The SF position is TMac's primary position, even though he can slide between PG/SG/SF, him and Ryan Bowen pretty much have the SF position...depending on matchups of course. I can see Sura and DA both starting, with that big backcourt we can have advantages that a smaller David Wesley did not give us. Then again, I can see Wesley struggling if coming off the bench, we need his D and I can see him struggling to get in the offensive flow if coming cold off the bench. He does not have the Mike James mentality of shooting yourself into a game. I'd like to know about DA's personality, I've read that guy pouts and can become a behind the scene problem. I just hope he buys into our philosophy...which is JVG's way or the highway, and whatever makes TMac and Yao happy you do it with a smile then you will be okay...that is the philosophy of this Rocket era.
If DA starts with Sura, then offensively it will be 1-DA 2-TMac 3-Sura Defensively it will be 1-DA 2-Sura 3-TMac Tmac likes to play at the top on the left side of the floor and curl off the low post to get the ball. Sura is a good rebounder and horrible playmaker. He will be stuck on the wing with TMac at the top on offense.
JVG mentioned that we have 3 starters coming off surgery this season. He's obviously talking about Sura, Howard, and Yao. That comment leads me to believe Sura and Howard are not being discussed in any trade talks. which is a good thing.
When does this ever happen? The only time I can think of is when its a total blowout and the game is out of reach one way or another. The NBA is about matchups not 1st team 2nd team.
Dont forget about Juwan Howard. Thats an AWESOME bench. Deke provides the defense and the rest of them can all shoot and score. Great off-season for the Rockets. We didnt over pay anyone and got these guys on the cheap. With the Mavs losing Finley and the Suns losing Johnson, is there any doubt that the Rockets are the 2nd best team in the West.
I really don't think he signs here for less $$$ to be a backup. Wouldn't be surprised if he was promised the starting role. But I could be wrong. JVG knows what he is doing.
I remember Wesley as being a guy that had surgery this summer. According to CD, Wes said that the operation will "fix" his shot. Man, I sure hope so. His game took a tumble during the playoffs. Let's hope that it was mostly due to fatigue and a nagging injury.
Oops- I knew I was forgetting someone. I'm a big Juwan fan and it sounds like he is recovering nicely from his condition. In fact, our bench could probably beat the starting five of plenty of the teams in the league. PG- MJ SG- DW SF- JB PF- JH C- Deke This plus potentially a Lonny Baxter or Dion Glover... DAYUM!!!
And dont you just love how hoopscrap.com reported that we were getting Spree for sure... .. Also its nice to see that it only took us one year to regain some depth all around.. I think CD earned his vacation
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3319695 Rockets get man in Anderson Dogged pursuit pays off as guard agrees to contract By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Eight months after the Rockets thought they had Derek Anderson, they finally do. Anderson, moved by the Rockets' long pursuit, agreed to a two-year contract, the second at his option, with the Rockets on Sunday, Anderson's agent Tony Dutt said. "He's coming here," said Dutt, who is based in Houston. "He's looking forward to the opportunity, a chance to start, to work to earn his minutes." Anderson, a 6-5 guard, is expected to sign with the Rockets on Tuesday. The Rockets were able to offer him their smaller salary-cap exception, worth $1.67 million the first season, considerably less than many teams had offered. Anderson had narrowed his choice to the Rockets and Lakers. But the Rockets had been close to landing Anderson in February when Anderson thought the Trail Blazers had agreed to send him to Houston for Maurice Taylor. Anderson, 31, who wears the word "Loyalty" on everything from clothing to jewelry to a tattoo on his back, was swayed by the Rockets' long efforts to bring him to Houston. "That's his motto," Dutt said. "Everything around him has it. It's on his license plates, on his wristbands. It's something very important in his life. I think it (the Rockets' long-held interest in Anderson) definitely played into it. I can't say much. But I know he's mentioned to me many times the fact they wanted him to come here last year. Portland just didn't pull the trigger." Anderson will earn the $18.84 million left on his contract with the Trail Blazers. But because Dutt was able to get Portland to waive the NBA's "set off" provision when releasing a player — the formula used to reduce a team's financial obligation when a player signs with another team — Anderson would have received the full value of the offers he received. That made the difference in the Rockets' offer and other offers more significant. "It wasn't about the money," Dutt said. "It's about a system that works for him, to get a chance to compete on a high level again and be on a winning team." Former 76ers guard Aaron McKie agreed to terms with the Lakers, accepting half the Lakers' midlevel exception, $2.5 million, that Los Angeles offered Anderson soon after he was released by Portland on Aug. 3 in the NBA's first luxury-tax amnesty cut. With the Rockets, Anderson could earn playing time at shooting guard, small forward or point guard.
I am glad DA will come for an LLE, and there does not appear to be an assurance of X pt. I really like the signing because of DA's versitlity, but Wesley has been every bit as good over their careers and Wesley played well last year. The SG spot nor the PG spot, should be just handed over to DA. I honestly view Sura, Wesley and DA about equal players with some different strengths and weaknesses, and think the starting spots should be open. Hopefully each guy will be happy with 24 MPG, maybe a little more, regardless of who starts. Right not I lean this way too. I want DA to be the primary back-up to Tmac, and allow Tmac to get much healthier rest. DA will also get some minutes at the SG, and maybe the hybrid PG. I agree with this. Sura and DA are both very versitle, they can play some 1-2 and 3 actually. I like the idea of playing them together with sharing 1 and 3 roles, with the other Rocket guard (DW, MJ, JB) playing more 2 duties. I think we can have a much better team when Tmac rests with these combinations than we could approach last year. I think not starting DA or Sura (unless you sub James or DW quickly) sets up a strong team when Tmac rests. I honestly don't see a minute of important PT for Bowen barring injury. Having Sura or DA take Tmac's back-up minutes makes our team stronger than giving those minutes to Bowen. Both are much better all around players, Sura is even a better rebounder per minute. Bowen looks like injury insurance and mop up duty player at this point. I hope we keep Sura, DW, James, and JB to go along with DA. Even if everyone is healthy, by giving Tmac a good 12 minute rest (give these minutes to Sura or DA) all other 5 vet smalls should get well over 20MPG save JB. I think that is a good thing. Further, we are in much better position to sustain an injury. Mooch and Ward should never see the light of day, one may be cut for Baxter, and Head will be sent to the NDBL for next year.
