I mean, can you imagine how good the Rockets could have been if they could have added Pippen and Barkley to Olajuwon?
And the main reason Pippen to Houston failed is because it was a terrible fit. That team was entrenched as a dump-it-down-to-Olajuwon-or-Barkley team; it was 15-20 seconds of pounding the ball in the post and either a post-up shot or a pass out to a shooter. Pippen was a glorified Cuttino Mobley, a floor spacer (and while Pippen had a serviceable outside shot, he was hardly a dead-eye shooter). Pippen had much more success after that as a Blazer because he was able to play to his strength as the quarterback on offense, facilitating and filling in whatever was needed on a particular possession. He was never given that type of latitude on a team that belonged to Olajuwon and already had worked Barkley in. I foresee more bad fit with Harden and Paul, but if Paul really is interested in playing off the ball and as a secondary ball-handler, they might make it work. I'll believe it when I see it, since apparently there was friction between Blake (a very good passing power forward) and Paul over how much Paul wanted to control the offense.
Don't see how they are better than the Clippers teams who were perennial 55 win/2nd round exit types. The pieces just don't fit that well. Houston probably overachieved last year anyways, but it was because their pieces were absolutely built around Harden and his controlling of the ball.
He was going to opt out and just sign with HOU. But he decided to help the Clippers out and opt-in and agree to a trade instead.
Blake Griffin isn't going to get better. He's in his what, 9th year? (He's played 7, this will be his 8th year but he missed his rookie season). He still makes dumb mistakes that will plague him for his career. Collins has the unknown in his favor. While sometimes that can lead someone to hold onto a player too long (phone call for Meyers Leonard), I guess the Blazers should've traded Damian for Dwight Howard. After all, Dwight Howard was an established NBA All Star. Sometimes you don't just trade a young player (coughJermaineOnealcough) for a proven all star (coughDaleDaviscough), and not have to justify it because you think said young player will turn into said Jermaine O'neal.
What a humanitarian. Could the Rockets have paid him the same if he signed as a FA? And now, can't he re-sign for huge $$$ next year?
And part of minimizing that risk is that collins could end up being trash. Collins could be better, or he could be a dud. At least with blake you know what you're getting. An all star level player.
But then he just hurt his new team by forcing them to give up assets? don't understand that and I dont understand why he didnt go to the Spurs. Dont know why he would do that... doesnt really make sense.
HOU didn't have max money to hand him. They would have traded Lou and Bev (to another team) regardless to open up space. So they gave up a 1st more then they could have I suppose.
