Regardless of the next Rockets era, I sure hope that after the last couple of years, Morey is more heavily weighing durability as a factor in his "desirable player" algorithm.
Durability is helpless against the rockets curse. You could get Andre Miller here and he'd get an injury within a month.
Trading for complementary star players is possible, but you still need a true franchise player to build around. And it is near impossible to acquire one outside of the draft. Even Boston already had Pierce as their cornerstone when they traded a young Al Jefferson, a massive expiring contract and other pieces for Garnett and Allen. In hindsight, staying so competitive last season really seems like a very short-sighted move by the Rockets. It may have set back the organization by a few seasons. Who knows, Morey may still live up to his reputation and magically trade for a franchise player. The cards seem to be stacked against him, though. I agree. If a job with a contending team becomes available, I would think Adelman would be open to leaving Houston. I'd love for him to stay though.
DM should for once overpay for players that Rockets NEED, consolidate the players, and try to re-build on the fly. I would trade Scola and JJ to the Kings for Dalembert and Landry. The Kings are overloaded at the 4/5 positin with Cousins, Dalembert, Thompson, Landry and Whiteside. Dalembert's a big expiring that they are unlikely to resign with Cousins, Thompson and Whiteside able to play the 5. Scola gives the Kings a go to presence inside and a reasonable contract signed for another 4 years. And JJ is an expiring. For the Rockets, we get a true C and a rim protector/rebounder, and Landry who can create his own shots (replaces the key thing lost with Scola), and is a 4th quarter scorer. It's a deal that favours the Kings, but a deal that solves some problems for the Rockets (assuming Dalembert willing to resign for a reasonable deal $5-7m). Then I'd send Martin, Chase AND rights to Llull for AI, which must be a deal that is too hard to refuse for the 76ers (Turner and Holiday both need the balls in their hands, and Martin and Chase don't). Again, a deal that favours the opposing team. But solves many problems for the Rockets. Then I'd trade the lottery protected Knicks pick to either the Knicks for Randolf + a future 1st round pick (Morey magic), or for Thabeet. I'd keep Battier and sign him to ~$3m to be the glue guy both on the court and in the locker room. I'd keep Miller to teach the young guys RA's motion offence. So effectively we have Battier/Miller as vets for our 2/3 and 4/5 positions. I'd resign Hayes to be our situational defender. I'd sign Yao to ~$2m pa in case he ever recovers (buy low), and it makes sense for Les financially as well as Rockets players that can get China shoe deals as side money. AB/Lowry/Ish Lee/T-Will AI/Battier Hill/Patterson/Hayes Dalembert/Miller/Hill/Thabeet or Randolf Sidelines: Yao ------------- With this, we quickly shore up our current main weaknesses: 1) Interior enforcer, height & rebounding (with Dalembert & Hill/Patterson, and potentially Thabeet or Randolf), have enough real 5s that Hayes will never have to play there 2) Two-way players at every position- Lowry (if he can continue to shoot well), Lee, T-Will, AI, Patterson and Hill (situational center). Dalembert isn't two way, but how many two-way centers are out there??? 3) 4th quarter closers in AB, Landry and AI. 4) Atheleticism and speed at EVERY position 5) A Glue-Two-way-player that can FILL UP the stat sheet in AI. 6) Someone at each of the 1-3 position that is a triple threat (AB, T-Will and AI) AND can play pick-and-roll. And we get our trio of lottery players - Will and Hill, and PP - some playing time by sending out Scola, Martin and Chase, and a chance to develop a future Center in Thabeet or Randolf. We have a lot of roster flexibility - Lowry can play the 2, Lee and T-Will can play 1-3 (on both ends), AI can be 2-3 (on both ends), PP can play some 3, Hill can play 4-5. This team should be a playoff team, and we can continue to upgrade. Who knows, maybe in another year's time, we can trade AB, Patterson or Hill, Miller (as an expiring) and a future 1st round pick for Chris Paul. At least we'd have 1 quasi-star in AI to attract another star.
Hou gets: Anthony Randolph NY gets: 2012 NY #1 Hou gets: Andre Iguodala Philly gets: Jared Jeffries Courtney Lee Chase Budinger Hou 2011 #1 w/ the option to swap picks with the Knicks. Brooks / Lowry Martin / Williams Iguodala / Battier Scola / Randolph Hill / Miller Contender? Maybe not, but if Randolph, Williams and Hill make huge strides the team could be very very good.
The Rockets must tank. We should have tanked last season. Trade the veterans for future picks, and pray we lose every remaining game.
I hate this, HATE THIS, with a passion BUT it maybe the best course of action at this point. The FAgent class isn't going to be good, even worse if Gasol and Green aren't available, and there are no true superstars to be traded for. Pick up multiple picks and either pick players with high ceilings or package picks with players to move up high in the draft...but the draft isn't great this season either.
I say keep our young core and try to find a star via trade, bcuz I really think our team even without Yao is good, but we just need some leadership and a guy who can close games out, am really looking forward when Brooks return bcuz am not giving up on this team yet, we need to go after player with some length and I think we should be fine even without Yao.
the Rockets are a joke Can we please trade Battier and Yao as some kind of combination deal? (I know Yao is injured, but I was saying this even when he was back for his 5 games this season) Rockets management needs to make some hard decision regarding trades. Sure they can probably sell 100,000 Yao Ming jerseys with yao on the injury list but who cares?! Give the fans some players that aren't injured so we can make it to the playoffs!
They would be stupid blowing everything up. Rox have a good core of talents, vets, good characters and good contracts. Just let Yao and JJ expire, try to get a good to great FA and try to trade for an All Star. It`s good to have guys like Shane or Luis to lead the young talents. Blowing everything up having just young players and picks hardly ever works. People are just fascinated by what could be and start seeing TWill as next MJ or Hill as the next Amare and are dissapointed if it doesn`t work out. Go with the solid job of real life.
I dont think there is any deal that SAC would settle for that any Rocket fan would approve of. AB+Bud+pick? No chance. They just drafted the kid this year. The Kings are now where the Rockets want to be with Yao done. Budding superstar on perimeter, potential superstar big, and young talent that could turn out to be great role players around those 2 or assets to turn into role players to surround those 2. Cousins is not a legitimate option. Iguodala is also not the answer. Its been said already, why trade for another complimentary piece? We have to know who to build around before we start bringing in players to surround player x. Iggy is uber-talented, but no team that turns to him in crunch time in any meaningful game / playoff series isn't going anywhere against the elite in the L. I hate to agree, but honestly tanking probably would lead to a quicker return to prominence post Yao than trying to find someone in FA or through a trade. If only Lala would accept livin in the 713...
I posted this in another thread, but I think this fits better here. Les needs to hire Yao Ming as marketing representative to China at a nice salary. The Rockets thereby maintain his ties to the Rockets while he rehabilitates. If that never happens, Les retains his ties to the Chinese market. If Yao does heal to the point he can be a real NBA player again, we sign him to a new contract. That way, we get the best of both worlds without surrendering a roster spot nor lose any salary money in case a hard cap comes about. My first choice to replace Yao would be Marc Gasol, but that is a pipe dream. The same holds true for Cousins, and I'm glad in his case. I'd rather go after a young, tall, athletic center but there are many options there unless we gamble on one of several choices -- Kyrylo Fesenko, DeAndre Jordan, B.J. Mullens, Johan Petro, Hassan Whiteside or Solomon Alabi. All are projects, with limitations, but they are attainable and have upside. BTW, of those named I lean toward Mullens.
keep the core, stay the course and be patient, something good will happen, it has to its the holiday season! santa will help us i know it!
