His shot selection this year has been pretty anti-Morey. 18% from 3. Has started going crazy from mid-range this year with the Hollins system. I know Morey has been interested in him before but I wouldn't say he's exactly a perfect fit.
I'm sure if we can acquire any one of these players, but I think if we do it would be an upgrade at the PG position: Jrue Holiday (NOP) Eric Bledsoe (PHX) Brandon Jennings (DET) Kemba Walker (CHA) Darren Collison (SAC) Isaiah Thomas (PHX) Elfrid Payton (ORL) Deron Williams (BKN) CJ Watson (IND) Goran Dragic possibly an upgrade but his real +/- is negative, for now. He's also technically a SG for Phoenix. Brandon Knights real +/- is also negative. If we could get Ty Lawson that'd solve most our problems on offense. But Denver isn't giving him up, I don't think. If we can't land any of these point-guards, I don't see an upgrade in that position. James Harden is the best shooting guard in the world though
point guard situation We currently (it changes daily as the west is so tight) have the third best record in the NBA and are the number 3 seed in the west. Our defense is ranked third in the NBA. All this with Bev as our starting point guard. Is there a need to upgrade that position? Yes. But not at risk of gutting our front court depth and giving up draft pick(s) with the uncertainty of Howard's knee. If the issue is the lack of another creator - we could also look at our SF position where our depth consist of defensive players who can't create their own shots.
You have vivid dreams about trades?:grin: way too much time in clutchfans? lol Bucks are a rebuilding team that because it hired a very good coach, because it wanted to get a new arena approved and because the East is mostly crap went far far beyond its own expectations. They were planning to at best be the 8th seed not the 6th. They didn't went the Philly or Orlando tanking way and retained their vets while also trying to rebuild somehow. Knight is not part of the core and Hammond has said so publicly in a grantland article some months ago and Milwaukee is very well aware that at best case scenario they are looking at winning 1-2 games in the first round.With him looking for the near max and with Middleton having a breakout year he is according to leaks from the Buck's FO available but ONLY for a very good offer. That includes the NOP pick Capella and plus. I think that Morey would be also interested in Dudley btw. He will probably opt out next year.
You acquire players for the playoffs. In the playoffs there is no such thing as Morey system. There is only one way to success - the team with the best chemistry wins - shooting tons of 3s in the playoff isn't going to do that
Yeah because the Spurs last year, the Heat before them, the 90's Rockets teams, etc. etc. never shot an abundance of 3's. The 3 point shot isn't going anything bud. The only thing that will change in the playoffs is the pace of the game. I hate to break it to you, but Morey isn't all the sudden going to completely abandon his philosophy of at the rim, or beyond the arc offense simply because currently a backup level PG's in the NBA is available and he loves to shoot pull up mid range jumpers. If its Russell Westbrook, I think he makes some adjustments. Jarrett Jack... not so much. Jack had a few good seasons from 3 but this year he's shooting 20%. If they acquire him, its because they think he can return to form from 3. Not because they want to acquire his skill for shooting mid range pull ups.
If Milwaukee primarily wants youth and picks, I think the best we can offer is: NOP 1st Capela NYK 2nd Johnson and/or Canaan I would pay that.
They had postups, they had long jumpers, pick and pops, 2nd chance opportunities, they had more than 2 guys that could create off the dribble. Some fans do misinterpret Moran's Koran and say all we have to do is shoot a lot of 3s. We have to play real good basketball and make couple of important 3s. (Do not fall in love with one aspect and forget other aspects of fundamentally sound Basketball!) We need guys that can facilitate, create off the dribble more than we need some 3pt specialists (except if his name is Korver).
