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Dudes on sports radio 610 here in Houston are blasting Howard on his lack of offense.
Then they are morons or like most "talk jocks" just stirring the pot for ratings.
Complaining about his "offense" is like going to a car dealership, buying a large pickup to haul a trailer etc. and upon getting it home your neighbor starts telling you how ****ty the gas mileage is compared to his prius.
You don't bring Howard on-board thinking he is some sort of offensive force. He never has been.
So what you're saying is asik, a guy who thrived last season and who's production was defensively as good as Howard's (or fairly close) but who's never been a scorer is supposed move out of his natural position and all of a sudden learn how to make a 15' jump shot? Howard is supposed to be so much better and he's been in the league longer, maybe Howard should learn to shoot a 15' jumper.
Yes asik is getting paid, but he was brought in to start at center, he did well last season but got replaced by a guy who's supposed to be leaps and bounds better. Howard is better but his production and defense had NOT been leaps bad bounds better than asiks was last year.
He only plays offense much better, it wasn't offense they needed.
Asik did well last year for his ability - but you want to go further in the playoffs, his current skillset is not the answer. I love his attitude, and I can understand his sentiments now.
Yes - if you want to be more valuable, you learn new things - that's what professionals do. There have been plenty of players who improve their game in the off-season. And yes - the same applies to Howard - jump shots, free throws, etc. I commented earlier this week that Howard is regressing back to bulldozing his way to the basket - not good. Asik has a high release in his free throws - that's a good thing. It would be good if the guards could drive and dish to him for a short baseline jumper. I think Howard needs to change his release point to a higher position - he has too much hand on the ball when he shoots his free throws.
Maybe the coaches did not push Asik out of his comfort zone to improve. He has huge upside if he improves his skills. Right now - I have a hard time thinking where Asik would go and start. You can't run any offense thru him right now. It would have to be somewhere where they have an offensive power forward.
Then they are morons or like most "talk jocks" just stirring the pot for ratings.
Complaining about his "offense" is like going to a car dealership, buying a large pickup to haul a trailer etc. and upon getting it home your neighbor starts telling you how ****ty the gas mileage is compared to his prius.
You don't bring Howard on-board thinking he is some sort of offensive force. He never has been.
point is, he hasnt played great defense, not bad defense by any stretch but not DPOY type defense, and his offense hasnt been great either. they were making fun of him being afraid of contact, case in point dribbling all over the place to get around bargniani like dudes a defensive force or something, instead of taking the ball at him. they were basically following suit with shaq/barkleys comments about howards offense. they did talk about howard making a block on melo that there would be no way asik could have made that.
as for asik vs howard, on a per 36 minutes, howard is SLIGHTLY better this year than asik was last year.
my point earlier about what if they are not really better this year than last, they won 45 games last year, and lost in the 1st round. after making such a big deal about bringing howard in, what if they end up no better? is it a bust? was it a waste? sure they are selling more tickets so not a bust financially but over all on the season is that a bust? they have 2 of the top players in the league, parsons is coming along, caspi, asik and they are still talking about trying to find a "missing piece". there are talks of trading asik for ryan anderson. is he the missing piece?
as for howard stepping up the defense for the team, i realize its early (10 games in) but so far they have a worse defensive rating than last year.
point is, he hasnt played great defense, not bad defense by any stretch but not DPOY type defense, and his offense hasnt been great either. they were making fun of him being afraid of contact, case in point dribbling all over the place to get around bargniani like dudes a defensive force or something, instead of taking the ball at him. they were basically following suit with shaq/barkleys comments about howards offense. they did talk about howard making a block on melo that there would be no way asik could have made that.
as for asik vs howard, on a per 36 minutes, howard is SLIGHTLY better this year than asik was last year.
my point earlier about what if they are not really better this year than last, they won 45 games last year, and lost in the 1st round. after making such a big deal about bringing howard in, what if they end up no better? is it a bust? was it a waste? sure they are selling more tickets so not a bust financially but over all on the season is that a bust? they have 2 of the top players in the league, parsons is coming along, caspi, asik and they are still talking about trying to find a "missing piece". there are talks of trading asik for ryan anderson. is he the missing piece?
as for howard stepping up the defense for the team, i realize its early (10 games in) but so far they have a worse defensive rating than last year.
It's still early and you of all people were talking about Asik and Howard being redundant.
I cannot answer about "missing pieces" I just know that from history that it takes time and once they get some decent value from Asik then they have to merge that player in as well.
That being said, if they just make the playoffs this year in a tough west that's good enough for a first year together. The 2-3 year expectation should be WCF but a lot of that will depend on Harden's continued development as he is still young and needs improving.
