I love Louis Scola's game and contributions to our team, but you have to give something to get something. Since we didn't draft a center, we either need to pick one up in free agency (no luck with this the past 2 years so not looking likely) or trade for one (imo, the more likely scenario). If we trade for a center, we obviously need to match salaries and/or use a trade exception. Knowing this and the fact that Scola now has a big contract, I think there is a possibility that this draft helps to put us in position to move Scola for a center. On this hypothetical, lets knock around potential starting lineups based on where we are after this years draft: Center: ? PF: P Pat (the only decent help defender we have) SF: M Morris? SG: K Mart PG: K Lowery IMO, this would be a decently skilled, fairly physical, and potentially efficient lineup with quite a good bb iq (2 penetrating guards, 2 wing shooters, 2 physical bangers at the forward spots, and hopefully a post defender and rebounder yet to come). I see this lineup as young and putting alot of pressure on K Mart & K Lowery, but it is the same pressure they both dealt well with in the second half of last year when the team's record improved tremendously and we finally climbed over .500. I admit that I was initially very upset at our drafting Marcus Morris over N Vucevic; C Singleton and K Leonard. However, while still scratching my head and wondering if we missed out, I am at least now warming up to the idea of drafting M Morris & D Motieunas. As I begin to think ahead about what drafting M Morris may mean, and we know Daryl Morey is always thinking several moves ahead. That is part of his genius. Now this lineup may never actually come to fruition for myriad reasons (roster turnover; M Morris not being a 3; injuries and etc), but for grins lets kick around if we like or hate this potential lineup. For my 2 cents worth, it is rather intriguing. :grin: In the alternative, you can substitute other lineups if you wish based on who we drafted, but for this thread stick to the hypothetical that we have to move Scola.
I wrote these trade ideas in the trade thread. I don't count Thabeet, Hill, and T-will as actual players, but more as expiring contracts. Dragic is tall enough to play and defend the pg, and sg, so that makes Lee expendable. I say we trade Lee + Parsons for Asik. Then trade Scola, Bud, and Hill (exp. contract) for Granger. It may be a long shot, but if Indy wants to rid themselves of Granger and develop Paul George while adding a great vet still in his prime in Scola, and an offensive threat off the bench for cheap with Bud, it would be a good move for both teams. This gives us room to possibly sign Yao and Chuck back if we choose to do so as well, while still giving us potentially around 10 mil for the 2012 free agency if we don't exercise the team options of Thabeet, T-will, and Flynn. Our lineup would look like this Lowry/ Dragic/ Flynn (team option possibly exercised) Martin/ Dragic/ T-will (exp. contract) Granger/ Morris Patterson/ Chuck?/ Motiejunas Asik/ Yao?/ Thabeet (exp. contract)
I don't know enough to match the salaries & trade exceptions or even which team may be a willing trade partner, but if you consider the fact that K Mart and Scola have the two largest contracts on the team they appear to be the most likely to be moved. Combine this with the fact that in the first round we just drafted 1 offensive minded PF (D Motieunas) and 1 combo PF/SF in Marcus Morris (who to me plays much more like Scola than Patrick Patterson), the writing appears to be on the wall so to speak.
I didn't see that thread, but count me as all in!!! I too don't count Thabeet, Hill, and T-will. The lineup you propose would, IMO, be pretty balanced between offense (Martin & Granger/Morris) and defense (Asik; Patterson/Hayes & Lowry) but is a bit weak defensively at the wings. Nonetheless, I sure like that better than how we looked at the end of last year, and I admit it is unlikely that M Morris is ready to start at the 3 so your trade proposal fixes that problem. In this scenario, I almost think I'd prefer that we had drafted Chris Singleton as a backup to Granger, but I like how you are thinking.
Offensively speaking I think Donatas has the potential to play center in the high post at an all-star level. Defensively I'm not sure how bad it would get but I'm guessing pretty bad. Having said that, I am looking forward to see him at the 5 for offensive reasons. I would really like to see the rockets address there center issue in free agency with Dalembert or Chandler
Crash, long time no talk. I agree that Donatas at the 5 in the high post in interesting. He is a legit 7 footer. Did you see the picture on the front of the Chronical's sports page today? He literally towers over both Parsons and Morris in the standing photo? If we had him at the 5 you would need a good help defender like PPat and Chris Singleton sure would have helped that lineup. Is it obvious who I wanted at 14?
Yep, I was screaming for singleton as well. MMo should be better defensively than Bud. I'm looking forward to seeing Pat, MArcus, and Donatas on the floor together. If Donatas can just be ok defensively then I think that front court could be good on the defensive end and dynamic on the offensive end.
That would be dynamic offensively, and I agree about Morris vs Bud. Maybe Morey can swap T Williams + bag of peanuts for a serious defensive wing. Then we would have some additional flexibility to our lineup at the end of games when we need a stop and still have a time out.
With all the talk of Morris switching to 3, I find it interesting that nobody talks about Donatas getting some PT at 5. For christ sake, we played Hayes at 5 and Scola has played spot minutes at 5 too. Hill isn't a natural 5, IMO, and he got minutes there. On certain matchups, I so no reason why Donatas can't get a lot minutes at 5. If we can get Thabeet to not be embarassing or trade for a respectible 5, then they could split time at 5.
do you remember the utah houston series in the playoffs, okur guarded yao (primary defender) and was actually very physical with him. I dont think our guy is anywhere near the level of physicality as okur yet
In defense of Chuck and the rockets, there wasnt a single matchup i remember (so maybe there were a few that i missed) where the other teams center dominated the game.. chuck at 6 ft 5 is still a better defender than anyone we have and that is not neccesarily a knock on everyone we have, he is just a great defender. What he cant provide is shot blocking and that is why we need height in there and i dont think either dmo or scola do that for us. And I think we wasted a year of jhills development by trying him out at center
I would like to preface my comment by saying I dont think its at all a guarantee that these players will do well .. but I think before we write off Jwill, Thabeet and even jordan hill, we should see how they respond to a new coaching staff and a new emphasis on youth. With rick adelman, these players did not get an opportunity to show there talents, why dont we wait until the new coaching staff has a chance to work with them before writing them off. Jwill has done nothing but amaze people when he has gotten consistent playing time (unfortunately that has been in the Dleague) and according to mchale, thabeet and j hill haev been coming in and working on their game everyday. There are obvious positives to both players, hills athleticism and thabeets height. I dont think that they have gotten a true shot with the rockets yet, and until they do we will not know
