An ode to Luis Scola
by grungedave on Jan 13, 2010 9:40 AM CST
in Discussions about Badasses
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PrintThere seem to be too many distractions in the Rockets' world these days.
The Tracy McGrady mess........
The difficult holiday schedule.......
Chase Budinger returning from injury.........
Chuck Hayes' inability to grow 6" taller..........
Trevor Ariza's shooting woes (massive understatement)........
This is not to say that everything is going wrong. Even though the Rockets gave away another winnable game last night to the Bobcats (wait - the Charlotte Bobcats? Really? Ouch.), there are still a lot of positive things. The Rockets still have a winning record at 21-17. They are still in the playoff race. Players like Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry and the aforementioned Budinger have played far beyond pre-season expectations. Carl Landry is even a serious contender for NBA 6th Man of the Year. And then there's "old reliable": Luis Scola.
Lost in a lot of the Carl Landry publicity machine is the fact that Luis Scola is turning in yet another kick-ass season. Scola has remained the one truly reliable offensive option all year. Brooks has been streaky. Trevor Ariza has made Brooks look consistent. Budinger has had the typical rookie ups-and-downs. Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier still don't scare opposing defenses. Landry has been amazing, but is now having trouble adjusting to the newfound attention he is receiving. But Scola has been good for about 16 points and 10 rebounds each and every night. Or so it seems, as his season averages are 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds.
Then again, that seems to be consistent with Scola's personality. He's never going to slap his hands together and demand the ball and/or yell at teammates for not passing it to him when he's open. Scola could easily average 20/10 in this league. But he's a pure team player who is not going to rock the boat. The Rockets have been winning, Adelman's motion offense has (usually) kept opposing teams off-balance and unable to key-in on a particular player, and there's no need for Luis to be a stat-whore. And even if teams try to focus their energy on stopping Scola on nights when he really seems to have it going, it just never seems to work.
Scola is going to the right. You know it. I know it. Everyone knows it. And yet he still somehow finds a way to spin, pivot, duck and dive his way to the rim going to the right. It's uncanny.
So here's to the best power forward the Rockets have had since the days of Otis Thorpe and Robert Horry. And I swear, I'm going to cry if he's somehow packaged in a trade next month. Stop trying to trade away Luis Scola!!!
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Luis Scola is great
But he’s also going to be on the wrong side of thirty next season, is a known quantity who has already reached his peak as a player, and will require a more expensive contract after this year. If people want to trade Scola, it’s because they’d rather have Landry, who is younger, cheaper, and still has upside, while already providing similar overall production.
Me, I’d like to have them both, but not if we’re going to add another PF (Bosh being the main one who has been discussed). In that case, Scola is the odd man out, in my opinion.
yes, he's going to turn 30 soon...
But it’s not like Scola is an NFL running back. NBA power forwards can play well into their 30s. Plus, it’s not like Scola relies on athleticism and jumping for his success…
True, but I’d still give at least a slight advantage: Landry there, plus the other factors I mentioned. That said, if we’re not going after a superstar PF like Bosh, I’d prefer to keep both Scola and Landry. PF is really our strength anyway, I’d rather see us go after an elite wing… or Chris Paul, if that’s even a remote possibility.
he might be 30, but his NBA career started like 27....
granted, he played alot games back home, but I don’t think he’s as much as he did in NBA, so take that into account. Scola’s not know for his speed or defense, but his ability to score & rebound.
Yes, i agreed that we CAN/NEED to keep both Scola & Landry if we ever want to transform the team from “good” to “elite” (as in NBA champion)….
Scola, Landry, Lowry, Budinger, Battier, Brooks & Hayes are keepers… for the rest, let’s what’s other teams can offer…
don't bully me, i am from the D(etroit)!!!
Budinger and Hayes are good, but...
