How would we match up against OKC if we hadn't amnestied Scola?

It is the pts in the paint and getting the other teams bigs in foul trouble. Also, Scola could hit the midrange jumpers that is missed.

 

If we had Scola, then we probably wouldn't be playing the Thunder.

 

I've never been clear on the salary cap dynamics involved with Scola's amnesty. Was it actually necessary to sign the contracts we did? Considering how low we went on payroll, I have to think we could have cleared those contracts without losing Scola, but I'm not sure.

As for this Thunder series, I don't see how we'd be any worse off. Just because we have him doesn't mean we have to play him if he's not the optimal matchup for a particular series. If we want a SG play the 4, just sit Scola. Or, even better for going small -- you could put Scola at the 5 for stretches to sit Asik. I don't really ever buy the argument that a team is better off not having a player available. You always want to have the flexibility of another guy who knows how to play.

 

Oh I agree, I have been saying that since the season started that perhaps they jumped the gun on amnestying Scola... He is/was the low post scoring we missed all season and into these playoffs

 

Sadly it doesn't matter, Luis Scola can pretty much never be a rocket again, unless it's to retire. Luis is so offensively gifted its ridiculous, but his D would not help us, Ibaka would destroy him. We have basically taken Ibaka out of the game with matching him to harden. Scola would allow him to remain near the basket. It's 1 thing to extend to the elbow, completely different to drag him all the way to the 3p line...

 

Scola is better than any PF the Rockets have BUT Morey wants the young guys to get playing time so they can develop in the future. That is more important for a young team to have the players ready to go 2 or 3 years from now when the Rockets should contend for a title.


If the team was ready to win now they would have kept Scola.

This is the same ready Morey traded away Shane Battier. He too would be nice to have on the roster but the goal is to develop the young guys right now.