True story about Roderick Rhodes Rosenberg, Richmond area back in 97 or 99. At the DPS office across from Terry High School (home of Dexter Pittman) ha ha.. waiting all morning for some issue with my License and in walks in Rhodes himself cutting, and moving to the front of a massive line starting from outside the building. Everyone was pissed and did not know who this guy was except me of course. I throw the duece and he gives it back.....cool story bro.
So, what exactly was the Damon Stoudamire-Rodrick Rhodes deal? As a "newer" Rox fan, I appreciate you guys reminiscing. No amount of youtube highlights could give context to what a player like him meant to the team, fans, etc. This is honestly one of the main things that makes this place so great. ---- By the way, apparently TJ is Damon's cousin.
Pectoral injury, or something from lifting weights took him out for a 3rd or so of the season. Never bounced back from that. That and he couldn't dribble worth a damn. Rudy tried to turn him into a PG, if Rhodes were around now he'd probably be a defensive wing.
Rodrick Rhodes was the KJ McDaniels of the late nineties, basically. Stoudamire was a young, fringe all-star PG in his prime. We were starting Matt Maloney at PG. The Rockets were unwilling to include Rhodes in a deal for Stoudamire, which resulted in the Raptors nixing the deal. Meanwhile, the big 3 were rapidly declining. Adding a legitimate PG to the mix may have given the 3 HoFers one last shot at a title.
Interesting, thank you So, if it happened, it would have been almost analogous to the Battier-Gay deal. Trade young unproven potential for established talent, all for the sake of contending. Perhaps that influenced CD/Morey in the latter deal I don't want to revive old ghosts, but it's funny how you could argue that both decisions were wrong
Exactly, man.... If they got Mighty Mouse for pg it would have changed everything, Stockton just killed Maloney (I mean he tried... But.. You know, haha). Yes, and great point on the Battier/Gay deal, on that one I would have preferred Rudy... Oh well. And as fellow Rockets fans, no worries on reviving old ghosts, haha I still think back on some of those decisions. I mean especially when things currently aren't going as planned.
Agree with all of you guys, I'm newer to site obviously (but not a new fan), I used to go down to SA to watch the Rockets back then, it was hard to find good seats in Houston and I lived in Austin, that year before Duncan I got close to Courtside seats, freaking more houston fans there than SA fans, haha. Still remember it. But shoot, PG for that team would have changed everything. It was great when no one was chanting defense for the Spurs but actually offense instead for the opposing team haha. Just a great memory, but then... Duncan came and SA was no longer a joke... Damn it, hahha Obviously the year I'm reminiscing about was right before Rhodes and Duncan got drafted... But a PG was still needed then too
he tore pectoral muscle (weight lifting I believe) and only played a few of the last games in 99. I thought he did something also to knee, but just found info on pectoral.
IMO, Stoudamire was a lot more exciting than Battier at the time of their respective trades, and Gay was a lot more exciting than Rhodes. That Stoudamire trade should have been a no brainer. You'd have to be dumb as a$$ to not have made that trade cuz of Rhodes. KJ is a great comp for Rhodes. I'm trying to think of a comp for Stoudamire. Like Lillard in style maybe, but not near as good - not All Star level quite but believed to be on track at the time. He never got there though on that stacked Portland team. I don't know about Stoudamire moving the needle that much back then in retrospect. Maloney wasn't good of course, but Stoudamire wasn't a good defender. And the value of "true point guard" in that offense was as overrated as it is now with the Rockets. Stoudamire was just going to dribble it up, dump it into Hakeem, Barkley, or Willis, and spot up regardless.
