Well, with Marc Jackson getting f***ed by the Warriors and the Rockets probably not making any more moves, here's a review of the key additions and subtractions and my grade on each. Additions: 1) Eddie Griffin - A Getting Griffin in a draft-day trade may be the steal of the year. EG has loads of potential and can play all 3 frontcourt positions. If he can just gain some bulk, he might be able to contribute soon. 2) Terrence Morris - B He's looked good in the pre-season, but is realistically a season away from having a huge impact. However, he looks like he was worth the trade with the Hawks. 3) Glen Rice - B- He's yet to play in the pre-season, and he is always going to have lingering foot problems probably for the rest of his career. Although 34, if he can get untracked and give the Rockets 15 to 16 points a game, he's a strong candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. 4) Oscar Torres - B+ I probably should really give him an incomplete, but after his performance against the Pistons, I decided to give him a grade. Looks like a great pick-up by CD..already more O to his game than the departed Shandon Anderson. 5) Damon Jones - C+ He may not even make the team now that Moochie has re-signed and the way that Torres is playing. However, he didn't cost much and funny how Moochie signed with the Rockets soon after his arrival. On subtractions, the grade is based on what the Rockets got in return and how much the subtraction will hurt their team. Subtractions: 1) Hakeem Olajuwon - B- The most obvious subtraction is the greatest Rocket player ever who left via a sign and trade with the Raptors. Don't get me wrong, I think the Rockets did the right thing by not signing Olajuwon to the money and years that he wanted. However the B- is for not getting anything (well almost not anything) in return. You think that a future hall of famer is worth more than a "future draft pick". 2) Shandon Anderson - A He never fit in and he knew it. Although people will argue that Rice is damaged goods, he still gives the Rockets more O than Shandon and trading for him also yielded future compensation from the Knicks. 3) Matt Bullard - C+ Losing Bull hurts the Rockets not on the court necessarily, but in the locker room. We were all hoping that he could be brought back for another season but we all wish him luck in Charlotte. Finally, it's worth mentioning about 2 special cases: 1) Maurice Taylor Although not a great rebounder, Taylor would have helped what is shaping up to be maybe the weakest frontline in the NBA. It's a shame that he tore his Achilles shortly after re-signing a 6 year deal. His loss is a devastating one. 2) Marc Jackson He was supposed to take the place of Taylor but everyone including him was shocked when the lowly Warriors, who had acted like they didn't want him and have about 3 or 4 other players that play the same position, matched the Rockets offer of 6 years 24 million. Now it's up to Kenny Thomas, Kelvin Cato, Jason Collier, and Griffin to step up front. A somewhat scary thought for Rocket fans. I still think that the Rockets have an excellent shot of making the playoffs, but it will be hard to do better than a 7th seed. Glen Rice has to have a monster year. Kenny Thomas must play like he has never played before. Ditto for Kelvin Cato (Gulp!). It would also be great if Eddie Griffin can be a key contributor this year. If all these things happen, then the Rockets could move up to a 5th seed, but I think that is too many ifs.
We still have the medical exception... and who says we don't get Marc Jax in 90 days? You can't count us out yet. Plus we have a Shaq stopper in Cato
There also comes a time when one says, "He was talking to shaqkobe" ... Your first post was great by the way ...
lmao, ummmm, manny, calm down. look at what shaqkobe wrote directly underneath your first post. that is typical of what goes on at espn-style message boards. short one-line posts with no substance and made just to taunt another team are the norm there. that is what BGM was referring to, not your opening post.
Wow, maybe that really IS Manny Ramirez posting here! And the award for "meltdown of the year" goes to...
Of course the Wolves are still better, they have all their core players back (especially KG) plus reclaimed Smith and added Trent. They were better even than us with a healthy Mo or MJ. Its Phx w/o Kidd and Robinson that has opened up a playoff spot. I would have put us solid favorites for the 8th spot with a healthy Mo or MJ, alas, now we are among of group of teams that all have a chance if they can finish just a little above .500 (including Phx, Sea, maybe even Clips). I say of these us and Phx are most probable for it.
