[Chron] Rockets look to overhaul roster during offseason

Excellent article. You would think that since Feigen is the regular beat writer, he might have some inside scoop. So perhaps Bonzi, Cassell, and suprisingly, Mike James, are on the Rockets' shopping list. Also, maybe we can take from this they will be shopping Swift. Juwan had a healthy, workmanlike season, and I think they love his attitude, so I honestly don't think he will be the one to go.

 

Mike James is a possibelity. albiet a minor chance, but still i believe he will be open to see what our offer will look like. his wife is a houstonian, so that might make his decision a tad easier. i truly believe had Sura stayed healthy, we would have kept james. it came down to us needing an pure PG after sura went down. in hindsight, maybe. but in reality, james could do everything alston could do and 3 folds better.

Wells is a headcase, nontheless, he could be an interesting prospect.

 

i dissagree that wells would be a great fit because he can't shoot the 3. if JVG and CD are interested in shooting then there is no reason to bring this guy in except for improved defence and rebounding. there is a strong case for both sides but most likely he is out of our price range.

i tihnk i'd rather split the MLE in an attempt to bring more depth and address more possitions. we don't have time to fill one hole at a time.


i'm pretty sure we will draft a swing man in the first and a PG in the second. after that i'm not sure...

 

Is Ray Allen available? A lineup of Yao, McGrady, and Allen would be unfair.

 

mike james is not a possiblity. he is crying for money everyday. a clone of spreewell.

 

yet another offseason of remaking the supporting cast.

man, i hope we get shandon anderson!!!

man, i hope we get stromile swift!!!!

 

Draft Roy (if he drops), draft a 3 point shooting PF in the second round.

Sign Vasilis with half the MLE, sign James Jones with the other half.

Sign JL3 again so JVG will have his 3 guards.

Sign Bogans or Hayes if there's any money left

PG: Alston/ Spanoulis/ JL3
SG: Roy/ Head/ Bogans
SF: McGrady/ Jones/ Bowen
PF: Howard/ Stromile/ 2nd Rd Pick
C: Ming/ Mutombo

 

Pretty clear there. Out of the 9 guys under contract after this season, I'd guess...
Untouchable:
Yao, McGrady
Movable if the deal is good:
Head, Rafer, Mutombo
Will be actively shopped
Swift
Will dump if possible, not necc. for value
Howard, Bowen
Possible buy out
Sura

What will be interesting is we'll have a lot of roster spots to fill if we cut ties with guys like Wesley and Sura, and very few options for reloading. I'm of a mind that we need to get a full-fledged starter with the MLE this year, not split it up for a few bargin basement gambles. Hopefully the draft nets us a starter and a contributer.

I would love to see us convince NO to trade their two first rounders (12, 15) for Swift and our second or a future first. That would give us 3 picks to try and cover a few bases: a shooter (Redick), a starting SG (Roy, Carney, Brewer, other), and a banger (Armstrong, Shelden, Boone, other). Alternatively, we could grab a Marcus Williams.

Evan

 

I thought Mutombo is untouchable as well. Wouldn't he just retire if we tried to trade him?

 

With the MLE I think I would use part of it on V-Span and then the other part on either Jermaine Jones or Speedy Claxton. Jones addresses the range shooting 4 (plus can play 3, his natural position). Claxton addresses the PG spot. V-Span addresses the PG spot as well as someone that can create his own shot and brings a pitbull mentality to the team.

So, get two quality guys with the MLE and then our 2 draft picks. 4 new guys to add to our team.

 

I thought this was supposed to be one of the weakest drafts ever. Why would we try to rebuild our team with lower draft picks of one of the weakest drafts.

 

They say that EVERY year. It simply isn't true.

 

No, they don't. There have been lots of drafts that were deemed strong and deep. It just so happens we're looking at two weak drafts in a row right now. (last year was pretty weak too). The 2003 and 2004 drafts were both strong.

Incidentally, I'd like to know how you could possibily think this draft isn't going to be weak. This is the first year in a decade in which there won't be eight to ten 18 years olds taken in the first round. There will be no high school talent and no european 18 year olds either. Now if you remove the eligibility of 8-10 players for one year only, how is that not going to be one of the weakest drafts in recent history?

 

I doubt New Orleans would consider this. The more likely trade would probably be for us to trade down with our pick for their two first-rounders. This makes sense if all of our primary targets have already been taken. This would still give us three picks to try to cover a few bases with without giving up any future first-rounders which is important considering how strong the 2007 draft class is shaping up to be.

 

I hope we don't trade one of our few assets for a bunch of draft picks in a thin draft.

The only way we move Head is in a blockbuster deal for somebody like Bibby. Don't see it happening.

Mutombo ain't going nowhere. Don't see how we can trade Rafer, the only legit point guard on this team, and somehow acquire 3 point guards this offseason and improve our position at the point? It's hard enough to get a legit pass-first PG. Now we're gonna trade away the one we have for what? You may be able to send him along with Juwan and whatever to NY for Francis. Is JVG going to welcome that deal? Can't see it.

And if 3 point guards was so critical to us, why did we trade Moochie for a big stiff that couldn't even get minutes in the last game of the season, and why did we release John Lucas III and not bring him back? I know he was a rookie but he was a quicker than snot point guard with a very good handle who definitely gave us a spark.

Resign JL3 and bring over Spanoulis and 3 PG problem solved. Can we get Q. Woods or or that Jones kid with the $2 mill we will have left over after signing Spanoulis?

Then we've either got to get a player like Roy or Gay in the draft or trade Swift and something for a starting shooting guard.

We have to get a 3rd primary scorer this offseason.

 

I would really like to see the Rockets pickup a legit 3rd scoring option at SG. No more combo guards that can't shoot please. Guys like MoPete and Bonzi would fit the bill perfectly. I doubt Bonzi will sign for the MLE, but MoPete could be had for a package like Swift/2nd or something like that.

If we can address the SG situation before the draft, I'd like to see the Rockets take a PF like Shelden Williams or even roll the dice w/ Splitter.

My early 06-07 roster:

Alston-Spanoullis
MoPete-Head
TMac-Bogans (resigned for min.)
Williams-Howard
Yao-Deke

 

This year's draft, even more than last year, lacks players with franchise/All-Star potential. At the same time, it does seem to have a good number of guys that project to be safe bets as role players (Shane Battier/Chris Duhon/Joe Smith territory). We have two franchise cornerstones surrounded by a [Walton]deplorable[/Walton] supporting cast. We need help at every position (starting and or bench) other than center. One Adam Morrison or one Tyrus Thomas or one Rudy Gay won't take us anywhere.

A Redick coming off the bench, a Boone tag-teaming with Hayes and Howard, and a Marcus Williams shoring up the PG spot when Alston goes haywire would help us a lot. Especially if we couple them with a SG brought in with the MLE.

If we stick with the #8 or 9 and #32, Shelden Williams and a Dee Brown would help plug the leaks in our sinking ship.

This draft may not be overly strong, but even in the weakest of drafts, we'd upgrade over the junkyard parts we're using now.

Evan

 

I really don't believe we'll be drafting a PF in the 1st round unless we land one of the top 3 picks for reasons I'm too busy to state right now.

 

because as pitiful as the draft class is, the free agency class is weaker.