Rockets Interested in Kevin Love?
Ken Berger of CBS Sports had this to say about Houston and their interest in T'Wolves Forward Kevin Love:
Kevin Love’s breakout double-double (23 points and 24 rebounds Tuesday night against the Lakers) only underscored the bizarre dispute between the 22-year-old and coach Kurt Rambis over his minutes. Love has been walking a fine line between publicly grumbling and saying the right things of late, and other teams have taken note. One team that would be an ideal fit for Love, Houston, has explored the possibility to the point of presenting trade scenarios to the Wolves. Those overtures, sources say, have been met with an icy response.
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Don't we already have Kevin Love?
paging Luis Scola They’re both 6’9" (Love’s listed at 6’10" but really 6’9"), terrific rebounders, good mid-range games, and both are below-average defenders. Obviously Scola’s the better low-post scorer and Love’s the better passer (probably the better rebounder too), but he might be a bit superfluous on the team. To me, this is no big deal. Teams make offers and get rebuffed for players all the time and especially considering Love appears to be in the doghouse (and thus could possibly be had for below-market value), I’m not surprised that Morey is interested. I would be all for it, as a frontline of Hill, Patterson, and Love would be very solid for the future, but it all depends on how much we would have to give up. I don’t see the Wolves making a move with him though. Beasley could move back to the 4, but when they traded Al Jefferson, I think they kinda put themselves in the Kevin Love boat.
by Patrick Harrel on Nov 11, 2010 8:46 PM CST up reply actions
"Icy response"
you know Morey tried his typical magic, like “How about Love for Jermaine Taylor? And you give us your first round pick. And take Jared Jeffries. Thanks.”
KAAAAAHHHHHNNNNN!!!
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
by ak2themax on Nov 11, 2010 8:24 AM CST reply actions 2 recs
So uhhh....
What’s the story here? A team inquired about a player and that team apparently isn’t really hard up to trade him…
I'm always right, this isn't conjecture, merely statement of fact.
by BD34 on Nov 11, 2010 8:58 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
it says something about the Rockets
if the story is true. They recognize that they need to work the glass better.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
Helen Keller could have told you that
our defense and rebounding is just sad.
I'm always right, this isn't conjecture, merely statement of fact.
by BD34 on Nov 11, 2010 12:31 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
More like a writer throwing s*** on the wall...
Check out the end of bit where he’s talking about Love. After how Portland might be interested he mentions Coach Rick Adelman living in Love’s hometown. If you didn’t know better you’d swear he was writing Adelman was coach of the Blazers.
This is a guy who claims to know about Rocket trade talks,yet has no clue why Rockets didn’t sign Damp?
And exactly how would Love be an “ideal fit” when his problem w/Rambis is Love isn’t getting major minutes? The Rockets would bench Scola to give Love 30 minutes plus a game? That’s what Love wants. He gets a bunch of meaningless rebounds and is even worse on D than Luis. Yeah,that sounds like an “ideal fit” to me.
by Tisbee on Nov 11, 2010 11:56 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
we have rebounders
They just don’t get minutes over others.
Example 1 – need rebounds, but play Brad Miller. Sad face.
Example 2 – need rebounds, but play Chuck Hayes.
Example 3 – need rebounds and rim presence, but Hill plays extremely limited minutes.
If Ish is such an above average passer, and Lowry is an adept passer, then why play so many bigs who really only bring passing to the table?
But back to the topic: Love is nice, but we don’t need a rebounder, unless we can trade Hayes for one. Maybe send him to a team that needs a defensive specialist like Denver, Miami, etc.
Wafer . . . again. (Marv Albert, HOU v. CLE Feb 2009)
-one of the FEW at Toyota Center who has the Wafer jersey
by olivarezq1 on Nov 11, 2010 9:06 AM CST via mobile reply actions
as hilarious as it is to say
Chuck Hayes might be too expensive for the Heat.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
As much as I like Kevin Love...
Do we really need another big man who can’t play defense?
Do we need another big man who can't play defense
but can actually rebound? Yes. Yes, we do.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
by ak2themax on Nov 11, 2010 9:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Well
Scola seems to rebound well, he just needs someone beside him to rebound, but not another 6’9" guy…
won't disagree with you there
but you could make the argument that Scola gets so many rebounds is not that he’s a great rebounder, but because there is no other Rockets going for boards. Therefore, Luis is bound to get plenty of defensive boards every game. Also, he plays a ton of minutes. Per 48 minutes, Scola (theoretically) averages 15.6 boards. In the same vein, Love grabs a full six more rebounds than Scola.
