Hello, Aron: The Baynes of Houston's small-ball lineup

For the veterans on this board, you know how loyal/hardheaded I can be when I zero in on a role player who, I think, can help this team reach greater heights, salary be damned. For those that do not know what I'm talking about please refer to The Otto Porter Movement. Yes, I do think Baynes is definitely IDIOT-material. Now, onto the show....

So why in the hell do I feel Aron Baynes deserve his own glorious thread? Well let's consider Baynes, the player:

1. He's a unrestricted free agent. For Phoenix this past year, Baynes made $5.4 million as a backup to Ayton. A pay raise to the tune of, say, the entire Non-Taxpayer MLE of around ~$10 would be nice for a soon-to-be 34 year old. I'd say we have a more realistic chance of signing Baynes that Ibaka (cost too much) or Bertans (cost too much). I put this point of free agency at the top because we don't have enough attractive assets to trade nor do we have the financial means to offer huge salaries to restricted free agents.

2. He has range. In the 28 games he started for Phoenix, Baynes averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 26 minutes of play while shooting 37.% from three. In fact, this past season he shot a respectable 35.4% on catch and shoot threes. Sure 28 games is a small sample size to work with but if people are ready to drool over Christian Wood's 12 games as a starter......

3. He's tough as nails. Bertans is a much better 3 point shooter but will come at an improbable cost and isn't tough at all. Wood might be available for the same price but could easily get pushed around with his frail body. We owe it to PJ Tucker to bring in a bruiser at the starting center position. We owe it to Russ to have a hulking mass of a big that can set screens for him in PnR. We owe it to James to have another guy on the team that will have his back when the Morris twins take cheap shots. That being said, Aron is also....

4. A solid defender. Baynes can/will try to stop anything that comes his way in the paint, same can't be said for either Bertans or Wood. Having this safety net whenever a guard dribble drives into the paint or whenever a big comes crashing in would be a relief for the team.

5. Intangibles. Whoever becomes the next coach for the Rockets would have the flexibility to run out a lineup of a big at center without fearing that your center can't stretch defenses and the only thing he's really good at is catching alley oops. Also, Baynes is a career 80% free throw shooter so that element of "Big man cannot hit free throws" is out the window.


So who's ready to be a part of the Aron Baynes Clan (aka ABC) Big Baynes Club, aka BBC? ????

 

If we're thinking the window to compete aligns with the number of years left on Russ and James' contract a 2-3 year deal with Baynes would be most ideal. I also don't think he's going to want to sign for anything longer.

 

Wow how did I miss that opportunity. Okay, henceforth, the group formerly known as the Aron Baynes Clan, ABC, will be officially called teh Big Baynes Club, aka BBC. Please do not google us.