We aren't going to be a good enough team to be a contender. Yao is going to be out on the court for 25 minutes a game. After that, we still have no size and a backcourt that is sub par defensively. I think we may get past the first round as is, but we need a talent upgrade (containing size) to really contend. I still want to take a shot at Al Jefferson.
Maybe Okafor could be had in a predatory deal. N.O. appears to be bleeding money, if the reports are correct.
yea, the Paul/Okafor scenario would also be interesting. Okafor does fill a need for us (albeit over priced) Brooks+Hill+Battier+Jeffries+Anderson+2012 first rounder Paul/Lowry Martin/Taylor Ariza/Budinger Scola/Patterson Yao/Okafor
Chicago needs to dump a few million more to have cap space for max deals for both LeBron and Bosh, and has failed in attempts to move Loul Deng and James Johnson: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...go--20100626_1_bulls-james-johnson-king-james We could maybe get both Deng and Johnson for crap contracts if we send salaries equal to 75% of Deng's $11.3 million (i.e. Jared Jeffries, etc.), and use our Carl Landry trade exception ($3 million) to take back Johnson. That would clear up the $4 million in cash space the bulls need. Maybe more if we can trade the non-guaranteed contracts of Mike Harris and Alexander Johnson, and then the Bulls cut them. Deng starting and Ariza coming off the bench would be an upgrade, IMHO.
If Adam Morrison leaves the Lakers, then I wouldn't mind if the Rockets picked him up. I think Morrison has talent. I think maybe he just needs clean slate somewhere. He could possibly come cheap.
Have you seen my posts in three other threads about EXACTLY this with James Johnson? I don't really think Morey has much interest in Luol Deng. He's not enough of an upgrade over Ariza/Battier/Budinger to be paying Deng double what Ariza is getting, and for several more years. Plus, Ariza and Battier are both better defenders than Deng (who's not bad), and this Rockets team will desperately need a defensive wing as a starter. My proposal (assuming that Bosh has already decided not to come to Houston) is to offer to take James Johnson's contract off the Bulls' hands in exchange for the Bulls' (lottery-protected?) 2011 first round pick. The Rockets could either absorb Johnson's salary in the Carl Landry trade exception, or (if they don't value these guys much for next season) they could simply trade the non-guaranteed contracts of both Mike Harris and Alexander Johnson to Chicago and retain the full trade exception for another deal.
Again, as I've posted many times before, the best opportunities might come at the trade deadline, when desperate general managers can be picked over like a vulture gnawing at a fresh corpse. Waiting until the deadline has another advantage, it gives Chase, Jordan, and Patrick more time to distinguish themselves, which will increase their value. This is why I won't be freaking out if nothing major happens before training camp. .
I agree with you,but Al Jefferson is expensive and can't solve our defensive problems despite his ability to score around the basket. He isn't the same player that he was since he got injured.
This is what I've been thinking for some time now. If they lose Stoudemire they could go into full rebuild mode & Nash should be one of the first players they trade away. While Nash is up there in age he is still one of the top 2 PG's in the NBA. The beauty of making this deal (assuming it becomes available) is that Yao, Scola, Battier & Andersen will all be 30+ years old by the start of next season. We've got 1-3 years left in this group before their skills start to truely erode. After that, we'll have a boat load of cap space to start over.
I think the Rockets should prey on Memphis for either Marc Gasol or Hasheem Thabeet. Either one would solve our contention problem.
