17 replies to this topic

[Sir Thursday]

According to @WojYahooNBA, the Pelicans are interested in acquiring Omer Asik in exchange for Ryan Anderson. This is a most intriguing development! The question is, who would you prefer at the four - him or Josh Smith?

 

Personally I'm thinking Anderson might be a better bet. [a] He's cheaper; and [b] he provides much deeper range, which would fit well around Howard. Downside is that defensively he's not in the same league. So which is better - death by three or death by defense?

 

ST

[Steven]

Have them throw in a 2016 first round pick.

[LMAOwais]

I like Ryan Anderson in our scheme, but Asik surely has better value.

[thenit]

Defence wins championships so its an easy choice. We might win more reg season games with Ryan but u won't win a ring without defence

[rockets best fan]

josh smith is better. he may not stretch the floor like Anderson, but is a better overall player. with him and Howard in the middle our defense is going to go up a couple of levels at least.

[Steven]

Defence wins championships so its an easy choice. We might win more reg season games with Ryan but u won't win a ring without defence

Defense gets you beat. This isn't the 1980s. Scoring points wins you championships.

[thejohnnygold]

I'd say it's a balance of both that wins championships.  Defense only teams like Indiana and Chicago can't score when they need to....conversely, if you can't get some stops when you need them you will also find yourself on the outside looking in...

 

Given that Asik was a defensive powerhouse and our offense was excellent I'd vote on beefing up the defense at PF....we can still utilize D-Mo and T-Jones if we want to shift gears....or even go with Parsons at the 4.

[DrewinAbilene]

I've been thinking about it, and I love Smith's defense and transition game enough that I'm cool with paying extra. I'd bet McHale and Morey can convince him not to shoot so many dang mid-range 2s, which would really make him a great third banana!

[Johnny Rocket]

The question is posed the wrong way--it is not so much Ryan Anderson vs. Josh Smith, but rather Ryan Anderson and Jeremy Lin versus Josh Smith and cheap replacement point guard.  We'd need to move Lin, in all probability, to get Smith.  I prefer Anderson/Lin unless there is a decent backup point guard we could get very cheaply. I actually don't think Smith is even an option now--the Hawks have apparently signed Millsap, so I don't know why they would be interested in Asik. I assume that the will start Horford at the five and Millsap at the four.  If that's the case, there is really no where to go with a sign and trade with the Hawks. 

[RollingWave]

@@ESPNSteinLine

Have it on strong authority Pelicans not only haven't talked to Rockets
about Asik sign-and-trade but likewise have no interest in him

I think it bares reminding that
 
1. the Pelicans, given their series of move, is clearly aiming to contend next year
 
2. Ryan Anderson is kinda their only player that could hit a 3 pointer. (well Jrue Holiday is slightly above average too.)
 
3. Davis + Asik runs into similar reasons of why we would want to move Asik too, though Davis has a slightly greater outside game, but really not by that much.

Edited by RollingWave, 06 July 2013 - 06:12 AM.

[miketheodio]

What do you guys think of ilyasova or what ever the stretch 4 on the bucks name is? He has a high 3%, better defen and a better rebounder. Him and some picks of course.

Edited by miketheodio, 06 July 2013 - 06:42 AM.

[Dan G]

The question is posed the wrong way--it is not so much Ryan Anderson vs. Josh Smith, but rather Ryan Anderson and Jeremy Lin versus Josh Smith and cheap replacement point guard.  We'd need to move Lin, in all probability, to get Smith.  I prefer Anderson/Lin unless there is a decent backup point guard we could get very cheaply. I actually don't think Smith is even an option now--the Hawks have apparently signed Millsap, so I don't know why they would be interested in Asik. I assume that the will start Horford at the five and Millsap at the four.  If that's the case, there is really no where to go with a sign and trade with the Hawks. 

Yeah with the addition of Millsap, I think that all but takes us out of the Smith running unless we find other takers for Asik and Lin without taking back any salary. As far as the original question, if we can get Smith to sign for 13-15 mil a season, maybe, but I just don't like handing him a max contract in which he will make 17 mil a season. I just don't think he is worth that much.

 

Like Johnny said I'd rather have Lin and Anderson than Smith alone. Anderson IMO is a top 10 stretch PF and would compliment Howard better than Smith offensively but obviously a Smith/Howard combo would do wonders defensively.

[RollingWave]

He's very nice too, but we run back into the same problem that the Bucks would probably like to develop Larry Sanders instead of playing Omer Asik. though I suppose they might be able to cook up a 3 way deal.

[2016Champions]

DMo seems like a very hard worker (management reported weighed 257 pounds and was looking in great shape when he left for Europe) so I have alot of faith in him. I like Ryan Anderson's floor spacing, but I think DMo will have a huge sophmore leap and surpass Ryan Anderson as a better overall player. 

[RollingWave]

Yeah, personally, unless Asik really REALLY wants out, I'd just run with this current group, add another wing vet probably.

 

I figure at least one of Dmo / Jones or even Smith takes a step forward.

 

To me, at least as a starting unit, Jones seems more reasonable, as he's the one who can do almost everything, and his primary weakness (shooting) is going to be mostly hidden because you know... he'll get no touches. 

 

Dmo seem like the perfect small ball killer , his problem is really that he can't defend big PF in the paint, but against small ball lineup this isn't a issue, and smaller guys aren't going to stop him in the post. while he's fast enough to close out on perimeter.

 

Smith is a nice guy when you want to just go crazy with pick and roll. I hope he make some stride defensively, 

 

And you have Asik , making this almost a fool proof lineup for 48 min, and in certain matchup situations just go stupid big and destroy them inside, the good thing about this is that, for guys their size, Asik and Dwight are both surprisingly fast (dwight especially , is really fast enough to play PF.), we were having Asik chasing Dirk and LMA this past season.

[miketheodio]

I could see Jones playing like kwahi Leonard. Getting points by being at the right place at the right time. Put backs and rebounds

[Johnny Rocket]

I predict--and hope!--that the Rockets will be very patient about all these moves.  Keeping Asik and getting "48 minutes of elite rim protection" makes sense to me.  If it doesn't really work out or we find ourselves in dire need of a PF or backup wing, we can move accordingly.  We also need to see what we really have in DMO, Greg Smith, and T Jones.  If one or two of those guys makes a great leap forward, then that completely changes what we might seek in a trade.  Slow and steady wins the day.

[DrewinAbilene]

Have it on strong authority Pelicans not only haven't talked to Rockets about Asik sign-and-trade but likewise have no interest in him
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine)

 

As of now, Rockets have no deals in place and no plans for deals, source says.
Ken Berger (@KBergCBS)

 

Grain of salt, obviously, but it looks like the Pelicans might not be into the idea of giving up Anderson...

 

Edited by DrewinAbilene, 06 July 2013 - 06:45 PM.