JJ Hickson looked just as bad if not worse during his time in Sacromento playing in the same "system" and being utilized the same way as Robinson. One year removed and on a different team, he has become a highly productive player. This one example is more relevant to Robinson's chances than any of your lotto busts that have nothing to do with him because it actually takes context into account.
They also liked Terrence Williams' talent. It is OK to take chances, but taking someone else's unproductive lotto pick is like making an investment with a Nigerian prince who emailed you out of the blue about a great opportunity.
Beast is a pretty strong word. His numbers are slightly better than in Houston. It's just we wanted him to be Asik, while the Lakers want him to be a backup behind 2 quality big men. That has as much do with being a Laker as how they actually play. It's part perception and part playing with guys like Kobe, Gasol, Artest, Bynum, Howard, and Nash.
And they were wrong. And some people were wrong about Marcus Morris. And they might be wrong about Thomas Robinson. That doesn't mean you turn down allstar potential, and more importantly, blue chip trade value, for Patrick freakin' Patterson. If Robinson doesn't work out, the Rockets can probably flip him for a top 10 pick or borderline star player just based on his trade value alone. There is a reason this trade had league executives scratching their heads. Because every other team valued Robinson more than Patterson. This is why Morey couldn't turn the trade down. And why even if he bombs, we can "salvage" him for more than a stop-gap non-contributor like Patterson.
They aren't remotely similar. Let me ask you this, what exactly have we lost by taking this route now and in the past?
What blue chip trade value? You think if Robinson plays like he has in both SAC and HOU (inconsistent performance, 15 or so bench minutes, often lost in team scheme), HOU would still get "blue chip value for him"? These unproductive (or even somewhat productive) lotto picks are like cars-- value decreases rapidly once you drive them off the lot. This is how HOU only got a 2nd round pick for a recent 14th pick and how the Nets traded a recent 11th pick for a heavily protected draft pick. Robinson's value is going down every minute right now unless he shocked everybody and turns things around before the end of the season.
We are decreasing our chance at a playoff spot right now-- Patterson does not guarantee wins but he gives the team a better chance than the rookies. We wasted a year and millions of dollars on Stromile Swift. We gave up a draft pick and the flexibility to trade picks for Terrence Williams. Giving minutes to Jordan Hill in 2010-11 likely cost the team a playoff berth (yes, he was that terrible). Keeping Jonny Flynn's salary cost the Rockets Jeremy Lin last season. Not franchise busters always, but there is a cost. Oh, and BTW, giving up our playoff spot to the Lakers will likely cost us Dwight Howard. So good job.
We are two game removed from an old school earn-your-minutes-before-you-get-to-play coach trusting Robinson to close out a tight game over our league leading rebounder DOPY level starting center. For someone knocked for his inability to finish in SAC, Robinson has raised his FG% by 14% in HOU. "His value is going down every minute"? GTFO with that bs. Your emotions have made you delusional. And that is really saying something, as it is hard to imagine someone getting emotional over a below average player like Patterson.
ppatt is a player i wouldn't mind having back. he was having a great year too. if we had him backing up thomas robinson, this team would be insane.
And what if we make playoffs? Is that not out of the realm of possibility? And either way...we'll finish as a 6-8 seed, which is no different from what we would have gotten with Patterson and Morris still here.
Lin-Harden-Parsons-Patterson-Asik: ORTG- 104.9 DRTG- 106.0 NET- -1.1 Lin-Harden-Parsons-Dmo-Asik: ORTG- 121.5 DRTG- 103.3 NET- 18.3 Team improved a whopping of 19.4 simply by swapping Patterson for a never started before green as can be rookie Dmo. I am not sure if that is indicative of how good Dmo is, certainly hasn't look it the past few games, or how ineffective a back seat type player Patterson was. Either way, great job at improving the team through addition by subtraction, Daryl. http://stats.nba.com/teamLineups.ht...n=2012-13&PerMode=Totals&MeasureType=Advanced
Damn, Carl. You'll have us all cutting our wrists if you keep this up. Morey weakened us in the short term and strengthened us for the long term. We'd be rolling with Patterson. Dmo can't not foul, and covering the hole he creates in the lineup is killing us. Unfortunately it's Morey's m.o. to flush players before he has to play them. Always. I hope we don't pay the price by missing the playoffs. Robinson? Sometimes the getting outweighs the having: "Whoo hoo, I robbed the Kings!" Trob could become very good but his game doesn't fit the team we've become....unless it's to finish on the break? Seems Morey will sign Jsmith or Millsap and then deal with the 4 logjam later.
HAHA. I would wager any amount of money you desire for a tipjar bet that there is zero chance the Rockets miss the playoffs. Seriously? Who cares about the Lakers. Rockets are easily passing Utah and probably GS too. Again, gtfo with this emo bs.
The eyeball test forgets our 7 game losing streak with Patterson as the starter. It forgets how much better we looked even with Morris starting. It forgets how absolutely dominant our starting lineup was in Dmo's first few games(team leading +/- for Dmo), because we remember more clearly how he has struggled in the more recent few games. That's the problem with the eyeball test, it believes what it wants to believe. And believe me, Carl REALLY wants to believe his little narrative right now.
Small sample size. Stats generated in some blowout wins currently outweigh the bad performances during the most recent games. As is the case with many rookies, opponents figure out hole in their games and then everybody exploits them until the rookie adjusts.
Well....we were 29-26 before the trade, and we're 34-30 right now... Not saying that we haven't looked worse, but I think it's being drastically overstated the regression we've had. It really hasn't been that bad. We have beaten three playoff teams in the Warriors, Thunder, and Nets, with a couple bad losses to the Wizards and Suns. That's pretty much been the type of stuff we've seen this whole season.
Ok lets assume PPat gives team better chances to win at this current moment ( what i think is not totally correct) , but let look to this from time prospect D-Mo and T-Rob started play just ~25 games till season end and they are 5 games into it, if they become more efficient after another 7 games than PPat we still be in better situation, anyways i am for short term setback and long term benefit at any given day. Btw how do you know DH gonna sigh with rockets? its just pure speculations plus if we are very honest with ourselves instead of showcasing PPat we could play D-Mo and probably at this very moment already be in much better position , so in this league not always everything about winning , first about money What to do if they stand in each others way genius ?!
There are three spots up for grabs. Utah and GSW are slumping even harder than the Rockets right now. So Lakers will be able to get in regardless of what we do.