You could argue that the case against Scola applies to Love as well (bad rebounding teammates), and you’d probably be right, but how great would it be to have both of them? Sure, their averages would drop, but then there wouldn’t be just one guy going for boards.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
my point
i guess my point is that whatever would be necessary to get Love, would probably take away from the team more than it would help because we would still be without a defensive presence in the post. yeah Love may take some 2nd chance points away from the opposing team, but as mentioned, they may not need many 2nd opportunities when we have the defensive performances weve been having. we made a 1-4 wizards team look unstopable last night in certain stretches.
Good point
the Wizards did shoot 44%, but when they went into funks, they kept getting offensive rebounds and keeping the possession alive. Plus, that number is inflated because off of offensive rebounds you get gimme layups that make it seem like you are shooting better than you actually are.
They finished with 15 offensive boards last night. As my coach used to say, “Defense stops don’t occur until you secure the rebound.” Don’t give up offensive rebounds, then no put-back layups, then a lower field goal percentage for your opponents. The Wizards finished with 14 second-chance points and missed a ton of layups off of off. rebounds. Cut those 14 points in half and what do you get? A tie game. Plus, that gives the Rockets maybe one or two more possessions in the game. Literally, there’s the difference in the game. Defense is difficult in the NBA, but when you can’t complete a simple task like team rebounding, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
Also a Good Point
Even a healthy Yao needs a big man to help out on the boards he can’t grab. Love could be good long term, but right now with the center position as weak as it is, it’s just hard to see a combo of Love/Scola, Hayes, Miller or whoever working very well
Wait for it...
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
by ak2themax on Nov 11, 2010 10:45 AM CST up reply actions 4 recs
In my opinion
the team needs some tall and athletic bigs. In the NBA now, bigs need to be versatile. Step outside and shoot, but also go down low and be a banger. What comes with that though, is a lot of mistakes. You see guys like Anthony Randolph and even Blatche and McGee from last night, they make a difference even though they do a lot of dumb crap. Bad shots off one leg and not truly boxing anyone out, just jumping over people to grab rebounds. Our team lacks that athletic ability up front, Jordan Hill is the only one that comes close.
by twinkilling0303 on Nov 11, 2010 11:36 AM CST reply actions
Given that Washington sucks,
and they have a solid-to-fantastic backcourt, I’m a bit hesitant to start looking to the Wizards’ frontcourt as the model for the Rockets going forward. One game doesn’t mean much.
I'm just using them as an example
Blatche can score from almost anywhere and McGee is athletic as anybody. If you look at the contenders, they all have bigger and more athletic bigs.
by twinkilling0303 on Nov 11, 2010 2:42 PM CST up reply actions
Not really sure I agree
Lakers, certainly
Orlando? outside of superman, it’s Gortat and Rashard Lewis, neither of whom are above-the-rim guys. Brandon Bass qualifies as really athletic, maybe?
Boston has a bunch of really old guys, Kendrick Perkins, and Glenn Davis.
Heat? Obviously they have very little inside.
I don’t think I’m just being silly here. Yes, long, athletic guys are wonderful. The Lakers have them in spades and that’s a big reason they’ve been the best team in the league. The Rockets have been really good (when healthy) the last few years without any more athleticism than we have now.
We’re definitely small if Yao isn’t making an impact. But realistically, this team probably isn’t good enough without Yao as a top center.
The trades over the past year have made the Rockets a lot smaller: Lee and Martin for Landry and Ariza. So yes, I think last year’s team was a better team, but that’s only true if Yao isn’t making a big contribution.
Not every big has to be above the rim
but im thinking of bigs as being versatile. Lakers, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta, Hornets, Nuggets…all have some guys that stretch the floor or bang down low. And they all have defensive ball hawks. And I think the lack of bigs for the Heat just shows how important they are. Our bigs are more skilled, but not close to being athletic enough. I mean West and Okafor aren’t as skilled as Scola and Yao, but they got anything they wanted, and they aren’t even very athletic. I just know im happy that I don’t have to be the one making decisions on Yao, I honestly don’t know what the right thing to do is going forward.
by twinkilling0303 on Nov 11, 2010 9:28 PM CST up reply actions
I think Kahn is too afraid to trade with Morey.
I’d love to have Kevin Love though. He’s an undersized center, but he gets those boards.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
I tell you what the Rockets desperately need:
more forwards. You can never have enough power forwards.
