Dwight Howard at PF

[ihatetimthomas]

Rockets have a promising PG in PatBe and they should capitalize on him. Lin is a 6th Man on the Championship Team with a Star Player's contract.

Beverley is really not a true pg. He had a great playoffs but he cannot run a team.

We all like to remember how bad Lin was in the playoffs but he was injured and wouldnt really even played any minutes in the final few games if it were th reg season. He was ineffective bc of it.

[Kblaze8855]

Listen...

Dwight is gonna play 30-35 minutes. The 13-18 minutes he isnt playing Asik will...plus...some of the time Dwight is in as well. We are talking about 5-10 minutes a night likely broken up in short bursts of several possessions many f which will end in Harden or Parsons taking a three in transition anyway.

If you wish to make it out to be some new idea or...unusual tactic...or something that is gonna make them a success or failure...fine.

I dont mindl Its at least real basketball discussion.

But ive been watching basketball too long to worry about what we call Dwight Howards position when hes gonna do the exact same thing either way.

The precious spacing will suffer, guards will be taking uncomfortable pullup jumpers on the other end, and 90% of the game will go on exactly as it would if it never happened.

Id Darko didnt fail to live up to expectations Dwight is probably a 4 his entire career with people making topics on if 6'9'' Dwight would have been as good as a center.

Im all for offseason time wasting though so feel free to continue.

[SCdac]

Lin is making about $8 mil a year, that's hardly star money. On top that, he has a better track record of performing than Beverely does (Lin is also younger, but they're close enough that it's splitting hairs).

Also, thread's like this kind of make me laugh because of the extremes people immediately jump to. If you based your understanding off this thread, you'd think the Rockets were claiming to not only play Howard and Asik together but make sure they both play 36 minutes a game. When in reality the Rockets are only trying to maximize an asset they have on the roster. It doesn't do them any good to have Asik just sit on the bench and he's also a good enough player that they'll find as many minutes for him to make him enticing enough to teams when players start to get injured during the season and they can get the best deal for him. This means that they're probably going to find about 20 minutes a game for Asik and that'll probably result in playing with Howard for about 6 minutes or so a game, which won't effect the offense all that negatively (if it all) while making the defense that much stronger and strong that they'll still be a plus duo on the floor together.

Obviously they're just trying to maximize assets and appease all their best players (Asik immediately wanted a trade, after all). So, doing something out of necessity is different than doing something because it's working or seemingly the right thing to do basketball-wise. Nobody is insinuating that Dwight and Asik will play every minute together or no minutes together, but rather what will probably be the best formula? and why? and will it have a positive/negative impact?

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

Asik for anyone who can make a jumpshot and play PF

don't they have that in Montiejunas?

How about Asik for a younger backup C (Camby is old) and/or 1st rnd pick (depending on team). I mean, Rockets roster is pretty well-covered in all areas. May as well just get a pick for the future.

[DMAVS41]

Obviously they're just trying to maximize assets and appease all their best players (Asik immediately wanted a trade, after all). So, doing something out of necessity is different than doing something because it's working or seemingly the right thing to do basketball-wise. Nobody is insinuating that Dwight and Asik will play every minute together or no minutes together, but rather what will probably be the best formula? and why? and will it have a positive/negative impact?

Asik is of high demand right now. I can't imagine Asik is in the Rockets long term plans...therefore they should trade Asik. It's that simple.

And the bonus is...if they move Asik and Line (very doable) they have enough to offer a near max or max (not sure) contract in the upcoming free agency period.

It not only allows the players on the team with a long term future to play more, but it opens up cap space for them to add what will likely be the missing piece to a title.

If I was the Rockets...I'd be on the phone offering Asik, Lin, and a a couple future picks for Aldridge....likely it would be a 3 team deal so somebody else could take Lin.

[The Choken One]

Asik is of high demand right now. I can't imagine Asik is in the Rockets long term plans...therefore they should trade Asik. It's that simple.

And the bonus is...if they move Asik and Line (very doable) they have enough to offer a near max or max (not sure) contract in the upcoming free agency period.

It not only allows the players on the team with a long term future to play more, but it opens up cap space for them to add what will likely be the missing piece to a title.

