A good coach would be able to use the players he has on the team and convince them of his coaching methods and "vision" for the team. I am not so sure I like the idea of Van Gundy going to the Knicks to transplant some players here he knows that will play for him.
We have Cato and Taylor, any others barely set foot on the court. Cato has no range on his shooting or his defense and Taylor has a tendency to play soft on the boards and defense although he has gotten better. Spoon got a bum deal warming the bench in NY's PF log jam since McDyess returned. He's always been durable, and has had the ability to produce good numbers but it seems almost everyone is just considering him dead weight before giving him a chance to prove he can still contribute. On another point I agree that a real coach should be able to motivate the players he has and convince them his system can work. On the flip side Spoon could act as a catalyst between the coach and players to get them more in tune since he knows the system and the coach. I dont know about the rest of you but I'd like to see if anything can come of Spoon's presence and the open bench spots before chalking it all up to a waste of time.
It's wierd how long our non-star guys have been on this team. I like how things are shaping up. How can Steve really complain about Mooch leaving when they haven't made the playoffs. If they had gone to the finals.....then he might be able to b**** a little.
Steve seems like a guy who is loyal to his co-players and that is admirable, but it's a business and everything must be done in order to improve. Getting Spoon won't make much of a difference but Moochie wasn't fitting either.
It's wierd how long our non-star guys have been on this team. I like how things are shaping up. How can Steve really complain about Mooch leaving when they haven't made the playoffs. If they had gone to the finals.....then he might be able to b**** a little.
Wait a minute. Isn't Steve supposed to be the selfish guy that is only concerned about his own stat sheet? This doesn't sound like the consumate selfish superstar.
I think those two observations could co-exist, if a person see his own ISO ability being the greatest on the team and use that to take care of his teammates (or empire). From the fans' viewpoint, that is selfish because he does not or cannot change his playing style to meet the team's need. Of course, the "selfish" plays also boost his stat too.
LOL apparently you never saw Iverson play in college and his early years in the NBA. He was dunking in the TREES with authority. Seriously.
I couldn't be happier with the quotes in this article. We tried the "we're all family" approach with Rudy T for years. I hoped it would work. It didn't. Now the players understand that the new M.O. under Van Gundy is "it's all business." Shape up or ship out.
"Sometimes I think, `Who's next?' " said Yao Ming. "Maybe it's me." (jajajajajajajaja you are da' 7-6 wall i think you are kidding) ____________________________________________________ The news came as a shock to Rockets players, who suddenly became concerned with their own job security. ____________________________________________________ The Rockets entered play against the Sixers one game behind where they were a year ago. Everyone -- from general manager Carroll Dawson to Jeff Van Gundy and the players -- has expressed frustration with the mounting losses. ____________________________________________________ Taylor admitted the move did make him realize that there is no guarantee how long anyone will wear a Rockets jersey. ____________________________________________________ so all yours are thinking that playing HOUSTON ROCKETS baskettball it's just for "trip , like a hobby"
Rudy T did this sort of thing many times with his raiding and pillaging of the Yakima Sun Kings. He knew that CBA players would come in and buy into his system and vision for the team because they would do anything for a chance. It paid off for him and he won 2 titles...you can't get much better at coaching than that. As a coach, sometimes you need to go with players you know you can count on as opposed to iffy talents.
If I liked my teammates I would try even harder to win so none of us would get traded. This trade brings the realization that a lot is at stake. I have to shutdown the man that I'm matched up with and make sure the team scores on the other side. If all 5 players on the court do this, then it's guaranteed that we'll win.
I'd bet anything that there is another deal before the deadline that involves either Francis, Mobley, Taylor, or Cato
In deal with the name Francis in it will come in the off-season. I could see Cato going to an East team. Nobody wants Taylors contract, and Mobley is playing too well to trade. To start the season I though Mobley was gone as well, however he has really adapted to JVG and while he still puts up the occasional bad shot - he had a very good first quarter of the season.
If I was a betting man (Pete Rose) I'd take you up on the bet. I don't think any of the players you listed are gonna be moved. Weatherspoon, Nachbar, Padgett, Griffin, Pike, Ford, draft picks, TE, and possibly JJ for the right deal, but I highly doubt any of the other 5 are gonna be moved.
I think we'll make another deal too, and I'll narrow it down for you. We'll either get a PG in exchange for Mobley, or get a damn good Forward in exchange for Francis.
According to the CBA, Weatherspoon can not be traded with any "filler" until after the current season. Only him and the TE are allowed before the trade deadline. Count me in with those that feel Francis, Mobley, Taylor, and Cato will all still be Rockets on February 20th.