Okay, guys I messed up there. I went back and edited the 2nd post. I'm sorry that I have been in a pissy mood of late, things could be better for me right now. I didn't mean to pick on the Mobster, but he and me have been at it before in the past, and it was that past history that caused me to snap. This thread wasn't supposed to be one on how to impress others with a tongue-lashing; it should have been one on what others think about my grading system. I feel like the biggest idiot in the world. However, it isn't the first time and it probably won't be the last. BGM, I'm sorry for getting confused and chewing you out unfairly. Charge it to my head and not my heart.
First, the Rockets lose Olajuwon. So who do they sign first ? Maurice Taylor. Not a center. Then they trade for Glen Rice when they already have shooters like Walt Williams , Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis. Except for the draft trade for Eddie Griffin, who's still an unknown commodity until everyone sees how he plays, I'd say the Rockets didn't do well this off-season. Their offer to Marc Jackson was too late. Instead of going for Rice or Taylor, they should have gone for M. Jackson first. I'd say the the Rockets get an F. bye bye playoffs
It's a nice idea to go for MJ first, but the contract that the Rockets offered was borderline for a relatively unproven player already. You wanted to give him Mo Taylor money? Not to mention the fact that we would have been screwing Mo Taylor over - you don't do that to players and keep a good reputation in the league. We got a huge upgrade at the three, with two players - one seasoned and one new. As everyone knows, we got the player we wanted most in the whole draft - the Griffin. If we could have pulled off the Jahidi White for Williams deal, I would have given the Rockets an A-. (It was impossible to get an A+ because Air Bull is gone) Given the circumstances, I'll give them a B -- and oh yes, we are going to roll into the playoffs. Believe it. Rockets record for this year 52-30.
I'm not so sure about the playoffs. If the Rockets are healthy throughout the season, they will face a difficult closing stretch in March and April. ... Mar 2 Sat @ Phoenix 3 Sun @ L.A. Lakers 5 Tue Toronto 7 Thu @ San Antonio 8 Fri Golden State 10 Sun Utah 12 Tue Seattle 13 Wed @ Minnesota 16 Sat Chicago 18 Mon @ L.A. Clippers 19 Tue @ Sacramento 22 Fri @ Seattle 24 Sun @ Golden State 26 Tue @ Utah 28 Thu Sacramento 30 Sat Phoenix Apr 2 Tue Seattle 4 Thu San Antonio 5 Fri @ Memphis 8 Mon @ Orlando 9 Tue @ Miami 11 Thu @ Dallas 12 Fri Portland 14 Sun Memphis 16 Tue @ Denver 17 Wed @ Portland It's possible that we might end up with a 6-10 March and a 4-6 April. Difficult back-to-backs on March 2-3, March 18-19, April 11-12, and April 16-17 could kill us. I can only hope that the team is playing as a well organized unit by this time of the season. Schedulemakers did not do us any favors!!! Losses based on defeats from the following teams: Phoenix, LA Lakers, Toronto, San Antonio, Utah, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Minnesota, Dallas, Orlando, Portland, and Denver. Hopefully, the above W/L numbers are an extreme pessimistic view. I would like to think that the team would be able to beat most of the above teams, but you never know until after it's happened. I personally predict a 9-7 March and a 6-4 April, but that's just toeing the mediocrity line. Hopefully the Rockets will take care of business earlier in the season against the cellar dwellers of the NBA and have a little room for error.
Rice for Anderson = A+ Eddie Griffin for picks = A+ Terrence Morris looks like a solid A+ so far Oscar Torres looks like a solid A+ Losing Hakeem was/is painful to true fans but the team now is clearly in the future mode and not living in the past anymore = C Signing Mo Taylor, considering the reports of how improved and how hard he worked and especially how badly he wanted to be a Rocket = A+ Losing out on Marc Jackson is a shame, but the Rockets really didn't have a choice in the matter without going over the cap and incurring the luxury tax = C
