Rockets are looking to give away Thomas Robinson .... Suns should grab him!

[slinslin]

Ok so do you get this? Robinson has a smaller standing reach than Markieff Morris.

Robinson has 2 inches less no-step vertical than Marcus Morris.

Robinson is undersized and his athleticism is at best abover average but far from good or even great.

The guy is raw as sushi, playing scrappy is all he can do at the moment. He doesn't block shots, he doesn't protect the rim, he can't shoot and he can't post up.

I would like to take a chance on him but only if the cost is simply capspace and maybe the #57 pick. I wouldn't give up any first round pick for him.

 

[Phrazbit]

I would gladly take a chance on a "raw" guy when the price is basically a late pick, and I am not going to sweat him having a "2 inches less no step" than a guy who he is faster than, stronger than, longer than and far more willing to fight for a rebound.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If he doesn't replace someone presently on our roster, we just add one more unhappy player (playing time) to the mix.

Who goes? Scola, a Morris? Frye doesn't count bc he was not really in the mix last year. He is also a very good player when healthy.

 

[PDXChris]

Dwight Howard Leaning Toward Rockets

http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/05/dwight-howard-leaning-toward-rockets.html

Howard has already spoken with James Harden, sources tell Kennedy, who believes Howard and Rockets sharpshooter Chandler Parsons have spoken as well (Twitter link). A conversation with Parsons might have been somewhat odd, since there's a chance he might not be around if the Rockets end up with Howard. Parsons' $926,500 contract for next season, partially guaranteed for $600K, could wind up a casualty of the team's effort to clear cap space, as Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon surmised last month. Houston already appears to be shopping Thomas Robinson in an effort to make room for Howard.

Since first round picks are guaranteed and the Rockets cannot absorb any salary right now I would take Thomas Robinson and the Rockets first round pick for the number 57 pick. It would not be unheard of to do something like this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365794

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that the Heat agreed Thursday night to a trade that will send Beasley to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who can simply absorb Beasley into empty salary-cap space and furnish Miami with additional financial flexibility to continue the dramatic transformation of its roster.


To complete the trade, Minnesota must only part with a 2011 second-round pick to acquire Beasley. The teams have also agreed to a swap of unspecified future first-round picks.

That would give the Sun three first round picks to work with.

 

[elindholm]

Ok so do you get this? Robinson has a smaller standing reach than Markieff Morris.

Robinson has 2 inches less no-step vertical than Marcus Morris.

Robinson is undersized and his athleticism is at best abover average but far from good or even great.

But all of these things were also true a year ago. Are you saying you didn't consider him a top-30 prospect in last year's draft?

 

[JustWinBaby]

http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/05/dwight-howard-leaning-toward-rockets.html



Since first round picks are guaranteed and the Rockets cannot absorb any salary right now I would take Thomas Robinson and the Rockets first round pick for the number 57 pick. It would not be unheard of to do something like this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365794



That would give the Sun three first round picks to work with.

Nice Post - hard to disagree with

This is the direction we should take.

 

[slinslin]

But all of these things were also true a year ago. Are you saying you didn't consider him a top-30 prospect in last year's draft?

I did although never a believer really but the point is he has been horrible since drafted.

 

[Superbone]

If we could get him for really cheap, I might take a flyer. But I am concerned that he didn't get any playing time or perform well last year when he did. We already have two high pick underperformers. #2 Beasley and #4 Johnson. Plus, we have a glut of mediocre PFs already that we'd need to break up.

 

[Errntknght]

Horrible? Houston played him over 1000 minutes in 70 games and having other young bigs on their team - Greg Smith, Motiejunas, and Terrance Jones - they weren't forced into it. He rebounded at the second best rate on the team (Asik was tops) and Cly claimed he defended well, which you didn't dispute. You're just throwing up your typical smokescreens with irrelevant numbers. He may not be a rim protector but he blocked shots at 2/3 the rate that Asik did and as you are aware blocks are not a strong indicator of good defense.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Rockets have a smart FO and beat the Suns on the Dragic for Brooks trade plus likely the Marcus Morris trade for the Suns early second round pick. Unless the Suns FO is a whole lot smarter now, they need to be careful. I'm not saying the Suns FO should not try to acquire Robinson but know the Rockets calculate every move and do it for a reason. They roll the dice a lot but for the most part are moving forward.

 

[overseascardfan]

That's not a reason not to pursue him. If he still has the potential to be worthy of the #5 overall pick -- and I don't know whether he does -- then you don't let Marcus Freaking Morris block him out of a roster spot. That's just insane.