I wouldn’t call them “keepers” or “untouchable” if we can get a CP3 or Bosh in return.
honestly
the only absolute keeper on the roster is the one you didn’t list, Yao. there are others I would hate to see go, but in the right circumstances, sure. No one on this team. Only Aaron Brooks might also fit that category because (1) it’s clear he’s a real NBA contributor, and (2) he’s tied up to a long-term deal (though 2012) for very little money. Everyone else will either be a free agent by 2011 or else hasn’t really proven they can be an NBA starter. (I left Ariza off that because his salary is substantial.)
You would figure that…
… a team like the Raptors will want a guy like Scola if they were to trade Bosh to Houston.
Unless Alexander wants to pay a huge luxury tax, Scola will be hard to resign anyways, unless they use the money freed up by T-Mac’s expiring contract. And this team needs a second “go-to” guy to pair up with Yao.
Personally, I think Houston is wiser to keep Landry and trade Scola in the Bosh deal. Landry is younger and costs less and he is good enough to be the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year.
I hope that if Houston does do some trading, they do not trade Yao (obviously), Brooks, Landry, or Budinger. I hope they can keep Lowry, too but that might be too much to ask for. I’d also like to see them keep Scola, but like I said, Toronto will want a player to replace Bosh and Scola would probably be the most likely one…
I had to stop arguing with drunks, Steeler fans, and all other fools.
It was making my brick wall jealous...
just saying, but...
There are three infallible facts we need to consider:
1. The Rockets are not going to win the championship this year. No matter who we trade McGrady’s carcass for.
2. Landry is only a few years younger than Scola, and he also has a contract that expires in 2011. He will be much harder to re-sign than Scola would be this summer.
3. “Luis Landry” is far cooler than “Chris Carl”.
i understand what you are saying...
If we have the team that i hope we will next year, we have a chance to take the tite!!!
Landry will most likely stay with us if that is the case and also i know for a fact the rockets will pay the extra money in order to keep Landry. (Landy is our Future Allstar) We allready did that last year to keep him from going to the Bobcats.
Most NBA teams are losing money and dont have much money to spend next year so i dont think we will have THAT much of trouble to resign Landry
In the end, there is no comparison with Bosh/Landy to Scola/Landry, Are you kidding me????
Im sorry but….
Bosh/Landry > Scola/ Landry
I hope we trade away Ariza…..because he SUCKS and we get Iggy
There's nothing wrong with Ariza
SOMEBODY has to absorb shots in this system. He’s proven to be a valuable player and a good shooter when he isn’t creating his own shot. Keep him for the future.
"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018
Huge thing about Scola:
(and, I think, what makes the “best PF since Thorpe” comment true)… he has yet to miss time due to injury. I think all Rockets fans are aware of the value of durability, and Scola has been remarkably consistent for the past three years.
yeah, Landry is fragile
He is easily injured by things like bullets. Scola (and Chuck Norris) would have been playing the next day!
:)
Same day, nothing...
…they’d rub some dirt on it and get back in the game.
by DribbleHooper on Jan 13, 2010 5:56 PM CST up reply actions
heh
actually, that was more directed toward Barkely’s injury issues during his tenure with the Rockets.
by Only_A_Lad on Jan 13, 2010 6:15 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
So true-scola is on consecutive games played streak of around 300
2/3 OF THE EARTHS SURFACE IS COVERED BY WATER, THE OTHER 3RD IS COVER BY CHUCK HAYES
reasons ppl put him into a trade deal
1. Landry is younger and Luis isnt
2. He is a solid player…. therefor making any trade including him all that much more likely to be accepted
3. He has additional value as an expiring right now.
4. Alot of the trades involving him make the team better. I like him. He is solid, and consistent. But you have to go for the upgrade when you can
Wheres the loyalty?
We were able to steal him away from the spurs… and he was good player from the start. Thats two good reasons to keep him. Just to tick off the spurs fans to what could have been. The biggest reason is for what many of you have already said… he’s has durability… He hurt his eyes this season, and came back the next games styling some oakleys glasses. He also took that hit from fisher last year and walked it off, like it was nothing. Practically picked a fight with the entire lakers team that same game.
That right there should be reason enough to sign him up for the rest of his nba career with the rockets.
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