Varejao, Camby and Gortat will not fix this thing. We need a major change and a renewed focus to defense, at every position. (I do like Gortat though, He would be perfect) All I am saying is that a C that can block a few shots and rebound will NOT "fix" this team. The Pistons won a ring without a superstar, but every one of those guys could defend like a motherf'er. Morey has said to have extreme interest in Josh Smith. I think he wants to play him at the SF, with Patterson at the PF, and Gortat(Any New Center Really) at C. Speculation... :grin:
Chuck Hayes is important but there is no way he is as important as feigan is making him out to be...He does not solve this team's paint woes and crappy defense. Rockets have only won the past few games because of an incredibly easy schedule, now that the schedule is getting harder they are finally playing like a team without a true center..
Is Josh Smith even available? I like the 3/4 combo of Smith and Pat, but is it even a possibility? It's obvious that changes need to be made, but what kind of changes, what direction does the orginization want to go? I feel like there will be a big shake-up, but I don't see Morey going completely young.
There are no available centers that would make us title contenders. However there are a few that can get us into the playoffs, where we can try to win a round or two. The fans get entertained, the players get some winning experience, their trade value gets a boost(or at least maintains fair value), and we continue to bide our time as we look for further upgrades- whether incremental or through a superstar. Without a center, and with Chuck down, we likely miss the playoffs, the players are disgruntled from top to bottom, it handicaps Morey's ability to maneuver as players on losing team decline in value- see Courtney Lee on Nets, K. Martin on Kings, K. Lowry on Grizz and what we gave up for them. Meanwhile Clutchfans disintegrates into a mushroom cloud of negativity and doomspeak. All in all the importance of a center cannot be overstated and would really solve a lot of our current problems.
that problem is compounded by the fact that we have poor perimeter defenders for the most part. you can "hide" the lack of a legit big man most nights if our perimeter defense is top notch. and obviously it's not even close to good.
The names that have always been thrown around in the Chron are: Josh Smith, Demarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Marcin Gortat, Nikola Pekovic... Those other four are centers, but I think Smith would be an intriguing option, because we could keep the Brooks/Lowry and Martin/Lee backcourt, and throw out a HUGE frontline. I think a big SF is just as important an upgrade as a C. Makes you wonder If the Hawks would be interested in a deal involving Scola as the main piece. Horford and Scola would be plain nasty out East.
He doesn't seem to have that explosiveness in his game right now that makes him so dangerous. Not that I normally agree with Worrell/Bullard but they have mentioned it a few times on air as well and I tend to agree. He just seems like he is missing a gear....I'm sure part of it is mental/confidence too but I worry that our medical staff missed something and is going to have to shelve him again later in the season...I guess I just don't trust our medical staff.
Except the Hawks have been looking for a Center forever so they can actually play Horford at his natural PF spot.
Size isn't the end-all and be-all of defense. Al Jefferson, who's not known for his defense, and Paul Milsap are starting together and are doing fine. Even when Milsap and Boozer were playing extended minutes together the Jazz weren't allowing a layup line for guards like we are. There's no excuse for the defense we're playing. Last year, we didn't have Hill, Miller, or Lee and we were average defensively. With our offense, average D is all we need to be competitive. Are Hill and Miller somehow worse defensively than Landry and Andersen?
I think it's a combination of things: Hayes being out, the tougher competition, and two of our main scorers (Martin and Brooks) playing hurt. Personally, I think we can overcome not having Hayes if Martin and Brooks were playing 100%. It looks like the organization has been trying to mold Hill into that defensive anchor, but it feels more out of default. I think they'd love to get their hands on a big man project whom they truly believe in. Picking up Patterson was a solid move that should pay dividends defensively for years to come. IMO we need help at the forward position, a Ron Artest type who can defend the small forwards and even go up against some power forwards in a pinch. I thought that's why they brought in Terrence Williams, but he doesn't look the type.
Can we please stop using the Pistons as championship model. It has only ever worked twice in the history of the NBA.
I mostly agree with this but then again, there really aren't a lot of good centers in the league - period. Most NBA centers today are really PFs because there aren't enough decent 7fters in the league. While a center is a great asset and certainly is a necessity if you expect to go deep in the playoffs, really we just need some sort of defensive minded big on the court to win games because the odds are not high that you'll need need a true Center to stop the other team's best big or shut down the paint. It's a shame Houston can't find a way to get Lamarcus Aldridge. He would be perfect for us.
Would Aaron Brooks Kevin Martin Josh Smith (Hypothetical) Patrick Patterson Marcin Gortat (Hypothetical) be a Pistons championship model?
The more I think of it, the more the strategy of getting players who are good at defense or offense but not both, and then mixing them together to compensate for one another, seems inherently flawed. You may be able to do it for one or two star players (Shane with McGrady, for example), but when the entire roster is built that way, when it's taken to the extreme that Houston has, it puts the team constantly at a disadvantage.
Oh I see...but I think we have to note, that all these years of me closely monitoring this board every hour, that there was never any legit sources regarding Josh Smith trades. There was a massive thread about it, but that was purely speculative discussion. Meanwhile on the other hand Gortat/Cousins are backed by legit sources coming straight from Morey's mouth/actions. Other problem is, The Hawks would really want to move Horford to his natural position, Power Forward. They are desperate for a center. Unless you give them Yao Ming, they aren't moving.
Tell me something I don't know. I think they would strongly, strongly consider a Scola/Battier deal... And they would LOVE to get their hands on Brooks.
For instance, I think a Brooks/Scola/Battier/Jeffries for Bibby/Smith/Pachulia would be a win win for both teams involved. Put that with Gortat and you might have something... I am basing this on the notion that Pat is ready to start, which I strongly believe he is.
