Would you trade Donatas Motiejunas for Goran Dragic?

Yes, because we currently have Dmo to give us a low post presence. When he leaves we have no low post presence...and that becomes our glaring weakness.

You could make the case that we already have an elite guard that commands the ball on the perimeter.

Like I said.....Dragic is a better player than Dmo but considering the salary cap implications, age, etc....I'm not so sure this is a slam dunk trade.

 

I don't see Morey letting himself get screwed into paying double the price like Cuban did

 

I don't think it's an easy answer. Is DMo through developing? Does he have another step? Dragic is what he is (which is a damn good player by the way).

DMo still has wholes in his game. He is a horribly bad rebounder. I hate his pick and roll defense because he always ends up chasing guards around the perimeter instead of guarding the paint. He is a terrific one on one post defender and has a terrific back to the basket game. He is way to passive in the post though, passing up mismatches in the post for 3 point shooters. When DMo is aggressive in the post the Rockets offense rarely has a non-productive possession. The offense is so much better when its balanced than when players just start jacking up threes and ignore the post. We need DMo for that balance.

Having said all of that, Goron is elite at finishing at the rim and gives the Rockets someone that could spell Harden for long stretches if needed. Goran is all-star caliber and our PG spot has been the single weakest position on the team.

I think I would lean toward taking Goran but it would be a painful decision.

By the way, I'm as big of a Daryl Morey fan as there is, but if DM had given Goran the player option then the Rockets would not be in this position. As it turned out, the Rockets got zero benefits from not signing Goran.

 

Not a chance.

If rather get canaan in the rotation than trade dmo for dragic.

 

Obviously the front office has more knowledge than we do, about Dwight's health, about Dragic's willingness to re-sign. But ultimately you have to make an assessment on whether or not our team with Dragic would be a top 3 contender. If your answer is yes, then you have to pull the trigger.

Goran Dragic
James Harden
Trevor Ariza
Josh Smith
Dwight Howard

That is a formidable starting lineup without much in the way of holes. Brewer, Jones, Beverley, Dorsey, and Terry would do just fine as a bench.

You can say that D-Mo has unlimited potential, and I might agree. I like him a lot. But he's also a Euro, and Euros in general understand the business aspect of the sport more than most players. They are less loyal and more prone to go out and find the biggest contract they can get, and fairly so I would say. So don't look at it as a Dragic rental vs a DMo ownership. Because we might only have DMo for one more year after this one finishes.

For a chance to win it all, you follow the Simmons rule and trade the quarters for the dollar.

 

I said this earlier, but again...

PG is a need.
Dragic is a better player then DMo

But you can't just build a team in a vacuum.

DMo will be a bargain next year.... his salary will be only $2.3 million.
You've got to have some of these players on your squad.

Without DMo, the Rockets go into next year completely unsure of the PF position, and completely unsure of the PG position (Dragic and PBev both free agents)...

I'd rather keep DMo and his low salary and great bang for the buck, and risk not getting Dragic but having the appropriate cap space in the summer, or Pelicans draft pick, or whatever, to pick up a PG then.

This doesn't help you for this playoff run... but the chances of the Rockets winning it all currently aren't great, and aren't that much better with Dragic... if you are losing DMo.

Now, add Dragic, keep DMo, Dwight comes back healthy... then you're talking!

 

No I wouldn't. If we trade away Dmo and get Dragic we won't improve. We'll stay where we are UNLESS Jones comes back and produces at a level similar to DMo (which is unlikely). We'll have a different identity but we'll stay at this 3rd-5th seed in the West.

Problem is that I dont think PHX would accept DMo straight up and they'd probably want more pieces. So if we're trading away draft picks, or players, then we only stand to lose from this trade.

Get Dragic without giving up DMo and I think we have a serious shot at the title.

 

If Dwight comes back healthy, then you still have Jones. D-Mo isn't THAT much better than Jones where you can justify passing on Dragic to keep D-Mo.

 

You wouldn't be passing on Dragic, just telling the Suns they couldn't have him. Give them Jones if you can sell them on him being only a little lesser of a player. It's not like they are going to have THAT many eligible suitors given the fact that he could be nothing but a rental to most teams and there's not many teams that could compare with the Rockets draft picks.

 

with Dwight out and the uncertainty on his injury , giving up Dmo would be season suicide

 

How much better do you think D-Mo's stats are this year compared to Jones' stats last year?

Watch this... I'll compare D-Mo's stats this year to Jones' last year but won't tell you who is who:


Player 1: 28 min, 11.6 pts, 6.0 reb, 51.8 fg%, 31.8 3pt%, 56.0 2pt%, 56.1 TS%, 14.4 PER


Player 2: 27 min, 12.1 pts, 7.0 reb, 54.2 fg%, 30.7 3pt%, 58.1 2pt%, 57.7 TS%, 19.1 PER





Guess who is who...

 

That's the perfect thing to use in order to try and trick the Suns into taking Jones over DMo. Get it done!

 

The Rockets have 3 capable PFs right now... Jones, Motiejunas, and Smith.

So if the Suns didn't want Jones but were willing to trade Dragic for D-Mo straight up, you would rather keep all 3, even though one of them is going to hardly play especially once Dwight comes back, than to get Dragic, and then still have Dwight, Smith, and Jones as your front court?

I don't get it. You guys are acting like Motiejunas is some kind of untouchable star player.

 

You people that voted yes realize that this would make T Jones the tallest player on our roster......... Unless you call up Capella who is nowhere near NBA ready much less a full time starter. An not like Capella is a 7 footer. or even 6-11. He's 6-10. In fact D-Mo is the only rotation player taller than 6-9.

 

Current roster is not getting out of the West, and if trading D-Mo is what it takes to get Dragic, so be it.

 

Letting go of Scola, Landry, and Hayes were all heart wrenching, but I think we are all okay now.

Dragic ftw!

 

For them to still be pushing for Dragic, I'll assume they think Dwight will be fine....so you take dragic.

 

Actually I did when I stated that he would not likely duplicate his stellar year if on a contender.

They had limited talent last season and Goran was allowed free reign.
Phoenix exceeded expectations but they still missed the playoffs with that setup.
I don't think anyone would argue that last season's Suns squad had championship potential.

So when Goran moves to a contender, with better talent around him, I think it would be unrealistic to expect the career numbers he had last season to be duplicated.

As I said, I would love to have Dragic on this team, but in order to set the price you have to accurately assess the gain versus the potential loss.
Goran fills several needs for the Rockets and will almost certain move the needle forward.
At the same time, D-Mo has been the team's most reliable low post threat and the only (healthy) player with legitimate big man height.
So if you trade him there has to be a plan in place to replace some of what he brings.
Otherwise you are just filling gaps in the backcourt only to create larger ones in the frontcourt.

 

No..... just no...

Specially considering the situation... no I will not give up D-Mo for a potential 2 to 3 month rental.

Dragic is a better player this year, but D-Mo has the talent to surpass him as early as next season.

IMO Harden and D-Mo (In addition to Dwight) are off-limts for Dragic.

 

First, I would give them the NOP pick before I part with DMo.

BUT if we can get Goran plus another back-up big for rebounding and rim protection, I would trade DMo. With DMo, we are still vulnerable to elite teams because he's not rebounding enough and of course, doesn't stop the lay-up line.

Hopefully we can get enough offense with Dragic in there.