How do you define 'blow it up'? Isn't that selling your current players that are unlikely to contribute in a few years?
I think this new injury actually doesn't change Morey's plans at all. I think he has already been managing the roster for a post-Yao era. He wasn't going to be winning championships by surrounding Yao with sophomores.
No, to me, tanking is losing on purpose.... I agree with playing the young guys.....IE, I don't think the Clippers are tanking, they are developing....that is the direction I would go. Kamen? DD
Disagree. Managing of a post-Yao team doesn't mean Chuck Hayes and Brad Miller while you stockpile SG's and SF's. EDIT: Blow it up. Scola's timeframe is too short and Martin should be the 3rd best player on a championship team.
I would go get randolph and thabeet. I would start thabeet and A.R. and work hill in also. Eventually, I would want brooks,martin,randolph,hill,and thabeet as my starters. Get long,get athletic,get defensive, and everything else is easy.
Kamen can be had fairly easily, they want to move on and wouldn't require a ransom in return. His contract and his healthy are issues though.
Would anyone consider something like: Houston Trades: Yao, Brooks, Chase, Patterson Golden State Trades: Ellis, Biedrins throw-ins either way to make it equitable. This is basically a salary dump for Golden State. Ellis / Biedrins combine for $20 million for each of the next three years. Both players don't seem to contribute to winning, BUT then the Rockets basically trade away 4 guys who aren't contributing anything this year (maybe they'd have to get a draft pick or two), and get Ellis whom, ballhog or not is an amazingly effective offensive player and Biedrins, whom, while getting $9 million a year, when healthy he does grab you 10 boards and protect the paint a bit...and doesn't take stupid shots offensively. The cynic in me says you are still way too far away defensively, Ellis is really just a short more selfish Kevin Martin, and you've locked yourself into some large salaries going forward. Probably a pass....but maybe the type of thing Morey will have to look to increasingly.
Sort of agree with this, though now it changes Morey's plans even more. Miller has to be moved, I'd think some contender would like to pick up a backup C who can shoot lights out and pass well. Also, now instead of trying to package our young assets (Hill etc), we're going to have to try to actually develop them. Unless we can acquire a Rubio, we should try developing our young guys, which will simultaneously result in more losses and higher lotto pick, and try to trade Miller, Scola, Martin, and one of Brooks / Lowry (no reason to pay 2 PGs 6 + mil each). Morey is the only reason of optimism at this point.
I think you have to seriously look at shopping Luis Scola now. I love Luis and he's the most consistent offensive big that the Rockets have now, but without a major shot blocker in the middle for who knows how long, I just see him being too much of a defensive liability for the team with Martin and Brooks in the backcourt. Its time to start looking at players that can play both sides of the court with the exception of Martin and Brooks. Why those two you might ask, well simple... Brooks and Martin can win you games NOW still by simply outscoring other teams. They are both in their primes of their career and have 4 to 5 years to be competitive in this league. The main short term moves that are made should be to add length and athleticism to compete with teams like the Lakers and the Thunder on the defensive end, and also add some more low post scoring to complement Brooks and Martin. Replacing the Center position might be the most difficult task for Morey, but there is no easy solution to the lack of true big men that come in the league. Chuck Hayes is a temporary solution and simply cannot be allowed to be the starting center for this team another season.
I disagree with Miller being moved as long as Rick Adelman is coaching this team. Brad Miller has been great tutor for Jordan Hill ON THE FLOOR and is a veteran that you would like to keep in the locker room when you are bringing in guys like Terrance Williams. Battier is a whole other story because he has value to teams who are in a "win now" stance but has very little use for this team now on the court. yeah, yeah his defense is great.... ahhh... yeah, I get it but without a shot blocker in the middle, I just dont see him being able to hold guys like Durant and Lebron anyways. Battier can do what he does on defense, but without team defense it doesn't really matter.
It makes me laugh how everybody wants to rebuild and get rid of all our good players. Seriously? How bout using the good players we have to get better players? Aren't you more attractive as a trade partner and free agents with good players? Finding a superstar is extremely difficult but we can work on getting better players at every position. Yes, the Pistons were the exception rather than the rule.... but you can try to build a team with a bunch of really good players. However, I prefer to do what the Pistons did and have a greater emphasis on defense and toughness.
destroy the patchwork quilt we created. blow it up. look to trade scola, miller, hayes, martin. keep battier for coaching and leadership. play the young pieces we have (hill, ppat, williams, lowry) and let's see what they can do. we need a star/game changer. we aren't gonna get that thru a trade. we have to draft them.
