All Star Weekend and Trade Deadline

[ChokeFasncists]

Congradz TJ for 14 and 6!

[ChokeFasncists]

Robert Covington Named D-League All-Star Game MVP
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/231964/Robert-Covington-Named-D-League-All-Star-Game-MVP

Robert Covington of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, playing on assignment from the Houston Rockets, scored 33 points and added six rebounds and three steals on his way to being named MVP of the 2014 NBA D-League All-Star Game

The game was won by the Prospects over the Futures 145-142.

Covington, who went undrafted in 2013 out of Tennessee State, has spent most of his rookie season on assignment with the Vipers, averaging 21.4 points in 23 games. He’s appeared in five games with the Rockets, averaging 3.8 minutes.

“It’s a great feeling being able to play well in this game in front of our GM Daryl Morey and all these others scouts and NBA people,” said Covington, whose 33 points set a new NBA D-League All-Star Game record. “I feel like I’ve gotten better during my time with Rio Grande Valley, and it’s good to see the hard work paying off in a game like this.”

Devin Ebanks of the Texas Legends added 27 points as part of a balanced effort that saw seven of 10 Prospects score in double figures, while shooting 61 percent from the field as a team.

[zapatasblood]

[ChokeFasncists]

[zapatasblood]

Those are some ugly bitches and one looks like a man

[NBADraft2003]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mqxM4xypQw[/youtube]

Thought this was hilarious

[zapatasblood]

Nothing will beat strip-a-thon. Bet it was better then allstar weekend but I wonder what will happen to that club and Evans for using the Pelicans jersey and NBA Allstar logo. Anyways I guess if you are not good enough to make the Allstar team then the next best thing is a strip-a-thon

[texasholdem]

Do you think Asik will play against Lakers on Wednesday with the trade deadline on Thursday?

[ChokeFasncists]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mqxM4xypQw[/youtube]

Thought this was hilarious

~lol~ Harden is much younger tho!

[NBADraft2003]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mqxM4xypQw[/youtube]

Thought this was hilarious

~lol~ Harden is much younger tho!

I know but I couldn't help not to laugh

[ChokeFasncists]

2 days to the deadline, Feigen article, nothing striking but some interesting tidbits:

Don't rule out a trade despite Rockets' recent run
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/Don-t-rule-out-a-trade-despite-Rockets-recent-run-5233958.php?t=56fe95fde7f992f472

Morey has never in his six previous years as a general manager let a trade deadline slip by without making a deal. Even last season, when he publicly doubted a deal would come through and privately told owner Leslie Alexander that it appeared none would be made, he ended up trading his starting power forward, Patrick Patterson, and his backup, Marcus Morris.

several other individuals with knowledge of the team's thinking said the Rockets already sought to land a backup wing who is strong defensively and can catch-and-shoot, rather than a power forward (considered a priority before the season) or a perimeter player who creates off the dribble.

Morey expected to trade Asik in December, but a deal is much less likely now.

Two conflicting reports:

NBA Trade Deadline 2014: Rockets won't move Jeremy Lin, report says
http://www.thedreamshake.com/2014/2/17/5421100/nba-trade-deadline-2014-houston-rockets-jeremy-lin-omer-asik

2014 NBA Trade Deadline: Houston Rockets Shopping Jeremy Lin In Addition to Omer Asik
http://www.rantsports.com/nba/2014/02/18/2014-nba-trade-deadline-houston-rockets-shopping-jeremy-lin-in-addition-to-omer-asik/

One of them must be wrong!

[13th Man]

Here's another Lin trade link: http://fansided.com/2014/02/18/nba-trade-rumors-houston-rockets-actively-shopping-jeremy-lin/#!wkUkS

NBA Trade Rumors: Houston Rockets actively shopping Jeremy Lin

The Houston Rockets are looking at possibly being active at the NBA trade deadline and they have a few names in mind when it comes to who they wouldn’t mind parting ways with. One name that both fans and management are in agreement over is point guard Jeremy Lin. He’s been productive at times during the season, but the Rockets are looking to move him and his bad contract elsewhere.

According to Mar J. Spears though, that bad contract is going to be the one thing that holds up and and likely all Jeremy Lin trade talks in the next 48 hours.


Houston would love to trade center Omer Asik, and a source said it is actively shopping Jeremy Lin as well. Both, however, have pricey contracts.

The Rockets nearly moved Asik earlier this season but didn’t after they didn’t get an offer they wanted out of Boston. The same may go for Lin, as while Houston wants to move him, they’re not in the mood to get fleeced, even if it saves them cap space.

[13th Man]

I don't get how they overplay the poison pill being the huge bottleneck. From what I understand, teams would be responsible to pay both Asik and Lin 15M each next year but only 8M goes against their cap which isn't too bad from a GM perspective. Owners with deep pockets shouldn't worry too much about this.

[texasholdem]

One name that both fans and management are in agreement over is point guard Jeremy Lin

I don't think the majority of Houston fans want Lin moved. He's still very popular. Look at the game when he got the triple double. The crowd was so happy for him.

[Mr. E]

It will be interesting to see who the Inactives are for tomorrow night's game against the Lakers.