(Actually, Love would address the Rockets’ rebounding problems, though probably not their overall defensive problems. He’d kind of be like Scola in that way, though Scola is better on offense, less so in rebounding, etc. etc. etc.)
Scola is probably better offensively
Love does have the potential to step back to the 3-point line though. not a very important factor, but just saying
"sources" say the Rockets are interested in every player on every other team
The BANHAMMER delivers the real justice
That's just turrible
The absence pf evidence is not the evidence of absence.
by joshsm07 on Nov 11, 2010 1:40 PM CST reply actions 4 recs
I wouldn't mind having Love on the team
As a matter of fact I wouldn’t mind having anyone that can help! The Rockets need to shake things up a bit, granted there has always been someone injured at some point, but we need some sort of change and I think we will see one by the trade deadline
I may be overreacting
Am I the only Rocket’s fan that is worried that the team has not come out with a statement about Yao’s injury yet? If it were just a minor thing, it would make sense for them to put it to rest asap. The longer it goes with word, the more concerned I get.
I'm not worried.
If it’s minor, Yao will sit a few games, and the team can start developing some cohesion, and perhaps even getting some wins.
If Yao’s done, see above, but plus-elebenty-thousand.
I realize Big Z went through this and wasn’t back to form until one full season after coming back, but I’m impatient.
by DribbleHooper on Nov 11, 2010 4:29 PM CST up reply actions
Questionable defense? Yeah
But regardless, I’d be thrilled if the Rockets landed him. Yao should not be a part of the team’s plan for the future, and Love is a studly young big man that could be a rock in the frontcourt for years. He boards as well as anyone, has a shot and can drain free throws. He’s a talent, and would be a great successor to Yao.
makes sense
but aint happnin.. unless we give up something of value.. Morey’s jedi mind tricks are well documented throughout the league now :/
Rockets-Texans-Dynamo-Longhorn fan.. the Astros have gotten back into my good graces so theyre allowed back into the elite club... GO 'STROS, 2011 NL Central Division Champs!! you heard it hear first!
I'd do a Kevin Martin for Kevin Love trade.
Wolves need perimeter scoring, and we need another inside presence besides Scola. Lee can start, and JT can come off the bench. We would no longer have a defensive liability, instead we would have an above average defender in Lee. Obviously, Lee is no Kevin Martin, and we’ll lose offensive production, but I think JT can be a good spark off the bench. I doubt we are going to dangle Martin, but I’d love to get rid of him. I’m sick of his defense(or lack of).
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
Don't hold your breath
unless it’s for a superstar, Speed Racer is staying put.
How many Biletnikoffs does he have? NOT TWO!
its harder to replace a SG than C
keep Martin
Rockets-Texans-Dynamo-Longhorn fan.. the Astros have gotten back into my good graces so theyre allowed back into the elite club... GO 'STROS, 2011 NL Central Division Champs!! you heard it hear first!
Yea!
Let’s jettison one of our only contributors to the offense when we’re down on guards! I know defense is the problem but you don’t trade from our weakest position to our most bountiful position.
I'm always right, this isn't conjecture, merely statement of fact.
by BD34 on Nov 11, 2010 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
We aren't weak at SG.
Lee and JT are good enough.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 11, 2010 6:23 PM CST up reply actions
are good enough for what?
no one knows if JT is even a legit rotation player in the NBA! Lee is fine as a 5th-option starter, but he’s mostly a smaller version of Batter (nice defense, complementary offense), and I don’t think you want those two in the same lineup, certainly not with Kevin Love who doesn’t create offense on his own either.
Yea I bet all the great players around Love are getting him open shots on the perimeter and under the basket.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 11, 2010 10:23 PM CST up reply actions
Rick Adelman isn't super high on JT for no reason.
JT showed he could play good D against Kobe last year, and he can create his own offense. If he could just improve his decision making and not turn the ball over so much, he’s a legit rotation player.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 11, 2010 10:28 PM CST up reply actions
your points are fine, but this one seems to back up my comment. as positive as many people are, no one knows for sure that JT will get his game where it needs to be.
I still think it's too early to tell.
He’s shown a lot of positive signs, but consistency will be a big question.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 12, 2010 1:16 AM CST up reply actions
If we're using playing time
for our barometer, then he’s not that high on Brad Miller, Jordan Hill, Courtney Lee, etc…
I'm always right, this isn't conjecture, merely statement of fact.
.........
