1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Chronic: Rockets' priority is backcourt

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Rockets34Legend, Jul 1, 2006.

  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2002
    Messages:
    20,473
    Likes Received:
    15,036
    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4017134.html

    James headlines potential targets among free agents

    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

    At 11:01 p.m. Friday, the first minute NBA teams were permitted to contact free agents, Mike James seemed certain to be on the phone with the Rockets.

    Less clear was whether they would be calling him or he would be calling them.

    The Rockets' pursuit of free agents, beginning today with players allowed to sign starting July 12, will not be that simple. It never is. James is not a perfect fit. He could seek more than the Rockets have to offer. His season with the Toronto Raptors was statistically his best and will ensure the Rockets were not likely to be the only team with his number programmed into their speed dial.

    But with the Rockets' draft-night acquisition of Shane Battier and a roster heavy with frontcourt players (the Rockets would like to play Tracy McGrady as a small forward with Battier playing as much as a power forward as small forward) the Rockets are certain to look for backcourt help and particularly scoring at shooting guard.

    Thin position

    But shooting guard appears to be the thinnest position in this season's free-agent class, and unless they find a partner in a sign-and-trade deal, the Rockets can offer at most their midlevel exception, expected to be worth roughly $5 million a season to start.

    Sacramento's Bonzi Wells, a shooting guard with the size the Rockets lack, earned $8 million last season and is unlikely to come down that far. Or at least he is enough of a long shot to prevent the Rockets from targeting him to the exclusion of other free agents.

    They likely will pursue a variety of shooting guards and point guards who could play in a backcourt with incumbent Rafer Alston, including James, Wells, Sam Cassell, Marcus Banks, Speedy Claxton, Rasual Butler, and to a lesser degree Jiri Welsch, Fred Jones (a restricted free agent) and DeShawn Stevenson.

    Cassell, 36, is more likely to stay with the Clippers than move for a short-term, midlevel contract. Banks and Claxton are point guards who will draw interest around the NBA. Butler is perhaps more of a small forward than a shooting guard, though he does offer the length and shooting range the Rockets would like.

    The Rockets also could renew talks with Vassilis Spanoulis, their 2004 second-round pick. Spanoulis has since moved to the top team in Greece and is earning too much to take a second-round minimum contract. But if the Rockets split their midlevel money on several players, they could have enough to add Spanoulis to the roster.

    "The priority is the backcourt," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "We're still looking for shooting, still looking for rebounding, still looking for athleticism. But those (guard) positions on the court need to be attended to right now."


    Looking for size

    The Rockets had hoped to get size at shooting guard. James, 6-2, 188, has played point guard in his six NBA seasons, including his 27 games with the Rockets. But with so few free-agent shooting guards with size, and the league's movement toward players who can get their own shots, James, outspoken about wanting to return to Houston, could fill much of the Rockets' shooting guard void.

    "New Orleans got away with two of the smallest guards in the league last year in Speedy (Claxton) and Chris Paul," Dawson said. "Denver went that way a lot. There are still big players at the two and one position that you have to contend with, so size is still important, but we have to get the positions covered the best that we can. That's what we're trying to do.

    "You can always use a third or fourth guy that can get his own shot. If you don't have that, you need somebody that can make the shot because they'll be open playing with ... (McGrady and Yao Ming)."

    Battier changes focus

    Though Dawson was not permitted to speak of the trade, the acquisition of Battier likely will focus the Rockets' efforts on the backcourt rather than on free-agent shooting forwards Tim Thomas and Matt Harpring.

    Coach Jeff Van Gundy often lamented letting Scott Padgett sign as a free agent with the Nets last season and could have a second chance at signing him after the Nets waived Padgett on Friday. But the Rockets' trade for Battier and selection of Steve Novak on Wednesday added two shooters to the frontcourt where the Rockets have eight of their 10 signed players.

    If the Rockets want to split their midlevel among several players, or even use all or part of their trade exceptions (worth $4.2 million and $1.67 million) in a sign-and-trade deal, they could pursue the size they lack in the backcourt in Philadelphia's John Salmons or Matt Barnes, Orlando's Trevor Ariza, Denver's DerMarr Johnson and Greg Buckner, or point guard Mike Wilks of the SuperSonics.

    Among their own free agents, Keith Bogans and Richie Frahm could be brought back to offer depth.


    "We still want to get more shooting," Dawson said. "Right now, we got nine people signed (not including Battier or Novak). We have to find twos, a backup one, shooting no matter what position it is."

    James has said he could fill those needs. It won't take long for him to know how much the Rockets agree.

    jonathan.feigen@chron.com

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ROCKETS SUMMARY

    Summer team takes shape

    Memphis guard Darius Washington, who surprisingly was not picked in Wednesday's NBA draft, agreed Friday to play for the Rockets' summer league team next week in Las Vegas.

    Washington averaged 14.4 points on 44.2 percent shooting in two seasons at Memphis. He was named All-Conference USA and an honorable mention All-American last season.

    The Rockets have two players off their current roster, forwards Chuck Hayes and draft pick Steve Novak, and two who played for them last season, guard John Lucas III and center/forward Lonny Baxter, on the team.

    The other players are guards Patrick Beiline (West Virginia), Hollis Price (Oklahoma), Pat Carroll (Notre Dame), H enry Domercant (Turkey) and Chris McCray (Maryland); forwards Jeremy Richardson (Delta State), Antwayne Robinson (Temple), Matt Freije (Vanderbilt), and Judson Wallace (Princeton); and centers Mamadou Ndiaye (Auburn) and Matt Haryasz (Stanford).


    Novak ready to work

    During his first day with the Rockets, second-round pick Steve Novak offered the expected comments about fitting his shooting touch (50.5 percent on 3-pointers this past season) in between Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

    As the only Rockets draft pick expected to be on next season's team, Novak spoke of carrying the balls and fetching the doughnuts.

    He spoke of similarities between his college coach Tom Crean and Jeff Van Gundy.

    But more than anything, rather than speak as first-rounders do on such occasions about great expectations, Novak, the second pick of the second round, moved into an unusual spotlight by saying: "My mindset is I still have to make the team.

    "I feel like if I'm able to prove to the guys I'll work and do anything I can to make the team better, I'll earn their respect."

    To earn playing time, Novak said he will have to add strength to a 6-10, 220-pound frame.

    "It's going to be my first year, and I'm going to have to work my tail off," he said. "Being around guys like Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener at Marquette and now in the NBA, they come back, and the advice they give you is to go in there and work your tail off, and it will be all right."

    JONATHAN FEIGEN
     
  2. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 12, 2002
    Messages:
    20,473
    Likes Received:
    15,036

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now