I was implying that, based on the vids, he's already a better ball handler than our last 2 starting SFs.
Bima sighting! Anyways, if Morris proves that he can guard NBA 3's somewhat sucessfully and avgs 1/2 the pts. of what Melo can, i'll take it.
Agreed. He showed some ability to play defense in college and it I don't think it'll be terribly difficult to play better defense than Budinger.
I guess I don't need to point out the irony (or lack thereof) that these were the exact positions/roles we used to have 35 million dollars of Yao & Tmac filling...
And hence the reason why I so wanted the Rockets to tank since Yao went down. Money alone doesn't get you prime Yao/T-Mac level players. At least not when the money resides in Houston.
We certainly shouldn't give him away. If we can't get a good offer for Scola, there's no point in trading him because he's still a productive player. But if I were Morey, I'd be actively shopping him around the league when (if?) the season starts. Scola's contract is only getting more expensive, and his production will only decrease in the years to come. His knee problems are a time bomb. When he starts missing games with injuries 'one of the best players on the team' will turn into 'unmovable albatross contract' faster than the release on Martin's jumper. Not only that, but we're stocked with exciting young talent at his position. Morey should field offers for him during the year, and take the best deal he's got at the deadline.
Even if the best offer is some scrub's expiring contract and a crappy pick? Scola's deal is not THAT bad, and that's before the new CBA, which may reduce his remaining salary and/or the amount of guaranteed money he receives. If he becomes chronically injured, then--worst case scenario--you're looking at "only" two more (full) seasons after this one, at which point he could become a "super duper non guaranteed contract trade asset" a la Erick Dampier. I can think of worse fates for this team's cap situation. That said, I can appreciate the need to want to clear the cap room, even if it means getting 80-90 cents on the dollar for Scola, although I don't necessarily agree with that approach. What I don't want to do is settle for 40 cents on the dollar, even if that's the best offer out there.
Future looking good with good starters. But where is the superstar? Could Lowry/Pat2/Morris/Donut turn out to be any good? Like all-star good?
I'm not understanding where anyone could not see Morris can handle the ball. When he was drafted, interviewing with his brother that's one of the questions that was asked...they both agreed Marcus is a great ball handler... and according to that video someone posted, he can not only drive to his left, but finish with his left while jumping off his right foot...which opens up a whole new dimension for a players game and that's also another form of "ball handlng" He's a complete player
OK. Fair point. Even in the worst-case scenario, his contract won't be an Arenas-type franchise-killer. If our personnel develops, we can probably win a playoff series with 10 mil in dead money, and it is only for two years. But look at it the other way: What's the best-case scenario? Scola's only going to get worse (and costlier), while Patterson is only going to get better (to say nothing of Morris and Motiejunas, both of whom can play the 4) and given the quality of Patterson's defense, I don't think the delta between them is that great even now. I sure wouldn't be happy if the best we could do was an expiring and a crappy pick or a marginal prospect. I certainly hope we could get more for Scola, although if that's all he'll bring in it doesn't speak well for the league's collective opinion of his current value. But let's say that's all Scola fetches. Assuming Patterson's total production is comparable given more minutes (admittedly a major assumption) then we're putting a comparable team on the floor for ten million less in salary obligations, plus a pick that can be used in draft day maneuvering, plus we avoid the possibility of him being chronically injured and sucking up salary for two years. On top of that, it frees up more minutes for the young guys to develop. I just can't see any team wanting a 30-year-old Scola enough for him to be part of a deal for a superstar. I think Patterson and the rooks do have the potential to be that desirable, and the sooner they fulfill their potential, the better our odds are of being able to make the big trade.
With this years current roster in place I see alot of (wishful thinking) similarities to the 90's Pacers teams led by Reggie Miller/ Detlef Schrempf/ Dale Davis etc. If Patterson can come give the Rockets some Dale Davis type of production that would be great. He has the build/size/skill to bang in the post and take pressure off of the Rockets more skilled bigs like Scola. Really the only difference in Kevin Martin and Reggie Miller would be Reggies performance in the big games in the playoffs. Everyone dogs on KMart for not being a superstar, but the main thing that makes superstars who they are is playoff performances and media attention. So, of course he isnt a superstar, right. Doesn't mean he cant pull some great performances in the playoffs.
