Rondo, Lee, and Bass For Linn and Asik Lee is boys with Howard, Bass is a banger inside and can fill the PF spot, and you have a trade piece in Rondo coming off an injury in a years time. Beverly and Canaan can run the point and Lee back up Harden.
Want a scary thought? WHAT IF Asik finds his way to OKC? His contract is up in 2, and OKC has been looking for that anchor in the middle even before Perkins, and now that it's time to replace him. Just imagine a frontcourt of Ibaka + Asik = defensive power house. Now, who cares if the duo can't score right? Cause Durant and Westbrook and the rest of the guys will take care of that. They're double-double machines anyway. If the Rockets fail to keep Asik, and he lands with a contender, even if it's not OKC, the Rockets have done themselves a disservice allowing a rival to get a major piece to help them get over the hump. So again, just one of the reasons it would be smart to find a way to make a team that has Asik manning the middle work with Dwight now onboard. D12 + Asik could work, it just needs an open mind, patience and some creativity.
On #1 - I think the estimated need for spacing 2 big men is a little overrated. There is a lot of space between the 2 corners of the low post block and I'm sure Asik and Howard will fit. As for the defense packing the middle, the counter I can think of is the drive and dish. Asik and D12 don't have to become long range shooters right away. They could start with the bank shot, or add the sky hook (lol). That would put them in enough distance away from the basket to create space if needed. If bulky big men like Gasol and Randolph can fit in a frontcourt, if low post long men like Robert Parish and Kevin McHale work for Boston, I see no reason why D12 + Asik can't fit. On #2 - Dwight played PF in the beginning of his career with centers like Tony Battie and Kelvin Cato, etc. It's not a new concept to him. I'm sure Asik at some point in his basketball life had also played the same. So I say this is a non issue. Dwight becomes free to be an Ibaka - Josh Smith type of rim protector. Some concern on if we play a "stretch 4", then we match up. If we need to put a run around guy to defend then we do that. Nothing is set in stone in basketball, and matching up will always be the name of the game. There is no need to change Dwight's offensive game because that is his strength. He still should be used to dominate the paint. And with the extent of defensive attention D12 get down low will more often than not leave Asik free very close to the rim for easy points.
