So you want to put Asik on the bench? if we're signing someone, we need them to be able to make this team better when they are on the floor at the same time. We can't have two guys who occupy the same area of the floor and who don't have the skill sets to play off of each other. It's like A'mare and Carmelo Anthony, part 2.
This is a very faulty post, first of all because Love and Alderidge are not free agents. But in response to the bold area, Josh Smith is the top scorer on a team with a better record and playoff position than the Rockets. He also has less talent and supporting cast to work with than even Harden has. Prior to this season, he was the #2 option to Joe Johnson, who is not as good a player as Harden. Even with that he would not be the #2 go to option for the Rockets. Side note: Have you watched much Minnesota Timberwolves basketball to make you feel like Kevin Love can be the #1 or #2 option for a playoff team. I believe Kevin Love has never played for an NBA team over .300. Also, forget about post up, the guy cant even do a push up.
lol, that's just mean. And with regards to Love and LA, i believe he was speaking, hypothetically. Josh Smith is free this summer, LA and Love are free the summer after that, i believe. if Houston gambles on Josh Smith, they eliminate themselves from potentially landing Love or LA.
Players like Josh Smith are a negative for a team like us. Even if he gets the $12m that some of you want, that effectively ends any chance of us signing our second superstar. I'd rather have the second max player then have Josh Smith and another role player for $8m. No wise team will sign a guy like Smith, unless he takes $8m. All players should either be close to MLE or Max guys.
Assuming Howard either doesn't sign here or doesn't pass his physical, and you can get Smith for 15 or so a year, hell yes. You absolutely sign him, and don't think twice. (Millsap would be another good option, if his price is reasonable) He isn't a perfect fit, so let's just get that on the table. But how many guys are? Kevin Love, Chris Bosh, and LMA are the only other ones I can really think of. All of them will be pursued by every team when they become available, because they're all really good. We have a very real chance of whiffing and coming away with nothing. Let's build some forward momentum and national buzz. But the real reason we should is that Smith, for all his warts, is an All-star with a good medical history in the prime of his career, and we can add him without giving up any assets. That will always have value in the league. If he doesn't work out, or it appears he's not enough to get us into contention, or Motie/TRob develops, or an even better star becomes available, we can move him. Even if all we get back are a couple firsts and expirings, that's still a net gain. Good upside, and no long-term downside. Go get him, Morey!
There are only 5-7 super stars in this league. And one's who used to be are fading. Unless you are getting Dwight, you have to settle for 2nd best, because there is nothing on the horizon or near distant future that indicates that another superstar is going to be born, let alone, come to Houston.
We just can not compete against teams with multiple superstars if we sign players like Josh Smith. That makes our chance of beating teams like the Lakers, OKC and Miami almost zero. I would rather just wait and wait and wait until we get our second max guy. Josh Smith is good but his salary makes him useless to teams that wish to compete for a title.
If not Dwight then we'll just wait for the next free agency. Eventually someone will come because we have a good young team. I am sure of this. If Josh Smith wants a 1 year contract till then than I will be glad for Morey to offer him it.
you are underestimating the fit and the potential growth of Lin, Parsons, and especially Harden. Josh Smith would make this team, by leaps and bounds, better because he possesses what they lack.
Who says you have to have a team with multiple superstars to beat a team with multiple superstars? Has a team with multiple superstars never lost? I forgot, who was the second superstar on the Mavs? Trying to match star power with a team like the Heat makes no sense. Need to figure out a different way. Also, the only reason Smith may be available is Atlanta may not want to pay him. That will never happen with Love or Aldridge, so forget about them, it's not happening.
who do you want to max out, next season, Kevin Love? Lamarcus Aldridge? is there really a big difference in talent between Josh Smith and those two? It is negligible at best, especially when you take into consideration, Josh Smith's defensive impact, and how it would only be accentuated when paired with the big man in the middle, Asik.
Portland is going to give Aldridge the Max, i could see Love leaving, most likely through a sign and trade, though.
