Yeah. I think they will, but honestly, this is par for the course for how Morey handles RFA. Routinely goes on the offensive saying they're 100% keeping the player in an attempt to keep the market down. Works a lot, but not always (Parsons).
Dragic left us once before in free agency over a player option. I don't blame him, but do you really think he was clamoring to get back here when Miami's ready to fork over a max contract? He's openly talked about wanting to run a team, which wouldn't happen here. Do you think he's lying too? And even if you think Dragic wanted to be here, would you want Morey to outbid Miami's offer of two 1st round draft picks? Is Dragic worth more than that plus the massive contract we'd have to give him? If we traded three first round picks you'd be happy?
If Morey really did say he's not considering any of the buyout candidates, then he's made it clear he's content with Joey Dorsey. How exactly do you guys feel about this? IMO this means he's given up on the season
Exactly. I think they are projecting Capela to be ready to get 10 to 15 MPG next year anyways so really we are just talking about getting by this year. Maybe if you swapped Dorsey with a Miles Plumlee this year you win one or two more games MAYBE in the next couple weeks, but it probably doesn't make a difference. You can still win the games you are supposed to win with a 2 PF lineup or D-Mo moved over at the 5. Either Dwight is healthy for the playoffs and we have a shot or Dwight isn't healthy and we don't have a shot either way, or we only have a shot by trying to trying to run teams into the ground with small ball lineups.
So Dwight will be 100% coming back off knee injury? He'll be ready to go 35-40 minutes a night for us? Wow. If so, who keeps the B.Lopez's, M.Gasol's, T.Chandler's & Bogut's & DeAndre Jordan's off the boards if Dwight gets in foul trouble?
If we don't have Howard playing, we aren't going to win. Simple as that. For the periods he goes out, we play small ball. The 15th man on the bench simply isn't a huge concern.
The Rockets actually have 3 starters coming off the bench. 3 guys that were starters earlier this year and would start on many teams. Brewer was a starter on Minnesota, Smoove was a starter in Detroit, and Jones was a starter on our team before the nerve injury. Find me another team with 3 legitimate starters coming off the bench. Throw in K Pap, KJ McD, JET, and Prigioni. And for the love of God will people stop crying about backup center. When Dwight is healthy the bigs are Dwight, Jones, D Mo, and Smoove. That is 4 rotational bigs. 3 of them are shot blockers. They are all going to play pivotal roles. Most teams go somewhat small off the bench anyway whether its an undersized stretch 4, a PF playing center, or a soft finesse center. Dallas is playing Amare at backup C. Clippers playing Hawes. GS playing Speights. Portland playing Kaman. There is no center to pickup that will be out of the rotation when Dwight comes back. No center is signing here for that so people please get over it. D Mo is 7' feet tall and Jones/Smith protect the rim off the bench. I'm not worried about our bigs if Dwight is healthy. If he isn't healthy then it doesnt matter because we are going home in round one so its a moot point.
Rebounding & rim protection are game changers in the playoffs. Lopez killed us last year and that was with Asik and Howard. Given the fact Motiejunas's really a PF getting pushed out the paint when playing center, it's fairly "delusional" to assume our size at center won't eventually be a issue in the playoffs: Portland Lopez/Kaman/Leonard Memphis Gasol/ZBo/Koufus Spurs Splitter/Duncan/Baynes OKC Adams/Collison/Kanter Warriors Bogut/Speights/Lee Clippers D.Jordan/Hawes/Davis Rockets Howard/Dorsey/???
So Morey says that Pat Beverley's presence on the team was a factor in Goran not coming here because both of them are represented by the same agent, Bill Duffy. Thanks, Pat.
Small ball? Well that's the difference between my thinking & Morey's. Small ball didnt work last year in the playoffs, it almost never does. Going small with a 6'6 center, who has grossly limited offensive skills is delusional and postseason suicide.
It seems like the impact agents are having on NBA transactions is at an all-time high. All of a sudden they almost seem to be emerging as factors when considering which players you pursue. I can see teams passing on fringe guys thinking, "man, I don't want to deal with that agent."
None of those backup centers scare me. The key is to have a rotation of bigs. Too many fans are getting caught up in C vs power forwards. Its about skill sets. Josh Smith and T Jones block shots better than any of those "C" you mentioned. Did you not see Josh Smith swat Tyson Chandler 2x last game. And those "C" you mentioned have to try to guard Jones and Smith off the bench when they can go coast to coast off the rebound due to superior ball handling. I would rather have that then some stiff off then bench that is not able to create anything. Hawes, Leonard, Kaman, Davis, Speights, Lee are of no concern to the Rockets. Lets see them matchup with our playmaking backup PFs.
