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Chances that the Rockets go after Smith and Howard?


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With things looking rocky for Dwight in LA, and Atlanta basically throwing Josh Smith's name out there after declining his extension, what are the chances Houston puts their roster up for grabs, aside from Harden, to land Smith and, eventually, lure Howard to come to Houston in the offseason?

 

Money would be tight, and they'd have to lose significant pieces now (and likely overpay Smith in the offseason), but do you think they'll shoot for it?

 

C - Howard

PF - Smith

SF -

SG - Harden

PG -

 

Hard to say who would fill those two spots, just in case they are asked to send out Parsons or Lin in this trade to get Smith...but that's an interesting trio, to say the least.

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This would be an interesting trio but honestly I would pass on trading for Smith. If we can get Smith as a FA in the offseason and not pay the max I would do it but I don't think he will settle for anything less than a max and I don't think it would make much since to trade any good assets like Parsons or Asik for him especially if we can get Smith in the offseason. Plus while I don't mind taking Smith I don't know if he would really fit what the Rockets are looking for a in a PF. Smith would be nice on the defensive end with with Asik down low and running the break but the Rockets are looking for more of a post up threat and a PF that can space the floor hence the reason guys like Patterson and Morris have shot so many 3's this season and why the Rockets drafted guys like T-Jones and D-Mo who are tweener fowards. 

 

As for Howard I would still pay the max for him if he's healthy and wants to come to Houston. My only problem with Howard is that he's been injured pretty much all of last season and the beginning of this season and that he hasn't played his best basketball this season. But you can't pass up on talent and Kobe may have effected the way Dwight has been playing a bit this season the 2 clearly don't see eye to eye.

 

In all honesty though I fell if we can't snag Howard this season that we should just make minor adjustments and wait for the 2014 FA class were all the big names are going to be anyway and try to snag someone. We would have a chance to get Lebron (not likely to happen but he'll be out there), D-Wade (though we don't need him with Harden here), Chris Bosh (would be a good fit next to Harden), Tony Parker ( I think he re-signs with San Antonio but If Lin is traded I wouldn't mind looking at him), Cousins (another good fit with Harden he's a restricted FA but I don't see him re-signing with the Kings), Melo (I think he stays with NY but Houston was interested in him during the Melo drama), etc... The big 3 for Miami and Melo all have team options and could possibly restructure there contracts to stay but I would still rather take my chances in the 2014 FA class.

Edited by htownborn
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I realize Houston could get Smith in the offseason, despite what happens before the deadline...but it seems to me like it would be a better idea to actually trade for him now (at the current check he's sittting on), and then lure Dwight over while giving Smith an incentive to sign for a bit less than the max as well.

 

Smith could take less if it means Dwight comes to Houston, and no matter what, Dwight is more likely to come to Houston if they have Smith already on deck (even if the possibility is slim, it would help if they did have him).

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I realize Houston could get Smith in the offseason, despite what happens before the deadline...but it seems to me like it would be a better idea to actually trade for him now (at the current check he's sittting on), and then lure Dwight over while giving Smith an incentive to sign for a bit less than the max as well.

 

Smith could take less if it means Dwight comes to Houston, and no matter what, Dwight is more likely to come to Houston if they have Smith already on deck (even if the possibility is slim, it would help if they did have him).

I agree that would actually be one of the positives in trading for Smith. The Rockets get to see what J-Smoove can bring to the Rockets before making a decision to re-sign him back in the offseason or not and being that he's friends with Dwight he could entice him to come to the Rockets. One of my problems with Smith though is that he feels he's a max player and I don't see that in him but if he's willing to take less money to build a contender than I'm all for it. 

 

I really don't know though well just have to see what happens. If the Rockets do pull the trigger it will be interesting to say the least on how all of this would turn out.

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Sadly, I'm sure some team will want to overpay Smith...but I don't see why he would want to go play for one of those teams, though, since they would likely be bottom-feeders just desperate for his services.

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Hard to say who would fill those two spots, just in case they are asked to send out Parsons or Lin in this trade to get Smith...but that's an interesting trio, to say the least.

 

No chance whatsoever Parsons gets sent out for Josh Smith but if after a strange turn of events he did then Carlos Delfino will start at SF. Sergio Llull is a prospect we have stashed overseas who our management really likes and seems to be doing great with Real Madrid, if Lin is gone then good chance we bring him over by selling him on starting for an NBA championship contending team (he's iffy on leaving Spain right now). 

 

I realize Houston could get Smith in the offseason, despite what happens before the deadline...but it seems to me like it would be a better idea to actually trade for him now (at the current check he's sittting on), and then lure Dwight over while giving Smith an incentive to sign for a bit less than the max as well.

 

Smith could take less if it means Dwight comes to Houston, and no matter what, Dwight is more likely to come to Houston if they have Smith already on deck (even if the possibility is slim, it would help if they did have him).

 

The problem with this is that Houston would be dealing assets for Josh Smith and dumping Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin just to have a shot at signing Dwight Howard while the Lakers have that fancy 5 year max deal in their pocket. I'm not banking on any assumption regarding Dwight after the Dwightmare. If Dwight decides to resign with the Lakers and then Houston decides not to overpay Josh Smith and he signs elsewhere...then Houston just itself back a few years even with James Harden still on the roster. 

 

If this scenario were to happen I'd imagine it all transpire during free agency after Houston and Harden can sell both guys on forming a super team. Then the Rockets can just dump Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin and another contract and sign both guys outright. 

 

The only way I can see the Rockets trading for Josh Smith at the trade deadline were if he were to come along cheap (Patrick Patterson + expirings or something of that nature, any scenario we lose Parsons if an automatic no). Otherwise we'll just sign him in free agency if he really wanted to be here because there's not much point in owning a player's bird rights unless you were willing to give him a max deal. 

 

 

 

Who would trade for Lin and that contract?

 

This is implying Lin is a bad contract, which he isn't. 

 

Sadly, I'm sure some team will want to overpay Smith...but I don't see why he would want to go play for one of those teams, though, since they would likely be bottom-feeders just desperate for his services.

 

Nah. If someone were to offer him a max deal, he'd be an idiot not to take it. Houston has no interest in Josh Smith unless it leads to them making the jump to contendership and that only happens if the Rockets can get that 2nd star first. I can picture Smith taking a "pay cut" ala Lebron/Bosh but that would require a commitment from Dwight, which to me is just highly unlikely. 

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Well, that's sort of what I meant in that last statement...if he had a choice between a max deal on a bad team, or playing alongside Dwight in Houston.  Otherwise, yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if he took the deal, simply because he already commented on how much money he THINKS he should be making.

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Smith and Howard are two of the most athletic players in basketball. Problem? Low on the intangibles, and you aren't winning anything with that combination.

 

Say we grab them both in FA. Your telling me that..

 

Lin

Harden

Parsons

Smith

Dwight

 

Doesn't have a chance to win it all?

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