A reporter is responsible for accurately and objectively reporting events. The columnist takes accurate reports one step further and interprets them. When a columnist writes an article that is based on rumors and not on known verifiable facts, such is the case in Pelton's article. He is no longer a columnist or a reporter, he becomes nothing more than a tabloid drama writer specializing in sports. .
The problem with Houston right now is that for the most part their PG is Harden. He sets everything up. I doubt LMA would like that. Although I must admit as much as I dislike the triangle offense, if there ever was a player that Phil could again work his magic with, it would be with Harden at the Kobe/MJ role. (More so than Melo) Harden is not as good as Kobe or MJ, but I think he would thrive in it with LMA and one other wing.
He takes information and gives his opinion on them. So he is writing about the Rockets off season, and then giving his opinion on potential directions they might choose to go. He's not making up rumors. He is giving an opinion. It's not his responsibility as a columnist to stick to facts of their off season. Who was signed who was traded. He is given leeway to speculate on what they may or may not do or try to do.
What offense wouldn't work well with Harden and LMA? Hardens versatility oddly makes finding a PG to play with him very difficult. He must be able to play off the ball; hit open threes and defend other teams PG. While better this year Hardens still a bad defender. He needs some help with ball handling and setting up an offense but you don't want a pair of players with too much of those overlapping skills. We had similar problems finding a backcourt pair with Roy.
What do you expect to get back for a player that is leaving? Of course this scenario only works if LMA says he wants to go explicitly to Houston, otherwise he can just sign wherever he wants. In that situation where you feel like you either trade him to Houston or lose him for nothing, getting Dmo back would be a steal. Motiejunas is 24 and consider that Howard was out for most of the season (and that the Rockets were 2nd in the west) so who else was producing for the team? It was Motiejunas. He's a 7 footer with a silky smooth post games (hit the most hooks in the NBA) with an abundance of low post moves and a 3 point shot. He also plays defense and again is 24. People usually ask why didn't the Rockets get a PG at the deadline and the reason is that teams wanted Motiejunas and the Rockets were not trading him. I really think the only thing they would trade him for is an all-star caliber player because I believe if you give Motiejunas the shots and the PT that he would simply produce and could be a player that gets about 18-7. He's like a more finesse David West but with a deeper range.
I would do a sign and trade with Houston if LA wanted out. DM is a nice young piece, add in someone like Beverly in a sign and trade, and Ariza and that is a healthy return for adding a fifth year to the deal and taking back some salary.
I'd rather lose LA for nothing than add Ariza (who will be 30 and on a long deal), D-Mo (Who is a nice player but will likely be getting a big contract soon, I rather just chill with Leonard) and that Greek dude. At least if LA left for nothing we'd have cap space to go out and sign players we want.
If LMA goes to the front office and says "I want to play here" then I would work out a S&T to get whatever young pieces and draft picks I could get. Would need to take back a few vets to make the money work and its never bad to ask for the moon but realistically we would probably get a 1st round pick a young talent but not the best young talent on the team and then crappy vet deals. If it was something like Ariza/Jones/1st i'd immediately look to trade Ariza to try and get more picks/young talent because if LMA leaves i'd look to be bad next year and see what happens after that. The west is to good to try and replace LMA and hope for the best, if it was the east i'd try and replace LMA and make a run in the playoffs, dont' see that happening in the west.
Your confidence in that statement is your greatest downfall, how do you know for sure that I am not in fact Neil Olshey? Here's an example of how that confidence may be misplaced, check out the picture below of SlyPokerDog. I would be willing to bet you didn't know he was actually a dog, the SPD everyone on S2 has met in person is in fact not really the real SPD.
If Splitter was healthy I'd be interested In adding him to the team. His defense on Dirk, Blake Griffin, LMA is some of the best in the league. He plays a solid team game on offense. Problem is he's rarely healthy and was hobbling around in these playoffs not very effective. Unless he was bundled with a better piece I'd rather just let LMA walk and try to get Monroe or someone in free agency. It's weird how some people say we have to get something back in a sign and trade for LaMarcus. Well if he walks out the door with nothing we'd get back $20+ million in cap room giving us over $40+ million total. So whatever we get back has to exceed $20million in value. It's very different than the Clippers with DeAndre or the Nets with Brook.
