I wish we had snagged Isaiah Stewart earlier in the season when he was allegedly available. Can play 4 and 5. Two way player. Good shotblocker. Developing 3PT shot, very close to ready. This season has turned out to be an elite rim protector off the bench at least. Could have paired so nicely with Sengun and Jabari in some lineups. Great contract. Udoka would have been a good person to channel his energy like we've kind of done with Brooks. Seems unlikely they trade him now, he's embarrassing Duren at the moment outplaying a top pick who's not that much younger.
Bring in KD and take your chances. They need a bucket getter and a guy that can stretch defenses. Also a shooter like Luke Kennard would be nice. This group is still the group that cant shoot.
According to both NBA.com & BBR Amen hasn't logged a single minute as "the backup point guard." 2024-25 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com (Scroll down to "play by play") PG 0%, SG 15%, SF 59%, PF25%, C1%.
interesting as we have all clearly seen him bring the ball up court to initiate the offense What counts as PG???
What would it take to get Jose Alvarado off the Pelicans? He's relatively young and on a great contract so I don't think they'll be eager to trade him, but he looks like a good fit on paper. Backup PG who is hitting 41% on six three point attempts per game with 4 assists, in just 22mpg. (Per 36: 9 three pointers and 6.6 assists.) Would he be worth a FRP?
He rarely does, unless it’s after a rebound and he pushing pace / fast break which is prob why he’s not logging PG minutes
Too small we need someone who can guard SGA and Williams … Ball is perfect cause he’s bigger than FVV and helps us with size against bigger teams
I like the Lonzo Ball idea too, although I still don't know if I believe he'll really stay healthy, even just for the rest of the season. Wouldn't mind picking him up at all though just for a rental and possible vet min deal if he makes it to the offseason with his knee intact. I will say though: Alvarado is not a bad defender despite his size. He's a bit like FVV, really pesky high-steals guy who plays above his height. I think he would be a good backup for Fred and possible starter for next season depending on how everything else shakes out.
I think it's actually somewhat unlikely that players like Lonzo, Brogdon, Bruce Brown get traded at all by the deadline. Just because their expiring contracts are large enough that few teams have expirings to salary match in a trade. Even for HOU, Landale + Tate or Jeff Green would both need to go out, and I don't think losing all our deep frontcourt depth makes much sense. What I could see, and I think I read this idea somewhere so don't want to take credit for it, is someone like Lonzo taking a big discounted buyout and HOU signing him using some of the MLE we still have, for a multi-year contract covering the rest of this year and next year, with maybe a team option after. Chicago saves ~$5M+ (their cheap owners probably value that more than a SRP), Lonzo gets to lock in a >vet min contract for next year before the offseason, and HOU gets Lonzo + his contract will be trade eligible during the offseason as an expiring. Everybody wins.
They might want to send Tate out just to give him more of an opportunity somewhere else--dude is getting wasted by our depth, he should be in the rotation on some team that's either bad or doesn't enough depth to run a good bench unit out there like we do. I do like your idea of picking up one of these guys on a buyout into a small multi-year contract.
3 team trade. Portland out: robert williams Portland in: jock and a 2nd from houston New Orleans out: Jose Alvarado New Orleans in: 2nd from houston Houston out: jock and two 2nd rd picks Houston in: Jose Alvarado and Robert Williams Portland outlook: Cap flexibility getting out of next years salary with jocks team option, essentially an expiring. Gain an asset for an oft-injured backup who doesnt have much oppurtunity for minutes behind ayton and clingan. New Orleans outlook: Season is a mess so gaining a pick for a player set to expire and likely to not bring back. Houston outlook: Add 2 bench playing veterans for the playoff run. Alvarado adds a much needed backup PG, as well as quality shooting, over 40% from 3 on 5.5 attempts per game (in only 21mpg). He is undersized but crafty with his hands. Is also very good with ball security sporting a 3.65 ast/to ratio, similar to FVV, who owns a 3.97 ast/to ratio. Williams gives us a quality 3rd big behind Adams as Jock hasnt impressed. Solid defender in space and at the rim with his length and athleticism. More of a rim running big. Has history with ime and would be in line to replace Adams next year. Similar to how we acquired Adams a year earlier.
