Am I the only one who just wishes we would throw Thabeet out there for starters minutes for the whole season? Dude is EXACTLY what we need, he's in his contract year it's now or never so let's see what we got. Doubtful we're winning the championship next year anyhow and quite honestly a top pick in next years draft is just what the doctor ordered.
No, DD is in your boat. It's the wrong boat though. We need to start strong right out of the game. No time for experiments.
Wow us Rockets fans are that desperate for a center. But I bet you guys anything that once the Rockets sign a decent center and everyone will be all happy, the Rockets will still be in the same position they were in for the last 2 years. Having a good big man is ideal for any team but without a superstar, the Rockets aint going nowhere.
I'm just not convinced he can turn into the defensive center we need. Yeah, he's got a nice offensive game, but you can't cherry pick his defensive stats. Sure he has a 4-5 block night occasionally, but he still ends up with an average of 1.1 bpg. No argument with this.
Same blocks per game as Tyson Chandler. His offensive rebounding is ridiculous. I would rather pay about 4-5 for Humphries than overpay for some stiff that will hinder our cap flexibility. A lower profile move might be better in the long run..
Regardless, it sucks. In my lifetime we've had Moses, Dream, and Yao. Whoever we get is going to suck in comparison... unless it is Howard. Somebody needs to scour Houston neighborhoods to find a kid who is going to be tall and start developing post moves and more importantly, a big man mentality. Forget all these guys who want to look pretty shooting Js and dribbling. Find me a kid who wants a jump hook and who desperately needs to protect the paint against all-comers. Then lock them up in Fonde for an entire summer.
You will note Hakeem Olajuwon himself didn't meet two out of three of those requirements. Nor did Bill Russell, Alonzo Mourning or Ben Wallace. While we're at it, Dikembe Mutumbo was listed at 260.
I think we need to keep Thabeet and develop him. If we don't expect him to be a starting center but more of an impact big off the bench, he can fit that role. We have to remember that he's 7-2 with standing reach of 9-5, mobile, and has good defensive instincts. What Thabeet needs to do this summer is to gain some weight and strength so he doesn't get pushed around. If he can be that imposing bully in the middle, I'll be happy. Same with Flynn. Both players really haven't had the opportunity to play. Hill, on the other hand is pretty much Mikey Moore (sp?). We need to trade Hill while some team still believes in his "potential". I heard the Bucks like him. Hill for Ilyasova?
Huh didn't know that. I can see why people would want him on Houston, but personally I'm still a bit wary. Blocks per game is a nice indicator of defensive skill, but it doesn't represent a player's full defensive ability.
I want to see the guy out there as well. We keep hearing about how bad he sucks, but man. The dude appears to have all the physical abilities in the world. It seems the worst case scenerio might be a center version of Stromile Swift, which at a defensive minded 7'3", I would not mind.
I would like to see Thabeet play at least one season under McHale before they pull the rip cord on him. To bad there is no summer league this offseason as it would have helped Thabeet, PP, D-Mo, Morris and Chandler get some clock.
You're right I would love another 9th seed for the third year in a row Sticking with Chuck or signing a Fysenko type FA just to maintain a .500 record is just crazy. Last year there was at least the chance of Yao this year barring someone unforseen move it's likley going to be .500 again. Mediocrity sucks. Only way out of this is a top pick or a huge trade/FA. Ideally you do both, run the bubble guys like Twill, Hill, Thabeet, Flynn out there so you can see if they are worth resigning. Tank the damn season get a top 5 pick and a franchise youngster and add him to a Dwill/Howard/CP3.
I think we're a playoff team assuming we remain healthy. DM hinted that the rotation is basically set with one (Morris) and hopefully another (D Mo) cracking the rotation. I like both players a lot DM won't overpay for Hayes but it's a high priority for him. Defenders like Hayes aren't easy to come by. There's no way we tank right out the gate with Thabeet or Williams playing in the rotation. Flynn might not be here and would have to ball out of control to take Dragic's spot. Hill is the most likely to see playing time out of these 4 but I wouldn't count on that either. You and DD are definitely in the same boat. You guys were kidding yourselves if you thought Yao would remain healthy. It was a laughable notion and him getting injured by falling down in the fifth game is evidence of that. This season feels different. Just wait and you will see for yourself.
