[Chron] Lopez reports handful of Rockets rumors

Cook is more like Howard with 3 range. He isn't undersized (6'9, 250), and rebounds and plays defense mediocre, not Padget/Novak terrible hapless.

Head is pretty much only a 1 trick poney as well (only really good attribute is shooting the 3, just like Cook). Granted Head has a little more room for growth.

Head and the Rockets #1 for Cook and the Lakers #1 def has me sold. Head really isn't worth more than a 20ish type pick (latish 1st).

 

That's the deal that I see in this scenario. If we're lucky, we might be able to snag one of those second rounders as well. Damn, I can't wait till next Thursday.

 

i hope we trade luther head for brian cook

 

All are bad trades, esp Head/Cook trade, The stupid Rox org should learn from previous James trace, Head has the potential and the heart, brian cook who?

 

I don't understand why some people like the Cook trade when we already have Novak? Novak and Cook are both 6-9 (yeah I know Novak is listed at 6-10 but they just never changed his college listing, his draft listing puts him at 6-9 1/2 in shoes.

Yes Cook is listed at 258 and Novak at 220, but CD said last year that Novak had gained 15 pounds of muscle up from 218 to 233 and that he would continue on the weight program until he gained another 15 to 20 pounds by the start of next year.

Now really is Cook a better rebounder? I would say it's about even. Novak can also play the 3 instead of just the 4, he has much better handles and much more of a well rounded offensive game.

Now Cook is a better defender, but he's still no good. But once Novak gets to about the preseason then he should weigh about 250, so there will actually be virtually no difference defensively. In fact Cook weighed 240 when he came into the league and until he gained about 20 pounds he was just as bad on D as Novak was last year.

Here's the big thing, Cook just replicates Novak, only while Cook is a good 3 point shooter, Novak is an incredible 3 point shooter.

So the only way this Head/Cook deal makes sense to me is if they want to play Novak at the 3, or if they simply want Luther Head gone, which is a possibility because he's completely one-dimensional, horrible on defense, and totally useless when teams close out on D during the playoffs.

So to me, if this trade is true it is not because it makes sense to get Cook, it is just because Cook is 6-9 and one-dimensional and Head is 6-3 and one-dimensional and you try to trade small for big whenever you can.

But it surely cannot be simply for the idea that Cook is a target player for the Rockets, because Novak is basically the same player only much better at shooting.

It seems to me that it's much more likely that Spanoulis and Wells will be with the team and playing serious minutes, this along with the James trade implies more that they simply want to get rid of Lucas and Head because Spanoulis and Wells are so much better than they are.

In that case the trade makes sense, however it makes little sense at all if this proposed Spanoulis trade is true, plus dumping Lucas, and also likely Wells could opt out.

And surely the Rockets are not planning on a Cook/Novak or Novak/Cook PF rotation?

 

Cook is Howard with 3 point range, but without Howards rebounding, experience, or veteran leadership. He averaged 3rbs a game last year! This is abysmal for a PF. Guys like Turiaf and Mo Evans played over him at times on a shoddy Lakers team. If we're looking for a soft PF who only has 1 NBA skill, we already have it in Novak who is sitting on our bench (who by the way is 6'10).

At least Head has potential upside and is one of the top 3pt shooters in the league in only his 2nd year. Keep Head unless you can get something better than trash for him.

Edit: If the 6 spot jump in draft pick can net us a good player who will contribute next year, I would think harder about this trade. But Head for Cook straight up: Hell no!

 

What worthwhile deal could Novak possibly be involved with? His salary doesn't cushion a blow. His first year didn't create a market. To me it smells more likely that it would precurse a dumping of hope that Novak would ever release his sweet stroke in prime time Toy Shop happenings.

 

maybe the bucks would like novak? novak had some fans back there...

 

Well Adelman may play Novak at SF. Adelman plays his guys at the more natural spots whereas Van Gundy tends to make players play where his system dictates.

Houston fans compare Novak to Bullard, but he's probably closer to Pat Garrity, more of a 3/4 than a 4. I personally thought that one of the reasons why Spanoulis and Novak struggled was because they were played out of their more natural positions. Spanoulis is a 1 that can play 2, not a 2, and Novak is more of a 3 than can play the 4, not really a 4.

I saw in another thread that Adelman likes Novak at the 3, which is his more natural position, also too since he's actually 6-9 not 6-10. This would make more sense then on trading Head for Cook.

 

Ditto.

... or else Morey is smoking something.

Rox are certainly limited in deals they can do. I don't think these deals become unavailable after the draft. I'd wait until after the draft to entertain deals. Besides, who knows who might fall to where?? (See Rashard Lewis.)

 

like who?

novak is too slow at sf. he will get burned every time...then again he will be abused at pf. pick you poison. either way, novak will probably never be more than a 10-15 min guy and that may be generous.

 

everyone says jvg fit the players into the system except the players...oh well what do they know...novak played 4 in college at marquette...hes a 4 on offense but the question is where can they hide his deficiencies of defense and rebounding the best...plus hes not the passer bullard was

 

no. he gets swallowed up by on the ball pressure

 

Cook's RBper48 are in line with Howard's (10.1 to 10.6). No he isn't as big and and athletic is Turiaf, but nor is Howard or any other Rocket from last year. Cook also gets a reasonable number of blocks and steals. Granted you have to be carefull in using minutes per 48--but when you consider the Lakers had a fair amount of players competing for 4 minutes (where we had virtually no depth in the backcourt where Head's total numbers IMO are inflated), I think it adds some validity.

I am not sold on this, particularly if we like Big Baby or McRoberts just as well or better than Cook, or if we can bet Barnes for the MLE, but it doesn't look like a bad deal either. Cook isn't near as unathletic as many imply (he isn't Novak unathletic/weak, let's get that clear). He is average in most respects for his position but an outstanding 3 point shooter, very similar except in position as Head.

 

Are you saying you want Barnes to play the 4?

 

A reply to some poster by Feigen on his blog:
http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2007/06/tmac_oneverything_1.html

What's the significance of those dates?

 

scratch that, he got his info wrong.

 

Whatcha talking about? That trio terrorizes me? (And don't forget Reed, Justin Reed.)