The only thing about waiting on Yao and Brooks is the fact that before they went out with the injuries the team was not doing well and it will take awhile to get back to where the team was with both players and that is not good. Scola should be the guy team builds around.
If we can bring in a nice haul for him (payroll flexibility, a nice pick at a minimum), you have to consider it. I'm trying not to jump to conclusions after 12 games, but we have major issues (mostly defensively), and even bringing in one superstar is not going to put us as a true contender. I'm sure management doesn't have this mindset, but as the season wears on it might become a reality that we just need to go young and hope to land a couple of studs through the draft in the next couple of years to build on. A lot of our role players are still young, so let's develop them and have a supporting cast in place for the time that we find a new core. The hard part is Yao. I just don't see them giving up on him unless he is just flat out lousy or doesn't play much this year (which is possible).
Do any of you have anything more insightful to add, or does your contribution pretty much stop there?
Thats the Rockets way. Havent you noticed the pattern? Get here some guy you like. Make him fan favorite. We dont win big enough. Starts to have injury history or starts to decline. We say trade him while the gettings good. Fast forward 5 years we still havent. He is a has been. We get no value for him and he leaves in free agency or something. Career ending surgeries. Insert other excuse why we cant trade him now and just wait until he cannot be traded. Blah blah blah.
I agree with what Clutch said. If we still stink outloud in Feb. like we do now then you have to see what you can possibly get for Scola. It would really really hurt to let the icecream man go.....but it is a business. Also if we are going to make that kind of move, Martin needs to be shipped out of here as well, if possible. Then lets blow it up and build through the draft.
this is HIS SKY HIGH. He's not gonna get any better since he's getting older and we have so much owed to him. Its pointless to hold on to him, trade him and get value picks and young players in return. It would be dumb to hold onto a guy who is in his 30s and have so munch money owed to him. We're done with this year, obviously his play is still not enough to turn it around
In two years, Martin is 29- his offensive efficiency can be enjoyed for another 5 years. No reason to move him
It's amazing how opposed to this some people are. Scola is probably our most valuable asset in a trade. He's 30. He's not going to get any better than he is right now. And if this season continues to go as is, there is nothing left to do but rebuild. It would be wrong to make Scola endure that. He's a winner. Not only would trading him be one of the best ways for the Rockets to acquire more young talent, but if we're not going anywhere, I'd just as soon cheer for Scola on a contender. He deserves a shot at a championship.
Oh.. okay. So they're coming to be about the same age and you think Scola will turn into a battier? Although and essentially they don't play the same position. Yea, no.. let's not trade Scola away to a contender.. but only- and only if- we can get an equal or more value for him. Which I see a very tough time happening.
First of all, they are both Forwards, lets not confuse that. Secondly, I think and know, Scola will fall victim to the same thing all NBA players do- age. Anyway you cut it, Scola is not getting any younger. My point was not that they are going to be the same age, but the Rockets missed a very similar opportunity to cash in on Battier when his value was highest while the Rockets were in no position to contend. What part of this are you not understanding?
The thing with Martin, if you keep him then you need to have a strong defensive wing or PGuard to mask his weakness or his overall contribution to winning is minimal.
There is no one on this team who is untradeable, and everyone, including DM knows that. Scola can be traded for the right pieces. But if I'm going to trade Scola, it is 1. definitely not now, as I would not trade him at all until I can look at the team as a whole working together, meaning if I was to trade, it would be very, very close to the deadline. 2. I would demand a crapton in return. Same for Martin. And there is no freaking way I would ever trade Scola for just Jeff Green, especially since his rookie contract is up this year. That, from my perspective, I would absolutely not do.
Do you then contend with a Strong defensive SG a championship team does not need strong defensive PGs or SFs?
i was just thinking about this during the game...it's not about not liking him or anything close to it, just gotta be realistic. 1. We need a better balance of offense and defense. We can't assume we'll pull a fast one, so be ready to give up something of significance that we can afford to lose (based on or imbalance), an offensive talent: Brooks, Scola, or Martin. I think Martin's too rare of a mix to give up. Yes his D is an issue, but where do you find someone who can shoot from everywhere , draw a lot of fouls to get free throws, and is efficient while doing it? He's perfect as the third guy on a big 3. That leaves Brooks and scola.... Since this thread is about scola though, i think to trade him you have to consider who would want him, at his age, starting a new contract, and being a starting PF. After going down the list, Atlanta. They have Smith playing the 4 and he's not a traditional 4. They also have a physical and defensive center in horford they can pair up with Scola's offense. I think that's the only option out there right now...a deal involving scola for Smith...not sure how i'd feel about that one, but i think that would be the only realistic/likely option. A lot hinges on Yao though, which makes this so ****ty. If he was almost back to his former self, i'd say go for a 3 team deal with Atlanta and Phoenix to, basically give up Scola, Battier, JJ, Brooks, Budinger to get Jsmith, nash, and Ghill end up with this: Nash/Ish Martin/Taylor Smith/Ghill Hill/chuck Yao/miller
Why not Brooks and Scola? Thats exactly the deal that would net you the Superstar we are looking for... Worry about replacing one of them later and get the Superstar here first.
Well in a perfect world, you should have all three playing good "D" but I know that doesn't happen. My thought is this, if you can have two out of three then you have the makings of a really good defensive team. Brooks, Artest and Battier worked because Brooks' issues could be hidden and the same with Fisher as Kobe and Artest can help him on defense.
If I were looking in as a Coach/GM/Player from another team this is what I really see. Scola is only the best player on this team because the entire cast just completely sucks. Scola's defense and "said" intangibles are non existent due to his inability to adjust to the NBA game and thus gets called for fouls when he's tournament. Scola is not an impact player that draws double teams, sets it up for other players (Yao just a year and half ago could do those things substantially better than Scola. Please stop overrating this guy. Hell even Lamar Odom is better than Scola. If we trade him to contending team he would reside as a hustler player off the bench.. Compare Scola to some other PFs.. I say a guy like David West is leaps and bounds better than Scola. I'd take Al Harrington, Boozer, Jefferson. All these NBA 4s are also better than Scola because they know how to play a complete NBA game.. Even if some are not good defenders they sure defend better than Scola. Stop overrating this guy because if you wake up and realize his game in the NBA you can tell he's not up to par.
I dont get what you're asking? In my proposal i'd trade brooks also, along with scola and the others to bring in Nash and Smith...i just didnt talk a lot about brooks because the thread is Scola-related. I think we need to start talking about stars, we're not getting a superstar anytime soon. Nash, Josh smith, that's the level we have to be looking at. I like that lineup because it puts our 2 weakest defenders up top, in Nash and Martin. They're backed and protected by the strongest 3 defenders in Smith, hill, and Yao, who will protect and pack the paint. The only way to improve that even more is to ship Jordan Hill and a pick for a more polished 2 way player, but i can't think of anyone of the top of my head.
