I agree. Asik is not that far behind, but with Noah's year last year can't quite put him above Noah yet...but he could get there.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Clippers did get a call about LaMarcus, too, but as one person put it, "where's the fit?"</p>— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ramonashelburne/statuses/350027717003059200">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
To Houston Jimmy Butler Rip Hamilton (waived) Charlotte's #1 (unprotected in 2016) To Chicago Omer Asik Lamarcus Aldridge Carlos Delfino To Portland Joakim Noah Thomas Robinson Rockets free up 10 million in cap room. Sign Howard and Milsap in free agency and start contending with major trade assets in the trove. Lin / Beverely Harden / Butler Parsons / Garcia (vet min) Milsap / Jones / Dmo Howard / Smith
If LMA is really available, I'd use the resource to go after him instead of Howard. LMA + Asik > Howard + scrub
You's also keep Howard and Asik. Personally I'd go after Howard. If he's healthy and happy he's almost a top 5 player in the league. It wasn't that long ago he was in the MVP discussion. While LMA+Asik is a better fit...having two bonafide superstars on the team is better than just a nice fit.
I don't think the money works out for that to happen unless Millsap and Dwight both take pretty big paycuts. We would have already moved TRob to clear the room to even come close to offering Dwight his max. Moving TRob for a pick + waiving/stretching White gets us only within $700k for the max for Howard. So most likely Smith has to not be picked up to even get Dwight closer to his max within a reasonable degree. So we might have to substitute one of DMo/TJones for TRob in your trade scenario. And assuming it goes down after we get Dwight, Delfino would have already been gone (not picked up prior to July 1st or else we can't sign Dwight first)...so Chicago would be short on Delfino. And I don't know when Rip Hamilton's contract has to be picked up or not. But even IF Chicago did not need Delfino, so let's just leave Rip out of the deal, Chicago is taking in way too much salary. They can't take in that much for what they're shipping out IF Rip has to be waived beforehand. If not, then I guess it is okay if they aren't hardcapped already (they might be, I thought I read that somewhere). And even IF all of the above were ignored, we'd really only clear about $8M salary off our books. I doubt Millsap will sign for ~$8M a yr.
I agree that I would rather have LMA on our team than Asik. Problem is, we don't have the assets to get LMA but we do for Howard (cap space). We'd have to move like Asik and Parsons or Asik and our young PFs to get LMA...but then that'd leave us without a center. Getting LMA w/o Asik remaining (or Parsons for that matter) is <<<< our current team + Dwight. I don't see them taking Lin + young PFs for LMA...but maybe 3 way trade w/ Utah, w/ young PFs going to POR for LMA to us, Lin and a pick to Utah?
It's not an or scenario. Howard is a free agent; the resource for him is cap space. Aldridge is under club control for two more years; the resource for him is players that might appeal to Portland's rebuilding effort. They're already under the cap and not expected to be a player for major free agents this summer, so it's doubtful that Portland is looking to move him for cap space. Rather, if they deal him, they want players that are a better fit. Thus the reported desire for Noah. I don't know if the Rockets would have the best offer, but it's certainly worth offering Asik and some combination of Robinson/Jones/D-Mo/picks -- basically any combination of assets not named Harden or Parsons. Lin could fit, too, but he and Lillard would be an awfully small backcourt so he probably doesn't work for them. Anyway, if Portland is serious about dealing Aldridge, it's worth a shot from the Houston end. But it's not a question of Aldridge or Howard; it's whether we have the assets to trump trade offers from other teams. You'd have to hope they really value Asik.
Exactly. What do you think though of a trade where we move Lin in a 3 way trade, us getting LMA? We could offer a future pick as well and some young prospects (maybe TRob if this deal goes down before July 10). Utah would give some PF players they have an abundance of (either SnT one or one of their young two PF/Cs) and get Lin in return.
Possibly. That's probably the most reasonable scenario -- a 3-way where Lin goes somewhere, Aldridge goes to Houston, and Portland gets some combination of Asik/prospects/picks/whatever Lin fetches. Lot of moving parts, but not impossible -- and not really tied to the Dwight chase.
Wow.. bit of a coincidence reading this... thought about this scenario last night, and actually even tweeted about it to Daryl Morey this morning. If we have a chance at Lamarcus Aldridge i think we should go all in, and yes that means parting with Parsons as well. He is easily the best 4 in the NBA, and would be a incredible fit in this offense. Josh Smith and LMA would be amazing fits here in Houston, IMO far better than Dwight Howard.
