Could Motiejunas and Jones both move out of the rotation?

DMo makes starting 5 better when he's in it, he's as good as TJones while playing with second unit. Which is why I give a small advantage to DMo at PF.
Smith doesn't have big upside, though he was solid at PF last year, Asik and Howard really didn't work in my opinion, because they stopped ball movement on O and they caused terrible perimeter D on D.
I didn't mention Casspi because he's not a PF, he's second and a half option at SF. There are like 3 teams in NBA that Casspi playing against at PF wouldn't get dominated.

 

Agreed. He did a good job against end of the bench players early in the season, but he's jut not someone who is good enough to be in there with starters at the 4. Garcia has the backup 3 job on lock so Casspi's minutes will suffer. I'm sure they'll give him spot minutes at the backup 4 when the matchup allows for a small PF who can't play any defense. He's basically a homeless man's Mike Miller.

 

i think asik + howard will work against team like the lakers.

 

OKC, GS, Dallas, Philly, Chicago, Kings...

 

Even if Omer and Dwight are sensational together, they're still gonna play only 10-15 mins a game. Because Mchale is never going to allow the Rockets a minute without one on the floor. That leaves 33 mins minimum which Casspi just cannot play by himself.

Mchale will call on him when he wants to go small as strategy, but it can't be the norm.
That being said, it's still a case of investing in one of the young PFs because both are liabilities on the court at this point.

 

OK. We must have watched different games. The Howard Asik lineup got crushed. No other way to put it. Offensively and defensively. If it isn't gone already it soon will be.

 

It was their first time together as a unit out there, Asik's first preseason game. What did you expect? Actually it worked pretty well, but there were chemistry issues, Lin played poorly early on and left the back door option open far too many times.

 

O.K. Kubiak

 

It can't work, you are taking away one of their strengths when one has to guard a PF....it is just McHale trying to make Asik happy.....

Not gonna work...

DD

 

We definitely watched different games. Dirk took 2 shots when the twin towers were in there and most of the damage was from the guards shooting jumpers. How does who's playing PF effect jumpers from the wings?

On the offensive side, there were some issues but most of them were because of Asik's rustiness. Howard and Asik had a lot of point blanks shots that they didn't convert. There were also lots of fouls in the paint that weren't called.

Howard and Asik also accounted for 26 rebounds without playing in the fourth quarter.

 

I did not watch the game.

However, if this is true, and these two centers are unable to play well together, then two years, $20 mil (total amount left on Asik's contract) is way too much for a backup C, and Asik should get traded to the highest bidder. Sooner rather than later, as Asik's trade value is higher now than it will be in February.

The idea that Houston can get a big name, All-Star-caliber PF (K. Love, C. Bosh, etc.) for a package centered around Asik is, quite frankly, stupid. However, if you can get a very good backup C--Robin Lopez and Kris Humphries immediately come to mind--along with a pretty good draft pick, that gets you what you need (16 minutes/game of very good production in 2013-14) now and also later (the draft pick).

And if you flip either Jones or Motiejunas for a first round pick, as well, then you are still able to win big now (2013-14) while stockpiling first round picks that can later be used via trade to significantly upgrade the roster at a later time.

 

Asik and Howard are pure centers, doesn't matter if Dwight used to play PF, not they are more lost at PF than any other of our youngsters. I don't say it can't be fixed with time, I say it's not worth it... For Dwight and Omer, because I guarantee no one of them is happy to play PF and go further from basket both on defense and offense. It's not their comfort zone. And when they both jam the paint there is no room for our smaller guys who just love to drive into the paint. Also Harden Lin and Parsons is not enough to spread around the 3 point line, last night they used to all go to one side and leave other side of 3 totally empty. Like I said it's fixable, but I doubt it's gonna happen.
i don't know why Asik should be unhappy other than going to the bench rather than having a title of a starting center. His minutes won't drop, because he didn't really play that much last season either. He won't be getting less money, though he'll have a chance to compete in the playoffs and go further.
Trade our assets for Thaddeus Young from Philadelphia and let's go to the finals!

 

There you have it. We've got 13 and a half minutes of preseason data. Move along, nothing to see here.

 

Yup, 13 and a half minutes of data where Lin was the greatest defensive liability certainly shows a lot about Howard and Asik playing together.

 

The PF position is what's keeping us from being contenders. I would hate to trade away Asik, but playing him or Casspi or Parsons as PF is not something you can get away with for a deep playoff run.
People on this board can't seem to grasp that, or they are delusional about D-mo and TJones. Every team has a weakness, yes, none so inexperienced. For example, people would say Thunder are weak at center with Perkins, but any gm would take Perkins at center over Dmo or Tjones at PF for a playoff run.
It won't be a superstar, but Houston will have to trade Asik for a serviceable power forward.

 

Any suggestions for who that PF would be?

 

I think our PF/C rotation should be Dwight/Asik/Donuts

Those 3 should rotate around. We have 2 low bangers and rebounders with one finesse and shooter player.

 

If I had to get someone it would be Ilyasova. We could probably get a pick too.

 

I understand what u may think and even the rockets may think short term,but I hope we don't pitfalls thru development. I mean,the lakers after they got shaq still had time to develop kobe bryant and derek fisher. Even the lakers of the 80s fresh off a ring traded for byron scott and developed him. I mean,cassapi is solid and he had numerous chances to prove he was a viable players in this league. I like cassapi and his energy,but if it were me,he would just back up parsons. I would split the minutes with between jones and d-mo. Both guys are unique in skill and if they develop,they can be way more valuable than cassapi ever would be both in trade or in on court production.

The rockets are close,but last time we were in a similar position,we didn't think we could develop young players. Yet we see kwawi leonard,chalmers,and other young guys develop with a team in contention.

 

I agree with this 100% Rondo for he Celtics was once considered the weak leak that would cost the newly formed "big three" a title. Doc developed him and he ended up becoming an all-star. Play D-Mo and Jones and find out what we have or don't have. Adjust accordingly.