If I was the Rockets...I'd be on the phone offering Asik, Lin, and a a couple future picks for Aldridge....likely it would be a 3 team deal so somebody else could take Lin.

LA in Houston would be ridiculous. I'd jump on that band wagon...I'm a firm believer LA is the best PF in the league.

[kenny817]

Sorry, I don't have my hawkfan avi on.

Still, the trade looks decent for both teams.

Bulls get a good backup for Noah and they can run a Twin Towers lineup against the Heat.

Rockets get a good at-the-rim and mid range scorer and rebounder in Boozer.

You do know Asik came from the Bulls...right?

He left because he didn't want to be a backup anymore...he's too good for that

[niko]

Neither has a particularly good midrange game. If you play two players with no midrange game whose main benefit is standing under the basket, it's going to create problems. And it will create problems more so in the playoffs when teams will prepare for it. See Reggie Evans, awesome in the regular season, having to be benched for long periods of times in playoffs once Bulls schemed to leave him alone. Get to the playoffs, teams will play a zone and essentially leave one guy parked under the basket for whoever (Dwight or Asik) is there at the time.

I don't see it with two offensively limited guys.

[niko]

Asik is of high demand right now. I can't imagine Asik is in the Rockets long term plans...therefore they should trade Asik. It's that simple.

And the bonus is...if they move Asik and Line (very doable) they have enough to offer a near max or max (not sure) contract in the upcoming free agency period.

It not only allows the players on the team with a long term future to play more, but it opens up cap space for them to add what will likely be the missing piece to a title.

If I was the Rockets...I'd be on the phone offering Asik, Lin, and a a couple future picks for Aldridge....likely it would be a 3 team deal so somebody else could take Lin.

Asik, a horrible contract, and some shitty picks. Portland does that why?

[tpols]

It would be one thing if Dwight and asik were good passers/decision makers like bigs of the past.. Just dont see how the ball moves around in this set.


Bynum/pau/odom were all better passers.. not just goons.

[Heavincent]

It would be one thing if Dwight and asik were good passers/decision makers like bigs of the past.. Just dont see how the ball moves around in this set.


Bynum/pau/odom were all better passers.. not just goons.

Exactly. Asik and Howard are both raw, fundamentally challenged offensive players, so there's gonna be some problems on the offensive end with both of them on the floor.

[CanYouDigIt]

Asik for Bass and Crawford?

Celtics need a defensive big to replace the loss of KG, have Olynyk play PF and Asik play Center.

[rmt]

Lin is making about $8 mil a year, that's hardly star money.

$8m is too much for Lin - it's a business decision so I don't think he's going anywhere. Only HOU would pay him that because it has such a big following from China and so many Chinese in Houston.

They'll need a 3rd star which seems like Parsons. McHale is probably enamored of having 2 good bigs on his team - don't think it'll work - need to trade Asik for a PF with a jump shot.

[bdreason]

Listen...

Dwight is gonna play 30-35 minutes. The 13-18 minutes he isnt playing Asik will...plus...some of the time Dwight is in as well. We are talking about 5-10 minutes a night likely broken up in short bursts of several possessions many f which will end in Harden or Parsons taking a three in transition anyway.

If you wish to make it out to be some new idea or...unusual tactic...or something that is gonna make them a success or failure...fine.

I dont mindl Its at least real basketball discussion.

But ive been watching basketball too long to worry about what we call Dwight Howards position when hes gonna do the exact same thing either way.

The precious spacing will suffer, guards will be taking uncomfortable pullup jumpers on the other end, and 90% of the game will go on exactly as it would if it never happened.

Id Darko didnt fail to live up to expectations Dwight is probably a 4 his entire career with people making topics on if 6'9'' Dwight would have been as good as a center.

Im all for offseason time wasting though so feel free to continue.

Howard and Asik isn't going to work. Can't think of a single team in the league that starts two similar players next to each other, and certainly no successful teams.

The people comparing these two guys to Pau and Bynum are crazy. Neither of these guys is even close to Pau in regards to midrange shooting and passing.

I really, really hope the Rockets do try and play Howard and Asik together, because that just improves my Warriors playoff position.

[zass]