This is just a hypothetical question, so don't get overly worked up about it. Everyone knows that we'll be needing to move some of our guards before the season starts. However, with the off season acquistions thus far, we're starting to get pretty deep at all positions. By all indications, it sounds like Scola is pretty much a lock as our starting PF. As a result, bundling guards for a big is getting less & less necessary. But, we do have some guards that have value & wouldn't make a lot of sense to just waive them. Here's the current list of players by position & I've underlined the one's I think will be on the final 15 man roster. C: Yao/Butler/Mutombo(FA)/Tsakalidis(FA) (3) Yao, Butler, & the resigning of Mutombo seem to be locks. Or, would you sign Tsakalidis, instead of Mutombo? Would you keep all 4 of them? PF: Scola/Landry/Hayes(FA)/Reed/Harris (3) Scola & Landry appear to be locks. So, that leaves 3 players fighting for 1 spot. Or, do you keep 4 PF's? Do we try to get an experienced PF to back up Scola? Or is Hayes good enough to fill that role? SF: Battier/Bonzi/Novak (3) I'd say that this position is complete. T-Mac gives you 4 SF's. SG: T-Mac/James/Bonzi/Snyder/Head//Sura/Newley(overseas) (3) T-Mac, Bonzi, & James are locks. Snyder & Battier gives you potentially 5 SG's. Newley is staying overseas for a year, or two. That leaves Head, Snyder, & Sura. Head can play both the PG/SG positions & should have more trade value than Snyder. Do you trade Head or Snyder, or both? Sura's expiring contract will require you to take on another salary. So, I expect the team to waive Sura & keep the cap relief. PG: Alston/Brooks/James/JL3/Head (3) Alston, James, & Brooks appear to be locks, unless they get a nice offer for Alston. However, as I said earlier, we've just about taken care of our bigs & Alston's veteran presence will be greatly needed. We could keep Head & trade Snyder, but in my opinion, Head has more trade value, & Snyder gives us more size. So, after all that, here's my question. If we were to trade Head, & since we don't need any more players (unless they're upgrades), would you trade Head to Memphis for their 2008 conditional #1 pick? This is, of course, assuming that they would do it. They've got a trade exception that would cover Head's contract & they're rumored to be looking for some outside shooting. And, of course, it could be to another team with a trade exception. Would you do it?
It is less urgent to trade Luther since the Scola trade. Why give Novak a spot on the roster, at best guy needs to be sent to the D-league, at worst his a** needs to be cut. He's a waste of a roster spot.
1. Harris most likely will not be on the team. Un-guaranteed contract. 2. Landry WILL be on the team. I didnt see him in ur list. He has a guaranteed contract, and they won't cut the player they wanted over McRoberts, Baby, & Fazekas. 3. I think JL3 has more trade value than we give him credit for. He won't be here next year. 4. Head I don't know. Part of me would like to see him stay (you can never have too many shooters), but if there ain't any room you have to trade him.
Didnt Morey already say he's looking for a new home for JL3? I can not remember which article I read that in, but JL3 openly said he wanted more playing time whether it is in Houston or not. Unless I am mistaken, I do not think JL3 will be on the roster next yr. Also, watching novak in the summer league, he needs to work on his game in the NBDL.
A better thread title would be something like "The 15 roster spots" because your good opening post is a foundation to discuss the whole team, not just Luther. As I see it: C: Yao/Deke/Butler. Jake is gone. Obviously. On rare occasions and against smaller lineups, maybe Scola sees spot minutes here. PF: Scola/Hayes/Landry. It will take Scola some time to adjust to the NBA, but he's our best PF by far. I'm hopeful Landry will be good enough to push Chuck out of the rotation sometime during the season. Wishful thinking on my part. SF: Shane/Tracy/Bonzi. The deepest and most solid position on the team because 99% of the time it will be either Shane or Tracy. SG: Tracy/Bonzi/Shane/MJ. We are very solid here also. As the season progresses, if AB gets time is productive at PG, MJ could take Bonzi's minutes at SG. PG: MJ/Rafer/AB. I don't know who will start but MJ will likely be finishing, which may be more important. If AB is up to the task of being productive as a rookie, he could push one of the other two PGs out of the rotation, though MJ could get minutes at SG if Bonzi stinks it up again. Three of these four will fill out the roster: Novak, Harris, Snyder and Luther. If we could get a 1st rounder for Luther, great. Otherwise, we could either keep him take a 2nd rounder.
I think the Rox would have to consider trading players for picks at this point. A first rounder for Luther or a second rounder for JL3 would be very enticing, especially since we are without a 2nd round pick for 08 and 09 at this point. We would get something of value and clear up roster spots. Unless there is some three for one trade on the horizon, we might as well get something instead of having to cut guys later.
I would not trade Luther for a second round pick. He was a first rounder and hasnt underperformed compared to where he was picked. Trading him for what could be the 31 pick in the draft might be okay, but not if the second rounder turned into pick 50 or something like that. As for the original poster who questioned sending him to Memphis, Im not sure they would bite. Right now their PG are tiny (Stoudemire, Lowry, Conley). I dont think they want Luther playing PG next to those guys. Luther is the ideal SG for a team with a big PG who can slide over to guard opposing teams SG and have Luther guard the PG. Memphis doesnt fit that bill.
Bonzi's a lock for being stupid, that's about it. How can you guys forget how much of a ahole he was last year
Luther is at best an 8th or 9th man specialist on a good team. On a very bad team, maybe he's a 6th man. The fact his upside is so limited means nobody in their right mind will give up a 1st rounder for him. We don't need him at PG. We don't need him at SG. How much value is there in a tiny SG who can't play defense? Let's face it: Luther just isn't that good.
Landry has not been signed for the season, only the SL. He is 2nd round so nothing is guaranteed. He has not lit it up exactly so I think if they keep him it will be for D-league development. Novak's play has been horrid, but they said he had built a lot of upper body strength and that can throw off your shot until you get used to it. We have Sura's contract, JL3, and Head to move and IMO we could use a F/C with the thought of letting Deke retire with dignity. I would like to get a young, up and comer like Butler.
Your right. Just checked. Landry is not signed yet. Morey will sign him after the rest of the MLE is sorted out. Anyways, He will have a contract & roster spot when the season starts. they won't just not sign their favorite PF in the draft.
Bonzi won't be on the team past December 1 (probably won't be after training camp), so any roster spot must be considered with that in mind.
I personally am not as satisfied with our roster or our backcourt as most here appear to be. I don’t think it’s so good that we can afford to give players like Head away for nothing. Wells, James, and Alston are not long term solutions. They’re stop gap players. I say if the Rockets cannot package a few of our guards for a superior player, a player that can possibly be a legitimate starter, than I’m okay with just heading into the season with our backcourt as-is. Hopefully Wells, James, and Alston all play well and Head continues to shoot as well as he did last season. Then package a few of them to get a real long-term solution.