That wasn’t my intent.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 13, 2010 1:30 AM CST up reply actions
If by "good enough", you mean
dribbling out of bounds and bricking free throws to lose games…then yes.
by GetRed on Nov 12, 2010 9:15 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I see the logic for this particular team, but Martin is a much more valuable asset going down the road. Love is an inferior version of Scola, if you ask me. You get a bit more rebounding in exchange for significantly decreased offense, and you don’t get that stud post defender that we seem to feel is needed.
Our stud post defender is Chuck.
Problem is that when he’s in, we get killed on the offensive boards.
If we get rid of Martin, our perimeter defense will significantly get better.
I just don’t give a shit about offense. We are a top 10 offensive team, where has that gotten us the past 2 years? The lottery, and now one of the worst records in the NBA.
"You got to believe in yourself. Hell, I believe I'm the best-looking guy in the world and I might be right."- Charles Barkley
by bone31crusher on Nov 11, 2010 10:26 PM CST up reply actions
I'd love Love
Great rebounder, Great passer
not gonna solve our defensive problems anytime soon
I still am pretty mad at RA keeping Hill on the bench, come on!
I want Josh Smith
Badly. Like really Badly. I don’t know about a Scola for Smith trade though, I don’t think either team would want that.
"...and Kareem Jackson will fall down..."
OK, Let's just trade for Greg Oden and Hasheem Thabeet then!
Loads of athleticism, huge size, both can be had at a discount. If either one works out, look out…
But everyone else mentioned, the upside isn’t much greater than what you’re giving away.
Carl Landry, We miss you!
I hate to say these words, but Daryl Morey is not as good as we give him credit… After a pre-season power ranking by ESPN, we went down several spots after a few games. The experts predicted that Morey saw the pitfalls of the team and suggested a big trade was in the works (Carmelo). Morey defended our team and suggested we would shock the league without a trade.
Unfortunately he was right. In a bad way though.
No one thought we would be this bad. The season is not over yet, but Morey failed to see the importance of signing a top tier player before the season began. Now we have a better record than the Clippers and the Raptors. That’s it. Oh, by the way, that 1st round pick from NY is of no importance if we have a worse record.
by HBound&Down on Nov 12, 2010 3:57 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Sup Panic Button?
We don’t need Landry because it’s not just a single player solution, let alone a single player that won’t play defense when defense is our core issue. If you’re going by ESPN rankings for this Rockets team I’m honestly impressed you know there’s a basketball team in Texas named the Rockets.
Morey didn’t fail to see the importance of getting a “top tier player” but Morey recognized the significance of the fact that this team can actually be competitive but we need to learn to actually play defense.
I'm always right, this isn't conjecture, merely statement of fact.
by BD34 on Nov 12, 2010 6:27 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
You know, did Morey actually suggest that?
I don’t ever recall him claiming this was a championship team. And he has gone after said stars, only it’s not his fault they’re more concerned about looking good in New York and just chilling on the beach as opposed to well, playing the game of basketball.
Minnesotan Rockets fan
by Barragan on Nov 12, 2010 7:19 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
aargghh??
Kevin Love is not the answer….
by GreenRocket on Nov 12, 2010 11:21 AM CST via mobile reply actions
Love is the answer.
But what is the question?
"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."
Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake
@bd34
Courtney doesn’t need ANYmore play time…much rather us throw JT in the mix. He can’t be more un-clutch and confused than Lee, maybe he blossoms with his increased minutes?
by GreenRocket on Nov 12, 2010 11:26 AM CST via mobile reply actions
I've see a few bad moments from Lee
and I’ve seen some excellent moments with Lee. It won’t get better if he doesn’t play. I’d like to see Taylor more as well, but there is a minute crunch, despite losing.
"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."
Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake
gotta try something new
Like give the younger more energetic guys minutes (Hill and Taylor)
GO ROCKETS, GO TEXANS, GO ASTROS (EVEN THOUGH THEY SUCK)!!!
We've got a sample size of less than 10% of the season.
I’m not sure that leaves C Lee as an experiment to be abandoned.
"Each in turn... volunteered his suggestions, his invaluable suggestions."
Twitter - xiane1
The Dreamshake
By all means
Keep playing Lee. I just would like to see Taylor come in fro some spot duty or when we go through those stretches where we just cant score. As far as Hill goes, Just get him on the fucking floor damnit!
GO ROCKETS, GO TEXANS, GO ASTROS (EVEN THOUGH THEY SUCK)!!!
Dude just got a 31-31 game.
Does that count for something? Against the Knicks…. a bit.
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