29 replies to this topic

[MichaelPina]

http://www.red94.net...fer-sheet/9786/

Me? I love this offer sheet. What are some thoughts?

[Rahat Huq]

I really like this signing. Let's hope the Bulls don't match.

[Adi1008]

I like the prospect of getting a defensive minded center, just seems like it's too much money.

[JarredAllen]

I like the pickup and contract! The league overpays Centers because it is so hard to find a legit 7 footer who can play. 8 Million per year with 15 million coming on year three is a huge bonus if he doesn't pan out, but i can't see that happening. I think we see a legit double double Center for the Rockets next year. give him the off season to learn some skills from Hakeem and McHale, let him work on free throws and get him into starting shape. We will then see him put up some decent numbers!

[Jeby]

We need "big guys who jump high and grab rebounders."
Please don't fix that line. The unintentional humor value is higher than Anthony Davis' upside.

[blakecouey]

I'm still not a fan of his just yet. I have a hard time giving that kind of money to a player who hasn't proven he can play big minutes. There is no denying his defensive capabilities I just don't know if he can keep the intensity up 30+ minutes a game. Sure he could turn out as good or better than Gortat, but that remains to be seen.

That being said, it looks like he will be a Rocket, hopefully it works out.

[feelingsupersonic]

might not see offensive production in year one, maybe 12 rebounds, 9 points and 3 blocks which would be pretty good I think, that is 8 points off second chance points I would have to guess, I like the idea of a defensive minded center in the mid term, I also like the contract, it adresses the short term realistically, takes care of the 5 in the midterm and allows flexability in the long term, this contract was well thought out, I hope it goes through...

[Rahat Huq]

might not see offensive production in year one, maybe 12 rebounds, 9 points and 3 blocks which would be pretty good I think, that is 8 points off second chance points I would have to guess, I like the idea of a defensive minded center in the mid term, I also like the contract, it adresses the short term realistically, takes care of the 5 in the midterm and allows flexability in the long term, this contract was well thought out, I hope it goes through...

That's how I see it. If he gives you 8 points, 11 boards, and 2 blocks, at age 25, that's easily worth the money.

Hollinger called him one of the 5-10 best defensive players in basketball. From what I've read, it's not just interior defense, but the ability to get back in PnR coverage. Those talents cannot be underestimated in what they allow a team to do.

[ale11]

Thumbs up on this, especially because it would turn out in a great trade chip if it doesn't work out (I think it will). It's not the entire solution, but it's a start, right?

[Sir Thursday]

I really like this move too, as I've expressed on other threads. Defensive excellence from a Centre has more of an impact on the game than any other position, IMO. We needed the size and the rebounding, and building a defensive identity will pay off down the line. My one worry is that his numbers are tied in some way to Thibadeaux's guidance. It's been well documented that the Bulls' brand of defensive excellence is driven by how hard he drills his players, and I fear that without that same focus on the defensive end we may not get quite as much benefit out of him as Chicago did. Fingers crossed that's not the case.

One part of the article I take slight exception to - I don't think you should completely write off Jon Leuer yet. I seem to recall him getting a lot of love at the beginning of last season (wasn't he up there with some of the RoY candidates in the first few weeks?). Obviously that faded away as the season went on, but I think there's some potential there. Whether there's enough to survive our jam-packed PF rotation, I don't know...


ST

[MichaelPina]

That's how I see it. If he gives you 8 points, 11 boards, and 2 blocks, at age 25, that's easily worth the money.

Hollinger called him one of the 5-10 best defensive players in basketball. From what I've read, it's not just interior defense, but the ability to get back in PnR coverage. Those talents cannot be underestimated in what they allow a team to do.

Great call on the pick and roll coverage. Forgot to mention that in my article. He takes charges and blocks shots, which is pretty rare in a seven-footer. If you get Nick Collison type activity from him on offense then all the better.

[Cooper]

I heard the deal is for 5mill the first two years then 15mill the last if that is true it wouod be almost impossible for Chicago to match they would be paying huge luxury tax. With rose, Noah,deng and boozer plus him all making close to 15 mill.

