[CBS Sports] Howard no lock for Lakers; interested in Rockets

because we wouldn't need to clear as much cap space, allowing us to keep 1 or two of the rookies.

 

Or more likely, to keep Lin.

 

Ah, yes -- the 150% rule. I had forgotten about that. Well, actually, I guess I just was not thinking that Morey would pay Smith that much -- but maybe so. Anyway -- that does explain why we would trade Asik to Atlanta, so thanks for pointing that out.

I still think it would be a bad idea to trade Asik in order to pay Smith that much, because, 1) I think Asik and Howard could work together and 2) if they can't, I think you can get more for Asik than that.

However, on one hand, I'm not super confident about my stance on Asik and Howard working together (I'm mainly basing it on Asik and Smith working together, and I am glad people with more basketball knowledge than me get to make that decision) and on the other hand, perhaps I am overvaluing Asik's value -- and I certainly think a lineup of Lin, Harden, Howard, Parsons and Smith would be an elite team in the NBA...I just think they might be able to do better.

 

We'll need some Jedi mind tricks if we're to pull that off

 

Josh Smith is as much a matchup choice and plug filler as anything else btw. He's broken even with Zbo since his first cpl seasons (where a more experienced Zbo beat him), OKC have no matchup for him whatsoever, they're either too slow (Ibaka) or too weak (the SFs).

Miami, well Smith is the best defensive matchup for Lebron around, like literally the best in the league (Harden can do a solid job in limited minutes as well), of course no one stops Lebron, but he can be minimised to a point where he isn't doing everything he wants almost all the time, and hasn't gone off against Atlanta for a cpl years now.

That he can defend both the post and the perimeter at an elite level, also means the team isn't vulnerable to small ball lineups (and can in fact punish them), and we also don't get punished against big ball.

His shooting is ok, his shot selection is terrible, like Kobe Bryant terrible, only you need to be a superstar shooter to get away with Kobe Bryant shot selection, and he's just an average one.

 

Sorry to say but yes Josh Smith does have more value than both Lin and Asik combined. He is a complete two way player at the max/near max level which is why he's paid and will probably always be paid twice as much.

I've been a Rocket fan for a long, long time and really became attached to both Lin and Asik this year. Love how hard they play. However, from an unemotional, unbiased, team building "GM" perspective, you take Josh Smith/Dwight Howard over Lin/Asik/Howard every day of the week.

 

Very well stated!

 

Is it July yet?

 

How could anyone not want this guy? If you think we were an exciting team to watch last year, watch this:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zqhvBc_NO4

Hope we go after him even if we don't get Dwight.

 

Wow! Josh Smith doesn't shoot any jump shots, just dunks and blocks! Isn't that the same as Howard though?

Jokes :grin:

Smith does look good. It's interesting (according to insiders) that Houston would rather play Asik next to Howard than trade him for Smith. What is Houston's FO (advanced stats) seeing in the Asik / Howard tandem that the rest of us can't see?

 

If we indeed get Dwight Howard to sign with us ...

His rejection of us last year turns out to be the best decision for us. Because we ended up getting Harden and now Howard can join him. If we got Howard last year, we still would be looking for that #1 scoring option.

Everything happens for a reason ...

 

Maybe Omer's growing confidence after knocking down foul shots while being intentionally fouled by OKC is leading him to work on his 3 point shooting?

 

Carl, is that optimism I'm hearing from you?!!

Sarcasm?

or a bit of both?

 

well put.

soon we will have a big three

harden
smooth
and dwight

WHAT A FORCE

 

That does look impressive, but why does Houston's FO want to keep Asik instead of Smith?

 

Why do people think Josh Smith can defend Lebron?

With Josh Smith on the court, Lebron shot 64% from the field this season, and shot 60.5% from the field last season.

Surely if Josh Smith was significantly able to slow Lebron, the Hawks would have done generally better than that?

 

I'm still tempering my expectations on this howard buzz, but if Harden's expectations next season are to get to the WCF, then with Howard we could...

 

Lol!!! "a defensive-minded coach in Kevin McHale" lost all credabilty.

Twin towers back???

 

Dwight has a history of back problems, when you take him you have to assume at some point he will miss games. Having Asik to come in and play could be the difference between home court or not in the playoffs (or playoffs at all if Dwight had a significant injury). Secondly, at the end of this massive contract, Dwight will be oldish, you can increase his value in the later part of the deal if you limit his minutes in the first years. Thirdly, Dwight will face the top Centers in the league every night, so having a tough practice mate will just be good prep. Hakeem used to work his butt off against Jim Petersen, all Summer, in practice and before games.

Asik would be worth his contract, if just for the insurance value alone.

 

Atlanta typically used Marvin Williams to guard him, for some reason, since using Smith, Lebron's games have been kinda crap, at least by his standards, against them.