If Asik has accepted his role, no trades needed

If you're Atlanta why will you trade your only star for role players? They need a center to PAIR with Horford, if they trade him why will they need a center in the first place?

All these trade are effing crazy, if Minny went up to you and said they'll trade you Pekovic, Shabazz and Corey Brewer for Dwight would you do it? No? Well why the hell would Portland trade LMA for Asik and Jones, or Minny trade Love for Asik and Jones, or Atlanta trade Horford for Asik and Jones?

Asik and Jones are worth more to this team then the value they would fetch in trades just because they fill needs for the squad. Asik gives you a Dwight replacement in games where Dwight isn't feeling it (like last game), while Tjones has the starting PF on lockdown with his LBJ-lite mix of a SF skillset in a PF body. As long as Asik stays motivated and wants to win a ring then he should stay on the team.

Personally, I think Asik should look at it as a time to win a ring early in his career, and then he can chase the prestige and whatever else he wants later on. Most NBA players spend their entire playing careers without even sniffing a ring, I think this is a good situation for him esp. since he'll make 19M the next two years. Money and the chance to win a ring...is that really such a bad thing?

 

Man I'm really leaning into hoping ASIK will stay at least this year. He can get mins and be a big part of this team in the playoffs. Mchale will call on him to guard guys like z-Bo & Duncan, he is proven and shown he can do it. Nothing against Howard but he had a hard time with Duncan when lakers got swept last year he stayed in foul trouble a lot also. ASIK can be a big part of our playoff push if he just keeps calm and give his full effort when his number is called.

 

Based on advanced stats like RAPM where Asik is superstar, there's no way we can get equal value back by trade. He can totally change the dynamic of the game when used properly.

 

Way TJones is playing and with Asik so important as backup center, it keeps getting tougher to see deal for Asik that improves Rockets. - feigen

 

The key question is how good is our best 5 on the floor, and what is it? that is going to determine whether and for what we trade Asik.

To close games against playoff caliber opponents, you better have a closing 5 that runs like clockwork and plays both ends.

Current best guess as to our closing 5? Right now, it's our starting 5, with Beverly, Harden, Parsons, TJones and Howard. Is that good enough?
- Beverly is now up to 36 % from deep. (Lin down to a healthy and still great 39%)
- Parsons is playmaking like a mutha. I think he is pushing his offensive numbers hard b/c of a potential contract, which is currently making his defense suffer.
- What will T Jones look like against good teams?

 

In regard to T Jones he may not look great against good teams the first time around or first few times around (or he might look good or ok). It's how he looks as the season progresses that will matter. All young players are going to struggle and the forum will knee-jerk. Knee-jerking is the problem, saying after a good game a player can replace overall better performing players or take minutes from them like what's going on with AB now. T Jones has the tools. You don't always use your tools in the best way, especially when you are inexperienced, but he has them.

 

T. Jones looked darn good against Dallas...

 

In what world does a 13 and 3 Portland team trade LaMarcus Aldridge for Asik and Jones? Maybe if Portland falls out of the play-off race but certainly not now. LA, Batum and Dillard are a terrific trio.

 

Jones was very good against Dallas and Minnesota. He didn't have the big numbers against Memphis that he had against Dallas and Minni but he did play exceptionally well in the 3rd quarter setting the tone for Houston's comeback. Jones also played exceptionally well against Paul Milsap and Atlanta.

TJones is acquitting himself very well the better Power Forwards in the league.

 

I don't buy the talk that Asik has an understanding with the rockets now and has accepted his role. He will get dealt, he won't change his mind over night. Problem now is getting equal value for him. The only way we should trade for a PF is if we get LMA, Love, someone who is proven but then again, if I'm those teams I have no interest in a Center for my superstar PF. If Asik is truly demanding a trade and we know he will pout a play like crap if we don't trade him, than the best we can get is a serviceable back up center for Howard because that's really the only weakness on this team now with Jones emerging as a good role player. I know Jones will struggle at points in the season despite his hot streak and he may crumble in the playoffs do the pressure for a young player but the only way we really upgrade from him is for a proven superstar PF, otherwise it's worth it to ride it out with JOnes because he has a high ceiling. He also seems to be a good system player, doesn't try to jack up ill advise shots, get his baskets naturally within the system.

 

He's accepted it for the time being for mutual benefit. I don't think he'll be happy doing it for 2 seasons.

 

As long as we are winning holding onto asik until a good deal rolls around is to our advantage.

With how T Jones is playing, and more importantly the hustle/cleanup the mess style that T Jones is playing, it is a perfect match for the team and other than maybe Love anyone else we get is probably going to be a wash as far as net offense/defensive production goes (Have to keep in mind whoever we get their stats or someone else's is going to go down since there are only so many touches).

The main problem is Asik is 27 and will be 28 when his contact ends next year. His next contract will essentially define his career as far as minutes/earnings. I think the odds of him staying are little to none as a result so we have no choice but to trade him.

 

I wonder:

1. Now that the team seems to be settling into a good rhythm, might it be time to give Asik+Howard another try in small doses?

2. Is it really crazy to resign Asik at $10 million+ in 2015 and ask him to come off the bench? Maybe he values minutes more than just for its financial rewards, but if money is his primary concern, you can make that go away.

 

Yes you're right going to need ASIK in playoffs of you really want to make a run at taking the west. ASIK can give Duncan & zbo a run at their money. Howard struggled last year vs Duncan when lakers got swept by spurs & got in foul trouble often.

 

No evidence, none, that Asik is willing to stay, and since the Rockets are deep, it's not realistic to expect a massive upgrade, not unless Morey is willing to accept a contract longer than two years, which I seriously doubt. My hunch is that Morey swings a multi team deal that brings back a protected first and a veteran big to backup Dwight.

People talk about lock down defenders and stretch fours and point guards who can defend and shoot. Where are these players? Gimme some names. But they can't come from WC competitors, and they can't have contracts that extend beyond next season, and they they need to match Asik's contract, and they need to be a noticeable upgrade over the player they replace (Parsons, Beverly, Terrence), and it's easy to see how this might be one of Morey's most challenging task, to get fair value for Asik w/o hurting his ability to pursue a FA in 2015.

 

I don't see another backup 5 currently in the BBA that can give us the D and boards anything close to what Omer gives us. (That is one of the reasons I've been scouring internationally for guys. Can't find anybody over there either. Which is one reason why I'm still wondering why ) I know some of us are speculating on Okafor but he's got a herniated disk. I don't think he's going to be viable even once he comes back for at least this whole season.

I have wondered about Doc Rocket's tweet when he referenced Iran. Hamed Haddadi is in China balling. I feel about him similarly to how I feel about Whiteside. He should be on an NBA bench somewhere. When you look at his rebound rate, block rate, and watch him play in a pick-and-roll offense...in my humble opinion he looks like a fit here. And I would consider using our MLE to sign him and control him for a couple seasons.

Here's some footage of him burning us last year:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ksf7CsqFCR0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Asik demanded a trade. One time I demanded a $1 million dollar raise.

All this Asik has gotten over wanting to be traded is crap. He probably still wants to be traded, but Asik can't make the Rockets trade him, he's still under contract and Houston doesn't have to trade him.

 

Asik demanded a trade the moment we acquired Dwight, and we will grant him that request. We are simply waiting for the Dec 15th deadline where players we want will be available for trade.

Marcus Camby will be our eventual backup C. Until then, it will be Greg Smith who has played very well in extremely limited playing time.

 

Lmfao asik will not accept it. He is you and starting material. He wants a trade.