[ESPN/Broussard] Caron Butler on Rockets' Wish List

Well this isn't surprising considering Darryl Morey went after Caron Butler last year also.



http://blogs.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2009/02/post_80.html

Apparently the Rockets were interested in prying Caron Butler away from the Wizards. Washington just was not interested in doing anything.

There were more trade rumors concerning Antawn Jamison, but few were talking about Butler, and with good reason. He wasn't going anywhere. But he would have been a nice fit in that spot previously held down by Tracy McGrady.

That would have been a great get.

 

Pretty discouraging if we go the Bulls route. That's the best Morey could do? A backup PF/C (when Yao comes back) for TMac.

I've always liked Butler's game but he is getting up there in age. Mike Miller/Foye are good throw ins, but basically expiring contracts.

I'd rather go after Bosh or Iggy

 

I hear you, but I don't think acquiring Iguodala would be final piece to the puzzle. If in fact he can be had for TMac's corpse if we take on Dalembert we would still have a ton of young talent and big expirings for 2010 (Dalembert and Battier) to consummate a trade for that go-to scorer. Some people believe Aaron Brooks can develop into that and while I'd love that to be the case, I dont see it. I see Aaron Brooks as a Jason Terry type: 19ppg 6apg in his prime, hitting big shots when his team needs it.


I like Iggy because he fits this current team (maybe not enough to take us all the way) and IMO he'd be an asset for the foreseeable future. (Age 25, slightly overpaid, but is a consistent two-way player that doesn't get into trouble). He would be very tradeable this summer IMO in a sign-n-trade if one of the big name free agent guys decided that Houston was a place they wanted to be.

I'm not too high on Martin because it seems to me that all he can do is score and he's somewhat injury prone. Next to a guard like Aaron Brooks I think another playmaker in the backcourt is necessary.

I'm not high on Butler because I just dont think he's that good and he's 29 which suggests his best days are behind him.


**One move I'd LOVE to see us make would be us grabbing Iggy and using him this offseason as a sign-n-trade piece for Joe Johnson. I know JJs creeping toward 30 as well, but he's a durable, playmaking, scoring, ball-handling, man-defending, highly skilled guard and I think he will be attainable this offseason.

 

I used to think Hinrich was good too. It was a combination of him being a good defender, and not being mistake prone that led me to overlook his poor shooting percentage as a product of Chicago's crappy offense. (no inside game, nothing but contested jumpers). But yea, he's not really anything special.

 

Went to a high profile college, had a successful college career, white. The average BBS fan loves inflating the Mike Dunleavy's and Kirk Hinrich's and Luke Jackson's and JJ Redick's of the world.

"Hey, now that's a guy I could see myself shooting around with on my driveway and having a few beers with afterwards! Of course he'll be great in the NBA!"

This doesn't apply to big men.

 

I don't get why people are so quick to choose AI over Butler. Iggy is very Tmac-ish in that he starts with the ball at the top of the key, surveys things and then decides what HE is going to do. The problem with that is that he isn't an elite ball-handler or decision maker. So we're left with a guy who doesn't fit the motion offense and isn't good enough to build the offense around. No thanks.

Butler actually fits Adelman's offense. He's smart, moves without the ball and is decisive when he gets it. Yes, he's older and not the defender Iggy is but he will get his stats without them coming at the expense of everyone else. Not to mention, he has a shorter, cheaper deal and doesn't come with Dalembert baggage.

 

I don't understand why people are so eager for Butler.

-Puts up decent numbers on a horrific team.
-Does not shoot a great percentage
-Nearing the age of 30

Making this move by no means makes us a legitimate title contending team.

Yao+Butler does not even come close to countering the Lakers/Celtics/Magic/Hawks or even a multitude of other teams.

The only move that would be the most benficial in my opinion would be for Iggy.

Iggy/Yao could easily be similiar to Mcgrady/Yao, except Iggy is much younger.
Although Iggys contract is a problem.

 

From that article I'm guessing the trades that we are most likely pulling for at the moment are...

T-Mac and Brian Cook for Caron Butler, Mike Miller and Javale McGee

T-Mac and Brian Cook for Brad Miller, John Salmons and Joakim Noah

T-Mac, Jermaine Taylor and Joey Dorsey for Andre Iguodala, Jason Kapono and Jason Smith

 

Definitely don't want to tack on Dalembert, but Iggy is better than Caron in the sense that Iggy can attack the rim. Caron is a more back to the basket methodical scorer. Iggy is a slasher who can create off the dribble. Iggy's contract is worrisome though

 

If we managed to acquire Iguodala, I'd prefer to move Ariza.

If we get Butler, I think he and Ariza could actually coexist nicely as a starting backcourt.

Either way, I'll be pretty stoked if we get either (especially if Miller is a part of that Butler deal).

 

Butler would be the obvious best choice here. Here is why:

1. Iggy Makes $12mil for 5 years. You would have to take Dalembert also at $12 mil for 2 years. Thats $12 mil for a back-up center, killing any freedom we would have this summer.

2. Caron Butler makes $10 mil for 2 years. You take back expiring contracts, which would allow the Rockets more flexablity this summer.

 

Andre Iguodala isnt clutch? I remember him almost single handedly taking over the games last year in the playoffs against the magic. Hes a little underrated on this board imo, i just think that we havent seen ENOUGH of him

And did yall see Dalembert tonight against the hornets? He looked excellent, 5 blocks, and iggy also had 4 steals. You can never have too much defense :grin:

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You said it. That is the exact reason why we dont get Iggy. You also forgot to mention Dalemberts contract being a problem.

 

The guy on my wish list:

 

I'm a Kevin Martin fan too, but the guy seems to be very injury prone. I dont see any reason why the Kings would want Mcgrady. The Kings are a fairly bad team that has a hard time attracting top tier free agents. They are better off making trades for quality players, because the expiring contract and free agency wont be too friendly to them.

 

What do all of these "experts" who start trade rumors have in common? None of the are as smart as Morey. As good as the moves DM has made have been, with as many trade proposals we have come up with on this board, I still dont belive we have seen the moves that cements his legacy as the best gm ever. When it happens we will all be in awe and will only be able to say, "How does he do it?"

 

I can understand someone choosing Iggy over Butler but do you honestly believe Butler doesn't make this team a contender but Iggy does? What's the difference maker there, Iggy's 2 more ppg or his extra 3 apg?

Seriously, neither guy is a tier 1 NBA scorer. Neither guy is possibly even a tier 2 scorer. My preference for Butler is the flexibility he brings as well as my opinion that he would plug into the offense better. You bring in Iggy and you go right back the watch the SG overhandle the ball and make everyone else a spectator scenario we had with McGrady except Iggy isn't as good as Tslack was.

 

not Noah please anyone but him

seriously its like Daryl is going "who does Yoyo hate the most and lets trade for him"

first with Cook and now the possibility of Noah

 

I like him because he is a solid scorer and a better finisher than anyone that we currently have. None of our wings can get their own shot. Brooks can but he is a midget and gets trapped easily. Butler can get his own shot. I don't care that he is almost 30, because his contract is only for an additional season (after this one). That actually makes him an asset next year if he doesn't pan out. Acquiring him doesn't screw us in the future and helps us now.

Neither does getting AI, who is way overpaid. I haven't seen any realistic trade that turns us into a contending team.

Iggy is overrated around here. He is no where near a max player and isn't a stud scoring wing. He isn't worth what he is making, and his contract is long.