Carl Herrera

There were plenty of talks of tanking during the offseason

Some examples:

http://bbs.clutchfans.com/showthrea...&highlight=tank

http://bbs.clutchfans.com/showthrea...&highlight=tank

and here's one in preseason that says starting Hayes is a "New way to tank."

http://bbs.clutchfans.com/showthrea...&highlight=tank


So, who is still for tanking?

Also, given the state of the roster, who would you have to trade/keep on the bench in order to tank?

Do you think the current roster is simply hot now and will come back down to lotto land over the course of the season?

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meh

No one ever suggested actually in-game tanking. Simply that we don't sacrifice the development of youth over winning games(i.e. trading for Camby and that sort of thing).

Obviously, if we have enough talent to win 40-50 games, there's no reason the team should settle for 30.

thacabbage

I think the bigger dilemma is in figuring out what the hell you do with Tracy. I just don't think he can fit into this system. Obviously, you would prefer to trade him, but the problem for me is...I just don't want to give up even a single other player on this team. I honestly can't remember the last time I loved every regular rotation guy on a team.

Knowing Morey, we'll probably end up reeling in some All-Star for Tracy alone and a 2nd rounder.

thacabbage

Agreed. Few actually advocated literal "tanking." As you said, the call was for a premium on player development over actual immediate success. If you get immediate results through that process - great. And that's basically what Morey and Rick have done.

Carl Herrera

I agree few, if any, advocated "tanking" as in having the guys actually throwing games by playing badly intentionally. I am pretty sure, however, that, if you go
to the threads, quite a few are not just advocating giving younger guys minutes so they can get better. Those people were very much fixated on getting a top pick and draft, say, John Wall. They wanted the team to not acquire talent, trade existing talent (Battier, etc.) for a pick, etc. so that the 5 guys on the floor would be overwhelmed.

RocketsRed94

What you have to understand is. These are very selfish players. Most of them wouldn't risk hurting their stats just to give their team a shot at a #1 draft pick. Even if we wanted them to literally tank, they would not do it.

Grimm920

Tanking doesn't guarantee us anything.

We got to the 2nd round last year and we still were able to pick up Budinger who is looking out to be one of the best picks of the draft so far..

meh

That's cause John Wall is



And we didn't. Notice that Morey never bothered to acquire a true center.



Trading Battier or any other veteran player doesn't mean tanking. It just means perhaps getting talent while saving capspace. Or getting talent that would be better for us next year. Few actually wanted to dump Battier for the sake of winning less.

across110thstreet

never was for tanking, never will be for tanking.

angry posts about JVG not tanking make me cringe.

Rockets fans should never root for the Lotto.

saleem

I agree with what you say about tanking. Re-building and tanking are two different things. If we can get a really good player who fits well for the future with the young guys,I'm not against trading either Battier or Luis,even if it means losing games in the short-term. We aren't going to get to a championship with Yao or McGrady,and trading either one of them isn't likely to get us the right fitting players or enough talent to get the job done.

This team may make the playoffs.That will help in the re-building process with the young guys,but we still need a high draft pick(s). Vets can be added later.

bjshot

The selfish players are those would give their team a shot at #1 draft pick by pack up their stats. I love this rockets because they don't have this kind of player.

whoisray

Even if tanking was the priority (to get a top 3 pick), we just don't have the personnel to tank. Look at our guys, everyone of them is a warrior willing to give it their all on every play.

What I am really worried about is when TMAC comes back, and replays what happened last year, and we lose our focus and mindset. Injury or not, you know he quit last year.

worzel gummidge

I don't think Morey can get an outright All Star for him. Hughes, Curry, Q-Rich were the pre-season offers coming from NY.

Now maybe the improved offers might be Kevin Martin who broke his wrist and Nocioni who was arrested for DUI.

VooDooPope

Never have been never will be.

Playoffs or bust.

Originally posted by DallasThomas in a discussion about pork. "The penalty for practicing religion could be immediate execution, that way the nonreligious would be happy and the now dead religious would also be happy to enter the eternal bliss of afterlife. And gay people could get married."

ibm

hear hear.

the question is, how much of a chance do we have a shot at the playoffs this year (as is, w/ no big change to the roster)? assuming mcgrady won't be a big factor, either positive or negative.

SamFisher

I'd still rather have John Wall than 45 wins. Sorry. We had enough "maybe they can make the 8th seed!" seasons from 1999-2004 or so. I'm getting old. Scrappiness is nice but ultimately I don't care that much.

ibm

i don't follow college ball. how good is john wall potentially?

Francis 4 ever

I think we should be in rebuilding mode and not retooling mode. The Yao-Tmac experiment has failed. I would entertain any offers for either of them.

Francis 4 ever

Also if I was the GM gortat would be offered the full MLE, and I would package battier for younger talent