J-Smoove likes to shoot 22 footers and doesn't like to bang in the paint. But considering the offensively challenged/ can't create their own shots bigs like Jared Jeffries, Bill Walker, Asik, Smith, Morris, Patterson can suddenly discover their shooting/ scoring touch via Lin's passes, J-Smoove might be worth considering.
What?.. nobody said they were free agents. However, Josh Smith is a free agent, that if signed to the Rockets would put them out of the running for acquiring a player of all-star caliber via TRADE either this Summer or in the near future. Secondly, nobody said Josh Smith couldn't score and that he's not the best player on his team that is poised to make another playoff appearance in the top heavy Eastern conference. However, its not about how many points Smith scores, its about how he scores and how he would fit in the Rockets system... again... in the playoffs during a title run. I have no doubt that during the regular system, as VPBaller has clearly stated, Smith would be a very good player, and score in a variety of different ways. The reason why me, and many other posters would rather wait it out for another player, is that you really need two players in the playoffs that can have the offense run through them, and also complement the other star. You can win a championship with one go-to offensive player, but it has very rarely been done. IMO, the quickest way for the Rockets to become a true contender would be to acquire a dynamic offensive big man that can be a dominant pick and roll partner with Harden/Lin, must be a threat as a shooter(to create some space for drivers), and it would really help to have that player be able to post up as well to give the offense more dimensions other than simply drive and kick or Pick and Roll. Josh Smith is a guy I see as a great opportunistic scorer. Not really someone you run your offense through consistently, and doesn't give them what the need to have the easiest road to the NBA finals year after year. If he's going to get signed this offseason, I sure hope that Morey and co. know something about him that I don't because if they sign him this is it... thats the team they will be locked in with for 4 or 5 years.
It is hard to get a superstar. It's actually close to impossible for a team outside of NY, LA, Mia or Chi. Stars either stay with their team (since they can make the most money there and can start to build a legacy) or go to one of the big teams. Of course we will try to get Howard and Paul. And I am sure we will make some calls about Love, LMA or Paul George. But I am also pretty sure we won't be able to get any of them. Now we could go out and sign an aging star in a bad situation like Gasol. Or we could wait and retain our cap space to try again next season (and most probably strike out again). Or we do try to get the best player we can. Smith doesn't make us immediate contenders. But he would greatly improve this team - mostly by his defense and hustle plays, but also by his ability to score. We'd probably fight for the 3d spot in the WCF. Now that would be fun to watch and we'd always have the chance for an upset. And if we get Smith at a good value and he doesn't play a lot worse all of a sudden, he could be a valuable trade chip in our hunt for a true superstar...
2014 free agent list. Bosh, Lebron, Wade, Bogut, Monroe, Varejao, Randolph, Anthony, Gay, Iguodala, George, Parker. Lowry, and many many more. http://www.hoopsworld.com/2014-nba-free-agents/
If the Rockets get Smith, going forward, that's a top 4 seed in the west each year, for the next 4-5 seasons. Jeremy Lin is getting better, Chandler Parsons is getting better, Asik is solid, Harden is continuing to explode at the tender age of 24. If we add Smith, we get what he is right now for a good 3-4 seasons and his skill set would be accentuated in this offense. are the spurs going to get much better than they are right now? How about the Clippers? Memphis, anyone? The only team that i see continuing to improve is OKC, and that's only because Kevin Durant and Westbrook are freaks of nature. Outside of OKC, the only other team that i see with a chance of exploding to the next level is Houston, and that's only because James Harden has transformed himself into a superstar this season, and he's only just begun. The problem is, he alone-- isn't enough to take this young team to a top 4 seed. We absolutely need one more all-star calibur piece that fits. As i see it now, we can stand pat and try to develop our young guys, and next season, vie for 5-8 seed, or we can make a move and be in the top 4 seed for years to come. The only way i would be okay with signing Josh Smith would be if he came in around the 12-13 million per year range.
The Wolves were a good team and likely headed to the playoffs before Rubio went down last year and that was a team with zero good wing scorers. Love is a perfect fit next to Asik and would actually help our defensive because we would dominate the boards allowing very few seconds shot opportunities.
