As far as I'm concerned this is the #1 need on this team right now. A solid backup center that we could live with as a starting center for when Yao misses a few games here and there. I would even say this before Yao's injury news came out. I don't want him playing more than 28 minutes per game next season. I don't care if we forfeit a few games in the regular season because of it. And I quote, "the definition of crazy is repeating a behavior proven to be unsuccessful in the past, and expecting it to succeed." It bothers me that I hear all these trade rumors for perimeter players or 18 year old point guards, but have heard very little about the Rockets going after a big man, which is our biggest need. I realize there are not many big-name centers out there so, I don't think we would have to give up too much to acquire one. But what are our options? I would love to have a player like Beidrins, but he looks to be part of the Amare deal. Camby and Kaman have appeared in trade rumors over the past year from the Clippers. Would love to acquire one of these guys. Seems like they could be had. Tyson Chandler was already traded, so you know he's available. Brad Miller is old, but he's still a solid starting center in the league and an extremely savvy player. In the worst case, I'd be happy if we could just get a player like Samuel Dalembert or Joel Przybilla.
We need to make a big push for Camby. Imagine Camby playing 4 and Yao at 5. No one would even bother to attempt to take it to the rim. Camby is damn good enough to play plenty of minutes to keep Yao healthy.
I don't get the love for a backup center. In 2009 two things will happen. 1. Yao remains injury free in the playoffs. In which case we don't need a backup center unless he's vastly superior than Hayes/Dorsey and doesn't require us giving up a rotation player(unlikely). 2. Yao gets another "out for the season" injury. In which case unless our backup center is Dwight Howard, the team will not contend. Either case, the need for a backup center is small compared to our PG/Wing situation.
I disagree. We need a good backup center to keep Yaos minutes in check. We can't allow him to play over 30-32mpg during the regular season, and I would even go as far to say keep him out of back to backs. In that case, you need someone decent to fill the minutes he's out. If you get someone like Camby as a backup, even if Yao did go down, we still have a good enough team to make a strong push in the playoffs.
Actually I would really like to see Zydrunas Illgauskas come over, not realistic but he would be a great fit with his skill-set. Now that Shaq is in Cleveland, he clearly won't be their starting center. Z is still among the top 10 in centers in the league and he'll be coming off the bench. That's a pretty damn nice situation and one that they will likely not be willing to let go of.
That would be an expensive backup center. If we are going to pay that much, we would need someone who can play 4 and 5, not just a 5. Someone like Camby.
Yao played 33 minutes last season. Deke didn't sign with the Rockets until late in the season and even then didn't play much. So he didn't really factor into the equation. I don't why getting an overpaid backup like Dalembert or Camby will help this team more than another scoring swingman or getting a star player at another position.
I don't understand your point. Yao played 33 minutes, and we all know what happened. He has proven time and time again that we can't count on him being here the whole season, so another good center is needed as 'Yao insurance.' That way, keep him to 30 minutes and rest him a couple games a month without losing our only center.
z has same foot troubles and is really the guy we should have patterened yao after last season. they couldn't be the 2 primary centers on the same team. feet are issues
Dorsey? It shouldn't be too hard to find a guy vastly superior to a guy that hasn't even played. I would actually count Przybillya as "vastly superior" to Dorsey. Also, Yao may miss games early in the season, or maybe even in the middle of the season. If we go a significant portion of the season with Hayes and Dorsey as our starting center, there's a chance we dig ourselves a hole that we can't get out of. Then what if we DO have a healthy Yao for the playoffs, but oops we didn't make it...or oops we're the 7th or 8th seed having to play the Spurs or Lakers in the first round without home court advantage. If we had a solid backup last season, there's a chance Yao plays less minutes in the regular season, and therefore a chance he doesn't get hurt in the playoffs. If Hayes and Dorsey are our only backup options the coaching staff may start out monitoring Yao's minutes closely, but eventually will have no chance but to play him as we start dropping games and fall out of playoff contention.
I agree that the team needs to get bigger. The playoffs exposed this problem especially when Deke went down. Yao had to play longer because once He sits the next guy would be Landry or Hayes, Both undersized power forwards. A back up center is/must be their primary target. If not for a center then a big power forward that can play both center and forward positions. The Draft addressed the need for shooters and players that can make plays. It is time Morey to get bigger.
You think the Blazers will us Prizbilla for free? Or will you give them Landry or Brooks? Btw, last season our backup center was Scola. As Scola/Landry/Yao made up most of the center/PF minutes. You're basically asking someone to take their minutes. So 33 minutes is too much yet 32 minutes is okay with you? Or is it 30 the max? Your two posts are contradicting each other.
at this point we are gambling that Yao will stay healthy. You don't pay tyson chandler, who would be a starter on every other team, lots of money just so he can play 10 minutes a games. this team revolves around yao. getting a backup C who plays 15 minutes a game will be like having two different teams out there.