[Johnny Rocket]

And what makes the move even better is that it doesn't preclude a big trade, for either Gasol or Howard. Hollinger has an excellent piece on ESPN insider suggesting that Rockets have the best chance of getting Howard, even after signing Asik. Here are the relevant paragraphs:

"A workable deal can be had hinging on the expiring contracts of Kevin Martin and Kyle Lowry going to the Magic, as well as a flotilla of young assets to help the Magic rebuild.
Chief among them are the six first-round picks Houston has from the past three seasons: Patrick Patterson, Marcus Morris, Donatas Motiejunas, Jeremy Lamb, Terrence Jones, and Royce White.
Amazingly, the Rockets can trade all six of them, as well as last season's starting backcourt of Martin and Lowry, and still have a very strong team. They'd solidify the backcourt by re-signing Goran Dragic and Courtney Lee, starting Chandler Parsons and Luis Scola at forward, and having Howard at center with Asik backing him up.
The rest of the team would be built from the Magic's leftovers; for instance, if Houston included Patterson, Morris, Motiejunas and Jones, Orlando could conceivably dump Jason Richardson, Davis and Duhon on Houston along with Howard.
Doing that would leave Houston with a second unit of Duhon, Richardson, White, Lamb, Davis and Asik -- not too shabby -- and the Rockets still could fortify that with another guard via the under-cap midlevel exception. (Incidentally, it also would threaten to make Houston the first team in recorded history to sign a player with cap space and pay luxury tax in the same season.)
But what of a post-Howard nuclear winter? The Rockets would be capped out with a very average roster for a couple of seasons, but even that scenario presumes they couldn't work a sign-and-trade to get some assets back. At worst, they'd have one very good year with Howard and two bad ones after he left. It's a risk that seems worth taking."

[blakecouey]

Nice article there johnnyrocket. I'm more weary of howard now then I was a week ago though. Not gonna resign with us? Fine, maybe we could change his opinion. Suing your current team over a deal he himself signed? Nice ethics, I don't buy that he was blackmailed(he rescinded this comment). I'm afraid of we got him that he would pull a t mac and wed be screwed. The old addage "any publicity is good publicity" is true except when talking dwight Howard..No thanks, id rather asik at this point.

[Rahat Huq]

Great writeup by Hollinger, as usual. Though he's just demonstrating the Rockets' capabilities, they wouldn't trade all 6. More like 2 or 3, plus Lowry and Martin. So yes, you can very conceivably end up with both Howard and Asik.

[Freebird]

Not a big fan. If they wanted a borderline double double guy with some blocking capabilities, why not draft Zeller? I don't see a huge difference in skill here, and with the rook, you'd have less money involved, and longer control of the contract. Blah. Adequate at best.

[Lyfestyle]

I know I'm sorta beating a dead horse, but does anyone else dislike Dwight Howard even more with each statement he makes? That Yahoo interview from last night made him sound so out of touch and narcissistic as to be almost unbelievable. I just love it when incredibly fortunate people have a victim complex, it's just such an attractive quality in a human being.

That said, I'd still dance a jig in the street if we traded for him.

[Cooper]

Not a big fan. If they wanted a borderline double double guy with some blocking capabilities, why not draft Zeller? I don't see a huge difference in skill here, and with the rook, you'd have less money involved, and longer control of the contract. Blah. Adequate at best.

Zeller is not like asik at all. Zeller isn't as near a good defender but is better offensively. Zeller wont be a double double guy and I would be surprised if asik averaged more than 7 points so he wont be either. Asik is similar to dally but better defensively and we paid him 7mill so asiks contract isn't great but legit 7footers are hard to find and expensive it's just the way it is. Look at what hibbert got offered is asik that much worse than him?

[rockets best fan]

Zeller is not like asik at all. Zeller isn't as near a good defender but is better offensively. Zeller wont be a double double guy and I would be surprised if asik averaged more than 7 points so he wont be either. Asik is similar to dally but better defensively and we paid him 7mill so asiks contract isn't great but legit 7footers are hard to find and expensive it's just the way it is. Look at what hibbert got offered is asik that much worse than him?

good point cooper. I thought hibbert might get an offer like this , and (IMO) we's not worth it. no matter how you slice it this is a good deal for houston. my only worry is we don't give up to much for a rental in howard. I would rather keep the young guys we have than give them away on a malcontent cry baby. I hope they just get rid of martin and scola, let the young guys play and lets find out what we been drafting

[blakecouey]

The more days that go by the more im willing to just take back picks for lowry, martin, and scola. Not sure there is anyone we can get for them that doesnt impede the development of the young guys for a moderate upgrade to replace them.