Get a psych eval on Sean Williams. If he sounds earnest in his attempt to return to the NBA and cognizant of how he blew his chance earlier, then why not, throw the guy a bone, it's not like he'll have competition for center here. Jordan Hill is a serviceable PF, but it's becoming clear by the day that he'll never be a center despite his heightened ceiling at that spot if he could just put things together. I'd be willing to sit Patterson again while we showcase Hill at backup PF with Brad Miller again (which is how he looked best) and stick anyone else that can defend at starting C. Come February we can trade Hill and play Patterson once again.
If Ish uses the video AB got him for X-Mas look out, I think he can be a great pure point guard and would hate to see him go. Unless of course his departure improves the team.
I don't see any way Morey would simply let Ish walk for nothing. I'm no BimaThug when it comes to contract rules and regulations, so this idea may not even be a possibility, but with the amount of praise Ish recieved in his short moments on the court it is certain there are teams out there that would love to have him. Wouldn't it be better to sign him, and then if you need to clear a roster spot and he is the one to go, trade him for a future pick or something. That way at least you get something other than an open spot in the roster. Ish is too talented to let walk.
As you mentioned in your original post,this is the most realistic way to acquire a project at the 5. I looked at it again,you mentioned waiving him. I think he will be moved along with Yao,Jeffries in a trade.
All i have to say to that is easier said then done..its gonna be really hard to find a team that wants to trade a draft pick to us for ish
i like ish smith - he's an exciting point guard. i hope the rockets find a way to include him in their future plans. great find by the rockets organization.
THABEET SUCKS!!!! i dont see a future star in him at all all though i do see a good chance on him being a nice 3rd string center in the nba, oh wait...
I think we have to consider the possibility of Lowry, not brooks, as the one who will be traded. The rockets like versatility and trading the best (and only) shooter at the PG spot doesn't make sense if you want versatility. It also pushes out a larger contract and replaces it with a smaller one, while not having to sacrifice talent, similar to what Morey did with Ariza/Lee. Morey tries to replace production for a lower cost whenever he can, especially at the back up spots. I think Twill doesn't quite give you the push Lowry does on the break, but he still can give you a similar production, since he's pretty effective in the halfcourt. He should rebound, pass, and defend just as well, if not better. Might score at the same rate too, but with less threes. The upside is his ability to guard taller players up to the 3 spot, which lowry can't really do. You can break up the PG minutes somewhat like this: Brooks 24-32 Twill 12-20 Ish 4 This way you have every variation at point. You can go for scoring, defense, small, big....where before you could only go for 3 of those 4. Rockets tried going big with Lee at the point, but he's more of a finisher and can't run the offense or create, now they can have that with Williams.
How much will it take to resign Brooks? I figure he'd get at least as much as what Lowry got. Also, while Brooks is a shooter, he's also a non-defender. Like Kevin Martin. My guess is that Morey would choose to trade Brooks before Lowry.
I would expect him to get more than Lowry, easily, but coming off an injury and without knowing how much he'll be offered this summer, i think he'll get less suitors than he should. On the other hand, Lowry is younger, with a fixed deal, and playing well, so he may get more interest. That sounds like Lowry is the one to keep, but i think the acquisition of Williams changes things. Again, he's not exactly a Lowry clone, but i think he'll give you similar production, at the very least. And again, adds the height at pg, which we've needed at times. I don't think Morey is too worried about the non-defender part because he's got defensive options at the 2,3,4, and probably expects one at the 5, if not this season, then certainly next. Brooks is still the only Rocket who can create his own offense on the perimeter. Everyone else needs to be set up, can only do it against certain matchups, or needs the help of refs. Morey has pointed out in the past that they need/like that aspect of Brooks' game because they lack it everywhere else.
Why do you think that? Not that I would be opposed to trading AB.. I mean one of our other PGs, at all. I would think that they simply like to keep 3 PGs on the roster just in case.
Good points. I think the Rockets like both their PGs a lot. I understand that Brooks brings a unique skillset (for this team). But Morey loves Lowry's style of play too much, IMO. I don't think the Williams acquisition signals that Lowry is expendable. Its more of a signal that the last-string PG or even Kevin Martin is expendable, IMO.
IMO, an unproven second year player who has just returned from a D-league stint does not make any of our core players expendable. Just like how Ish did not make either of our 2 PGs expendable when he had a few nice flashes. If anything he'll only make Budinger expendable, who I do not see as a core player at all. EDIT: although I think Lee does make Martin expendable, but only for a real upgrade
Rockets rookie guard Ish Smith has been on the inactive list since Aaron Brooks’ return to the court, but he will remain on the Rockets roster. Smith would have to be waived today to clear waivers before his contract would become guaranteed. The Rockets had decided to keep Smith, an undrafted free agent who impressed coaches through training camp and the preseason, allowing his contract, worth $473,604, to become guaranteed for the remainder of the season, Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis confirmed on Tuesday. jonathan.feigen@chron.com
In a sense, every player is expendable for the right return. Having two young, talented 2-way players with good size and athleticism that can fill in at SG for you does, in my opinion, make Martin more expendable now than we would have been before the trade. That doesn't mean the Rockets prefer Williams over Martin; it means they'd be more willing to part with Martin for a valued piece that plugs in elsewhere knowing that they have sufficient depth at the SG position.
You think so? If we trade Brooks, we better get back some fair value for him. You think he will be packaged with Yao and Jeffries?
