Seems like we're in a rut. The players we want we can't get. Should we jump the gun and just sign someone who won't propel the Rockets to championship contenders? I don't think so. Go for someone big....LMA if at all possible, Kevin Love, or DMC. Signing Paul Millsap would be great but that'd just create a team of 1 superstar and 4 good role players. It's much harder winning with only 1 elite player than with 2.
I don't see why people tends to overrate the impact of a post up game. It just not really efficient anymore. This is not the 90s where the post player can bully into the paint. With the Charles Barkley rule, the elimination of the illegal defense, and inconsistent ref call for fronting, it's better for the best player on our team, the bearded one, to run pick and roll after pick and roll with Asik with 3 shooters around them. Lin can also do that since it's one of his strength. Not to mention when players post up, they don't draw many fouls. If you don't believe me, go check synergy post-up PPP for each team. Love is the best fit for this team. Players like Ryan Anderson and Classics also fit. Millsap needs to shoot more 3s so we can determine if he really can be a threat outside
So the overall consensus is that we need a stretch 4 who can hit a jumper/3pt at an above average rate. play decent D/rebounder, doesn't take the ball away from our ball dominant guards, can play in our run and gun offense. Who fits that category?
1. What the Rockets really need to happen right now is for one of the young guys to come out and have a string of impressive games as early as possible. Whoever does so may become the team's future at PF (or whatever position) or become a more valuable trade bait toward the acquisition of the future at PF (or a 2nd star at whatever position). The thing is that the Rockets main "trade chips" (as opposed to guys the team will likely just keep) are rookie/young bigs, many of whom are not in the playing rotation. This rather limits their trade value at the moment, to perhaps even lower than the value of the draft pick that led up to them. For example, what do you think Carl Landry's trade value was like before he got into Houston's rotation? The sooner they can show themselves ready to help win NBA games, the better it is for Morey's ability to make the next move. Right now, it looks like the most likely player to do so are Morris (currently a starter and doing fine, but still working things out) and Motiejunas (ahead of Jones at the moment, and made a few nice moves in garbage time of late). 2. As HMMMHMM posted in the "Random Trade Ideas" thread, I am envisioning a trade with the Bulls to get something of value for helping them get under the salary cap. I am imagining the deal will look something like Hamilton+(Mohammed or Radmanovic)+(Something of value) for (Patterson or Morris)+Machado. And by "Something of value" I mean a draft pick, Marquis Teague or Mirotic. This should help get one of the currently non-playing rookie PFs into the rotation (should the coaches deems him ready, otherwise, they can and have played a lot of Parsons at the 4) and at the same time give the Rockets another trade asset. 3. Perhaps the "PF of the future" is already playing PF for the Rockets-- and specifically closing games at crunch time at PF for the Rockets. Yes, I am talking about Chandler Parsons. He's tall enough, rebounds well enough and is trusted to play PF in important minutes, so why not? Maybe what the Rockets should do is to just acquire the best F they can find, whether SF or PF, and play Parsons at the other spot. For example, if Indiana is willing to trade Danny Granger for something HOU has to offer, why not get him? Both of them are big enough to defend PFs for at least some time and they'll really help the offense with both range shooting and penetration.
Jazz fan here. Millsap is not a traditional PF in recent years. He plays some SF this year, and attempt about one 3-pointer per game with a solid 0.468 percentage. I think he wil be a great fit to the Rockets.
I would love LMA or Love, but realistically I think Milsap is probably the more attainable option for the Rox. He's a solid all-around player that will mesh right in with the Rockets.
Paul Millsap. Among LMA, J. Smith, D. West and Millsap. Millsap ranks no.1 in true shooting percentage and rebounding percentage, but has the lowest usage rate.
