What star would you want the Rockets to chase in FA?

The sad part is, even if we pulled off a miraculous trade like that, we would still be a worse version of the current Thunder.

 

Or this.

 

Free agency begins and ends with Howard. He has his issues however he is still a top 10 player and the only free agent that gives a chance to win a championship in the next few years. No other free agents can honestly take us to that next step. Sure a Smith or Millsap will move us up the playoff ladder but will not make us good enough to compete with OKC and Miami. So unless we can get them on a team friendly contract then they do not help us move towards being true contenders. Our goal is to be the next OKC not the next Memphis.

Option 2 is to continue to collect assets and maintain roster and financial flexibility. Hope that a player internally takes the next step toward stardom or another star player comes available and we have the assets/cap space to attain him. Under this option, I think we should target a 4/5 with some defensive chops on a short term contract (ideally a one year deal). I think Gortat would make a ton of sense. His defense has slipped this year, but most players on losing teams can see a slippage on d. Plus he will playing for a new contract. I think a conditional 1st and Greg Smith could get it done. Another option is target Okafor. Offer a conditional 2nd and a huge TPE and eat his huge salary for one year. He could then shore up our 2nd unit's D and also be a trade asset as a expiring contract to get that next star.

Also under option 2, I think we need to target Eric Bledsoe. He is the one pg that is attainable and has star potential. He is a defensive beast with improving 3 point range (43 percent this year). I think u let him battle it with Lin to see which player is the answer at the point going forward. Not sure what package we can use to get him. Maybe eat a bad but expiring contract along with TJ and a few 2nds gets it done. I think with these moves and some internal player growth we can move up to 3 or 4 seed in the west and maintain the ability to snag the next available star.

Morey can now just follow either option 1 or 2 and take the next year off.

 

Unless we get DH I don't want to see us do much. We need to develop our youth at every position. I would like a backup 2 that can defend really well, Allen is a FA. But at pf I think we have 3 youngsters in Dmo, Trob, and TJ that have great potential. Asik has shown so much improvement would suck to get rid of him but DH would be worth it.

 

Where in the CBA does it say the percentage of cap used per position matters?

8 million/yr is pretty much exactly what you pay for a good 6th man. It doesn't matter what position he plays.

If we get Dwight, we are pretty much set. It doesn't matter if we don't have much cap space left, we're ready to run at a championship. That's 2 guaranteed championship runs. By the time Omer leaves us, some of the other guys in our huge stable of prospect bigs will be ready to step up for a more affordable price.

 

Whatever
If Asik goes down we are toast
At all other position there's adequate backup
Greg Smith is regressing
Morey needs get someone for insurance at C position

How about Yao Ming for 10 day contract?

 

I want Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge
I know they are not FAs till 2014

I'm hoping we could get them in the off season via trade and have one of them for the 2013-14 Season and not have too wait for the 2014 off season.

 

Howard has such a crummy attitude. The idea of taking the good with the bad? This is the same forum that bashed T-Mac for half assing his rehab for goodness sake. And he actually fought tooth and nail to not leave Houston.

 

First I would like to say it's been a very "long" time since I have been excited to watch Rockets games. And that is because of the way we play, our players, and your youthfulness.

But if you were to say we can get Dwight Howard (Top 5 in Rebound&Block Shots, over 55% FG, Super Athletic, Can Run the fast Break) for Asik and Lin + Filler then I would have to say you do it.
I'm a big fan of Asik (blue collar worker toughness, consistent) and Lin (Potential is there, can distribute the rock real well, has Steve Nash moments)

Do I worry about Dwight current injuries or possible attitude. Yes but it's a gamble I'm willing to make.


Lin, Harden, Parson, PF, Asik

VS

PG, Harden, Parson, PF, Howard

I would even be ok with Trading Parson, Asik, Lin for Howard if it meant Howard + a Legit tier 2 player.

Outside of Harden the only other player with a brighter future would be Parson. So a Legit Tier 2 player would have to take his place.

 

There aren't too many stars left in the NBA that are in the Prime of their career where the Rockets would have a shot of acquiring them. That's the challenge here the Rockets are facing-


-You have the over the hill superstars- Duncan, Garnett, Pierce, etc.

-Then you have the in-between (In their Prime) guys that we really have very little shot of acquiring- Howard, CP3, Melo, Lebron, etc.

