didn't see this posted: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4234607.html All Rockets need is for talent to jell Training camp roster includes 10 new players By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle That Rockets owner Leslie Alexander would predict — and even expect — great things could not have been a surprise. He usually does, and on Tuesday, one practice into the season, he said he expects a good playoff seed and a long run. "We never put together this much new talent in one year since I've owned the team, an amazing amount of talent influx," Alexander said. "With two superstars and the right coach, I think we can do very well. This team has a lot of talent. How quickly it comes together and how quickly it jells and how it will perform will have to be seen on the court." That Tracy McGrady would similarly gush was also to be expected. McGrady, who has expected greatness before each of his Rockets seasons, recruited Bonzi Wells and on Tuesday declared the roster rebuilding to have been "unbelievable." "The talent is there, definitely there," McGrady said. "We just have to put it together." But when Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, rarely given to exaggerated preseason cheeriness, raved about the team's talent upgrade, there was, after the wreckage of last season, a sense of genuine renewed optimism. "We're unproven in many areas, but I think (general manager) Carroll Dawson deserves a great deal of credit for giving us unquestionably more athletic talent and more basketball skill," Van Gundy said. "Then it's up to us as a team — myself and our best players — to make sure our commitment, our attitude, our chemistry and our basketball IQ are better. Carroll's done his job." Yet with each bit of happy talk about the improved talent, there was a reminder of the difficulties that also come with a rebuilt roster. Of the 18 players headed to Austin for four days of two-a-day training camp sessions (guard Bob Sura will remain in Houston to continue his rehabilitation), 10 have been added since last season. The Rockets clearly like the parts, but this team has yet to be assembled. Yao voices a concern "I worry about chemistry," center Yao Ming said. "We have 10 new guys. Chemistry may (present) some problems, maybe like a couple weeks. We need better communication to pass through those times. That's very important for us." The Rockets have been so radically retooled that Van Gundy said practices will be more oriented to discovering how players fit with one another than in the past. Van Gundy said Yao's concern is valid — "I don't even know half these guys," the coach said — but he also believes in the Rockets' leadership. "Chemistry is important," Van Gundy said. "That's being a good teammate to each other. That's where it starts. Then being coachable. If your best players set the right tone as far as leadership, if they're doing the right things as far as commitment, attitude, being good teammates and playing with high IQ, you'll have good chemistry. The locker room will be right. "I believe the best players on our team want to win, they know what goes into winning big, and they know what goes into losing. Yao's right that our antennae be up. We have to get it right. But I don't have worries that it won't get right." That would take care of attitude. Whether the Rockets become the sort of team Alexander "expects" will still be determined. One clue the Rockets are on the right track will come if they can launch a better start than the past two seasons' limp from the gate. "It's a factor but not an excuse," newcomer Shane Battier said. "There is roster turnover every year with every team in the NBA. It's the coach's job to jell the players and the players' job to meet the coach. That's the exciting part. We're building something. We're starting from scratch, and there's a lot of potential there. "It's exciting to see our roster, but I could fill up the Astrodome with all the teams that look good on paper. You've got to go and produce. We have a very difficult early season. Four of our first five games are on the road. The vast majority of our first-half games are on the road. We have to come together quickly. It's not a matter of if; we have to do it." In keeping with the occasion, the consensus was that the Rockets will. McGrady enthusiastic "That's what training camp's all about," McGrady said. "It's up to the coaches to find out what works for us, who plays well together. And it's up to us to go out and execute our game plan. Training camp is going to be a test for us to see if we can do that. I think we have smart enough guys. "It's been a long time since I've come into a training camp and actually felt like I had a great chance of winning big in this league. The talent is there. If guys are willing to sacrifice and we stay healthy, go out and compete every night, don't let ego problems get in the way of what we're trying to accomplish, it can be a really special year for us." After one day, the Rockets new and old had come together enough to agree on that.
There was this kind of excitement the last two seasons as well, well maybe not as much this season but certainly last season with Swift and Alston joining the team we had high hopes. Both of those years the Rox got off to slow starts, we have enough talent to overcome any chemistry problems and I want to see the Rox get off to a fast start and maybe reel off something like 10 wins in a row. That would really make me a believer about this being a team that can have a special year.
Nice to hear that everyone is upbeat about the season. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. There was this sort of feeling last year, only this year we have much better talent so expectations will be higher.
JVG has no idea what kind of team he want. As a result, the Rockets were in rebuilt mode almost every single season under JVG. No hope.
Its not like the teams he has had were championship material. a couple of years ago we did pretty damn well considering how old the team was. I think you will be in for a surprise this year, we have the talent now there is expectation. If this team dosent show signs of improvement in the first month or so JVG maybe a gonner.
Good post. I really like this team on paper. I'm haven't been this excited about a roster in a very long time. We are as deep as we've been in years so let's see what they do!
Yep the bench still has some question marks but for us Rocket fans who follow the team so closely its quite an intriguing bench. There are guys like Kill Bill who was awesome in the world champs, Novak who can shoot the lights out, JL3 who has impressed plenty in the summer leagues, Snyder who has potential but has yet to have any sort of breakout year and our own sophmore in Head who did so well considering he was a rookie and had been given so much unexpected mins. Is going to be a very interesting year!! cant wait for the season to start!!
"I could fill up the Astrodome with the amount of teams that look good on paper." Nice sense of reality there. You can start with the 05-06 Rockets squad. Last year was full of excitement as well because of Stromile Swift and Derek Anderson as well as the addition of Skip. Lets face it, last year we were under the impression that anyone that came here Mcgrady would forge into an immediate impact role player. Most underestimated the ignorance and low basketball IQ of Stromile and the unproductiveness of Derek Anderson. Proof that not even the best of basketball players can motivate the inherently uninspired. However...this year we have added two of the most *proven* role players in the league. Put it this way, would anyone here trade Battier and Bonzi for Skip, Stromile and Anderson? We're still very iffy at the PG and the PF spots respectively, but we have a lot of depth now. A lot of ifs on this team...but should be some fun to watch ifs. I'd love to see Spanoulis starting around February. Spanoulis vs Ginobili in the playoffs would be fun as hell to watch. Go Rockets, give people a reason to attend this year.
I can't believe no one has posted the JVG pic from the article. The wife writes: "I just feel bad for him, he is not attractive already and then he does this on camera.....which way did he go George, which way did he go?"
Well if we keep up that awesome on the road-win mentality, we should be 5-0 right off the bat. Yes, I think we're gonna smash Dallas when they come to Houston.
Bonzi's signing seems to have really turned around your excitement level about this offseason, solid. Or is it just that we're so close to the games now?
LOL, you mean not even "one of the great teams ever assembled", the 2002-03 Houston Rockets (who failed to make the playoffs), Les?
i'm really excited about the upcoming season... but I wish les wouldn't oversell his point every year.
I am cautiously optimistic about this season. It's a little different than last season because last year I think, deep down inside, we all kind of knew Swift would be a bust. He never did anything besides a few highlight reel dunks while in Memphis so there was really no reason (besides hope) to think he would change when he got here. Many people here (including myself) didn't want to admit it until it was completely obvious. With Bonzi, we saw what he can do during the playoffs last year. It's a little different. I'm still concerned about TMac's back. He says he's never felt better, but he says that every year.
