Rockets also pursuing Dampier (UPDATE: Rockets make 2-year offer)

I'm going out on a limb here, but I believe the Rockets will keep Jordan Hill unless there is some huge trade (Carmelo Anthony?). The player at risk is Chuck Hayes. Yes, yes, I love Hayes for his work ethic etc etc. However, compared to our other big men, he has the fewest physical tools.

I also believe 2Pat would be more expendable than Hill. Patterson will be a solid player, but he will be a bigger, stronger, better shooting Chuck Hayes, who really is a marginal NBA player. The 2Pat comparison with Carl Landry IMO has never been valid -- except they are both PFs. However, Hill IMO has a much greater upside than 2Pat.

Regarding Dampier, if we acquired him, we would have two 35-year-old centers and one who is recovering. Although I like this short-term, trading youth (Hill and/or Patterson) would be near suicidal -- kind of like trading Rudy Gay for Shane Battier.

If Dampier becomes a Rocket, we would have Yao Ming, Brad Miller and Erick Dampier as centers; Luis Scola, Jordan Hill and Patrick Patterson as PFs; Chase Budinger, Shane Battier and Jared Jeffries as SFs; Kevin Martin, Courtney Lee and Jermaine Taylor as SGs; and Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry and Ishmael Smith as PGs. That's our 15, with Smith, Taylor and Patterson getting more seasoning with the Vipers.

 

There is no way Dampier is going anywhere but Miami.

 

Why not?

Lakers bigs are what won those titles, not Kobe.

 

There's got to be a trade coming. That's all I can see if the reports our true on adding Dampier and the Euroball guy.

 

Miller was awful last season, his worst as a pro. BUt then again, Dampier ain't so great neither.

 

Have to agree - paired with Bosh he doesn't have to be much more than he is at the moment which is to be a big to fill the lane, get a few rebounds, and score a few points.

 

good bye ish

 

Not a bad asset to have on your roster at 2 mil a year. The unfortunate fact of the matter is, we have been hung out to dry with Yao injuries in the past leaving us plugging in PF's and undersized guys at the 5. I'd rather be cautious if it's not going to be a huge risk. Depth is always nice. It also gives us flexibility for future trades (whether it be now or at the deadline). I don't know if he could be shipped in a deadline deal if he signs with us now or not, but either way he makes other players expendable (like others have mentioned, Hill and Hayes).

 

Losing Carl Landry was bad enough.

Then they go out an sign an aging Brad Miller.

Now Dampier?

I'd rather have Landry and Von Wafer back, instead of Dampier and Miller.

 

Bye bye Yao.

 

I hate Dampier... But, I dislike Miller even more.

 

no way...we're fully committed to Comrade Fragile and His 24 Minutes of Fun.

 

....meh!

 

I think you're forgetting that Carl Landry was drafted in the second round. At the time, that means most GM's thought he was a marginal player at best. He didn't have ideal NBA height, but could still play the game.

Meanwhile, Patterson was a projected lottery pick, and Morey had him rated #6 on the Rockets draft board. He already has an edge on Landry in some areas, like shooting range, and compares well to Landry in terms of athleticism.

I'm not saying he will be as good as Landry, but I think you're selling Patterson way short, when you say he's just a better version of Chuck Hayes. He has the potential to be a very good player, and there aren't any red flags about his work ethic that would keep him from reaching his potential.

 

Where is Chuck? No one is better than Hayes defensively.

 

By adding another big man like Dampier, Morey may just be trying to stock pile some extra size for certain potential playoff matchups, especially with the Lakers. In order to compete with them (and Dallas, who has added size), the Rockets will need to have lots of big men that they can throw at them. Brad Miller isn't exactly a defensive presence (not that Dampier is all NBA). But, you could throw someone like Dampier at Andrew Bynum, and make Bynum work a littler bit harder in the post.

 

You're right, the Landry to Patterson comparison is horrible.

Patterson will be waaayyyyyy better than Carl.

 

While I agree with this, it seems odd to me they would go further into tax territory for a 3rd 5 option. Wont we be essentially paying 8M not 4M after taxes?

 

We could run with two 7 footers out on the court, like the lakers do with Pau, and Bynum. Both brad and Dampier have prooven they can get up and down the court. We couldve used either one last year, but a new era has begun.