[ClutchFans] Top 10 Rockets Success Stories of 2009-10

Clutch, keep doing your thing! Love your work! You deserve to work on ESPN!

Also, I would love to have Al on this team.

 

Not to toot my horn, but i said this awhile back. The reasons jefferson makes sense are obvious, but the medical scares me just as it does with martin and yao. Scola plays every game all the time and that is something that is really good about him. I think jefferson is an upgrade because teams double him more often and he can play center for yao and the rockets would maintain a post presence both offensively and defensively. Money wise, he's paid on par with his production. Some may see 2 plodder types, but i see 2 ways to punish teams. When yao gets back, they will not run as much because yao is an area rebounder. If its in his area, he will get it, but if its not, someone else will have to get it, more likely scola. This season, the rockets had hayes and scola whom both can get rebounds out of frame and start the break. Chuckk would get a longer rebound than yao and scola would run the court and vice versa. Adding jefferson allow the rockets to still run almost as much, but also set up the 3 man rotation and development with Yao.Jefferson,Hill. The problem is what will it take to get jefferson and is he that much better than keeping scola for a little more than half the price?

 

Also, it doesn't hurt that Al Jefferson is going to train with the great Hakeem in the offseason.

http://www.hoopsnotes.com/2010/04/jefferson-to-work-with-hakeem-olajuwon/

With the way Hakeem tought Kobe and Yao their post moves, Jefferson will become even more valuable.

 

No thanks of Jefferson, his overweight and injury prone, and we already have two injury prone players in Martin & Yao ... It would be dumb to add another one, I'd rather stay with what we got than go after Jefferson ... IMO

 

We all know Al hasn't been a allstar defender but you have to look at all his coaches and what was expected from him. He's main job since he's been in the league is scoring and rebounding. He's a great rebounder and that's something the Rockets need especially going against teams like the Lakers, the Nuggets, the Blazers, and the Mavs. IMO, if you get him in the right system with the right coaches, I think you can see a player that can at least block shots and change shots. That's something that we currently do not have.

He's a natural PF but he can give you 10 - 15 minutes at the C spot. With us not knowing how Yao will come back, we need someone that can give us some minutes there. Based on the interview that Morey gave John and Lance, we can't expect Yao to really start getting extended minutes until the latter part of the season.

Kahn knows he needs to make a move. Rambis wants to have K. Love in the starting lineup but he also realizes that both of those players don't mesh well together. I think Al and Yao with Scola coming off the bench is very solid. We'll still need another Big but I'm sure Morey will figure that out.

Overall Clutch, thanks for the hard work you do. I wish you can have your own radio show because Houston fans need to have a station that talks Rockets ball more often. If you don't mind, how do your Rockets sources feel about going into this offseason? We all know they must get out of the gate strong and finish strong. That's why it's important for them to make a deal during draft day IMO. Morey can't waste time trying to sign Lowry, Scola, and work out sign-n-trades during July 1. That's a lot for anyone to do.

 

So did I... We talked about this first. Either way... Great minds think a like.

 

He's not injury prone. Prior to his knee injury, he played a lot of games. He also played on teams where he was the only guy scoring. That's a lot on one man. Why do you think Wade was having soo many issues?

 

Get points BTW but I do think he's that much better than Scola. I love Scola and I think he's probably the hardest worker out there in the NBA. But he doesn't command a double team. We need a player that can open shots up for everyone else. I think this is where Jefferson will pay off in the end.

As for what it will take, the Rockets have everything that Kahn wants besides an Allstar wing player. Kahn knows he wont' be able to make a deal for one of those. The Rockets have young assets, expiring contract in either Jeffries or Battier, and several draft picks. This is very important for Minny. Why is an expiring contract so important? Well Minny struggles with signing FA's. No one wants to play in Minny but having an expiring contract helps with netting you players that you need along with draft picks. Kahn needs to trade both Rubio and Al so they can make moves to build their team faster.

 

Al and Yao... I like the sound of that.

 

I would see who the knicks pick up in free agency then make a move with the pick next year. If the knicks picks up some really good players an on paper look like a sure shot playoff team, I would package or try to battier,anderson,and the knicks pick for jefferson.If they really twisted my arm and grabbed my by the sack, i would consider chase,but that would be a tough pill to swallow. I think he's going to be a bench player for the rockets, but if martin continues to to miss 25 games every year, i would feel really good about chase playing the 2 and trading martin in the furture. Jefferson kills 2 birds with 1 stone and thats what make him appealing.

 

Great article.

Never thought about the potential of getting Al Jefferson. Jefferson/Yao frontline would be insane.

 

Well, if you get out the mid 90's and the high top fades, you can catch up to what everyone else is thinking :grin:

 

Dude I bought the new Sade CD, I'm up with the times!

 

Fantastic article Clutch. That just made my day. I love the optimism and cant help but to think about all of the possibilities.

My one question is this- Do you think the Rockets did the right thing by not pulling the trigger on the Stoudamire deal at the deadline? With the way he and the Suns have been playing it would seem that his price has only sky rocketed. I dont know if the Rockets would be able or willing to match a new higher price.

Clutch, also what is your gut feeling regarding Bosh? Does he come here? Does he fit from a chemistry standpoint knowing that he wants to be the number 1 guy? This will always be Yao's team.

 

I bet you have the new billy ocean too. Did you get the album or cassette? :grin:

 

Just read it, great job. But Kevin Garnett? Really? I see KG retiring in the Celtics jersey. Not that I wouldn't mind having him

 

How is that? Please explain because i don't think it has ever been yao's team. I think people want it to tbe that way, but i don't think he has ever taken the reigns and displayed what needs to go down all the time. I think he's too nice, maybe by culture or whatever to lead a team and be that jerk you have to be sometimes as a leader.

 

I like Jefferson but my doubt with a Yao/Jefferson frontline is the mobility issue. Both are slow-feet and teams that play pick 'n roll a lot would kill us. But who knows. We're not good enough talent-wise to worry about potential matchup problems. I'd rather go for Bosh first but would be happy as well if we get Jefferson instead. BTW great write up Clutch.

 

new sade is awesome
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man, I feel really old when i see billy ocean now
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