Can't Phoenix absorb his salary outright? They could trade one of those future Laker picks that's going to be in the 20s somewhere.



Sacramento has their hands full with Cousins. As for the Rockets, Robinson is (believe it or not) their fourth-largest guaranteed salary for next season, behind Hardin, Asik, and Lin. (http://hoopshype.com/salaries/houston.htm) If they're trying to make room for Howard, moving Robinson is a lot easier than moving two or three small-salary guys.

Blocked might not have been a proper term but Markieff is a better player and Marcus is more of a 3 than Robinson so no need to acquire a guy who probably won't beat out the guys we already have.

To absorb a contract, don't you have to use a trade exception? Does a team have to have one already to use?

Main point I was trying to make is if HOU felt Robinson would have been their starting PF of the future why not keep him and play him next to Howard and get rid of some other guys (not just 1) to create cap space. I answer because HOU doesn't believe Robinson will help them and have more faith in Terrence Jones panning out than Robinson long term.

 

[SunsTzu]

Blocked might not have been a proper term but Markieff is a better player and Marcus is more of a 3 than Robinson so no need to acquire a guy who probably won't beat out the guys we already have.

To absorb a contract, don't you have to use a trade exception? Does a team have to have one already to use?

Main point I was trying to make is if HOU felt Robinson would have been their starting PF of the future why not keep him and play him next to Howard and get rid of some other guys (not just 1) to create cap space. I answer because HOU doesn't believe Robinson will help them and have more faith in Terrence Jones panning out than Robinson long term.

You can trade cap space for a player(which would create a TE). The reason Robinson is being talked about instead of other players is because he makes more than twice the amount of any player not named Harden, Lin or Asik. In addition for every player the Rockets unload without taking a contract back they are still charged a cap hold.

I'm sure they'd prefer dealing Lin if they could get pure cap space for him, but that doesn't seem realistic.

 

[cly2tw]

Horrible? Houston played him over 1000 minutes in 70 games and having other young bigs on their team - Greg Smith, Motiejunas, and Terrance Jones - they weren't forced into it. He rebounded at the second best rate on the team (Asik was tops) and Cly claimed he defended well, which you didn't dispute. You're just throwing up your typical smokescreens with irrelevant numbers. He may not be a rim protector but he blocked shots at 2/3 the rate that Asik did and as you are aware blocks are not a strong indicator of good defense.

As a Lin's fan, I quite closely followed Rockets the past season and watched many of their games. His offense is really raw with a Shumpert like layup touch, i.e., stone hands. But his defensive anticipation and positioning both on and off ball are excellent, he can really disrupt the offensive player with strength and footwork. I believe he has the natural instinct on defense and will be able to make a difference if you don't count on him for offense. The point is he has not given up on his offense yet, which is good and bad. Bad because he'd hurt your team trying, as of now.

Oh, the reason they'd dump him is his contract number is much higher, but offensive game much rawer than TJones and DMo. Since TJ's defense is not bad, he'd be taking the minutes from TRob, particularly with a good 3pt shot he'd complement DHoward much better on offense.

 

[Errntknght]

Thanks for rounding out the discussion with some actual information.

He may well never be a starter but with good footwork and strength he can defend virtually any PF or C so he'd be doubly valuable off the bench.

The good thing is that we have astute basketball people making decisions now, so if he's a steal they'll get him.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Thanks for rounding out the discussion with some actual information.

He may well never be a starter but with good footwork and strength he can defend virtually any PF or C so he'd be doubly valuable off the bench.

The good thing is that we have astute basketball people making decisions now, so if he's a steal they'll get him.

This last mgmt move has restored my faith in the Suns. Its like Sarver finally got it. Up til now his hires have always been buddies of his. Kerr was a personal friend. So was Babby. Blanks was a friend of Babby's I think.

I don't know why I have confidence in McDonough since he hasn't been a GM before.

Maybe it was how bad I knew Blanks was. All you had to do was listen to him talk and you knew.

 

[Covert Rain]

I am also not to sure about this move only but only because I am not sure of the motivation. When a team is in fire sale mode and getting rid of guys regardless of talent that is one thing. However, if you are simply freeing up a roster spot or salary spot and have no issues letting this guy go, there is usually a reason.

I admit that nothing should be off the table for the Suns at this point. We should be acquiring young talent and draft picks. Stock piling at this point is a must. If they want to throw in the type of deal the Suns have been giving to everyone else it might be worth it.

