Why is everyone on the site so pissed about our offseason. We landed Shane Battier for a terrible PF and another over hyped athlete who doesnt come to play night in night out. We already had Mike James, who noone remembers isnt good unless hes on the floor in a contract year and/or the Raptors. I cant wait for next summers threads when people are looking for an athletic PF who can run the floor, and they want to sign Stromile Swift. We will win more than 47 games next year and maybe more if we are healthy. Maybe im just in denial but I like our chances. Why would Mike James be better than Battier next year?
Ugh. So many things wrong with that statement. Suffice it to say that's ridiculously false. Why is it a choice between the two? Battier was acquired via trade... James was a free agent acquisition-to-be.
Why not get both? I agree...Battier is fine, but losing James over a silly little contract issue is dumb dumb dumb....same number of years..etc....wow. DD
Mike James would no doubt have helped this team. He pretty much plugged the gap at SG perfectly. However... given his recent attitude, I'm personally glad that he's not on our team. He sounds like he's just a whiny baby and only out to get paid. While that is a great motivator, it's only enough to fill up your stat line. This offseason has not been the greatest, but I do think the board has gotten too angry at management. CD tried until the last minute to get James. The real problem is that we just don't have enough to work with right now. Here's how I look at it.. Early 90s - Hakeem years, had a solid team, won 2 championships Mid/Late 90s - Tried to stay in the game by acquiring big names, but that killed our depth Late 90s/Early 00s - Francis/Mobley era.. decent squad but just not enough Now - Had to trade for TMac, depleted our depth, but slowly building up again. Now we have 3 solid pieces in TMac, Yao, and Battier. (Assuming all stay healthy..) How many teams can say they have 3 solid, consistent players? We are getting there.. yes, James could have been a 4th consistent piece, but we shouldn't get all bent out of shape. For the record, here are teams I consider having 3+ all-star/rock-solid performers: San Antonio Dallas Phoenix Detroit Miami New Jersey Clippers Course.. these teams also have more depth.. anyway, I still think we are getting there. Arguably our biggest problem has been poor drafting and the inability to see which players on other teams would do well on ours. Hm.. ok.. those are two big problems.. damn, I guess we're doing pretty good considering that! So basically I started out this thread saying we are still ok.. which we are, but our management still sucks. Haha.
We don’t have a backup PG, other than Battier we have not improved our 3 point shooting all that much (we have no idea if Novak is going to get mins), and we STILL have the worst talent at PF in the entire league. In addition to that we needed a 3rd scorer and there is absolutely no one left in free agency that we can afford that would fill that need. MJ would have helped to solve 3 of those 4 problems. Additionally winning 47 or so games doesn’t mean that you are a contender and last time I checked the Rockets were trying to "win now" not later. At best we are a second round and out team but more realistically we are going to finish 5th or 6th and have a quick exit in the playoffs.
"Gay will be a bust" was the chant now we add "James is selfish and was in a contract year" I love how people rationalize things. As long as it makes you feel better go ahead thinking this way
agree. Iam tired of defending this management team which clearly has no clue what its doing or has any kind of plan to speak of.
As an obsessive lifelong Rockets fan, I am very happy with most of the analysis I have read during my brief time here. Also, this is the best site I have ever found for getting updates on transactions and rumors. While the knowledge many members possess on the financial aspects of the team is astounding. I just have a question, I don't understand how the constant negativity helps or changes anything. I understand about venting but it seems to be over and over and over... I am wondering if the board is normally like that or it is more a product of disagreeing with the Battier trade and not giving in to Mike James' demands? I really like the site, where else can I sit around and talk Rockets at any hour of the night or day? I agree that CD should have retired a year earlier and the jury is still out on rather or not Van Gundy's system is the right for our personnel...but I see so much 'Van Dummy' and such comments that I just shake my head. I guess I don't understand the role of negativity and name calling, is that a normal part of the forum? Thanks for the info...go Rox!!!
If you love this team and want this team to win, you would be mad at their moves during this summer. Name calling? That is not a natural reaction, it is a result of a series of added up emotions, for example, disbelief, unhappy, disappoint, frustration, confusion, disgust, angry.... It is already a long, boring summer, and when you go through so many, you may lose your cool once in a while. For me, I think I will be fine with Lucas and Chuck, just wish with all my will that they can turn out to be solid contributor.
True, and I am. I like the Gay/Battier swap but with Swift thrown in there was no excuse for not getting at least the 24th pick. I actually don't blame the Rox for not getting James, I think it was a personal decision by James rather than a business decision...if you start giving out trade kickers then you are really tying your hands with what you can do with the roster. Undoubtedly, management has made many terrible draft choices, namely passing on Rashard Lewis and the EG debacle...but they have also made some very good trades. Thanks for your take on the name-calling, I guess you are right... The only cure for the negativity is for the season to start and for the Rox to start winning some games. I know last season just left a bad taste in everyone's mouth. However, I have complete faith in at least one championship in the Yao Ming era.
