Cyberx, paging cyberx ....

Completly different players and skillsets. Hezonja's upside is much more than Mirsad. Not even close.

 

What contending team will be interested in Dwight in 2016 at the money he'll be expecting to make if he's demanding the offense run through him? The only reason the Rockets went to him in the post in the playoffs was because D-Mo was injured. Dwight's role is to be our DeAndre Jordan. Only hopefully he doesn't continue to shoot 40% from the foul line.

 

I don't see Dwight going anywhere. He is trying to build up his image, his legacy and his brand. Changing teams again doesn't jive with that.

The Rockets have quality talent and the stock is rising. Dwight will probably "opt out" of his contract next summer to sign a long term deal.

 

I find it difficult to complain about play off Howard. Very difficult. These last two seasons he has been the best center in the play offs by a wide margin.

I find it very easy to *itch about injuries though. Just absolutely brutal. That GS series would have been very very interesting with a healthy D-Mo and Bev.

Some team in all probability will be willing to offer Howard an obscene contract in 2016. NBA front offices are known for their stupidity, when examined using 20/20 hind sight.

Next season, if the roster remains the same, the Rockets will be able to go to the non-optimal front court of Jones and D-Mo to stop hack-a-? No team intentionally fouls a 60% FT shooter because it yields 1.20 PPP, well above the NBA average.

Aren't off seasons fun?

 

I am in agreement with those posters who said we should keep our core intact (including Ariza) and do incremental changes for the upcoming season, all the while keeping options open for a possible Durant signing.

Very good discussions today.

 

That is what I am paid to provide. What? What! I am not getting paid to do this? Darn.

LOL

Keeping the core together for another, less injury riddled run at the 'ship is exactly what I expect Morey to do. Any other course of action next season would be less than optimal.

 

the question will be - do we want to commit those types of resources to a past his prime center with health issues when we have a young stud 2guard

 

Dwight's not going anywhere. He was worth every cent we're paying him during the playoffs. Who cares about the regular season….that's why we've got DMo and Capela.

 

And filling in for Dwight may have cost us DMo for the playoffs.

 

Very possible. The mix of no off-season plus playing more minutes than he ever had before, most of which out of position at center, certainly put a ton of stress on DMo. Hopefully we won't have to play him that much at center going forward. There's a pretty good chance that Capela will be ready to step up and fill the backup 5 spot.

 

This may be valid. D-Mo was a work horse for us for about 90% of the season. Also, coming back from back surgery, he and the team may decide that playing facing the basket may be preferable until his back gets stronger. We don't want defensive players pushing, pulling at his back so soon after a major procedure.

 

Here's my ideal (and realistic) offseason:

Draft Justin Anderson at #18
Trade KPap, Prigioni, TJones and #32 for Thad Young and #29. Draft Upshaw
Sign Llull to 3 years $15 million using the remaining MLE
Sign Beverley to 3 years $15 million
Sign Brewer to 1 year $8 million
Sign Terry to 1 year $1.5 million

Llull / Beverley / Johnson
Harden / Terry
Ariza / Brewer / Anderson
DMo / Young
Howard / Capela / Upshaw

 

I like your ideas, but no Upshaw please. He has a heart condition, on top of having trust issues. I would like to get a replacement for Dorsey too, but I can live with him, as a 3rd center. I assume you would have cut him in this scenario, as he hasn't been traded.

 

And that of course is not provable. He only averaged 28.7 minutes a game so I personally doubt it. If he cannot average under 30 he will have a short NBA career.

 

Didn't D-Mo spend his off season with his national team? I do not remember. 28.7 minutes a game for a season is not a heavy load for NBA players. Under any circumstances.

 

I would love if our offseason looked like that ... but here are my concerns

Would beverley sign for 5 mill a year
What would happen if dwight misses a signifcant amout of time again? i dont wanna see dmo playing C most of his minutes, cuz he would flourish as a PF
If Beverley goes down (when) who will we have to backup both harden and Lull ??
Why draft anderson if your resigning brewer? ( i love anderson though and think hell be a very good nba player)

Iam on the train of keeping our roster intact over gutting it for LMA or Love , but i think we could do a slightly better job of filling out our roster then the scenerio above

 

I don't necessarily disagree, but I think Capela will allow us to play DMo more at his natural postion (and play less minutes) than he did this season.

 

Yes, he played for his national team during last off-season. Also, as to his minutes, he had never played more than 952 minutes before, so the jump to 2000+ plus coming with no off-season rest and most of it out of position at center was a lot of stress.

He'll be much better playing his natural position now that he has a full off-season to rest.

 

Upshaw at #29, with a (2 year) guaranteed contract. You're thinking he won't last into the second round [e.g., pick #32] (see below)?

 

We disagree as to D-Mo's natural position. And that is OK. But centers are few and power forwards are plentiful. One is worth a fortune and the other, unless you are an all-star, does not pay so well. However you will bring up the very valid point that D-Mo is a true stretch four and therefore is among the most valuable of fours.

D-Mo is a great defensive player if the defense funnels the ball to him in the paint. He certainly is not the classic defensive four, in the mold of Ibaka, who can get the weak side block. D-Mo takes up paint space. All of it. He is a huge man and is incredibly quick for his size. And he understands to his core how to play NBA defense.

My guess to be honest is that Howard leaves in the summer of 2016 and Morey gives D-Mo a max contract to play center. And I am certainly good with that.