I dont think so .... There was no player available who could replace the Chuckwagon in the draft that the Rockets had a real shot at - and of the two top centers , I doubt either is a better defender for the immediate future. They will have to look to FA to upgrade Hayes and thats no sure thing ..... like we saw the last two seasons. Every season we talk about Hayes getting cut , losing his minutes or being moved - Every year he's back , every year he improves something .... He might not be the long term answer at center but I'll take him over several starting NBA centers. When we talk about replacing him , we talk about a select few players - Howard , Chandler , Haywood , Dalembert , Nene , Bogut , Roy Hibbert and Deandre Jordan ..... The Knicks had ..... Jared Jeffries at center after he was cut , the guy couldnt crack the rotation in Houston in large part because of Hayes. I'd like to see an upgrade but its not that easy .... and Hayes wont go away quietly.
Chuck is much more valuable than he seems, particularly to our organizational culture. We need talents and HARD-WORKERS to be a champion contender.
He did a lot of things for the rockets, but we have to do what is best for our team. We need to resign yao and get a new center!
wow its hard for me to root for the team this coming season if ever we don't resign chuck! the guy is a Glue that hold this team together He have shown Leadership that i've been looking for since the time of Hakeem as i remember... I hope Morey PAY him, he really deserved it!
DaDakota is right. On a bad defensive team, let's get rid of our best defender. On a bad rebounding team, let's dump our best rebounder. 2.3m, his salary last year, is way too much for a guy who's getting ancient (28) like Chuck, who's given us 6 years of heart and hustle and grit. Get rid of the bum.
Hayes is a great role player. By having him on the team, he will help teach and develop young players defense. Theres no one better to learn great post defense from than Hayes.
Its a better idea to sign Hayes instead of Yao because for the past 2 seasons, Hayes has brought so much to the table and Yao cannot even stay healthy.
Getting a shot blocking center to replace Hayes has nothing to do with actually replacing Hayes. It has to do with getting Hayes back to playing his natural position which is PF. That is what will put us over the top.
Even if Hayes isn't our starting center, he will be a very important piece to this team success. He will be that lock down post defender whenever a guy like Zach Randolph or a great offensive big man goes off. Whenever the Rockets are good enough to compete in the playoffs, Chuck Hayes will BE a very important piece because the Rockets can use him as a specialist off the bench. How many teams have a great low post defensive monster who also a great rebounder and an incredible passer for a big man to come off the bench? He is incredibly valuable to this team. He can also mentor younger players and teach them hard work and great defense. Plus he is our team leader. Why would you want to get rid of our team leader? Trust me, if the Rockets get a good starting center, I would love for Hayes to come off the bench.
No he's never going to be a shot blocker but he protect the rim just as well if not better by drawing charges. I think drawing charges is underrated because it doesn't make it to ESPN. To me, drawing charges is actually better because it puts the other players into foul trouble, throw off their game and make them think twice about driving in because they are worried about foul trouble, and put the Rockets closer to the penalty. To me, drawing charges instead of blocking a shot or two is a good thing. Hayes draw more charges a game than the leading shot blocker block a shot a game. Trust me, when a player gets hit with two charging fouls, they will think twice about driving in. Plus players get incredibly frustrated when they get hit with a charging foul.
He is short for a center because his natural position is a PF but he is forced to play center because of Yao' injuries. Trust me, if the Rockets could replace Chuck with another starting 5, they would already but for 2 straight years, Chuck Hayes has outplayed everyone for the starting 5 spot. You can complain about his height all you want, but he has worked hard on his game and has done an incredible job against starting centers or great scoring PF in the NBA this past 2 years. He is short but he makes it up with will power and determination, smarts and craftiness. Until the Rockets can get a good center that can outplay Chuck Hayes for the starting 5 spot then that would be great but right now, I don't see anyone taking that starting role from him anytime soon. If someone outplayed him for the starting 5 spot, Chuck Hayes will have no problem playing the back up role. Plus having Hayes coming off the bench as a defensive specialist is always a good thing.
Listen to yourself. You are trying to downplay a guy who 'you can talk about the things he does well all day.' In today's NBA, the primary role of the center is just defensive. Hayes excels at that. Passing is a bonus. Hayes excels at that. They ALL have significant holes on offense. Even Dwight Howard. The guy you want to replace Hayes doesn't exist, and if he did, you'd have to give up most of the roster to get him. There are really only 3 or 4 decent centers in the entire league....what makes you think Houston is going to suddenly get one of them? When you are looking to upgrade your roster, you shouldn't start at positions where you already have a solid player.
Then the solution is already on the team. Hasheem Tabeeet, here you go! And all you people on the board here touting playing someone taller will have nothing to say. Nothing. You'll just have to bite your tongue and take it as center after center eats him alive. But, hey, he's younger and taller, right! Must be better then, eh? Problem solved, then?
Agree you let him play, but that means that Chuck is wasted on the bench.....that is the point, sometimes you have to force coaches hands by trading away their favorite players, and forcing them to play the younger guys and help them develop. It is a longer term strategy than win now. DD
Trade Scola and put in Hayes as the vet starting PF. That would leave us without a true low post presence but I like Chucks leadership to guide PatPat and our younger guys. I love Luis but contract SUCKS.
I'll give you some love for the Chuckwagon. I posted this in another thread, but here is my 2 cents on Chuck. None of our young bigs is 1/2 the low post man on man defender or rebounder that Chuck Hayes is. Jordan Hill; Marcus Cousin; Hasheem Thabeet, please, these are pure bottom feeding roster fodder. Even if/when we sign a better starting center as a shot blocker and rebounder (and we definitely need one), Chuck Hayes would still be the best back up center on this team by far. He also provides veteran leadership to a cast of young power forwards. Lastly, we all know how often injuries happen to bigs, and Chuck Hayes is an iron man. So at a minimum even if we upgrade at center, we still need a backup to spell for minutes, in the event of injuries, and for certain matchups where Chuck in fact dominates (as a matter of public record, Lamarcus Aldridge hates playing against Chuck). RESIGN CHUCK HAYES!!!
Chuck plays only 28mpg and gives you 8/8 with solid post and team defense. Yes, we might be overextending his role a bit, but if someone wanted to take his starting spot away there's nothing stopping them. Luis only took half a season to win the starting spot because he was that good. Competition is a good thing and Chuck isn't stalling anyone's development. If you can't earn your starting spot you don't deserve to have it.
