Can Asik co-exist with Dwight (If Rockets get him)

I think it can work if Lin improves his jumpshot by a great amount

 

I think it could work because neither guy is a liability as the big defending the pick and roll. Teams wouldn't really be able to expose us on the pick and roll, and that's the way the league is headed. Asik has shown glimpses of shooting range and his interior passing has been very nice. I think they'd pair well.

 

Asik will be on the last year of his contract due $15 million if he's traded that year which means Morey won't have the upper hand in trade negotiations. Best to try to trade him between the time they sign Howard (if he comes) by the trade deadline in February.

 

If you had both, I think they start together (for their egoes' sakes), and then trade off throughout the rest of the game so they are not on the floor together.

I think that the fact that neither can really shoot mid-range or long-range is a big problem for the offense. If you pull one out, no one will guard him, and he can't make them pay. If you pack them in the paint, the inside is to easily guarded. And defensively, they can shut down the lane pretty good, but a sweet-shooting 4, or a 3 playing out of position would punish them from outside. With either Asik or Howard, you'd want to pair with a mobile 4 that can shoot (someone like what Motie might eventually be). Ultimately, I think it'd be foolish to keep both when opposing teams will go small-ball and force you to sit one of the two for long stretches. Asik wouldn't be able to get the minutes he needs to maximize his utility. Trading him and giving those minutes to a stretch 4 is wiser.

 

I think the spacing concerns are overblown. I could just imagine Asik setup on the weakside base line on the Harden-Howard pick-and-roll. Harden cuts into the lane, Howard is rolling to the hoop, and suddenly, depending on how the defense reacts, Harden has either the weakside option to Asik for the Dunk, the roll option to Howard, or to take it himself.

 

Asik would be on a contract starting at 10 or 12 million in the first year if he were an unrestricted free agent next month.

Pekovic is speculated to be in the running for a or near max deal.

Quality centers are rare and get paid.

 

thats a good point. we were pretty dominant for a stretch there when we started him next to asik

 

I agree with Clutch from the Yahoo! Podcast, he is an expensive luxury that we couldn't afford to keep long. If you really want Dwight, trade Asik while his value is sky high.

Personally, I think Howard is toxic. I worry he will complain when he isn't given post ups (where he sucks), and will just end up complaining like Scottie Pimple. I would prefer we spend our money on a solid 4 and some more veteran depth.

If you decide to keep Asik, we would never really have a small lineup on the floor, which would be nice, but again at what cost? Playing them together means you have to play a completely different offense, as Mchale's requires a stretch 4.

If Asik shot that 18 foot jumper reliably, it would be a nasty 4, 5 combo. You could start them, rest whichever is tired/foul trouble, and never lose inside presence. But again...at what cost?

 

Luis wasn't a stretch 4 under McHale. This year the offense was planned around the backcourt to open it up for both Harden and Lin.

 

I'm not sure it would work unless Asik can develop a midrange jumper.

Dwight will just get doubled easier since Asik's man will be in the post.

Also Asik will have to guard the other team's PF. You want him guarding jumpshooters?

Dwight was at his best when he had a jumpshooting PF next to him, specifically Rashard Lewis who could hit 3's.

 

how is okc man? wats wrong with them? oh did u pay attention as to y they lost in the playoffs?

huh? you didn't? is perkins and ibaka working out? huh?

go do ur homework.

 

that the best insight u can offer? im glad ur just a fan.

 

Yes it can, especially because clogging the paint is not going to be an issue. It wasn't there when we had Dream and OT so stop believing what people throw out there. You don't need a stretch 4, the only reason Rudy T did it is because we lost OT. Of course it helped that Horry had the confidence to knock down that shot by the 1995 playoffs. Dwight is also not the passer Dream was, so surrounding him with 4 shooters would be asinine. Conclusion: you don't need a spacing / stretch PF. You can have Dwight on the strong side, Asik on the weak side to set screens, run pick and roll with and pass to in case a guard or Howard breaks through and demands a double team.

 

Having a twin tower is always good. Depending on match ups, not all the time it's always a positive thing to have them both on the floor.

 

I would think Howard would start while Asik dominates on defense for the second unit. I wouldn't think they would start together or play heavy minutes together. Most likely would be used together only in certain situations.

 

Actually, there was spacing issues when Smith started at the 4 next to Asik. Rockets struggled to score in the paint. Harden's production also went down due to not having good spacing.

The team struggled to score down the stretch of the regular season. That's why they changed their stating lineup in the playoffs, and started Parsons at the 4, for better spacing.

 

If Asik is a quality center like you say he is, then we should keep him and go after a power forward. But there will be other centers becoming free agents that year and the year after. I'm not saying Morey wouldn't be able to trade him. But he wouldn't be able to get as much for him then as he can now especially after he's been riding the bench because Howard and Asik are not both going to be getting over 30 minutes a game.

 

i don't think they can play together. our spacing would become really bad, and that would be the key to our entire offense around harden/lin and dwight pnr.

 

That's how they do around here....

They know it all, man! You didn't know? lol

 

yes they can.