Thought about this long and hard, let me know how great or dumb this is: After every Rockets game I watch that they lose it becomes more and more apparent what the Rockets need and this trade brings it. The Houston Rockets need a tough competitor who has won a championship. Think about it. Who on the current Rockets roster has gone very far in the Playoffs? The only guy with significant playoff experience is Mutombo and at Mutombo's old age he isn't a guy that is going to make a real big impact. The Rockets need a fiery guy that is going to push them into the upper echelon of teams and that guy is...............Derek Fisher! Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Rafer Alston 6-2 PG from Frenso State 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.8 apg in 38.6 minutes Bonzi Wells 6-5 SG from Ball State 13.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.8 apg in 32.4 minutes Incoming Matt Harpring 6-7 SF from Georgia Tech 12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 apg in 27.4 minutes Derek Fisher 6-1 PG from Arkansas-Little Rock 13.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg in 31.6 minutes Change in team outlook: -11.7 ppg, -10.6 rpg, and -5.3 apg. Utah Trade Breakdown Outgoing Matt Harpring 6-7 SF from Georgia Tech 12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 apg in 27.4 minutes Derek Fisher 6-1 PG from Arkansas-Little Rock 13.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg in 31.6 minutes Incoming Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 apg in 31.7 minutes Rafer Alston 6-2 PG from Frenso State 12.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.8 apg in 38.6 minutes Bonzi Wells 6-5 SG from Ball State 13.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.8 apg in 32.4 minutes Change in team outlook: +11.7 ppg, +10.6 rpg, and +5.3 apg. First off why does Utah do it? Well Utah gets a couple of things in this trade, they get a good back up point guard in Rafer Alston. They also get Bonzi Wells, an unknown commodity but Wells brings what Jerry Sloan wants and believes leads to victories, Rebounds. A starting line up of Williams, Wells, Kirilenko, Boozer, and Okur means tons of rebounds. The odd man in this for Utah is Howard. Utah is loaded at the four so why pick up Howard and his contract? Well getting rid of Fishers bloated contract means absorbing someone elses. So why not Howards? Howard is a great veteran leader and will remain professional even if he doesnt see playing time and his contract is for less time than Fishers. In other words, they get out of cap hell quicker. What do we really get in this trade? Well first and foremost, Derek Fisher. This guy brings a lot of things similar to what Shane Battier, and Chuck Hayes bring to the Rockets, namely intangibles. Fisher does the little things to help his team win. Also, this guy is what the Rockets really need at the point guard position, a three point shooter. Though Alston actually is shooting the three better than Fisher at this point, Alston is a natural point guard, Fisher a natural shooter, and the Rockets need shooters not playmakers. Another guy Houston aquires is Harpring who is a Jeff Van Gundy guy, an excellent defender and shooter (shooting 50% of his 3s thus far this season albeit on 7 of 14 shots, 35% career). With this line up Houston starts: Fisher Mcgrady Battier Hayes Yao Bench: Head Kill Bill Harpring (Padgett, Novak, Battier?) Deke One last side note: Watching the Rockets play against Golden State i kept shaking my head when i watch Alston, Wells, Kill Bill, Howard and Yao play together.... this team can't beat upper echelon teams when the best shooter on the court is Alston. Spacing is key when playing with a big man like Yao! One other last note: This team does not yet have enough shooters. Everyone loves Head but they love him b/c he does what he is suppose to do, hit the open shot. Defense is very important, no doubt. But if guys are bricking wide open three point attempts game after game this offense will not work.
Doesn't make much sense. If the Rockets keep losing, they may want to shake up their roster in order to win. But as long as the Jazz is among the league leaders and is winning comfortably, why would it want to mess with its lineup and disrupt team chemistry?
If Houston sweetens the deal with a pick maybe it does..... or the fact that Utah gets more players for less which is a great thing........
Howard+Bonzi+Sura for Wally Szczerbiak Then sign Matt Hairyazs and Kelena Azubuik whatever their names are! Reason: Boston are in terrible shape right now and definitely desperate to make some changes. Juwan and Bonzi will give them the low post scorer they need. After the trade, rockets wont have much cap space so we have to sign two players for cheap!
I mentioned this in another thread... How about Cassell? He's lost his starting spot, and the Clippers aren't doing as well as last season... I'd love to give the guy a shot at running this team.. We'd need to limit his minutes early season to keep him fresh later on, but it looks like Spanoulis is getting better, and pretty soon will be able to plaay 15-20 minutes comfortably. I would like Derek Fisher as well, but I can't see the Jazz trading a rotation player right now.
Timing is everything in the NBA........remember for this trade to go down it has to occur after January, by then Bonzi could be in shape, Utah could get injured...... Perhaps it could work down the road
I don't see why the Jazz do it (and yes I read the reasoning). They get a good backup PG in Rafer (which they already have in Fisher). They get a (possibly) starting caliber SG in Bonzi (which they already have in Harpring). And for the price of those two downgrades, they get...Juwan Howard? If you can sell that to Utah then you could sell shoes to a snake.
Its all about how players fit into a system. The Rockets system is much more predicated on good perimeter shooting then Utah's system. A traditional point guard better suits Utah then Houston. Thus Alston has a slight edge over Fisher. Also, Alston has a better contract then Fisher so financially wise it makes more sense. I do not think a heathy in shape Bonzi for dirt cheap is the same as harpring. And I think a Juwan Howard is always a good thing for a team (if anything team morale). If Houston threw in perhaps a first round pick for Utah's 2nd. I think thats a pretty nice deal.
But i do agree a healthy non losing Utah is not going to bite, an injured on a losing streak Utah.....well then maybe
I think that we need Kirk Snyder and his defense and his intangibles to be back, then we'll be in better shape.
What you fail to realize is that Utah likes Matt Harpring at least enough to resign him at the end of the season when his contract is up. Why take a chance on Bonzi when he's going to walk in the summer? It's much more favorable to them if they retain Harpring.
Simple question: can we trade player(s) before January something? I remember that when we talked about the possibility of trading Bonzi several days ago, some one(probably some writer of Chronic) posted that we won't be able to do that until Jan something according to the policy. However, nowadays, everyone is talking about where "AI" will go. I just confused about the regulation to trade player(s) in the middle of the season. Can we trade player now? Thanks~
Certain players can be traded before January, certain cannot. Bonzi, b/c he was aquired recently by the Rockets cannot be traded till after January. Thus this proposed trade could only work if after January.
ClutchCityReturns I completely understand that reliable is sometimes better than well I guess a good word for it is talent. But you have to admit if the Jazz start getting injuries (as certain players on their team have a tendency to do) and a losing streak arises, and the Rockets throw in a 1st round pick for Utah's 2nd round pick, I think thats giving up a lot for two thirty something year olds. The Rockets should not care b/c they are in a win it all now mode. Houston should be searching for complimentary players to fit with Yao and T mac. Utah on the other hand can stay relatively competitive this year, hopefully keep Wells, get out of heavy contracts sooner, and perhaps get a couple of decent 1st round picks.
Fisher would help us out a lot but as others have already pointed out: Utah has little motivation to deal him. I do like the idea of Fisher as a Rocket though. Plays better defense and has the ability to hit big shots unlike Skip to my Brick. Another point that most don't give Fisher enough credit for is he's a winner and seems to always be that gutsy bench player that's not afraid to mix it up on defense or change the pace of the game with some instant offense coming off the bench for good teams. Great presence in the locker room that both the players and coaches can trust unconditionally.
