Report: Rockets' top priority is signing Horford this summer

[jpotter33]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/daryl-morey-les-alexander-coaching-search-houston-rockets-jeff-van-gundy/1qomn144coujq1we2055sb1vo1

I actually think a sign-and-trade deal with both Horford and Howard would benefit both teams in Houston and Atlanta; however, I don't think either of those signings would ultimately make either Atlanta or Houston actual contenders.

Under the premise that our Durant/Horford pairing is still technically alive, I wonder how Houston's pursuit of Horford will affect our chances of landing him. On the one hand, Houston is definitely a major Spanish-speaking population that Horford apparently wants, and he'd have another major star of a caliber that the Celtics just don't have. On the other hand, that star is James Harden, who I'm guessing someone of high character and as committed to defense as Horford would not really appreciate playing. Further, we're also in an arguably better basketball position than Houston, too, along with being in the Eastern Conference away from the real juggernauts of the NBA.

So what do you think about this report and how it affects our potential chances of signing him this summer?

[PhoSita]

They can prioritize it all they want.

[Who]

Yeah, I'd like to see a sign and trade with Horford and D.Howard too. It's a lateral move but I think both teams need a change and that this would help them change their team identities.

Horford would be a good center for Houston. He gives them the shooting and passing they want at center alongside James Harden. I think he'll be a good foil to Motiejunas' inside-out game. Terrence Jones should perform better alongside Horford than he did D.Howard.

Dwight improves Atlanta defensively. Makes them less reliance on scrambling on team defense. Less vulnerable to teams who can attack that weakness. Improves their rebounding in a large way. Gives them more of an interior presence on offense. Will force Atlanta to upgrade their secondary ball-handling and playmaking without Horford there to help out Teague / Schroeder who are too often left exposed by their limited wings.

[PhoSita]

I want to see Houston go younger and faster.  Surround Harden with a bunch of guys who do all the stuff Harden won't, and nothing more.

Maybe find another Jeremy Lin / Goran Dragic type to provide some playmaking off the bench during the ten to fifteen minutes Harden isn't playing, and function as a shooting guard otherwise.

Keep Beverley and Capela.  See what Dekker and McDaniels can do.  Let other teams take a chance on Jones and Motiejunas.  See what they can get for Ariza.

They aren't going to get another superstar to put next to Harden.  They won't find somebody else to be the veteran leader that team needs.

So instead, just try to maximize what they can get from Harden by surrounding him with guys willing to hustle and play around him.

Basically, a bunch of younger Corey Brewer types.  Only they need to go after guys with better discipline and character.  You can't surround a guy like Harden with personalities like Morris, Smith, Howard, etc.  You need guys who will be accountable to a coach and most of all to themselves, even if the star player won't be.

[saltlover]

Both teams have room to sign one of Horford and Howard, respectively, outright.  I don't see why a sign-and-trade would be necessary other than to complicate things.

[jpotter33]

Both teams have room to sign one of Horford and Howard, respectively, outright.  I don't see why a sign-and-trade would be necessary other than to complicate things.

If there's interest on both sides of doing this, wouldn't this allow them each to get their extra year with more money? Or was that something that was taken away in S & T's in the new CBA?

[BitterJim]

Both teams have room to sign one of Horford and Howard, respectively, outright.  I don't see why a sign-and-trade would be necessary other than to complicate things.

If there's interest on both sides of doing this, wouldn't this allow them each to get their extra year with more money? Or was that something that was taken away in S & T's in the new CBA?

The latest CBA took away that advantage.  I believe they could use some of their cap space, go over the cap to resign Horford/Howard, and then trade them, though

[saltlover]

Both teams have room to sign one of Horford and Howard, respectively, outright.  I don't see why a sign-and-trade would be necessary other than to complicate things.

If there's interest on both sides of doing this, wouldn't this allow them each to get their extra year with more money? Or was that something that was taken away in S & T's in the new CBA?

That was taken away.  There are two situations where S&T's make sense:

1) When at least one team is over the cap. 
2) The player is a restricted free agent and his potential new team thinks the original team will match an offer sheet.  A S&T lets the new team send some compensation to the old team and not run the risk that the offer sheet will be matched.  (Phoenix did this with Sacramento to acquire IT a couple of years ago.  We think that the Celtics got IT cheaply, but Phoenix only gave up a player who's been picked 57th in the prior draft.)

[saltlover]

Both teams have room to sign one of Horford and Howard, respectively, outright.  I don't see why a sign-and-trade would be necessary other than to complicate things.

If there's interest on both sides of doing this, wouldn't this allow them each to get their extra year with more money? Or was that something that was taken away in S & T's in the new CBA?

The latest CBA took away that advantage.  I believe they could use some of their cap space, go over the cap to resign Horford/Howard, and then trade them, though

Houston could not because Howard's cap hold will be equal to the max salary.  Horford has a smaller cap hold, but because he'd be getting such a big raise, his salary could not match Howard's (it would only count at 50% of the value).  Accordingly, it works for neither side.

[TheSundanceKid]

Houston's pursuit of Horford will have no bearing on Durant because Durant does not care where Horford plays.

[LooseCannon]

Horford should be a top priority for any team that cares about winning titles and has an opening for a big man in its starting lineup.

[j804]

along with being in the Eastern Conference away from the real juggernauts of the NBA.

I keep hearing this being an advantage to us but Cleveand could very well win the title wouldn't be much of a pitch to FA then

[Vermont Green]

Under the premise that our Durant/Horford pairing is still technically alive,

So what do you think about this report and how it affects our potential chances of signing him this summer?

My feeling is that there is a 99% chance Durant resigns with OKC (or a 1 in 100 chance he doesn't).  Then if he does become a FA, Boston has maybe a 1 in 10 chance to sign him.  Put these probabilities together and it results in a 1 in 1000 chance Durant plays in Boston next season.

If we sign Horford, maybe our chance of signing Durant improves to 1 in 9 or 1 in 8 but the chance of him staying in OKC stays the same.  So signing Horford would improve our chance at Durant to maybe 1 in 800.

My point is that you should not be considering Durant when you think about Horford.  If you want Horford (which I do not), great, make your case for Horford.  If your case for Horford is about getting Durant, I don't think that is a very good reason to sign Horford.

I actually would be happy to see Horford go to Houston.  I feel our most likely big FA splash is Howard.  Now I think Howard is a clown but he is now a older more mature clown who can still play and would fill our biggest need.  We just can't pay silly money/contract length for him.  I also feel like he is going to leave Houston and we probably have a decent chance to get him (maybe we would be one of his top 5 choices?).  1 in 5 is much better than 1 in 800.

[rickyfan3.0...]

I think all posts that have Durant coming here should be wiped off the face of the planet at this point.

[jambr380]

I think all posts that have Durant coming here should be wiped off the face of the planet at this point.

Yeah, we should all be disappointed in how these playoffs are playing out for OKC.