They are doing better than the Heat were at this point of their 1st year together. Just reiterating that you cannot revamp a team like this and expect results even in the first year.
P.S. I don't blame Asik at all, it's just a bad fit and he should be playing 35min a night somewhere else.
Right now - I have a hard time thinking where Asik would go and start. You can't run any offense thru him right now. It would have to be somewhere where they have an offensive power forward.
So wait Howard has spent summer after summer training with some of the greatest of all time and has litterally retained zero of what they attempted to teach him, but it's asik who needs to learn how to shoot?
Asik makes less in 2 seasons than Howard in 1 and it's on asik to learn how to play a position he was never physically meant to play?
That's crazy.
And I think asik would start on 75% of the teams in the league and would fit perfect next to Kevin love or Tim Duncan. Hell even next to dirk, pau, bosh, half the PFs in the league.
So wait Howard has spent summer after summer training with some of the greatest of all time and has litterally retained zero of what they attempted to teach him, but it's asik who needs to learn how to shoot?
Asik makes less in 2 seasons than Howard in 1 and it's on asik to learn how to play a position he was never physically meant to play?
That's crazy.
And I think asik would start on 75% of the teams in the league and would fit perfect next to Kevin love or Tim Duncan. Hell even next to dirk, pau, bosh, half the PFs in the league.
I said they BOTH need to learn to shoot. They both are professionals. They should recognize their weaknesses and work on them.
Howard should be more skilled at this point since he has been in the league longer. I have stated that he can't shoot, and he has regressed. I expected more from Dream Camp.
I think you are making this bigger than I intend. My only issue with Asik is that he barely can catch the ball half the time. I did see improvement with him last year in that he learned to be stronger around the basket and started dunking the ball instead of laying it up.
The fact that he has a hard time catching the ball and doing something with it is a big negative for me. He missed much of the preseason - maybe he is still getting himself together. Other than that - I know what Asik is and appreciate what he brings. I would like him and the Rockets to work it out.
I said they BOTH need to learn to shoot. They both are professionals. They should recognize their weaknesses and work on them.
Howard should be more skilled at this point since he has been in the league longer. I have stated that he can't shoot, and he has regressed. I expected more from Dream Camp.
I think you are making this bigger than I intend. My only issue with Asik is that he barely can catch the ball half the time. I did see improvement with him last year in that he learned to be stronger around the basket and started dunking the ball instead of laying it up.
The fact that he has a hard time catching the ball and doing something with it is a big negative for me. He missed much of the preseason - maybe he is still getting himself together. Other than that - I know what Asik is and appreciate what he brings. I would like him and the Rockets to work it out.
id say asiks issue at least partly stem from his situation and how he dislikes it. he isnt inclined to "try hard' when he doesnt want to be there. thats human nature. should he try hard to entice a team to want him? i dont think so, he is going to get traded regardless. its not on him to try hard this year, hes got his contract, he knows they will either trad him, or pay him either way hes getting paid. he seems professional enough to WANT to play hard, just not for the rockets.
from espn.
Quote:
No surprise Omer Asik has asked for a trade, for the second time, after his demotion to the bench. There is some confusion regarding his contract, so here is how it breaks down:
Asik's number on the books/salary cap for Houston or any team acquiring him via a trade, because Chicago declined to match the offer sheet, is $8,374,167 for 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15. Some in the media are writing those are his actual salary numbers. That is incorrect. Here are the actual salaries:
Asik will be a lot harder to deal, if he's not dealt by Feb. 20, after the season as it will cost a team the $14,897,500 and he can walk in 2015 as an unrestricted free agent. Starting Friday, Asik is owed $4,702,500 remaining from the $5,225,000. When adding that with $14,897,500 he is owed a total of $19,600,000 for the rest of 2013-14 and all of 2014-15.
The scenario Asik for the Pelicans' Ryan Anderson has been mentioned by many in the media as a possible deal that's good for both sides. Anderson is currently out with a foot issue and potential talks between the teams will likely not occur until the foot has fully healed and he returns to game action.
Anderson is signed through 2015-16. As of Friday, Anderson is owed $7,477,650 of his $8,308,500 2013-14 salary. The final two years he gets $8,491,500 and $8,500,000. So, for the rest of 2013-14 and all of 2014-15 he is owed $15,969,150 compared to Asik's total of $19,600,000.
This deal may never happen, however Asik will be traded at some point. It is a calculated risk to go after Asik with the balloon payment and the ability to be a free agent and walk for nothing in 2015, however a few teams are likely willing to make that gamble if Houston is willing to deal him by the February deadline.
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He never has been.
Just reiterating that you cannot revamp a team like this and expect results even in the first year.
