No and yes, maybe no. But do you really think 6'6 Chuck Hayes will be able to backup Yao for the whole year? Do you seriously see Joey Dorsey who hasn't played a single meaningful minute in the NBA as a viable backup option at this point in his career? If so you're glass is overflowing.
Somewhat both... Facts: * Mutombo is not coming back and he was highly valuable last season and against POR in the 09 playoffs * The Rockets currently have no draft picks * Joey Dorsey is an under-sized and highly unproven commodity. * When they felt the need to play, Gasol, Bynum and Odom clearly overmatched the Rockets "bigs" * Chuck Hayes commits personal fouls at a per minute rate that matches the historic NBA elites Opinions: * Yao Ming will not go through another season w/o missing games * The Rockets (Adelman's) offense can't afford the offensive liability that is Hayes * The most bang for the buck value is C who can run the floor and play some PF next to Yao (a weakside shotblocker with a different skill set from Scolandry) * We would not have beaten POR w/o both Yao and Mutombo
Yao's repeated hairline fractures have more to do with genetics than Adelman resting him. If you think the Rockets would have gotten past POR without both Mutombo and Yao...you're entitled to your opinion.
IF this team is not looking for a Tmac replacement next year then I can see the important point of making a trade to help out Yao. But that's not the most important thing. We need a replacment for TMac if he's not coming back. That will counter balanced with Yao on the bench with Chuck Hayes or Scolandry helping out when Yao's on the bench. It's not like the whole league are full of superstar CENTERS. I mean the other centers on other teams have to rest to.
What part of Yao being perpetually injured and Mutombo bailing the team out are you struggling with? Joey Dorsey and Chuck Hayes are BOTH D-League scrubs and going into the 2009-10 season with that as your C depth chart is borderline insanity.
Had Mutombo not get injured, Yao might still be playing. He had to play major minutes against 3 Portland bigs and 3 Lakers bigs after Deke went down.
The possible backup Cs with skills and passions to play Backup for Houston are Mikki Moore and McDyess
Chandler or someone like him would get my vote if we could get a reasonable trade, but I doubt we could get it done. It would be nice to have someone young (who doesn't have a ego problem as a backup to Yao and could look to be a future replacement for Yao); long (Love Chuck and ScoLandry, but more size at the 5 would be nice - see Lakers); and athletic (other than Landry, we don't have any athleticsm in the front court). Any Euros that fit this description?
Oh yeah, what about Ronnie Turiaf, Zaza Pachulia, DeAndre Jordan, Javale McGee, Marcin Gortat, Jeff Foster, etc.
Mutombo played 1 good half of basketball in Game 1 against Portland in the 2009 playoffs. It was a blowout by the second half, and he got injured at beginning of game 2. Mutombo was hardly used at all during the regular season. It seems to me that the Rockets probably could have managed to get past the first round this year even if Mutombo never joined the team. For next year, we should certainly look to add another big. And what you're looking for, an athletic, shot-blocking PF/C hybrid, sounds good. But given what happened this year, I wouldn't writeoff our chances of getting past the first round next season if we don't add that player.
I have no clue how this remotely has relevance in a discussion about obtaining a backup C for next season. If Yao played more minutes when Mutombo got injured...wouldn't the question be "why didn't Adelman give Hayes Mutombo's minutes"? Probably because Pryzbilla, Oden and Aldridge would have done their impression of Gasol, Bynum and Odom. And the POR trio doesn't have the turn it on, turn it off mindset the Lakers do.
I mean Yao needs a backup center so he can play less minutes. Mutombo got injured so Yao had to play much more, and that contributed to his recent injury.
What makes you think that Mutombo getting injured led to Yao playing much more? Is there any evidence for this?
Question...do the Rockets beat POR if both Yao and Deke are injured this year? IMHO, absolutely not. If they lineup against POR next year as the 4-5 seeds, do you feel comfortable going against Pryz, Oden, and Aldridge with Chuck Hayes as your starting C? That thought is among the least desirable I can think of.
Both teams have 3 long big guys. I think RA didn't want to use Hayes against them if Yao or Deke were available. If Deke can play, he'd take some of Yao's minutes against Odom and Bynum.
