Zack Lowe Piece on Pelicans and why I think Asik to New Orleans is inevitable

But your argument doesnt make sense though because Asik as backup with DMo as pf is better than Anderson at pf and DMo as backup centers. In terms of player value Asik is worth more than Anderson or any non franchise pf we can get.

 

Nerlens Noel is in Philly, Robin Lopez is in Portland

 

Noel got traded to Philly in the Jrue Holiday trade. Lopez got traded to Portland in the 3-team Tyreke Evans S&T.

 

People really think a trade package with Asik as the main peice can get Alridge? Really? Blazers won't get any better offers? Lol

 

1. I tend to agree with most of your statement, however, I don't think the value of his contract should be underestimated. Also, while a package may be centered around Asik, we still can include numerous draft picks for a deep draft - although they will likely be higher picks.

2. Howard is not horrible offensively!! Check out his percentages, mentioned in another forum. He's only horrible a facing up; he has a great touch around the rim, however.

3. I agree we need someone LIKE him, but not him. Not at that contract for what he brings. I think it's too premature to enter into a trade, teams are under the impression that we HAVE to trade away Asik. I say wait until a team gets ready to blow it up, then we consider trading him away.

 

oddly enough, probably not much more, no one is willing to part with much.

Take Chicago for example, they don't want to give up Noah or Butler, so there's not much left there (Boozer? lol), and none of the rebuilding teams are going to take a rental.

 

Agree completely. It would take Asik and Parsons to even get the Blazers to consider calling back, and even that would be a long shot. I realize this is a message board and many people here will overvalue our assets while undervaluing those of other teams, but let's get a few things clear.

Assuming Harden and Howard aren't going anywhere:

- We don't have the chips to trade for Aldridge.
- Ditto Love
- And Cousins
- And a number of other guys that aren't likely to be traded in the first place.

- Ryan Anderson is also going to fetch more than just Asik in a trade. The notion that NO would give him and something else for Asik is insane. Defense is important, but you win games by putting the ball through the hoop. Offense will always >>>> Defense. Anderson is the premier "stretch 4" in the league and a capable rebounder considering how far from the hoop he normally works. He isn't getting traded for a rim defender particularly when last year's #1 pick is supposed to develop in to that role sooner rather than later.

 

This is what I'm talking about. If people think it can happen based off of the blazers being desperate thats one thing. But for fans to really say a package centering around asik would be a GOOD deal for the blazers is comical. I love asik's game and think he will be a great addition to any team. But some of y'all overrate him and his value

 

You are never going to get a good deal trading a star player at the tail of his contract, NO got what? the 6th or 7th best sg in the league and some crap for Chris Paul? Allowed them to suck enough to win the lottery though.

 

Anderson would be a perfect fit

 

Kevin Martin landed Harden. Just saying.

Do I think Asik could land LA? Probably not, but you never know what else would be included in a possible deal. You also have the chance on the deal having another team involved that may sweeten the offer.

 

As others have stated before, I'm into the idea of starting Chandler Parsons at the 4. He has the size, stroke, and defensive tenacity (if not the size/weight) to do it and the leage is increasingly shrinking the 4 in order to create space.

Alot of times, people think about a roster in terms of who starts at the 1 - 5 and who backs them up at the 1 - 5. It's not really how a game situation unfolds, though. There is typically an 8 - 9 man rotation that sometimes shrinks to (almost) a 7 man rotation in the playoffs. I would assume our starting lineup would be something like this:

1 - Lin
2 - Harden
3 - Garcia
4 - Parsons
5 - Howard

Our four additional "rotation players" off the bench would be Beverly, Asik, Casspi, and one of Donuts/Jones/Smith (with one of the last three guys playing more spot minutes than significant minutes). With this rotation, you'd see Beverly play point with Lin in the backcourt and Harden playing long stretches at the three. When you give spot minutes to one of the three PF's, Parsons could slide back to the three or you could even go big with Harden playing the point, Garcia and Parsons on the wings, and some combo of Jones/Howard/Asik in the post.

If we do try this option, though, I think we need to relegate Garcia or Casspi to 10th man (as he Garcia was during the regular season), and find a true "3 & D" wing to play ahead of one of them.

 

The Pelicans renounced Xaiver Henry's rights. Morey should replace James Anderson with him.

 

i think parsons gives us all we need as a stretch 4 or a big 3. what we don't have is a big 4 for defense. if we move asik it will be for a guy who can rebound and defend the paint from the 4 and backup dwight at the 5.

 

Asik for Lemarcus is perfect for both teams.Both are solid big men.Lemarcus would make the Rockets elite..GAME OVER

 

Hello Mr. Overvaluing. Asik was good last year and is better than his contract, but come on... LaMarcus Aldridge?

 

Great post. Completely agree with everything you said. Asik is worth more as a player and expiring contract in 2015 than he is as trade bait for a tier 2 or 3PF.

VERY happy that Morey is holding onto Asik. It's very possible that at the 2015 trade deadline (2014 seems unrealistic to me) Portland thinks to themselves, "LMA is going to leave us and is likely going to Houston, so why don't we get something in return?". Boom. Asik (expiring and Bird rights), one of TJones or DMo (one of which will likely develop into a quality starter by then), and a few picks gets us the best PF in the biz. The reason this works is because Houston can realistically sign LMA outright in the 2015 offseason, so the threat to Portland is real.

If it were the playout like this, Houston would have the following situation in 2015:

Under Contract
Howard
Harden

Team Option
DMo OR TJones

Bird Rights
LMA
Parsons
Lin
Beverley
Canaan

What an amazing place to be in for the Rockets. Perfectly constructed roster both from a player and cap management perspective.

If for some reason Portland refuses to trade LMA, then the Rockets simply waive their rights to Asik and Lin, while trading either DMo or TJones for a draft pick to clear up the necessary space to sign LMA outright. Only problem with this is we lose our Mid-Level Exception again, and have to find backups with the Room Exception and Vet Minimum contracts.

So Scenario 1 (Trade in 2015) leaves us with a potential 2015-2016 roster of:

Lin / Beverley / Canaan
Harden / ?
Parsons / ?
Aldridge / DMo or TJones
Dwight / Aldridge

Under scenario 2 (Sign LMA in free agency)...

Beverley / Canaan
Harden / ?
Parsons / ?
Aldridge / ?
Howard / Aldridge

I'm confident Morey can find the right free agents at cheap contracts to surround Harden, Parsons, Aldridge, and Howard.

My ONLY reservation is: how much is Les willing to spend? Morey has all of his "i"s dotted and "t"s crossed from a cap management perspective. But in 2015, the Rockets will likely have $64 million tied up in Dwight, Aldridge, Harden and Parsons (assuming Parsons signs a deal for $9-10 million per year). How much will Les pay to keep this group together?