Let's face it guys, drafting Ming is not going to make us a contender and besides it's too risky. I say let's draft Jay Williams, then ship him to Portland along with Rice and Mo Taylor for Rasheed Wallace. I know Wallace is a hothead but I chalk that up to his love for the game and will to win. Besides we need someone to light a fire under Cato and this entire Rockets Team. Drafting Ming will not solve our main problem from last year which was an inside presence. Wallace has it all and if you ask me I say he's right up there with tim Duncan for best power forward in the game today. He proved alot to me this year in the playoffs even though they lost to L.A. He defended Shaq one-on-one and held his own. He even went at shaq on the offensive end. I just say with a lineup like this, we are bound for great things. C-Cato F-Wallace F-Griffin G-Mobley G-Francis
I'm as big of a Sheed fan as anyone... But, Rudy is the last coach who would be able to control Sheed. Also, that lineup would not matchup well with an athletic SF like Shawn Marion. Griffin is nowhere near ready to be a starter at PF or SF.
Just like many lineups will not match well with us. Who can stop Francis? Who can stop Mobley, besides himself,? Who can stop Wallace down low or at the top of the key? NO ONE. So every team in the league has advantages and disadvantages in their lineup. Besides if you think Rudy can't handle Sheed, how in the hell will he handle the Chinese Govt. He'll surely lose all of his hair then.
I love that trade idea/rumor. Cato would be the only weak lilnk in the starting lineup and we rid ourselves of ****** and Rice. Sheed is probably a notch below Duncan/KG but a stud nonetheless. Kidrock...I disagree about Grif...I think he could definitely start at the 3 (maybe not the 4) next year. Especially if he was surrounded by that cast.
I love Rasheed's game and I honestly feel a change of scenery would do him good....but IMO, if the Blazers put him on the blocks (after he excercises his $16m option), they could do much better than Williams + Rice + Taylor. You don't have to look any further than the Cavs who would give them Miller and some quality short-term contracts. Andre Miller (who is proven and Williams is not) then makes Stoudamire expendable. The Hornets can offer Elden Campbell + a resigned Tractor Traylor + George Lynch + fill(Bryce Drew/Stacy Augmon/Kirk Haston). Campbell is a true Center and allows Dale Davis to move to PF. IMHO, MoT will not have any trade value until after he proves he has recovered from the Achilles injury....right around the Feb 15th trade deadline.
Griffin's only asset to being a starter is his ability to hit the open 3. He would have to play the perimeter, which would render his rebounding/shot blocking skills useless. Griffin lacks the ballhandling and passing skills to be a starter. Also, with that lineup, who will give Rasheed the ball? Mobley? Yeah right. Francis? Yeah right. Moochie? Yeah right. Rasheed will probably end up choking all 3 of them, while they do their dribble exhibition, when Sheed is calling for the ball down low. I realize the Rockets need a big man, however if we ever get one, the big man will only be useful if our guards are willing to pass the damn ball for once. If they didn't respect Olajuwon enough to pass him the ball more, then I don't know if they'd bother dumping down low to Sheed.
Just for fun. Throw two other teams into the scenario: LAC and Philly. Facts: Sheed is a Free agent with player option. Derek Anderson Is Demanding a trade. Portland Wants Dikembe. Houston Sends: #1 Rice and Taylor to Portland #15 and Mooch to LAC Portland Sends: #21, #43 and Dale Davis to Philly #51 and Derek Anderson to LAC Sheed to Houston LAC Sends: Odom to Houston #8 and #12 to Portland Philly Sends: Motoumbo to Portland Houston 2002 lineup: Francis Mobley Odom Sheed Cato
With that logic, they wouldnt pass the ball to Shaq or Duncan either, let alone Yao Ming. It seems like you are saying that as long as Francis and Mobley are in the backcourt, we are doomed What am I missing here?
That would be a great deal for us. Too good to be ever be true. We would get Sheed and Odom, for our 2 1st round picks, which would be worth it alone. Then to top it off, by dumping 3 of our worst contracts? Too good to be true! The one bad thing is that Sheed and Odom are turmoil waiting to happen. The team chemistry would be as bad as the Blazers. Philly would be ripped off in that deal. They could get more than Dale Davis (a very poor man's Mutombo) and the #21 and #43 pick. The #21 pick is basically an early 2nd rounder.
I would rather trade down and draft Gooden (plus more) who looks a lot like a younger, emotionally stable, Sheed. Gooden has a nice shooting touch also (at least from 15-18 feet), no reason to think he couldn't his range a little further like Sheed has over the last few years.
The two players I think Gooden most resemble are Sheed and Juwan Howard. Gooden has much of Howard's frame, touch and fundamentals, but is a much better defender and quicker. Perhaps not as athletic or quite as long as Wallace but probably farther along fundamentally than Sheed at the same stage--again I see him as somewhere between Wallace and Howard. A Howard with a little bit more range and who can D up on the inside or outside is a good player--that is the worst case secnario I see for Drew. The upside is a Sheed who is equally composed as gifted on the court. Gooden is much longer and stronger than Jamison, and has better footwork and a better touch (at least relative to when Jamison entered the league). I think of Jamison as a poor mans James Worthy (game predictated on out quicking opponenets with a good nack around the rim) or a little bit bigger Ced Ceballos. Quite a bit different type player than the 3 discussed above.
I posted this trade in another thread earlier. Houston trades Kenny Thomas, Glenn Rice, MoT, the #1 and #15 Houston receives Rasheed and Lamar Odom and some trash Cleveland trades Andre Miller and trash Cleveland receives Derek Andersen, #8, #12 Portland trades Rasheed and Derek Portland receives Rice, MoT, and #1 (plus trash to make it work) LAC trade Lamar Odom, #8, and #12 LAC get Andre Miller, Kenny T and #15 Here is the thread: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34328
I dont think we could do any better than Rasheed. I have been saying for a long time I would trade #1 for Rasheed or Brand straight up. Kidrock8 - Griffin's only asset to being a starter is his ability to hit the open 3. He would have to play the perimeter, which would render his rebounding/shot blocking skills useless. Thats what he did last year and his rebounding/shot blocking looked pretty good to me. Kidrock8 - I realize the Rockets need a big man, however if we ever get one, the big man will only be useful if our guards are willing to pass the damn ball for once. So are you saying we shouldn't get a big man?
Ha. That's a joke. Duncan would win 70 games with the supporting cast Wallace has. Wallace is right up there with Sprewell for most overrated player in the NBA.
I want Sheed!!!! I want Sheed!!!! I want Sheed!!!! Besides, we got killed by every power forward in the league last year, Webber, Garnett, Duncan, Brand, Sheed, you name it. Sheed would make this team have an identity, something we haven't had since Dream's glory years. We have young studs on our team but we don't know how to fast break, we have no inside presence, no interior defense, and no consistant outside threat, maybe T Mo will get someone to drive him to the gym to work on his jumpshot,. If we had that presence inside, which i don't think that Ming will give us, then that would free up Francis and Mobley to dominate the perimiter.
Possum-No, I'm just saying that even if we do get a big man, not to count your chickens before they hatch. Obviously, we need a big man. How effective that big man will be, is up in the air.
