Ok, we are 10 games above .500 (30-20) as of Feb. 10 That's solid, but it looks like 15 or 20 games above .500 is needed to get a good playoff seed. So, with that being said, what changes are needed to be made to get to the next level. To help, here is the current roster and payroll: Team Roster NO. NAME POS AGE HT WT COLLEGE 2008 SALARY 12 Rafer Alston PG 31 6-2 175 Fresno State $4,550,000 31 Shane Battier SF 29 6-8 220 Duke $5,883,600 0 Aaron Brooks PG 23 6-0 160 Oregon $972,720 3 Steve Francis PG 30 6-3 195 Maryland $2,439,333 44 Chuck Hayes PF 24 6-6 238 Kentucky $1,750,000 2 Luther Head SG 25 6-3 185 Illinois $1,122,000 7 Mike James PG 32 6-2 195 Duquesne $5,826,893 14 Carl Landry PF 24 6-7 245 Purdue $427,163 1 Tracy McGrady SG 28 6-8 223 $18,257,750 11 Yao Ming C 27 7-6 310 $13,762,775 55 Dikembe Mutombo C 41 7-2 261 Georgetown $770,610 20 Steve Novak PF 23 6-10 220 Marquette $687,456 4 Luis Scola PF 27 6-9 230 $2,916,667 13 Kirk Snyder SG 24 6-6 225 Nevada $2,358,433 6 Bonzi Wells SF 31 6-5 210 Ball State $2,284,200 Coach: Rick Adelman Average Age: 27.9 Average Height: 6-6 Average Weight: 219 We also still own the rights to Jake Tsakalidis, Lampej and Brad Newley. Consider this open season. If you were the GM right now, what realistic trade would you make? My fav 5 possible pick-ups: Josh Smith Micheal Redd Charlie V Ron Artest (can possibly be had for the MLE next season) Chris Wilcox
I think you have to stand pat with the core - you don't want to much up something that's working really well. Unless something is there that's just a clear no brainer - and that seems highly unlikely you stand pat. Again, Morey isn't going to make a major move with the progress that's occuring right now.
Add a backup PG in Sam Cassell or a PF/C in Kurt Thomas. Trade Mike James to free up salary next season when Rockets will need to re-sign Landry and Bonzi (or his replacement). Use Snyder and Hayes as trade assets. Acquire Blazers dancer Ione for the RPD: http://www.nba.com/blazers/fans/ione.html
Starting Scola now makes this team legit with the emergence of Carl Landry off the bench. Tmac needs to play the distributor role first and only pick up the slack if the offense isn't producing. Bonzi needs to continue to contribute off the bench. Alston needs to take at most 7 or 8 shots a game. If those things continue to happen this team is as good as any. The only elite team we haven't beaten this year (in the west) is Dallas. I think the thing the Rockets can improve the most is that ****ty home crowd. Tonight it was actually a lot better than some of the more recent ones I've attended but there are too many stiffs close to the court. Also, middle aged divorced women who hang in packs need to find some where else to go to pick up men--they're dragging down the team!
personnel-wise, i'd like to see a better pg (rafer has always been decent), and a backup 2 guard better than luther. likely won't happen. and you can not expect a team to have great players at every position.
A package of *James, with some luck and hoping *Snyder, they audition him to see if he's an upgrade over Wilkins *Hayes, 5th best defensive PF in league with cap friendly contract *Cash, max allowed 3M *Draft pick/s, 2nd round
