[Chron] Don't rule out a trade despite Rockets' recent run

I don't really know what this means.

Again, Daryl Morey wants to improve cap flexibility, and hopefully the team's chances at competing for a championship this season. Asik is a goner. If Morey can find a taker for Lin without leaving the current backcourt rotation high and dry, Lin's a goner. Motiejunas is likely also a goner, as some teams still see "upside" in a player who is simply not very good.

Luol Deng, Iman Shumpert, and Miles Plumlee would be great. Deng gives you an excellent three-man forward rotation, Plumlee gives you an excellent (and cheap) backup C, and Shumpert is not only significantly cheaper than Lin, he's also probably a better overall player. Certainly Shumpert and Plumlee will be easy to quickly move this offseason, if you need to do that. Deng has a contract that expires at the end of the season.

 

I agree this is the approach morey is taking to remain flexible but not mess up the team chemistry too much. Moving asik doesn't effect that at all if we get a backup center he isn't part of the chemistry or has he played many games anyway to help our record. Yes asik is best ELITE on D but if you can find someone serviceable for 10-15mins that help free cap room for future he would rather do that. Plumlee is ok but don't think morey wants asik with suns.

That's why I have Danny & humpries "expiring" + 1st or 2nd pick as the trade that is on the table if morey doesn't find better before the deadline. Lin would have to be moved next, but like u said without effecting out guard rotation much.

 

Isn't this the classic "risk/reward" scenario for Morey? Actually I worry about the collateral damage of an Asik trade more than trading Asik. Who or what gets included with Asik to make a trade? The depth at the 4/5 is borderline minimal IMHO. Howard, Jones, Asik and D-Mo. Plus the possibility of going small, but the Rockets seem to be moving away from those lineups. What else is there? Not much by any means. We shall see. But I do not expect anything major to happen. The Rockets are much too close to being a serious contender to do anything to upset the boat.

 

Looks like A ketchup bottle just shat on Pharrell head

 

It means that Morey could have traded Asik in the summer after signing Howard, but chose not to. He's given us basically nothing this year and has a contract that teams really don't want a part of. If Asik ends up contributing to a long playoff run, then Morey may end up being right. If not, then it's a different story. Btw, "I don't know what that means", or variations of that statement, should all be retired.

 

Oops wrong thread..

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion I suppose, but this is a stretch based on what they've done so far in their respective careers. Shumpert is a very good, if inconsistent effort wise, defender, but on the other side.......career 39% shooter and mostly relies on others to create for him.

 

Didn't Clutch post about how the Rockets thought they had a deal for Aldridge in the bag near the start of this season?

 

I have a question to ask that honestly I do not know the answer to. If Asik did not play for the rest of the season could the Rockets, if healthy, make it to the WCF? What are the odds? My first (weak and unsure) inclination is that yes, they could. If they could catch the Spurs or the Blazers in the second round they even might be favored in the series. Just asking.

 

It looks like Danny Ainge is no longer interested in winning this season and is now looking to instead a) stockpile draft picks and b) unload his overpriced veterans (Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace, maybe Brandon Bass). He probably would like to get something for Avery Bradley, if possible. I think he'd like to position himself to make a run at Kevin Love. My guess is that he is open to moving Rajon Rondo but is unhappy with the low ball offers being made for Rondo. Probably Rondo needs the rest of the season to demonstrate to the world that he has fully recovered, and offers improve this summer.

I agree that we may soon see Kris Humphries wearing a Rockets uniform. However, I think Ainge buys out Humphries after Feb 20. Humphries then signs on for cheap with a team that needs a backup C, and Houston might soon meet that description.

 

You're right. Sorry about that.

 

asik won't make them win this season only 30 games left at this point, and he's still trying to move bass, green, Bradley etc so that helps with tanking. I still think if Danny is to keep rondo he wants wants asik to play next to sullinger & that be his core. Anyone else he will trade. Danny likes asik and they need a solid center for next year and the future.

I'm all for getting humpries for asik or if we can get him if the celtics buy him out. Asik needs to be gone so we can remain flexible for the future morey can always find a serviceable 10-15min big next year for vet min or MLE.

 

Codman please give is an update

 

A three team deal sending out Asik and Lin and draft picks to return Shumpert and Rondo would be awesome.

 

OK, SA and LAC injuries? The Rockets have had their own injuries, but besides that the Rockets are on pace to win 56 games, that has nothing to do with those other teams.

 

Awesome for who? Certainly not for the Rockets because you kill their big man rotation and force DMo to be your backup PF and it puts Casspi back in the rotation at the 4.

 

Scratch that, DMo would be your back up 5

 

Codman should release a new clue every 12 hours until the deadline hits.

 

To get some idea of why the Rockets are so keen on keeping Asik, here are this year's team +/- with Asik, Dwight, and neither.

Numbers from nbawowy.com

With Dwight on the court, +7.7 per 100 possessions(112.4 offense 104.7 defense)
With Asik, +7 per 100 possessions (107.8 100.8). Before you say "small sample size), Asik was +5.8 last year. So it's no fluke
With neither on the court, -7.5 per 100 possessions (118.0 122.5) Defense goes into the gutter when both are out.

Assuming Asik averages 13 minutes a game once he's fully conditioned(with Dwight playing 35mpg). And let's use his last year's +/- instead of this year to get a total of +13.3 vs. lineup without either Howard or Asik. That's still roughly 3 point differential between Asik and no Asik per game adjusted for pace. 3 points is an insane differential. It's what separates the Rockets from OKC.

The above calculations is based on the fact that the Rockets have played like utter crap whenever Dwight has sat this season. People say Asik screwed his trade value by sitting. But in a way, he's also screwed because he RAISED his Rockets value by sitting. The Rockets have no alternative at center without Howard. Jones, DMo, Greg Smith are all worthless guarding the basket. They flat out suck on defense, and I don't even have to use stats to see this.

I know my stats are only basic and I'm sure the Rockets have much more advanced stats to filter out the noise. But overall it's clear that Asik at lesat has a major impact on the team. One that you can't just replace with a Brandon Bass or Humphries. The fact that he has no trade value is really insane because his defensive value is clear even with just publicly available metrics.

 

One minor injury like a strained groin from kissing the season goodbye? Yeah. And Casspi as your backup 4??? The Rockets would be absolutely non-competitive with the likes of MEM and IND who can bring bigs off of their bench. Casspi is sort of road kill versus West or Mahimi (sp?). If I was intent on just sabotaging the Rockets this season I would trade Asik and not get a big for him. LOL these people are idiots.