So let's operate under the most likely scenario that Dwight Howard and Chris Paul don't sign with us. What should we do then? The question is, is there enough talent around to start building a contender this offseason, or do we pretty much stand pat and make big moves next year? Tell me what you think we should do! This is a scenario I thought of because I'm a big admirer of Bledsoe and think he would be an absolute perfect fit with us next to Harden. Trade 1: CLIPPERS GET: Thomas Robinson, Greg Smith, Lin, two 2nd round picks (2013 from Suns and 2014 from Knicks). ROCKETS GET: Bledsoe, Grant Hill, Caron Butler. Why Clips would do it: They have no backup big men left (all are FAs and terrible anyway) so Smith gives them a young, athletic backup C and Thomas Robinson gives them the same with a ton of potential at PF. Basically both are just much less polished, younger versions of who they'd back up in LA which is perfect. They are also losing Chauncey to FA, and Lin can fill that hole while allowing LA to dump the Butler and Hill salaries to sign a SF (maybe Barnes again or an improvement). Also, the pick this year can be used on a PG to groom behind Paul, assuming he stays, like Kabongo or Lorenzo Brown for example. Trade 2: MINNESOTA GETS: Asik, Terrence Jones, Delfino's expiring contract, 2014 1st rounder, Both 2015 2nd rounders (if there aren't stipulations against that). HOUSTON GETS: Kevin Love Why Minnesota would do it: They are probably losing Pekovic so they need a quality C. Asik's value right now is HIGH and on a good salary (much less than Pek will demand). Terrence Jones is a good prospect, and gives them PF depth after losing Love. Delfino allows them to free up some cap room by not picking up his salary. Draft picks are always valuable. Also, Love is likely opting out in 2015 and has been injured so that lowers his value slightly. Move 3: Sign Pekovic for 4 years/$44 million (team option on 4th year maybe). Minnesota is not expected to match up to $11 million, apparently, but it may take 12 if we're ignoring homerism. Pek already loves playing with Love, and they have been forming some chemistry. He's a bull inside with great hands and a solid rebounder. We'd have space left over too to pay Bledsoe next year, which is a must. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XxRrvI0gAJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If we miss out on D12/CP3, which is very likely, I hope we get Love. I don't care who we have to give up aside from Harden to get him. Love is the best PF in the league.
1) Clippers wouldn't give Bledsoe for Millsap, who is much more proven than Trob and Smith. If we don't get Dwight or CP3 that trade makes absolutely no sense. We'd be better of developing players, than getting 2 old players past their prime and Bledsoe, who we don't need even a little. 2) Twolves trade makes some sense, but that is only if Pet does go away. No telling if he will. Kevin Love would really only be a good fit if we keep Asik or get Howard. Otherwise our defense would be HORRIBLE. We'd have to score 120ppg to have any chance of winning. Asik covered up a lot of our defensive flaws singlehandly this year, if we get Howard he could do the same, but moving Asik for Kevin Love would be bad, if we don't have some defensive help @ the 5.
If no D12 or CP3, we stand pat and acquire assets to get LMA the following year. Also take a punt at Lebron while we're at it. I am confident one of TJones, DMo, Smith, or TRob is going to show significant improvement next year.
I think it does make us significantly better. Huge upgrade at PF (Love over our young guys). Huge upgrade again at PG, and a much better fit next to Harden than Lin. Bledsoe is essentially Beverley on steroids, but with All-Star potential/athleticism. Pekovic, I would argue is an upgrade at C. The only thing he doesn't do as well as Asik is rebound. He is a slight downgrade defensively because of this, but he is not that much of a drop-off compared to Asik as a low-post defender if you've watched him. He is unbelievably physical and strong. He doesn't concede post position often, and is still a pretty solid rim-protector. One thing people seem to overlook is that our offensive production and defensive failures are very much due to the pace we play at rather than being totally due to having terrible defenders and an unstoppable offensive player. Our defensive efficiency rating is right in the middle of the pack, and if Harden improves (he will) and we add Bledsoe, that will continue to go up. Love is also a better defender than the rookies that we've been starting, but that isn't really saying much because Love is just an average defender and I'm sure the young guys will improve defensively.
What the Rockets needed to understand is that sometimes we need to develop talent instead of going after them in FA. I believe T Jones is what we are missing at the 4 as a low post scorer. He can finish strong down low and face up. Maybe its something the public isnt seeing but I believe this guy is the upgrade at the 4 Houston needs. But he can only get better if he is on the floor making mistakes and learning. He should have been a starter the moment PPatt departed.
