Rockets looked at dealing Lucas for Kleiza

so what makes the rockets brass infatuated with james as opposed to a different serviceable pg? i love his attitude, perhaps they love that as well?

 

My gut tells me that unless Rafer really tanks during the playoffs, the player who should worry most if James returns to the Rockets is Luther Head. James can take away whatever backup PG and SG minutes that Head's been getting because he has both the shooting and ballhandling skills the two positions require. Head better watch out.

 

I disagree

 

Um, if a professional basketball player in the NBA can't throw or learn how to throw an entry pass they wouldn't/shouldn't be in the league. And the rockets pg position at full strength is a lot of spot up shooting with good D, and basic passing/dribbling skills. If head could handle the dribbling/passing part, he's a much better fit to start at the point healthy than Alston. So let's compare james to alston. James is a bigger/more physical guard, who has a better shooting touch and has a reputation as a tough defender. He also has the athleticism to take people off the dribble and enough pg skill to pass when the situation calls for it. He isn't as good as a pure passer as Alston, but all his other skills(esp his shooting) make him the better fit for the Rockets.

 

Yes, physical skills is one thing, but Mike James's head is obviously not wired to pass first. He probably thinks shoot first-shoot second-heck i'm the man, shoot third, and then think about the big guy we have in the post.

Almost any backcourt player in the league can make a decent post entry pass, but less than half of them know the value of a repost, and when to force feed the ball into the post, and when to go to the weak side. And suffice to say, Mike James doesn't fall into this half of point guards.

Rafer is not perfect. In an ideal world, Rafer would do the things he's doing well now, and convert better off drives, as well as locking up the opposing pg. But in that ideal world, Rafer would cost us much more than the 3/4 million he's making now.

The Kleiza deal would've been nice, given how thin our frontline is at the moment.

 

MJ is not going to resolve our issue with backup PG. The trade with denver on that pf for straight up JL3 would be great, but we would probably need to need them 2nd round in order to work.

I am just hoping that somehow knicks would waived SF and than we sign him up for cheap. If not wait for JVG to see if pippen would be an option for us.

We definately needed a better backup pg and banger at the 4. i am not sure if that jake dude would be able to play at the 4 for us at all.

 

I would've gladly went with Lucas for Kleiza. Mike James for Juwan is total r****dedness on our part. Juwan has been too valuable all season.

 

JVG said Juwan is worth more and by God he is 100% right.

They were asking way too much for James.

 

Yeah the only way the Knicks could get even worse would be to hire McHale, he has consistently shown he is the worst GM in the league.

 

I don't disagree that Rafer has really tough games where he can't find the ocean, but I have serious doubts on whether James would be the cure for what ails the team from that spot. I don't know who's on the FA market or even if the Rox will be willing to after them in the offseason, but right now I would rather take a guy who KNOWS his role than Mike James. Mike James is nothing more than an undersized 2 guard with a good stroke, and we already have one in Luther Head.

 

probably the reason why Jeff put a lot of minutes on playing John, so we can advertise him.

 

How is that so... when all talks about PG are for a back-up?

 

I don’t like not having a reliable option outside of Alston when Alston goes through a shooting slump or a mental lapse in a game. Despite this, I personally did not want James back mainly because of his contract and I want Luther to keep working at in-game pressure situations because he is a big part of our rotation. I’m willing to sacrifice a few gray hairs for Luther to get comfortable and I believe that he can get better but that is just me. However, I would have supported management regardless because I don’t pretend to know better than them.

Clutch, you just seem to be fanatical with James to the point of overplaying the Rockets interest. James is a combo guard who was made available in the offseason and midseason. Rockets were interested because he was available just like they would be if better point guards than James were available within financial means. And the fact that Luther as a supporting point guard probably makes the organization uneasy. That’s it. The spin you put on the interest is reaching …If this offseason has a better selection of point guards than last offseason or a better point guard is made availabe via trade or draft … I’d put the odds of the Rockets pursuing them over James at 100%.

 

screw mike james....he screwed us so why the hell woud you all want him here...don't let him get out of minnesota so easily...he wanted the money and now he is stuck there...he has a trade kicker too doesn't he..making it harder to make a deal....anyways, I wouldn't want that SOB back here anyways...

 

I remember when JVG said you need 3 PGs (and I presume 3 reliable ones)-- one to start, one off the bench, and one for insurance.

Given that young guys Head, JL, and Span are all rather unreliable, in one way or another, JVG doesn't need to hate Rafer's game to want another PG.

The quandry, though, is:

1. If you give up Juwan, and knowing Chuck Hayes is liable to foul withing 15-20 minutes every single game, are you comfortable having Kleiza and Battier cover the rest of the minutes that Juwan usually plays?

2. If you don't give up Juwan, and gets rid of only expiring/small contracts in this case, what does that do to the Rockets salary figures during the next few seasons in terms of the luxury tax limit? I think they have $60 million or so in salaries, committed ($62 if Bonzi picks up his player option, an unlikely event), and need to re-sign Mutombo and Chuck at the very least. I wonder what the luxury tax limit is expected to be...

 

It's no more funny than people overplaying the Rockets interest of Mike James. Because it could also be said that the fact that they didn't go through with the supposed trade of Howard for Mike James and whatever shows that maybe the Rockets don't value James as much as you think they do. There was their chance to get the player who's historiography with the Rockets you feel is proof that the Rockets want Mike James so much that the organization will go after him in the offseason if things don't go well with Rafer...but didn't. Which camp is right?

Yep did it all by myself. Can’t say I’m impressed with your prognostication though concerning Mike James.

If it's not about only Mike James then why did you only focus on him in your number crunching of 75% prognostication? I can only respond to what you write and you came off that way.

I suspected but wasn’t sure that what James represents to you rather than the player himself is driving you in this debate. But in my opinion that is the wrong approach because it’s settling. At least that is how you come off to me by concentrating on what he represents. I want better for the Rockets in terms of James as a talent, contract, and whether he is the right player for the team. And I believe the Rockets can do better and did/will do the right thing.

 

I have no problem with this assessment but I also can see other side of the spectrum too. That’s all I'm suggesting.

We won’t agree on whether past interest has the significance you suggest. I think a poor crop of free agents will have more influence than past interest because I don't think they will trade for a $6 million back-up point if there are more point guards to choose from this offseason than last offseason.

You speak of coping like I have a problem with acquiring James. You have me confused for someone who actually cares that much … I’ve already stated that I will support CD and company in whatever they do. I just have an opinion and only an opinion … I don’t take myself that seriously to cope with it. BTW, What does that video prove? About as much as someone posting a video of James getting flustered against Armstrong in the playoffs. It proves nothing.

I took me the whole morning to think of that percentage too.

They will also be others to consider I am sure. In responding to your first post I took it as you suggesting James being the answer. Just found it odd that you didn’t generalize that statement. I guess I read too much into it.

I don’t have a low opinion of James. I think he is a good bench player who I wouldn’t mind having for the right price if management wants him. I just wouldn't do it but that is just me. I have nothing against James is more like a hesitation.

I don’t think there is a list of restricted or unrestricted players out yet for this offseason and I don’t watch much college basketball. Until I do my research I can’t suggest anybody but this year’s draft will be deep like 2005 if we can get a player like Jarrett Jack in the draft or trade up I think those options are better.

 

I think one of the most clear-cut issue that everyone overlooked with what was this proposed trade was that, if you trade Juwan, team chemistry aside, who the hell is gonna score for us on the low-post?

And if oyu put Hayes, Tsakalidis or even Battier there, Tmac is gonna be doubled even more night in and night out with Yao out.

Just a point of interest.