Update at the bottom.
Unless something has changed in the two minutes that have transpired since I began typing this post, we’re back to square one, sort of, with the Rockets, Lakers, and Hornets trying to revive the blockbuster that was mercilessly axed by David Stern last night. A lot happened today. Typically I’d be down enough that I missed the start of camp and will also miss media day but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It just so happened that the most bizarre 24 hours in maybe any team’s history–after months of mind numbing silence, mind you–had to go down just a day before my first of three final exams. (I’m a second year law student.) Why, God? Why? In the last day, the Rockets traded half their team for Pau Gasol, had it nixed by the league, we heard through Bill Simmons that Daryl Morey was apparently contemplating resigning, and faced tampering allegations that would lead one to believe we actually pursued Dwight Howard. Exhale. Oh, and training camp was taking place as well, apparently.
Now the league has given the green light for Demps to resuscitate the deal but only with the pot sweetened to the tune of more draft picks/young guys. That can’t be good. Oh yeah, Chuck Hayes left for good and Nene is looking at an offer from the Nets that we can’t (and probably shouldn’t) match.
First: why are people saying the Hornets did well in that trade? I thought they did awful. If you’re going nowhere, and trying to sell a team, the last thing you want is high-priced vets that will deliver wins. You go for cheap youth and draft picks, slashing total salary obligations and hoping for a marketable cornerstone. How does Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, and Lamar Odom even remotely fit that objective? Yeah they’ll be moved on, but not for anything better than Aminu and that Timberwolves pick. You’re not getting a high lottery pick for Kevin Martin (and certainly not for the forwards.)
Anyways, moving on to the Rockets: I don’t like where this is headed but like yesterday, I’ll reserve judgment. What made the Gasol deal attractive was that it was essentially a package pairing with Nene. If Nene’s off the table, I’m not sure you do this. Furthermore, if they have to give up more young parts–of which the Lakers have none–in addition to not getting Nene, well, this is really looking worse than what you had just yesterday.
But still, I’ll reserve judgment and see how this all plays out. The staff has different scenarios they’ve drawn out and they’ll likely execute plan B if Nene falls through.
For what it’s worth, I think this deal definitely goes down and Gasol ends up a Rocket by the start of the season.
Update at 7:04AM on 12/10/11: As I write this, I fully expect this deal to be announced sometime today, at the latest by Monday. The reports still are that the Rockets would be sending out a young player in addition to what they’ve already committed. With what’s at stake here (the decree to ‘win now’), none of these guys are deal-breakers but a few thoughts come to mind:
-it makes me absolutely sick to my stomach that because of David Stern’s meddling, this team will be losing not only a young contributor, like perhaps Courtney Lee, but maybe my favorite player in team history in Chuck Hayes. I’ve defended him in the past, due to his role in the globalization of the game and his efforts in the late 90′s to set limits on player contracts, but I’ll never think of him the same again after this. Completely disgusting.
-it’s really amazing how many young above-average assets Morey has compiled over the years and it makes you realize just how easily he can restock the cupboard with similar value. It’s the Pau Gasol’s that don’t come around, and that’s why he’s so willing to sell the farm. We’ll end up losing Courtney Lee or Patrick Patterson and then just fall in love with whoever Morey ends up acquiring next. Which really makes you wonder and reflect back on the Carrol Dawson era. I mean think about it: You just add any one of these guys, out of Brooks, Landry, Scola, Martin, Courtney Lee, Kyle Lowry, Patrick Patterson, Chase Budinger to those ’05/’07 McGrady/Yao Rockets and they probably make the Western Conference Finals. We were trying to compete in professional basketball games with Ryan Bowen and Luther Head relied upon as major contributors. I hope history looks back upon the Carrol Dawson era accurately.
-The fact that Nene still remains unsigned when practically every other remotely relevant free agent has wrapped up a deal makes you all but assume that some sort of handshake agreement is in place with the Rockets.
-How good is a Nene/Gasol frontcourt combo? I honestly don’t know and have not had time to look deep into the numbers beyond what all of you already know of their efficiency. What’s exciting is that almost immediately after news of the developments broke, legendary stat-geek John Hollinger opined that with that duo, the Rockets would be in the mix for the #1 seed.
-So there you have it. You’re on the verge of acquiring two 7-footers (or near 7 footers) and putting yourself in position to compete for the next three or four years. The Rockets will now be built similarly to the Grizzlies: It’s debatable which big duo is superior, but I take Lowry over Conley. How far this team goes now completely depends upon the swing positions. By virtue of having Gasol/Nene/Lowry alone, I think we’re probably guaranteed a top-4 seed. The team just needs the emergence of one guy at the swing positions to really be dangerous, because right now, they’re not quite there.
-Who’s your pick between Marcus Morris and Terrence Williams to be the better contributor? Each has all the tools but Morris has the edge between the ears.