We all saw the Spurs last year exhibiting the purest form of basketball I've seen probably in my lifetime. Might not have been as glamorous as the Bulls years with Michael, or the Hakeem years with the Rockets, but as a full fledged team PASSING approach, it was pretty special to watch.... and I HATE the Spurs. The thing more than anything they had was precise and constant ball movement. In the purest form of the game, the ball moving will find the open man, and wherever that open man is, he has to take the shot and be clear of conscious. For the Rockets, its about finding those players in those spots where they exceed. It just so happens all the players they have acquired, are SUPPOSED to exceed from beyond the arch. If the Rockets had an elite mid-range shooter (very few in the game today) I have no doubt Morey would allow their sets to find that mid range jumper in his spots. Case in point- Luis Scola was deadly from mid-range, and Scola was admittedly one of Morey's favorite players. I'm not worried about the mid range shot, or the 3 point shot. I'm worried about ball movement without turnovers. If the Rockets are able to break down the defense (need another player who can do this), make the pass, make the extra pass, and find guys in their spots, I have belief that the Rockets free flowing system will look great, and win. Drive, and kick. That's pretty much the simplest, and most pure form of basketball there is at the end of the day. This whole nonsense about 3's vs. 2's and the analytics behind it is just narrative. Its all about the drive and kick. The Rockets need to get better at getting in the paint, and they need to get better with their passing. If Jarrett Jack helps with this (I think he could) then its a good move.
I do not pretend to know how much time it took for them Spurs FO and coaching staff to implement that system. That has to be 5-8+ yrs. They had no pressure to win a championship because Robinson and Duncan won one for them. After their first one, all pressure was off. They had the luck of a perennial championship team. (Correct me if I am wrong) They got the correct players, they did not win it every year because obviously they also made small mistakes. But mostly they just went with their mistakes. They just stuck with their coach and their GM for entire decades.
Jarret Jack is a good option especially if the Rockets trade for two point guards and decide to completely revamp that position. Morey's favorite player is Dirk who is the king of Mid-Range jumpers. The Rockets don't shoot from mid-range because they don't have the players that can hit them (there are very few in the NBA). The bench needs a spark and a guy who can carry a scoring load for small stretches. Jack is that guy.
The problem was not that Brandon Knight isn't a good point guard. He's great. The problem is that it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to get him. I doubt they'd give him up even for DMO, Jones AND the pick. The Bucks don't suck for the first time in a long time and he's a big part of that.
So the lesson the Rockets can learn from that? Obviously the style of play, and the cohesiveness of your unit to find guys in their open spots, have trust in your guys, and feel the game with your passing rather than knowing the game on paper... matters. It happens on the court with chemistry and cohesion rather than just on the chalkboard & spreadsheet. The great thing about basketball is that its not an exact science. Even Morey admits that himself about the blend of science and art. I think Morey is trying something these past 3 or 4 years, but I think he understands this. If he acquires someone that does something that goes against what his formula predicts, I think he's a smart enough guy to throw his own formulas out the window for the sake of the good of the team game. The thing that some guys here need to understand though, is that someone like a Jarrett Jack might not be good enough, or show enough to throw that formula out the window. Someone like a LaMarcus Aldridge however.... that will definitely get Morey's attention.
I think we have a better chance at Knight than Dragic or Lawson. Bucks have Kris Middelton who's been playing great for them in last nights absence of Knight Middelton had 25pts 9ast. Knight is a FA after this season and if they don't wanna pay him what he will be getting on the market I can see the Bucks moving him now and getting something in return. From what I've heard Rockets don't have the cap space to just out right sign a Dragic or Knight type guy in the summer because we really don't have that much cap space available. So the Rockets are looking to trade for someone now to have their bird rights in order to go above the salary cap
If you think about championship teams it all starts with high lottery draft picks..... We have Harden and we must retain him at all cost but we also need to draft another star caliber caliber It was and it always be tough to get a young enough star quality player. Morey is a true genius if he can actually nab another star quality player. 2 in a row. Nothing against Dmo or Jones but Morey has to nab another perimeter guy, another Tony Parker would be great. I hope he does it while Harden is still 25-27. (perimeter sidekick)