Around The NBA 3.0

[LamarMatic7]

speaking of derrick brown... any idea where he is playing these days and how he is doing? surprised he hasnt made it back to the league. he was definitely good enough to be a 10th-12th man.

As people previously mentioned - UPS is playing in Russia. His team (Lokomotiv) is tied for the first place in its Euroleague group and he's averaging 14.4ppg on 65% FG and 4.8rpg in the competition. So he's doing quite okay. And as you may know, I'll be the first to say that he deserves a place in the NBA.

Talking about ex-Bobcats playing in Russia, I recently saw Cory Higgins in action. His team played the best Latvian team in this regional tournament which consists of best teams from countries of the former Soviet Union and we treated him like a superstar. We specifically started our defensive stopper (who never gets the start) in order for him to guard Higgins extra close as he's averaging 22.0ppg in this league (Brown's averages are 16.4 and 5.2, he plays for a way better team though).

[doc.end]

Correction: McBob was playing for a contract. He got traded from chitty Orlando for chitty Hakim Warrick, remember?

Yeah, Magic fans were like they won that trade as he would help us just enough for their tank to outtank us. I'm not making that up.

[doc.end]

I hope after that one game when he was white hot, Augustin could become poor man's Abdul-Rauf.

[doc.end]

As for Hayward making us potentially whiter, that reminds me that I like how diverse our rotation are by appearance, it helps to distinguish players on sub par streams. Not just shades of skin colour but physique, posture and typical moves of players. And height and hairstyle of course. Playr are easy to identify even without anyone using headband.

[Marvel]

Hayward is NOT as good as Paul George. Hayward is good, but George would be a tier above Hayward.

[LamarMatic7]

In my opinion George could even be two tiers higher. And that's not a shot at Hayward. George has become one helluva player.

[catch20two]

The Rockets are trying to get a (heavily) unprotected 1st rounder for Omer Asik

Pardon me. I had to laugh at that.

[LamarMatic7]

The Rockets are trying to get a (heavily) unprotected 1st rounder for Omer Asik

Pardon me. I had to laugh at that.

If they're looking for a stretch 4, I must say there aren't that many realistic scenarios available.

How about trading Asik for Channing Frye and Slava Kravtsov (if Houston wants a second-string center in return)?

Although now that I think about it, why Phoenix should clog up the 5 where Plumlee is playing so well? They would at least want Houston's pick in return.

[LamarMatic7]

If you take a look at each team's rotations, it isn't easy to find an obvious trade. We might consider this a weak era for centers, but you can make arguments for most teams that they don't really need Asik. And the teams that would benefit from acquiring him, don't have good power forwards to give up in return.

This looks like a more complex deal than a simple two team trade.

The more you look at the Ryan Anderson-Omer Asik swap, it makes almost too much sense though. And I understand the Pelicans, if they are the ones not willing to do this. Anderson at 25 years of age is a better asset than people realize. Great three point shooters at the 4 spot are extremely valuable in today's game.

Maybe Houston should go for it and give up Donatas Motiejunas/Terrence Jones and a 1st-rounder alongside Asik? Or does New Orleans not consider those two pieces that valuable?

[catch20two]

The Rockets are trying to get a (heavily) unprotected 1st rounder for Omer Asik

Pardon me. I had to laugh at that.

If they're looking for a stretch 4, I must say there aren't that many realistic scenarios available.

How about trading Asik for Channing Frye and Slava Kravtsov (if Houston wants a second-string center in return)?

Although now that I think about it, why Phoenix should clog up the 5 where Plumlee is playing so well? They would at least want Houston's pick in return.

They need to trade Asik plus a filler or draft picks to the Pelicans for Ryan Anderson. The Pelicans might not be interested though.

[LamarMatic7]

The Rockets are trying to get a (heavily) unprotected 1st rounder for Omer Asik

Pardon me. I had to laugh at that.

If they're looking for a stretch 4, I must say there aren't that many realistic scenarios available.

How about trading Asik for Channing Frye and Slava Kravtsov (if Houston wants a second-string center in return)?

Although now that I think about it, why Phoenix should clog up the 5 where Plumlee is playing so well? They would at least want Houston's pick in return.

They need to trade Asik plus a filler or draft picks to the Pelicans for Ryan Anderson. The Pelicans might not be interested though.

yep, I basically wrote the same thing while you did your post.

or maybe they should just swap Asik for Jameer Nelson, since both sides believe they should get a first round pick in return for those players

[catch20two]

If you take a look at each team's rotations, it isn't easy to find an obvious trade. We might consider this a weak era for centers, but you can make arguments for most teams that they don't really need Asik. And the teams that would benefit from acquiring him, don't have good power forwards to give up in return.

This looks like a more complex deal than a simple two team trade.

The more you look at the Ryan Anderson-Omer Asik swap, it makes almost too much sense though. And I understand the Pelicans, if they are the ones not willing to do this. Anderson at 25 years of age is a better asset than people realize. Great three point shooters at the 4 spot are extremely valuable in today's game.

Maybe Houston should go for it and give up Donatas Motiejunas/Terrence Jones and a 1st-rounder alongside Asik? Or does New Orleans not consider those two pieces that valuable?

You were already ahead of me. I think Ryan Anderson is more valuable than Omer Asik but the Pelicans need to think about their future interest in Anthony Davis. If they keep playing Davis at C he'll be worn out or injured. He's not physically built like that yet to be pounding with the biggest players on the floor night in and night out. They need to treat Davis the same way the Spurs treated Duncan and keep a big in the starting lineup to take a load off him so he can preserve his career for the long haul.

[LamarMatic7]

You were already ahead of me. I think Ryan Anderson is more valuable than Omer Asik but the Pelicans need to think about their future interest in Anthony Davis. If they keep playing Davis at C he'll be worn out or injured. He's not physically built like that yet to be pounding with the biggest players on the floor night in and night out. They need to treat Davis the same way the Spurs treated Duncan and keep a big in the starting lineup to take a load off him so he can preserve his career for the long haul.

That's a great point. They probably should do the trade, however, squeeze Houston for everything they got since the Rockets are in win-now mode and Asik's worth is lower than usual.

[thruthefire]

I don't remember seeing it mentioned here, but Rudy Gay shot 11-for-37 in a game. At least we don't have the Raptors' FO.

[JDR720]

Ryan Anderson played with Dwight in Orlando also so they will have some chemistry,but the Pelicans need his shooting would have to include a shooter in the deal

[fatlever]

jeff teague: 33pts, 10ast only 16fga. he is moving up my pg rankings quickly.

[thruthefire]

Drummond is no joke.

[fatlever]

Drummond is no joke.

yeah, he looked really good tonight. in fact the pistons looked really good tonight minus a few dumb shots from jennings/smith and a few dumb turnovers. they'll figure things out and win around 40 games.

[Liver_Pooty]

Drummond is no joke.

Go on the Pistons board and you would think that hes a huge disappointment.

[thruthefire]

I don't remember seeing it mentioned here, but Rudy Gay shot 11-for-37 in a game. At least we don't have the Raptors' FO.

LeBron: "You give me 37 shots in a game, I'll have 60, 70. I had 40 tonight on 18 shots. If I get 37 shots in a game, I'm going to put up 60. Easy."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400489009