-Then you have the young star players(most preferable, but hardest to get) - Harden, Irving, Love, Griffin, Paul George, etc.

-Then you have the wild cards- Bynum(degenerate knees), Pau Gasol(how many years does he have left), Amare (over-paid, bad knees), Josh Smith (is he really a superstar??)


So I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but the Rockets probably have little shot in getting another one of those young star players any time soon. Its probably going to take another year or two for someone like Love, or LMA to be flirting with free agency for their teams to look to move them.

So, if the Rockets strike out on these guys, you MUST take a look at gambles, and smart bets. The Rockets might have to look at acquiring a "Wild Card" player for the short term (1 or 2 years to keep flexibility). Take a swing for the fences, and if it doesn't work out you still have your flexibility.

You cannot take a "Wild Card" that could potentially set this franchise back 4 or 5 years with a devastating injury on a max cap player, or give the max to a player that isn't max worthy... (cough, cough... Joe Johnson.)

That's why I have been saying to not rule out a one year star rental of Pau Gasol. He has the talent to put this team over the top, but his question marks(how much does he have left, is he too ugly to market to clutchfans, etc) come at minimal risk of a one year max contract.

This is something you do not get with another wild card like Amare, or Smith. Those players will almost certainly kill any future flexibility you want in 2014, and if they aren't a big help to you on the court, it will demolish this team's efforts to be a title contender.

Pau Gasol gives you the ability to get his services on the cheap next season, and still be a player in 2014 to bring in someone else, AND also re-sign Gasol to form a true big 3 team to contend in the West.

Obviously I would rather have the "In their Prime" or "Young Star" Star players, but its next to impossible to acquire one of those players. The "Wild Card" player might be the only alternative solution to take a look at this Summer.

 

If you gonna have two super-star, one at SG, the other at PF/C probably the best combination; and SG PG combination probably the hardest to work out. So... it is pretty obviously, unless master Morey has sth. not commonly realized by casual fans.

 

What about signing Al Jefferson to big money but for a short term contract. Perhaps max money for 2 years with team option or like 12 mil for three years with team option on third year. He'd have to be willing to come here and divide up the minutes between himself, asik, trob and dmo, but we would have so many options and a guy who can give asik a rest as well as play alongside asik. He'd be a great mentor for the younger bigs too. And his contract will be up same year as Lin and Asik, as well as other stars like Kevin Love.

 

Morey has stated they will be looking for a star and not picky about the position. So no, the Rockets are not concerned if said star is CP3 or Love or Howard anyone else, as long as he's a star.

I know it appears that the Harden/Lin combo doesn't work. But when Lin is hitting shots and getting to the paint at will, it works fine. It only doesn't work when Lin isn't a plus offensive player. Switch current Lin with Linsanity Lin, and we'd have a perfectly good backcourt star combo.

 

Gasol and then Aldridge, my boy LaMarcus is coming home!

 

If we get pass through 1st round, there's no need to change anything. I'd rather get a defensive perimeter role player and a 3 point specialist spot-up shooter that you can insert whenever there's a need for one. Let the starters develop I'd say...

 

1. Dwight Howard
2. Dwight Howard
3. Dwight Howard
4. Dwight Howard
5. Dwight Howard

 

Not a fan of a 3 star system. It's more likely that the third star will be underutilized and hence over-paid.
In spite of the drama that comes along with him, I would build love to build around D12, who has a greatest impact both sides of ball than any other FA, let alone the entire league.

Out:

Asik, TRob, TJones, #Be Well, and perhaps JLin, who would be a really good fit with DHo, but his strengths are a bit too redundant with Harden which spells more under-utilization.

In:

Dwight Howard
-Instantaneously gives the Rockets a league wide advantage at the center position.
-One of few bona fide defensive anchors. Our weakness, which is defense, becomes a strength over night
-Pick and roll/pop with Harden = game over

Eric Bledsoe
-a plus perimeter defender.
-shooting has improved (.451 FG%, .433 3PT%)
-Not the playmaker or explosive scorer Lin is, but doesn't need to dominate the ball to be effective, which IMO makes him a better fit than Lin playing alongside Harden

Kyle Korver
-Penultimate floor spacer
-Minus defender but you have Howard erasing mistakes

 

Dwight then go for Aldridge... get err done Morey!