I think it might take more for Alvarado--he's actually under contract at only $4.5M next season, which is a steal for a guy having a great season and heading into the midst of his prime years. In any case, I'd do this deal, even at a higher cost for Alvarado. I'd prefer to grab Olynyk rather than Williams personally but it sounds like the Rockets favor Time Lord.
I didn't realize he was under contact next 2 years actually. Super cheap bench guy and you are right, may take more but i still like targeting him. I'm with you in preferring Olynyk but either work for me for the same reason.
A realistic set of trades IMO, taking into account everyone's current and future cap, tax, and apron situations: #1: HOU in: PJ Tucker (bought out) + 2031 LAC SRP + 2030 LAC SRP swap LAC in: Jae'Sean Tate By doing this deal LAC dumps Tucker and dips under the tax, saves ~$25M, and gets an expiring playable bench forward. Houston gets a couple real SRP assets for Tate and eating Tucker's salary. HOU would probably convert Nate Williams to a minimum contract to replace Tate's role. #2: HOU in: Robert Williams III POR in: Jock Landale + 2031 LAC SRP + 2027 MEM SRP POR gets a couple real SRP's and they get back the exact size of expiring contract they need back for Williams. Any larger and they could get pushed into the tax this year, any less and almost all other buyers would get pushed into the tax or apron by taking back Williams. Rockets get RWIII to be a platoon backup C, expiring tradeable salary going into next season, and Steven Adams insurance if no extension is agreed.
On Olynyk ..... I've always liked his game, even back when he came out of college. Was really happy when he was acquired last go round .... Highly productive offensive player but he's pretty weak defensively - kinda redundant with Sengun, unless you want to play them together which I think is a real possibility. considering his range as a shooter. But ... IF (couldn't make that if any bigger), if healthy, Williams is a game wrecker defensively that would take Udoka's defense to a whole new level and adds another wrinkle offensively too (lob threat). That defensive ability at the 5 off the bench just adds to the identity of this team and its smothering defense. Tough choice ....
Out problem is that we can't score so your solution to our team is to trade for two more guys who can't score? The defense is fine can we get someone who can just make shots?
If Jerami Grant wasn't so injury prone, it would be great to swap him with Brooks. Grant has become a formidable shooter and good shot blocker. Although he's only 6'8 in shoes, he has a 7'2 wingspan which is great for protecting Sengun while simultaneously improving our spacing. Would be great at PF around Sengun/Amen/Green. A kind of alternative to Durant I guess. Interesting archetype, I wonder where we can find better versions than Durant and Grant. Somewhat switchable PF defenders with highly feared 3PT shots - very rare. But then when I think about it that's pretty much what Jabari will be if we just wait. Taller, probably stronger even. Jabari's injury came at such a bad time, it was perfect that his shot was catching fire we really needed that. Hopefully he gets back on track quickly. I'm really starting to think the one and only move is to get someone who can competently protect the paint and make 3's - especially someone who can do it in the playoffs and be an alternative to Jabari/Sengun when they're off. Statistically Tari is excellent at PF so maybe that helps. If we could acquire that one player as an option to pair with Jabari and Sengun opening up extra spacing for Amen and Green to get easier drives, I think we could wait comfortably for everyone to develop their jumpers rather than make a big move. Sengun/Jabari/Amen/Jalen/Tari/Whitmore all need work on their jumpers. Someone almost polished like an Isaiah Stewart would fit nicely in our development timeline and budget. I THINK we can squeeze in Vucevic if we believe he can competently protect the rim against bench units (shooting 42% on 3's). Durant, Grant, these type of guys provide extra coverage for Sengun so they kind of help indirectly. The fulcrum is to find a player that both helps Sengun and Amen/Green. That's the tricky part. If you look at what we have and need, a person who improves our rim protection and who can make 3's would be a dream fit. We're set at perimeter and POA defense, have switchable and big/fast players everywhere else. Offensively the 3PT shooting is dragging down our FG%, TS%, offensive rating, it's increasing the need for rebounds, the need for being extra safe in transition and destroying the space Amen/Green have to attack the basket. You can unlock a lot of things if you make a chess move this deadline. I have a feeling Stone will make a sneaky good move. I won't be disappointed if we stand pat, but I really do feel like they're quietly upto something. A deal that doesn't create a lot of ripples but fortifies our playoff push at least a little bit. At this point, someone who can increase our net rating by 2 points would be beyond expectations. Not hard with a couple of 2nd rounders.