The last thing I want this team to do though is switch from "old vet mode" to "everyone's young cast off mode" just to say they are getting younger. Just because your crap is younger doesn't mean you have less crap.

I am willing to give this revamped FO the benefit of the doubt and see what they can do with this mess though.

 

[Superbone]

The last thing I want this team to do though is switch from "old vet mode" to "everyone's young cast off mode" just to say they are getting younger. Just because your crap is younger doesn't mean you have less crap.

Young crap is usually stinkier.

 

[Gaddabout]

They can't trade for Robinson and draft Bennett, which some think they will. However, that would be very, very, very Jerry Colangelo to take on two new guys who are considered tweeners.

 

[Mainstreet]

They can't trade for Robinson and draft Bennett, which some think they will. However, that would be very, very, very Jerry Colangelo to take on two new guys who are considered tweeners.

I think the Suns need to upgrade talent wherever they can find it. I'm not pleased with the Suns talent at either forward. Besides the Suns did pretty well with bookend forwards Curtis Perry and Gar heard.

 

[BC867]

Besides the Suns did pretty well with bookend forwards Curtis Perry and Gar heard.

They called it the Cinderella season. The Suns were certainly not legitimate Championship contenders, nor were they building up to it.

They were more pretty than well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

They called it the Cinderella season. The Suns were certainly not legitimate Championship contenders, nor were they building up to it.

They were more pretty than well.

Blasphemy! It was a Cinderella season but that doesn't mean we weren't legitimate. We'd added a lot of new pieces and struggled early but that doesn't tell the whole story. We were one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last half or so of the season and we were very much a contender (we were only 42-40 for the year but we closed the season 22-13). That was no patsy Golden State team that we put away and we didn't do it on luck.

I know you hate any team without a legit 7 foot center but that was a good, balanced team that was far more than pretty. If we'd stayed healthy, I'd have loved to see what that group could do if they'd had a few years together.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

The team was in the NBA Finals, for gosh sakes! By definition, they were championship contenders. Not only that, they knocked off the defending champions in the Western Conference Finals.

 

[BC867]

I know you hate any team without a legit 7 foot center but that was a good, balanced team that was far more than pretty.

Steve, my post was in response to Mainstreet's reference to "bookend forwards Curtis Perry and Gar Heard", not to centers.

But now that you brought it up, it's a far cry between a 7-foot center and one who weighs 212 pounds. Especially with bookend (light) forwards.

Alvan Adams took the league by surprise by camping out at the top of the key which made him nothing more than an oversized 2-guard, but robbed us of power in the post.

If John MacLeod had the insight to move him to a forward or even guard position his second year, the Suns legacy as a finesse team could have been a lot different.

You're right in referring to a 7-foot center as legit.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Steve, my post was in response to Mainstreet's reference to "bookend forwards Curtis Perry and Gar Heard", not to centers.

But now that you brought it up, it's a far cry between a 7-foot center and one who weighs 212 pounds. Especially with bookend (light) forwards.

Alvan Adams took the league by surprise by camping out at the top of the key which made him nothing more than an oversized 2-guard, but robbed us of power in the post.

If John MacLeod had the insight to move him to a forward or even guard position his second year, the Suns legacy as a finesse team could have been a lot different.

You're right in referring to a 7-foot center as legit.

Well, we did have a 7 (ish) footer on that squad, Dennis Awtrey was a decent backup center.

Steve

 

[Russ Smith]

Blasphemy! It was a Cinderella season but that doesn't mean we weren't legitimate. We'd added a lot of new pieces and struggled early but that doesn't tell the whole story. We were one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last half or so of the season and we were very much a contender (we were only 42-40 for the year but we closed the season 22-13). That was no patsy Golden State team that we put away and we didn't do it on luck.

I know you hate any team without a legit 7 foot center but that was a good, balanced team that was far more than pretty. If we'd stayed healthy, I'd have loved to see what that group could do if they'd had a few years together.

Steve

I always hated that Phoenix team because I felt it was shady how they beat the Warriors. I know there were reports later that Sobers admitted that MacLeod sent him into the game with instructions to try and get Barry out of the game and that's exactly what he did by starting a fight that got Barry ejected.

But in hindsight probably pretty smart, Barry was a notorious hothead so why not see if you can get him out of the game. I saw Barry on tv a few years ago and he was asked about that and he said the Suns players were laughing about it so he knew fairly quickly that Sobers had instigated it on purpose.

The reason I always hated it is of course that Warrior team broke up after that.