You're putting the cart before the horse here. If we trade for Dragic and he's a successful fit next to Harden, Rockets perform well in the playoffs, then he's a max player or close to it. If he's not so successful, then he'll either be cheap in FA, or he's not worth the max to us and we go in a different direction. Either way, the Rockets have to find out. We're not winning the title with our current lineup. And Dragic is clearly the best player available for trade at the deadline. It's a risk, but it's a risk the Rockets have to take, or they may regret it later on. OKC and Indy are showing us just how quickly contending windows can close in the NBA.
I think I agree with you. He wouldn't be replacing a key player, I think the question is really if he is better than Joey Dorsey for us. They are both the same age and don't really fit into our long term plans. This is simply, which player puts us in a better position to win now. Dorsey has been clocking in 20 minutes since Dwight has been out, very similar to the minutes Amar'e has gotten this year. Joey's D-rating has been fantastic this year, a career best 98. Amar'e has had a defensive rating that is on par for his career at 107. This translates to a +.9 D-win share for Dorsey and a +.7 D-win share for Amar'e. On the flip side, Dorsey has had an O-rating of 96 and Amar'e has had an O-rating of 110. This is good for a -.1 O-win share for Dorsey and +1.3 o-win share for Amar'e. It is clear that Dorsey is better defensively than Amar'e, but Amar'e is a lot better offensively. Amar'e has .55 TS% while Dorsey sits at a .46 TS%. I also think that Dorsey is boom or bust defensively because he is short for the 5 at 6'7 and needs to use his athleticism to compensate. Amar'e at 6'10 can contest without having to constantly leave the ground and give up position. The Rockets have been a top 3 defensive team all year, but we are middle of the pack when it comes to offense. If the Rockets believe Dwight can make it back for the playoffs, I would like to have Amar'e over Dorsey for a playoff series where the defense gets more intense and scoring is harder to come by. I also believe Amar'e allows us to use a big in a potential trade for an upgrade at point. I don't for second believe Amar'e Stoudemire is still a good player, but he is a marginally productive player that marginally produces more than Joey Dorsey. He would come cheap and I believe we should leave open the possibility of improving the team in any way at such a low cost.
What's your obsession with Rubio? How would he be good playing next to Harden as our main ball handler?
Here is the offer that Goran Dragic will likely get from at least one team this summer, give or take $5 mil: Four years, $80 mil Those of you who think whoever has Dragic's Bird Rights will be able to re-sign him for something like four years, $50 mil are living in a fantasy world, and are probably the same people who thought that Chandler Parsons would re-sign for something like four years, $36 mil. In fact, whoever has Dragic's Bird Rights will likely need to top that four year, $80 mil offer by offering the following: Five years, $95-$100 mil So, the question becomes, does Houston want to pay a guy who is turning 29 in three months, a guard, no less, this kind of money? Or is the rational move to let someone else pay Dragic this kind of money? This is why I think Morey is primarily interested in Ty Lawson and Darren Collison, both of whom are very nice players who are signed to reasonable contracts through the end of the 2016-17 season. I am projecting a Dragic-to-Sacramento trade by Feb 19, as Sacramento is exactly the sort of horribly managed and desperate team that grossly overpays for players like Dragic whose prime years are either already over or will be over soon enough.
we need a backup center as much as we need a pg.... you cant convince me that Dorsey and the rotation of smith, dmo, and t jones will work in the playoffs at center... id take petkovic and kmart from minny if we can make a legit deal
And Batman alluded ever so slightly that it was not Rondo, which makes sense considering the fact that he is off the table. I gotta believe the target is and always has been Dragic and negotiations have been ongoing all season, we will see if we finally get our guy.
Pekovic is crap and have you seen his contract? I proposed getting minny involved in a multi team trade so we could get Dieng and Kmart. Dieng would be perfect. I seriously doubt Minny would let him go though. They've been starting him at the 4. Maybe if Tjones shows something special the next few weeks Minny would want a more natural 4
Haha, I'm waiting for random trade ideas... "we'll give you DMo and Jones for Durant..." lol, who cares about the salary not matching!!! This whole thread got derailed some time ago..
Not sure about signing Dragic to a big 4 year 60 million dollar deal, which is why I ultimately prefer Thomas or Lawson. Both are younger and cheaper. If Howard doesn't recover, I am not sure this team is a contender with a Dragic/Harden core, so I'd like to have the flexibility to continue to add big pieces. I would really really like to stay in the Durant sweepstakes. I feel like we have as good a shot as anyone does to sign him.
Do you think there is a mutual interest between HOU and Ray Allen? I daydream at all the open 3's this team misses and replacing those with Ray Allen open looks.
This post is so strange. You accurately outline why McDonough doesn't really have a trade option to lift the Suns out of 8, 9, 10 purgatory and build on the future for Phoenix... then you end it with "McDonough is too smart to stand pat" ...WUT? You didn't even drop a "Dragic" in your post, but it's implied. Wake up Houston....AGAIN! McDonough is not trading Dragic to you guys. Yes! There is a chance (20-25%) Goran may leave Phoenix this summer (NYK or SA at a discount), but the 75 to 80% chance of resigning is WAY MORE than enough to laugh off pu-pu platter offers, especially from Rocket fans. For those of you who love to chime in..."but if PHX doesn't trade him, they could end up with nothing" ...The Suns FO would much rather see Goran, and Goran's 5/75 million contract offer be denied, then take on contracts/players that add to the already present cacophony of quality role players. In short- If Goran Walks, the Suns can spend that money EXACTLY where they want to in free agency, rather than "getting something for Dragic"...something you have to pay for. Less than two weeks until your jerking off over getting Goran is over ...or you could do yourself a mental favor and just stop now. Yeah...guessing you'll just keep on jerking. From the "inside"...Dragic won't be traded.