But that's not what LMA's 10-15 foot game is about, he doesn't sit baseline waiting for an assist, heck even his 16-23 foot range isn't baseline that much, but it's much more catch and shoot. He's not that efficient a player except for one thing, his hands up close are exceptional, ie he's the type you can force a ****ty pass through to, he'd catch it and score at the rim. We'd really need to move Asik for that to function (it's why Smith and Asik aren't a great combo) lest we create the Laker situation that turned Kobe into a 99.9% jump shooter (which really doesn't play to Harden's strengths). That 40-45% is pretty mediocre when you compare it to the likes of Dirk, KG, even Horford before his injury. Whereas how many outshoot Love from 3? Just Dirk and only by a small amount. One of the things it emphases is that the mid range's only purpose for 90% of players should be just to keep the defense honest, it should never be a volume product for a PF, unless your name is Dirk, Kevin (G) or maybe Al. As for rebounds, yeah those two aren't even in the same universe at that game, being able have Asik and Love on either side would release our break so much because so much trust can be left in two guys who are elite rebounders (you'd be able to release one person, sometimes two every time with about a 95% success rate). Pulling them away isn't that big a deal on the offensive end either since our entire starting lineup except for Parsons are above average size with above average rebounding for their spot
D-MO. And soon. We know he has the 3 point range, but he needs consistency. We know he can drive to the basket. We know he can run with the guards on breaks. His rebounding looks to be in the neighborhood of the Rockets starting forwards, and could get much better than theirs. D is just going to take some time to fit into NBA systems and their pace. However he can get into passing lanes and tip balls, he can block shots, and he has the hands and quickness to swipe some balls for steals. Hopefully he will pan out.
My guess is we won't be trading for Millsap or Josh Smith, and we currently don't have the assets to trade for Love, LMA or other marquee PFs. So we're going to play out the season and see if our current PFs improve. 2Pat is gone at the trade deadline or next year's draft day (similar deal to Budinger) as no point keeping him in his last year rookie contract as he's probably not in the long-term plans. Morris is a keeper as a stretch 4, I think Jones is trade bait. DMo is near untouchable. White has no trade value. My best guess would be selling 2Pat and T Jones off for 1st round picks, trying to get our own pick from Atlanta back or get another 1st round pick by taking on a contract to help a team with luxury tax burdens, and trying to package the 3 1st round picks for a superstar PF. If this isn't possible, Morey probably won't be shy to take on Millsap as a FA for a reasonable contract. But I wouldn't trade for Millsap. If you're not going to pay max for a guy, there's no need to get him before his contract expires. Somebody could always outpay you.
for those that wants Love, did you guys forget about this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwUuU6Ltw9o do u guys really want someone like that? he's a dirty player!! and someone here earlier mentioned, he gets angry when his other teammates takes a rebound from him, doesnt sound like a team player. and if he's really that good, MIN would not let him go.
good point but it was a different situation in OKC, we had Martin and OKC couldnt offer more to Harden since the have Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka to pay. It was a win-win situation, Harden gets to play Alpha Dog which he is doing a brilliant job and Martin gets to play behind 2 stars, plus OKC is still top team in the west. its a totally diffent situation over in MIN. u think they will trace Love for Dmo/TJones? i think we should just see how our own PF situation pans out, i remember one interview morey mentioned he prefers to see how our players perform first before making any changes.
1) Kevin Love – True stretch 4 that fits this team perfectly not going to take him even with salary cut in half because of his limitation on offense and his heath issue. His main strength is defensive rebounding, considering Asik is doing great, there is no room for Love in this team. 2) LMA – All around great 4, but limited range and some health concerns top option 3) Josh Smith - Defensive beast but very limited offensive game and poor BBIQ fourth option 4) Paul Milsap – Solid 4 that does everything good second option 5) Chris Bosh – Still elite level performance now, but questionable 3-5 years from now third option
The guywho kindof piques my interest in terms of cos t vs productionis jj hickson. He is young (24), an unrestricted at the end of the season and has been playing well out of position at the 5 for Portland. I am sure he is going to get paid but I think less than milsap and he is younger. He isntthe stretch four many assume is needed, but he might be BPA for the cost and wouldgive us a more rugged front line than pat,morris or whomever else we have at the 4. Thoughts? I tried to find his pnr stats but couldnt inthe amount of time i have.
