You're willing to exchange Landry for a player as long as he's "athletic", taller, and he has a decent J? You don't think there's more to basketball than those three things? Stromile Swift, circa 2005, would have fit that bill.
I wouldn't call Swift's J decent at all. I should have been more specific about that, but like i mentioned, if he was a taller landry then yeah. By that i mean someone who's consistent, hustles, rebounds, and has a reliable J. Swift didn't hustle, was not consistent and didn't have a reliable J.
Stromile Swift... p'hahahaha, sometimes I completely forget about that guy, only to have him randomly mentioned-my response is usually the same though... laughter. Seriously though, remember how he was gonna be exactly what our team needed!? He was gonna be that altheletic PF Yao needed; the real problem was that he just needed more time guys! Anyway, if I had to give up Scolar or Landry in the trade scenario the topic creator described... I likely wouldn't trade either of them unless we could get like a top tier PF. As it is now, Landry and Scola do a pretty good job at PF, the only hitch being they are both kind of short. No, I'd rather see Scola or Landry continue to develop in their roles with the Rockets, they are both pretty young, and while Scola may be in his prime... I think Landry can perhaps become a top tier PF when he hits his prime. What I would be down with, once we get a little less injured, is find a way to parlay some of our rarely used bench players (possibly Head or Wafer, etc.) into a trade with a team needing guards but that has a lot of C/F depth. We'd need to be getting a young, all be it somewhat proven, most importantly, big and atheletic backup center to make a trade worthwhile-because I think that is one of our main weaknesses in all actuality. As long as Yao is healthy we're fine, but Yao is bound to miss in the area of 10 games, even if he does stay mostly healthy... God forbid he go down longer, because we would be screwed at center. Finally, Landry and Scola still haven't realized their full potential, but anyway you slice it... as long as we hang on to those two guys we'll be set at PF for years. If I had to let one of the two go; in a killer trade or who knows what, I'd pick Scola I think. Even though I think Scola is a better fit for the team right now, and at this stage in his career Landry is best off the bench, I believe Landry's ceiling is higher than scola's. I could see Scola becoming a legendary roleplayer every team dreads playing, at best though, I think he'd be a top 10 PF but lucky to be placed in the top 5. Landry on the other hand, with his physicallity, rebounding, inside presence, and ability to score and dunk.. well, I think he has shown a lot for a player in his second year as an unheralded selection out of college. I think he is more the traditional inside PF presence, despite being kind of short, and if we're lucky I really think in 5 years Landry could be regarded in the top tier of not only NBA PFs but possibly in the top 25 best players catagory. Sure, he's still gonna have to come a long way, stay hungry, keep working on his game, etc... but I really think he has a shot to grow into a pretty great player.
Landry has more upside. Whoever said bball IQ can't be taught is wrong. He will continue to grow as a player with experience. In just one year, he vastly improved his jumpshot and his defense. Who says he can't improve in the other areas he is lacking. and Honestly, his bball IQ is pretty good for a guy in just his second season.
If we can trade a guy like a combination of Scola, Landry and Hayes that's wonderful. Scola's flexibility, Landrt's passion and dunks also Hayes' defence..
Well, I'd rather have Hayes back Yao up, unless the backup center is also a good defender. Now if you think about it, if you want a tall-atheletic-defensive backup center that can hit the outside shot, then you'd be really asking for a starting center from another team...
Scola has been a little dissapointing this year. Keep Landry. I think we've seen what we can get from Scola, but Landry will continue to improve.
Yep....When you have Yao in the paint, you have to complement him with an active PF that can finish. Both Scola and Landry are active, but Landry has youth and athleticism on his side. He's a much better finisher. Now that he has added the jumper as well as a few moves on the low block, he is a dangerous offensive weapon who will continue to improve. Scola is what he is. He's very solid night in and night out. Always hustles and works hard. So does Landry though, and his upside as both the offensive and defensive ends of the court make him more valuable IMO.
You really think so? I don't see it. I think by the end of the year, Landry will have developed into the better post up option. Adelman made a comment about looking to use him there more and more. So that would make Landry the better finisher, better shooter, better offensive rebounder, better postup player, and better free throw shooter. Scola's got defensive rebounding, getting occasional deflections when guarding the PnR, and flopping on his side. Advantage: Landry.
-derail thread- There is no way NY would have traded Lee in the past, he was productive, cheap, and a fan favorite. But I will tell you this, head to head Chuck has pretty consistently gotten the best of Lee. In college (sorry prof, this might hurt): Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20020129Florida.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20020302Florida.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20030204Florida.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20030308Florida.html (this one he out scored and out rebounded Chuck but UK still won ) Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20040203Florida.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20040307Florida.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20050208Florida.html The only two wins over Chuck = http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20050306Florida.html and http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/20050313Florida.html Then in the NBA: Win for Chuck's team = http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200611100HOU.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200801050HOU.html Win for Chuck's team = http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200801090NYK.html David Lee had a good game on this one... so maybe we should give him this win So head to head Chuck's team has beaten Lee's team 10-2 I choose the winning team. /derail thread Scola and Landry both have different benefits to the team, so in the long run I would probably choose Landry over Scola. Short term, Scola has championship experience and has won... it may not be NBA championship experience, but I like guys who know how to win (as referenced above )
If you want to talk about how each player helps us win, I have to give the knod to Landry here as well. Scola is more polished and he makes quicker decisions, but I don't know how many times I've seen landry in the lineup at the end of games throwing down clutch dunk after clutch dunk to seal Ws. He plays better with the game on the line. Remember the second time we beat Utah in the playoffs last year, remember his game clinching block and rebound? Nothing against Scola, I love him as a player and i guess that you could argue that he is a better all around player than Landry at this point, but as it pertains to the team, Landry's scoring late in games has led to alot of wins.
I agree that Landry has definitely helped us get wins, but so has Luther Head. My point was in the short term, meaning this years playoffs, I would count on Scola to understand the pressure of a longer, must win run than I would Landry. Landry did in fact step up in the playoffs last year, but I still like the idea that Scola has a background to help him handle pressure the further we get into the post season.
I don't see him being far better than landry myself....Landry has a better jump shot and can finish around the basket better. Hell i really think Landry plays defense better than scola....Landry has more upside also...I am keeping Landry personally..he will out play his contract by the end of next year I think
