definitely not our biggest problem. But i have noticed that when we lose, it's almost always because opponents got a lot of second chance opportunities in the paint. Obviously there's a lack of interior defense and all-around physicality, but we also need to be better about boxing opponents out and owning the boards, especially when Asik isn't in the game. Asik only averages 30 minutes per game.

but i will agree that we are, overall, a good rebound team. My point is that our interior rebounding and overall defense suffers when Asik is not in the game. We give up way too many points in the paint in general; but we are one of the worst when Asik is on the bench. 2nd chance opportunities in the paint have something to do with that. Robinson can help us cut down on those 2nd chance opportunities.

 

We need a Noah type energy guy. From what I hear, Robinson is the energy guy that weve been missing. In terms of rebounds and energy, we probably upgraded. In terms of defense, I believe it will be a wash at worst as most energy guys provide decent interior defense. As for offense, we may have downgraded in terms of jump shots but may have gained a much stronger finisher and added an above the rim game. Once again, this trade is a good trade, a good risk, Morey would've been a fool not to take it, and he's no fool.

 

It's amazing how they destroy players.

 

Yes the rosters updated...Well I have been winning with the Rox but I change my stance TRob is a beast if used right...just made some adjustments since all the shooters are gone...and yes Bev was not added smh...I just put Harden as the backup pg since he can play the entire game

 

So after watching this video and reading this article. I have a LOT of confidence that TRob is going to be awesome for the Rockets. He's got character.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/46800/truehoop-tv-thomas-robinson-and-jayla

 

I waited until the trade deadline was over as I was thinking/hoping this was a setup for another trade. Now I just don't like it.

Cash wise, we were good going into the summer of 2013 before yesterday. Not high hopes for FAs but that's ok. Cash is king and you can use it to maintain the predator status. We maintain that status but at what cost now?

After yesterday the trade amounts to Patterson + Morris for TRob + a 2nd. Now while I've ragged on Patterson and Morris they were coming around and served a good purposes (times 2) and that is stretching the floor with good shooting 3's. That made driving to the hoop easier for Harden and Lin. That is now gone. TRob is not a 3 pt shooter. DMo is but is he ready for prime time. Jones is still sketchy. And what are you going to do with TRob? As soon as he comes in, teams will start collapsing. So we end up going small ball with Parsons as the PF. You can win some games like that but I think the trades yesterday make us lose more games this season...or at least harder to win games.

TRob is a project. He's athletic, he rebounds and he's got a motor but he still is a huge project on O that is a couple of years away or more from being effective in that area. It's going to take a lot of gym time for him to stretch his range to help the Rockets with what Morris and Patterson brought today. And pushing him out is going to lower his rb efficiency. I don't think he will help much this year. Bottom line is I feel that the Rockets traded 2 birds in the hand for a possible better bird in the bush. And don't give me the picked 5th. There are busts in every years draft that were picked high. I hope he's not one.

This year our team took a step backward at the trade deadline for the possibility of stepping forward in a couple of years. We are not as good today as we were Wednesday and that's ok if the future is much brighter or more assets were acquired for the next big trade. I'm just not convinced that this was a good trade for the future either.

 

Good post.
But you're basically saying that a stretch for is the only way to go with our squad. I disagree. I believe a 4 who can set solid strong screens so our guards can run more pnrs could be just as important. And if our 4 dives in like Smith does but PPat/Mook didn't, you'd see more plays created by Lin/Harden for the jam or follow up dunks. Too often, out 4s were out on the 3 line unable to get a chance or a rebound makin our transition defense even poorer. Now, was this the right time to experiment? Maybe not? But we had a glut at the pf spot with D-Mo/TJones/PPat/Mook/White. Something had to give. And you can't believe that PPat/Mook were our long term answers at the 4? Better to find out what D-Mo/TJones are made of now while we still don't expect to contend then standing ppat.
But I feel what you're saying. Just my opinion.

 

That's all he needs to do as of now.

The O will come over time, but what he offers now (rebounds, hustle, motor, heart) are things that can help win games right NOW!

Dive on the court, sky for the Reb, tap out the Reb, hustle down the floor after the Reb trying to get an easy bucket....

This kid does all that right now.

Even if he never develops O, its still a good trade, IMO because this team NEEDS that junk yard dog (re: Landry).

And if TRob does develop O on top of his current skill set....look out!

 

If Delfino is inserted as a starter giving us Lin/Harden/Delfino/Parsons/Asik, our spacing will not suffer. But your point becomes relevant when it comes to the second unit. Say it basically Patrick/Garcia/Dmo+Robinson/Smith completing a nine/ten man rotation. Garcia is the only guy there creating spacing. Patrick and Dmo might, but have yet to prove their distance prowess.

I am also afraid our short term defense could suffer. Not a strength to begin with. I am biting my nails that we havent created a vacuum in D that teams will exploit and possibly put our playoff hopes in jeopardy.

 

Rockets are a stretch 4 factory pretty much. We gave up two stretch 4s for a guy we think can be something we haven't had in a while. A all hustle, rebound guy.

He can be that right now. The numbers say he can be that right away. Scoring is overrated. Everyone can score. What else can you do? That is what makes Harden different from say Jamal Crawford. One guy can only score while the other can rebound and create for others.

All Morris and Patterson did was stretch the floor and if their shot was off, they absolutely would hurt us those nights because they didn't bring anything else. D-mo can stretch the floor, his shot is not on but that is just a result of lack of actual game time (dleague don't even count)

We can easily replace what Patterson and Morris bought us...but have we ever replaced what Landry brought us? Not yet, we haven't replaced that heart and hustle that Landry gave us since we let him go. The fact that Landry could stretch the floor is a bonus.

Any ways, who cares about his offense this year? I just hope that he can catch the ball when it's passed to him.

If he's as hard a worker as everyone claims he is...if he has the same hunger that got him into the league then we've acquired a stud.

We know what Patterson was. A fringe starter, not even a starter on a good team. How can giving him up for what most of the league thinks is a great prospect a bad thing?

 

sweet i thought it would of taken them a while to update it. Nd yea TRob is pretty damn good both times i played with the kings online i dropped 20+ with him.

 

BINGO!

 

The simple fact is we were not a championship contending team with Ppat and Morris. We got a guy with a much higher ceiling than either Ppat or Morris and freed up a little bit more cash.

 

ClutchFans.net ‏@clutchfans
Daryl Morey said Robinson, Garcia probably won't play until Tues & Honeycutt will likely join the @rgvvipers to start. (via @SportsTalk790)

 

Lol, Watch Thomas Robinson wont even play. He would have played more on the Kings then here.