So Les Alexander doesn't want to tank because he wants fans in the seats ?

We can't win (or only be a serious contender) until we have a star, or a superstar.
Who are the last stars in our uniform ?
Via a trade, Mc Grady is the only one for me, Drexler, Barkley and Pippen were at the end of their carreer (less Clyde when we won a title).
The others stars were drafted: Olajuwon, Francis (trade with Vancouver) and Yao.
We won't bring a superstar via a trade. It's sad but it's the reality.
We don't have in our roster this type of player.
The only way for us to have a star (or better a superstar) is to draft him and wish he will become our franchise player (we have not already because Lowry and Scola are not).
The coming draft could bring us players like Davis, Drummond or Barnes.
We have a choice to make: continuing to be an average player or sacrifying a season to have a better chance to win.

 

You are wrong, Lowry is a star that's easy to see.

 

I think last night was probably an aberration. This team will draw more as their record improves due to weaker opponents. The Rockets have had THE toughest schedule thus far in the league and once things even out they will be right there in the hunt for the 7th or 8th seed.

Anyone ever check out Sagarin's ratings? The Rocket's are solidly in the 8th spot in his rankings. Over time that is going to be where we end up and personally I am fine with that. Hopefully we make some noise in the playoffs this year.

 

Toyota Center will be pack next year period, in Morey we trust....... or maybe after march 15

 

Les said he doesn't want to tank for his own sanity and I believe him. He seems the kind to be upset watching his team suck.

 

Les gave an interview a few weeks ago and basically said that he is now in his 70's and he desperately wants to win another title. I don't think attendance is his concern. I suspect he will ultimately agree to rebuild.

 

If he's desparate and attendance isn't his concern then he should have already agreed to rebuild after Yao retired. Maybe he secretly has behind closed doors, but I suspect that's to the case (Pau trade attempt). Maybe he comes around to the idea by the trade deadline.

If we don't trade some guys for a superstar we need to trade them for the chance on draft night to pick up our own future superstar.

 

Les has been running a game on Rocket's fans for a long time, carrot on a stick. The carrot has fallen off and the stick is bent. You can only tempt fans with "possibilities" for so long, eventually you have to produce a real carrot. Like the Purpose Driven Church, marketing can take you only so far. At some point even dancing girls won't draw them in.

 

Houston has Texans fever right now. And a 3-7 record didn't help the Rockets either.

 

Well if there was ever a season to rebuild its this one. Sad thing is if we don't act now, other teams will beat us to the punch, quite sure us Rocket fans aren't the only who see's this.

 

I guess you've been under a rock this season because Lowry has been fantastic.

 

Lowry is an excellent player, but i don't think he is or will become a star, a franchise player.
He can be the PG of a champion team, but a team need more to win a title. And we don't have this kind of player in our roster and we won't trade him because we aren't able ton bring a Howard for example.
Only the draft can bring him.

 

There is already a thread about this on the first page. Aspire to more.

 

I agree, its plain as daylight.

 

we are 4-7 now

 

Only the draft? That's a lie and you know it. Howard's are rare to find even in a loaded draft.

 

Sadly, I'm hoping for dwindling attendance and a poor early record to push Les into tank -- errr, develop the youngsters -- mode.

If nobody is there to see the Rockets suck, perhaps it doesn't matter that they suck. (like the tree falling in the forest but nobody sees).

 

Your analysis contains its own refutation.

The Rockets, without tanking, brought in Francis via a trade. That is exactly one of the types of trades that Morey is still pursuing, and which could turn the team around. That is why he kept inquiring about Rubio the last few years, and why I am sure he was the first to get the Kings on the phone regarding Cousins.

The problem the Rockets have is not that their non-tanking strategy for acquiring a star is inherently impossible (again, Francis), but that they have built too much redundancy into their roster and have thus lowered the trade value of their players by burying them in the depth chart and giving them no playing time. The Rockets have to start sacrificing overall payer value in the name of a balanced roster, otherwise all that acquired value is going to depreciate...as we are seeing.

For instance, Martin could be given away for a future protected 1st rounder and, though he was given away below his value, the Rockets would still come out ahead considering the increased value it would give to those on the roster who would take over his minutes.