The 10-man rotation, starring Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets
A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: The Triangle. Zach Lowe on the trade sending Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets, a deal borne out of one risk the Denver Nuggets were no longer willing to take and another that Daryl Morey just had to.
PF: Sports Illustrated. Rob Mahoney on how Morey’s constant emphasis on precision in asset management made the Rockets able to pounce on Denver’s desire to move an out-of-favor player and possibly secure the sort of meaningful backcourt upgrade that could elevate Houston to the ranks to true title contenders.
SF: The Hook. Tom Ziller sees the deal as a win-win that lays bare the state of play for both franchises, both now and in the near future. Interestingly, he looks at Lawson as more of a sixth man than a starter in Houston.
SG: Eye on Basketball. Zach Harper sees Lawson alongside James Harden rather than spelling him as a primary ball-handler, and thinks Lawson’s ability to push tempo and score in transition could make Houston’s offense elite.
PG: BrewHoop. A fun read from Eric Nehm on how our focus on “upside” in player evaluation has given shooting guards the short end of the stick, and how 2015 first-rounder Rashad Vaughn might be able to help the Milwaukee Bucks’ myriad multifaceted high-upside prospects reach their respective ceilings, even if you might not think much of his own.
6th: Hashtag Important. Kenny Ducey, the man behind Carmelo Anthony’s Hat Stats, comes through with critical analysis of J.R. Smith’s output immediately following a Lil Wayne release. Pivotal research.
7th: Hang Time. John Schuhmann wonders who the heck is going to run point for the Philadelphia 76ers, and makes one suggestion that would make those of us who liked watching Brazil during the 2012 London Olympics quite happy.
8th: Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. John Gonzalez on where Hinkie and the Sixers went wrong in communicating with the public about Joel Embiid’s latest season-ending foot injury, which is reportedly a re-break of the navicular bone he fractured last summer.
9th: HoopsHype. Former Brooklyn Nets executive Bobby Marks on how having cap space next summer probably won’t do your favorite team a whole heck of a lot of good when it comes to luring free agents.
10th: The Guardian. A great read from Les Carpenter on Becky Hammon, one win away from a capping her historic stint at the head of the San Antonio Spurs’ bench with a Summer League championship: “How does a female coach establish herself? She makes her players understand.”
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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