CHRON: Rockets look to build on Yao-Tracy foundation & Landry wants to return

Yao-TMAC foundation

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander did not hesitate before offering his typical direct, concise response.

The Rockets' loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday ended an eleventh-11th consecutive season before it could reach the playoffs second round of the playoffs. Alexander, as always, was taking the loss hard.

Asked then if the Rockets would continue to build around their foundation of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, veteran All-Stars who have never won a first-round series, Alexander was clear.

``Definitely,'' he said simply. ``Definitely.''

When pressed further, he acknowledged that nothing in sports is definite. The plan, however, is.

``We're going to build on the Yao-Tracy foundation,'' Alexander said. ``I want to say you never know in this league. We're never going to stand still. We never, never know. Obviously, we have two superstars. We want to build around them. I think if we had them both now, we would have won this series.''

As they often have in recent years, injuries defined and limited much of the Rockets' season. McGrady did not miss a game with the back issues that plagued his first three seasons, but he still missed 16 games, most with a left knee problem that flared up in the playoffs and could require minor surgery.

Yao missed the last 26 regular-season games with a stress fracture in his left foot. Rafer Alston, reliably durable in his first two seasons in Houston, went out with three injuries (a pulled hamstring, pulled groin and sprained ankle) in the last month, including his ankle injury in Friday's loss.
Injuries took toll on aspirations

"We've had a lot of injuries over the year," Alexander said. "Those injuries don't let you do what you want to do. I've never been around a bunch of players who played harder, with more heart, never gave up, every game. That's how you win 22 games in a row. They're guys you want on your team."

Still, with another season over in the first week of May, the Rockets did not consider getting healthy their only offseason goal. Though general manager Daryl Morey said decisions have to be based on a team with Yao, the series played without him cannot be ignored.

"The series definitely influences how you look at players," Morey said. "Obviously, the playoffs are the most important stage of the season.

"It is an emotional time right now. What we're going to do is take a step back and evaluate where our roster is at and the decisions we have to make. One thing we know for sure, we will continue our strategy of building around Yao and Tracy."

Alson indispensable
Still, the series seemed to reveal or underline several issues. Alston, whom the Rockets worked to replace last offseason, became indispensable, with the Rockets losing the three playoff games he missed or left with injuries. They will have four point guards under contract — Alston, Bobby Jackson, Aaron Brooks and Steve Francis.

The backups at the shooting guard/small forward positions have been undersized or unreliable, with Rick Adelman hesitant or unwilling to play Steve Novak or Luther Head and with Head struggling badly through a second consecutive playoff series.

Backup center Dikembe Mutombo, though a surprising success after Yao's injury, is 41, much more limited offensively than in his prime and again considering retirement.

The Rockets do have young players, particularly rookies Carl Landry and Brooks, whom they believe will grow, and they have always felt the team will be more effective running Adelman's offense in year 2.

"We have players who will continue to grow under coach Adelman," Morey said. "When building around Yao and Tracy, we'll either improve the players we have or have the ability to improve through free agency and trades."

Well over the salary cap, the Rockets can offer free agents all or part of their mid-level exception, expected to start at about $5.6 million per year. They also have a $2.4 million trade exception after the trade-deadline maneuvering. For the first time this decade, the roster is not swelled with bloated, long-term contracts.

With a first-round pick and signing Landry, a restricted free agent, the Rockets would exceed the luxury tax if they spend all the mid-level exception. But for the right player, Morey said, Alexander would permit that move, as he did last summer to sign Francis.

The free-agent market is still unclear, with many coveted players such as Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Corey Maggette and Shawn Marion holding the right to opt out of contracts and become free agents, joining a deep group of restricted free agents. All would expect much more than mid-level contracts, but few teams have much spending room.

"It's going to be a very interesting offseason free agency-wise," Morey said. "This may be the first year there are more players than money. We will look closely at players that might fall into mid-level range and ones that are strategic fits for any amount up to full mid-level line."

Things to come?
Until then, the Rockets believe the accomplishments of the season are signs of hope greater than after many of the previous first-round losses.

"What we really had to overcome throughout the season, losing me for probably about a month of the season, losing Yao for the time we lost him, we really hung in there and had a magnificent year," McGrady said.

Morey said the season that just ended could be the start of something better.

"I'm just really proud of the team and the coaching staff for the incredible effort put in," he said. "We came up a little short, but the future looks bright."

As Alexander would say, "definitely," even if he has learned "you never know."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5752251.html

Landry wants to return

Rookie Carl Landry will be a restricted free agent, but he said he wants to be back with the Rockets.

"This is where I want to be," he said. "I love Houston. It's not my decision. It's the Rockets' decision. Both sides have to agree. But I love Houston. This is home. I hope to be back next year.

"I think for a rookie I did a great job contributing to this team. It's only going to get better. That's what I'm looking forward to — working out, getting stronger, getting better, watching film and understanding the game a little better. Next year I'll be ready to be a better person and a better player."

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said he intends to match any offer Landry receives.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5752361.html

 

i agree. but when you look back at this season and before yao went down, we went 12-0 destroying teams (if you go back all the way), we went 16-0. and we were just getting started. tmac wasn't playing that well and scola wasn't the player he is today yet. and yet we still killed teams.

from that perspective, it's hard to give up on this foundation. morey is adding pieces every year and we continue to upgrade our talent pool from the role players' perspective.

with no other good alternatives, we have to stick with this for another year and hope that we stay RELATIVELY injury-free and go for the best record (which probably will be the only way to guarantee a first round pass).

it's hard to look for alternatives when you're so close to being a contender (and yet it still feels so far away b/c of injuries )