Houston vs Indiana live in Manila...the Rockets are so loaded

[greenhead85]

The Rockets practically have all positions covered.

They have 4 to 5 big guys (ie Dwight, Terence Jones, Motiejunas, Omer, Camby), SFs are Parsons and Casspi, SGs are Harden and Garcia and PGs are Beverley, Lin and Brooks.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400491524

[clover]

Not a fan of Howard, but very happy for McHale.

[greenhead85]

Not a fan of Howard, but very happy for McHale.

Yeah, really happy for McHale.

Incidentally, he and Larry are both here. Filipino Celtics fans are so fortunate to have these HOFers here together.

[Who]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

[Fafnir]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

If Dwight Howard is back to an MVP caliber player they can. Him and Harden combined can do it, just might be more of a long shot run than a favorite.

[greenhead85]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

If Dwight Howard is back to an MVP caliber player they can. Him and Harden combined can do it, just might be more of a long shot run than a favorite.

Dwight has better players around him this time than he was in Orlando. The one potentially big hole really in his team is the PG. If Beverley and Brooks could really bring their game to more than one notch higher, they could really contend. Right now, they have to figure out on how to really work together as a team.

[Who]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

If Dwight Howard is back to an MVP caliber player they can. Him and Harden combined can do it, just might be more of a long shot run than a favorite.

Dwight has better players around him this time than he was in Orlando. The one potentially big hole really in his team is the PG. If Beverley and Brooks could really bring their game to more than one notch higher, they could really contend. Right now, they have to figure out on how to really work together as a team.

I think their role players have a lot to prove:

(1) PF minutes = Motiejunas and T.Jones = neither has established themselves as a reliable contributor at the NBA level yet. Neither guy has shown themselves to be a quality defender or reliable producer offensively yet.

(2) PG minutes = Beverley has very little NBA experience and while he showed strong defensive talent last year, he was quite erratic offensively. Aaron Brooks has struggled the last few years. Jeremy Lin still has a great deal to prove. Dodgy defender, inconsistent and can struggle to help his team without having the ball in his hands the majority of the time.

(3) Backup wings = Casspi and Garcia = F.Garcia is decent enough but he is getting on in years and has little big game experience. Casspi has some talent but hasn't figured out to get the best out of it yet. Has been a weak rotation player last 3 years.

Now maybe several of those things go well for Houston and they get there this season but those are some pretty big question marks. I think the Rockets (supporting cast) still have a lot to prove.

[Fafnir]

Yeah the PF situation is why they're talking up playing Asik/Howard together for stretches of the game.

[RJ87]

Wonder if they'll move Asik any time soon. I'd be interested in dealing for him - maybe send them Bass and another piece.  Or even Avery. He'd actually be a terrific fit for them in the backcourt with Harden - he wouldn't have to worry about facilitating or running the team and can shut down opposing PGs.

[Who]

Wonder if they'll move Asik any time soon.

Per Brian Windhorst at ESPN

Finding a deal for Asik, though, will be tricky for the Rockets. Prying him away from the Chicago Bulls during restricted free agency in 2012 took an abnormal contract. Asik's salary-cap number for the Rockets is a little more than $8 million this season and next. But because of the way the deal had to be structured to meet restricted free agency rules, Asik actually earns $20 million over the next two years. For the 2014-15 season, Asik is owed $15 million in actual salary, and that could be a stumbling block.

I didn't realize that. I thought that the cap figures were just like accountancy practices (on paper only) for the salary cap and luxury tax purposes. Not actual cash payments.

I wonder how much more difficult that will make things for Houston in moving Asik.

Maybe Asik won't be quite as big a trade asset for Houston after all.

[Fafnir]

The cap figures are just accounting practices. Asik's cap figure is 8.33 million, but the actual cash paid is 5/5/15.

So teams are balking at paying for 60% of the contract for only 33% of the production I guess.

[D.o.s.]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

If Dwight Howard is back to an MVP caliber player they can. Him and Harden combined can do it, just might be more of a long shot run than a favorite.

Dwight has better players around him this time than he was in Orlando. The one potentially big hole really in his team is the PG. If Beverley and Brooks could really bring their game to more than one notch higher, they could really contend. Right now, they have to figure out on how to really work together as a team.

Well, he has James Harden.

[indeedproceed]

Not sure the Rockets are deep enough to win the Championship just yet.

Their role players have a lot to prove.

If Dwight Howard is back to an MVP caliber player they can. Him and Harden combined can do it, just might be more of a long shot run than a favorite.

Dwight has better players around him this time than he was in Orlando. The one potentially big hole really in his team is the PG. If Beverley and Brooks could really bring their game to more than one notch higher, they could really contend. Right now, they have to figure out on how to really work together as a team.

Well, he has James Harden.

Lin+Harden+Parsons+Asik>Nelson+Lee+Turkoglu+Lewis+Gortat

EDIT: Actually, that's not really a true look at the Rocket's roster.

Beverley/Lin+Harden>Nelson+Lee/Redick

Parsons+?+Asik>Turkoglu+Lewis+Gortat

That's how I'd look at it. Turkoglu and Lewis and Nelson for that matter owe Dwight Howard a lot of money for making them look competent.

Its arguable that the case is similar in Houston, with Asik's huge impact on the court relative to his time on the bench, he's no Howard. At least 'in his prime' Howard. Who knows if we'll see that guy again for a whole season. 

[Fafnir]

I disagree with you IP. You're underselling Rashard Lewis and Turk.

Asik is a good player, but he plays the same position as Howard. No way can he impact that game as much as Rashard Lewis did because of that. Not to mention for all the laughter his contract got he was a [dang] good player in 08-09. His adjusted +/- was better than Pau Gasols. That's still slightly worse than Asik's this year, but Asik/Howard don't have the same sort of offensive synergy that Lewis/Howard did.

I also think you wildly overrate Parsons, Turk was better than him too. Not as efficient scoring wise, but a much more dangerous threat with the ball. I think Parsons gets too much love for his play on the court because he's paid nearly nothing.

[Roy H.]

Parsons+?+Asik>Turkoglu+Lewis+Gortat

That's how I'd look at it. Turkoglu and Lewis and Nelson for that matter owe Dwight Howard a lot of money for making them look competent.

No way.  You're drastically underrating how good Lewis and Turk were in their prime.