In fact, time to start watching every teams Inactive List starting tonight!

[Durant Durant]

One name that both fans and management are in agreement over is point guard Jeremy Lin

I don't think the majority of Houston fans want Lin moved. He's still very popular. Look at the game when he got the triple double. The crowd was so happy for him.

maybe they were referring to majority of the posters in CF

[ChokeFasncists]

That'd be a pretty crazy drama: (I'd be quite unhappy, but oh well...)

Knicks Interested In Trading For Jeremy Lin
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/232023/Knicks-Interested-In-Trading-For-Jeremy-Lin

Feb 18, 2014 6:06 PM EST

The New York Knicks are interested in trading for Jeremy Lin.

The Knicks let Lin sign with the Houston Rockets in the 2012 offseason.

New York has been searching for trade possibilities at point guard.

Lin's contract expires after the 14-15 season, which preserves their cap flexibility for 2015.
Via Chad Ford/ESPN

[ChokeFasncists]

(so nothing's gonna happen after all?)

Rockets players staying loose as trade deadline approaches
http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2014/02/rockets-players-staying-loose-as-trade-deadline-approaches/

LOS ANGELES — While Rockets general manager Daryl Morey wore out his Blackberry batteries in Houston, Rockets players in Los Angeles were unusually unconcerned with his efforts.

At shootaround 24 hours before the Thursday trade deadline, Rockets players said there was less talk and concern about potential deals than in past seasons with the Rockets and with other teams.

Aaron Brooks and Francisco Garcia, who cannot be traded without their consent, said they have not been presented with options to move and were not interested in picking up more substantial roles elsewhere. Rockets guard James Harden advocated for stability and the value of continuity that can come with the Rockets rotation finally at full strength.

“”We’’re pretty loose,”” Rockets guard Jeremy Lin said. ““I think we’’re all at the point, we’’ve had a lot of rumors all year. Whatever happens, happens, but we’’re pretty loose about it. There has not been much conversation about it this year.””

The Rockets’ ease with the deadline’’s uncertainty could be because the probability of a deal is smaller than in past seasons. A person with knowledge of the Rockets’ thinking said Morey is seeking ‘home run’ deals, trades that are by definition less likely.

Even if he is to tweak –– and other persons familiar with the Rockets’ plans have said they would like to add a defensive-minded wing that can catch and shoot –– it has been difficult to make a trade work with the Rockets’ unwillingness to take back a contract beyond the 2015 off-season to merely fine tune and also unlikely to take a step back this season to acquire future assets.

Although the Rockets have all of their own first-round draft picks and a second-round pick from New York, they would not seem to have the sort of pieces teams –such as Boston if it is to move Rajon Rondo or Cleveland if trading Luol Deng –would want in a rebuilding effort if they were to give up a star player.

Morey has been clear that he believes the Rockets will need a third star, either from a trade or the development of current players. ESPN reported that the Rockets “covet” Rondo, but that talks with the Celtics have not been serious. USA Today reported that the teams have not talked about a Rondo deal at all.

All of that sent Morey into the final stretch before the deadline without a deal and players unusually unconcerned.

““It’’s kind of different,”” Garcia said. “”Being in Sacramento, being on a (struggling) team, now we’’re winning. We’’re competing for a championship. Everybody is keeping the same spirit. All the guys have stayed passive. I haven’’t heard any talk about it.””



(I'm happy for DMo:)

Trade deadline brings mixed emotions for Rockets
http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterockets/2014/02/trade-deadline-brings-mixed-emotions-for-rockets/

Donatas Motiejunas, who once hoped to be traded if he could not get playing time with the Rockets, said he is so unconcerned with moving on now that he is in the rotation that he did not know the trade deadline was coming Thursday.

“I just want to continue to play,” Motiejunas said. “That’s my passion. I love to play. I love to help the team win. And I love to play hard.

“I don’t think about it because I’m not in control of those things. If it happens, it happens. If (general manager) Daryl Morey can get a good offer, he can trade most of these guys. … It’s a business. That’s how it goes. I cannot be worried about it.”

Coach Kevin McHale said that for players, it’s particularly difficult to have a game on the eve of the deadline, as the Rockets do against the Lakers.

“I don’t know what’s going on, so I don’t know how they could,” McHale said. “There’s some weird games. One of the odd games is always before the trade deadline.

“I think there’s angst. If you don’t do anything, some guys that want to be there are happy. Some guys want to be traded; they’re (angry) they don’t get traded.”

[panarama]

I hope the management keep the key pieces to fully work on chemistry rather than looking for options that aren't available at this pt.
Even with our (poison pills?) keep them and work with creating a legitimate chemistry (since they are ballers) before their contract expired. In the mean time work towards creating a place where championship identity/chemistry exist during this crucial time with our stacked talents, rather than hastily trying to trade away unnecessary pieces since there aren't anything good available out there for now due to various reasons.
Then the Rockets will always going to be in upper-hand, trading with other teams with any of our players during actual future trade.

[Mr. E]

Woj is reporting Hawes to Cleveland for 2 second round picks.