Josh-Smith. Sign and trade for J.Smith and K.Korver, probably Delfino and Robinson/cut White Sign dalembert for backup C. Or Just sign Smith, keep delfino, decline garcia and trade robinson/cut White to open up cap space to sign Tony Allen and Dalembert. Lin/Beverley Lin/Beverley Harden/Garcia Harden/Allen Parsons/Korver Or Parsons/Delfino Smith/Jones Smith/Jones Asik/Dalembert Asik/Dalembert Top 5 Team in the west. Realistic scenario i think lol
chris paul or bust??? but bust = developing our young, promising talent that could develop into near-all stars anyways. TROb, TJones, and DMO all have UPSIDE. That famous word--but they do. TJones has shown to be a fluid scorer and energy guy. DMO has amazing offensive skills, needs to shore up his defense--which he can. TROB is a top 5 talent, by definition that means upside. If we find a talented back-up center, a defensive minded wing-man, and another scorer (to replace Garcia, maybe Delfino--but I hope he comes back), then we are a top 5 team in the West and will be close to contenders. So the 'do nothing' approach--aka 'bust' is not such a bad option. At some time, assets need to be developed and not flipped before you even know what you have.
I appreciate the effort, but what the heck are these trades? Trade 1: What we get in return is a back-up PG, an old SF, and an even older SF, while we essentially trade away 5 people? Bledsoe isn't an upgrade over Lin. Trade 2: Under your assumption, we wouldn't be getting Dwight Howard. So why would we trade one of the best defensive 5s in the game, along with picks and an expiring for another PF? Harden and Love still isn't going to get us over the hump in the playoffs. Trade 3: We already have Asik. So why do we need Pek? More importantly, if you're trying to do all three trades together, that's essentially blowing up the team (again) to try and contend. Chemistry issues will abound again.
1. You don't know anything about Bledsoe if you don't think he's an upgrade to Lin. Elite defender. Good driver. Can hit mid-range off P&R. Crazy energetic and athletic. Tons of potential. Really quick on the break. Great finisher at the rim. Only 23. He's Morey's wet dream of a point guard acquisition. 2. We would trade Asik because he is more replaceable than Kevin Love is "gettable", and Asik is our best trade asset. 3. Because like #2, Asik is our best trade asset, and there aren't any PFs on the free agent market close to Kevin Love's level (a star) and Pekovic is much closer if not better than Asik's level and can be obtained on the free agent market. 4. The team was completely new this year, and the chemistry developed fine. What makes this year any different? We can develop great chemistry again and Parsons and Harden will still start together, which is probably the most important part of our chemistry. It's not like we have to contend the first year. We finish around 5th next year I'd bet with these trades, and players keep improving/developing chemistry. Then the next year we could contend.
Not to sound insulting to the OP and their thread but all those trades do not make the Rockets any better...it makes us way worse and Morey should be fired if any of those players suit up for this team...Dumb trade idea Asik is a Top 8 center in the league right now. Pekovic can't even stay healthy during the season...Grant Hill and Caron Butler are injury prone as well...This should of been in Random Trade Ideas
The beauty of it all is whether we A) we strike gold and get both, B) we get Howard + some depth or C) get neither, we are in a beautiful position going forward. We have 4 Power Forwards that should improve over the summer (DMO, Jones, Robinson, Smith). We are fairly strong in our lineup at the 1 (both Lin and Bev are good enough) and we are set with the 2/3/5 in the starting lineup. We could use some improvements at the back up wing positions and a big one at back up center, but besides the starting 4 on this team we have no glaring holes. Obviously if you have a chance to add 2 top 10 players then you jump on it but even if not we are at least a 6 seed with one of the PFs taking a step forward and a bit of depth at the Center/Wing spots with plenty of cap and plenty of room to improve.
My prediction to this question is on my signature. Pau Gasol(expiring contract) would give us that low post threat at the power forward position and he could also slide to the 5 when Asik is on the bench. Plus, we maintain our cap flexibility and still be one of the major free agent bidders in the summer of 2014.
Kind of agree, but I just don't have faith that he's going to get much better. I could obviously be wrong, but his value is so high right now that I would take advantage of it to get a second star. That's the most important thing to taking the next step towards a championship in my opinion. That means you may have to give up some really important assets, but that's just part of the game. Butler and Hill are just throw away contracts after 2014. Whatever they contribute is nice, but essentially they just represent $10 million of cap space after paying them for one season and some veteran presence in the locker room. Maybe I'm crazy, but I definitely don't see that. Love alone makes us a better team. Bledsoe is going to be a really good point guard, and he makes us much better defensively for 48 minutes (with Beverley bringing the same energy off the bench). Pek is 1000x better than Asik on the offensive side, and only a little bit deficient defensively compared to Asik. The only worry is his health, but none of the injures were serious. It's just worrying if he continues with nagging injuries, but I resent that Pekovic is a downgrade big enough to outweigh Love and Bledsoe. If that's the issue, then just sign a stop-gap defensive center like Dalembert instead of Pekovic, and save the $ for next summer's free agents (like Cousins). Not what I would want, but if it meant getting Love, I would definitely do it.
