I like Williams, but with him being on the bubble and not playing, he's put himself in a tough spot. Brewer is a vet with playoff experience and is the most likely guy off the bench we can throw on a star wing in the playoffs - I doubt he gets cut. Covington/Canaan haven't shown much in preseason, but Morey will likely give both a year to develop in RGV to see what they can amount to. I doubt either are out. Brooks is an awkward fit with our roster. We've tried to play him as the combo-scoring guard off the bench, but he's just too small to play the 2 for any extended stretch. He's also lacking the in-game rhythm that he once had, and it's questionable whether he'll ever find it again. Cut: Brooks and Williams D-League: Canaan and Covington Starters: Dwight - Jones - Parsons - Harden - Beverley Key Bench: Asik - Lin - Garcia - Motiejunas Situational Bench: Casspi - Brewer - G.Smith Deep Bench: Camby
I don't think anyone INCLUDING Morey saw Casspi doing what he is doing right now. I'm sure even Casspi sits in his hotel room at night and stares at his hands and wonder how the hell he is doing it. It is near impossible to continue the shooting streak he is having, in fact, no one has ever been that hot for a whole season so we can expect him to cool off considerably soon. That being said, he definitely deserves to be on the team. He is not getting cut. I don't envy Morey right now. He has lucked out being able to pick up Williams, Brewer, Camby and Brooks on super cheap deals. Each one of those guys is a solid rotational player. I think two of them will be cut however and my guess is Williams and Brewer.
I think we keep Brooks just for his scoring ability. Over the course of a long season, he will eventually be needed.
His 1st 2 seasons he shot .369 and .372 from behind the arc, not too mention is elite rebounding metrics for a SF. So yeah, I think Morey saw this coming.
Good take overall by dobro1229. My thoughts: 1. One thing to note: McHale mentioned that Camby is getting treatment for his plantar facia injury and if it doesn't start responding to treatment, Camby will have a pretty big decision to make. If the decision is surgery, I wonder what the recovery window is and how this figures into the Rockets' keeping or waiving trade him. My guess is that they want to keep Camby if there is a decent chance of him contributing for even just the later part of the season and the playoffs but it'll depend on how badly they want to keep one of the other end-of-roster guys. 2. I agree HOU will explore some options before cuts are due. Not just Greg Smith but Jones may be dangled. Maybe others also. Some possible partners: Philly (Sam Hinkie involved in acquiring those guys for HOU, team in a position to try out young prospects), Dallas (Gersson Rosas connection, but may be wary about strengthening division foe), Utah (another team trying out young guys, Dennis Lindsey connection). Don't expect to get much, though, in return. No more than some 2nd round pick considerations (which might turn out big, actually-- HOU traded Novak for the right to swap 2nd rounders with LAC and used the higher pick to draft Parsons eventually).
The part in bold is a key point. If somebody out there is willing to cough up a protected first round pick for one of these two guys then Morey might need to make this deal. The other option is to include one of these two guys with Omer Asik or Jeremy Lin in a deal for an established PF (e.g., Ersan Ilyasova). Of course, if you acquire somebody like Ilyasova, and you're happy with Omri Casspi as a rotation guy, then we may see both Jones AND Motiejunas get traded, but again, only in exchange for protected first round picks. If none of the above options is available before final cuts must be made then it seems pretty obvious to me that the final two cuts are Reggie Williams and either Marcus Camby or Aaron Brooks. I can't believe anybody thinks either Greg Smith or Robert Covington might get cut.
Starters: Dwight - Jones - Parsons - Harden - Lin Key Bench: Asik -Beverly - Garcia - Motiejunas - Casspi (after this preseason games he is in the rotation) and Smith so we have 4 places for Camby Brooks Canaan Covington Williams Brewer I think Williams will be cut, we have a lot of shooters Canaan will play in the D league Brewer looks like an option to back upo the SG position. I don think he will be cut So is Brooks, Covington or Camby Like CH said if Camby is healty he is a keeper for sure, but if he needs surgery i believe he will be cut (i dont know if we can resign him after the trade deathline again)
Cut Williams. We don't need shooting. Garcia/Casspi will be fine off the bench IMO. Camby after that. I love Marcus but I want to keep Asik and Howard for two years unless we just get blown away with an offer for Asik. Covington and Canaan may have potential but they need a year in the D-League. Both look lost.
You have Asik/Howard/Smith/DMO/Jones for 4 & 5, no slots left for Camby unless Morey is going to trade someone. Brooks is too small to play 2, and the team has too many ball handlers in Hardne/Lin/Bev already. I'd say Camby & Brooks will be cut.
I love that image. Like Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern (in the five minutes worth I saw before turning the channel to House Hunters): WTF is happening to me?
Covington has upside. Believe you me, if he is cut I'm pretty sure a team like Philly will pick him up.
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I'd cut Williams next and make Camby a coach. Lin/ Beverley/ Brooks/ Canaan Harden/ Garcia Parsons/ Casspi/ Brewer Jones/ Motiejunas/ Covington Howard/ Asik/ Smith
I think some of you guys fail to appreciate what happens to the development, confidence, usefulness, cost, and trade value of either Terrence Jones or Donatas Motiejunas if/when the team a) trades for somebody like Ersan Ilyasova and b) is happy with Omri Casspi as the backup. First round picks are always going to be more valuable than a non-essential, non-rotation guy. If one or both second-year guys look like contributors this season and a trade for an Ilyasova can't come to fruition, then obviously you keep them.
