I think teams expect too much of him. They see him play great in a limited role and think he can do that for an entire game. He can't. I've said this since the day we traded him to Toronto when everyone wanted him back. If Mike James plays more than 20 minutes a game for your team then you are not a contender. You're just not.
Here are the stats of Mike James of last several years: year min FG FG% 3P 3P% TO AST PTS 03-04 (Bos) 30.6 3.9-9.3 .418 1.6-4.1 .381 1.4 4.4 10.7 (Det) 19.7 2.3-5.7 .401 0.8-2.1 .364 1.6 3.7 6.3 04-05 (Hou) 25.6 4.7-10.8 .433 1.6-4.0 .393 1.0 2.9 12.4 (Mil) 24.8 4.4-9.8 .446 1.2-3.2 .382 1.7 3.9 11.4 05-06 (Tor) 37.0 7.3-15.5 .469 2.1-4.8 .442 2.6 5.8 20.3 06-07 (Min) 25.3 3.6-8.6 .423 1.0-2.6 .372 1.6 3.6 10.1 If anything, 05-06 is an abnormaly here. That was his contract year . Now let's compare last season's stats between Stevie and MJ. min FG FG% 3P 3P% Rbs TO AST PTS James 25.3 3.6-8.6 .423 1.0-2.6 .372 2.0 1.6 3.6 10.1 Francis 28.1 3.2-7.8 .408 1.0-2.5 .378 3.6 2.3 3.9 11.3 Let's also throw in some intangibles. Stevie was in a bad situation with Knicks. It had a crowded back court, the team played like crap and he was pretty much made out to be the scapegoat. As a result, that was the worse season of his whole career. James on the other hand, was give a fat contract, was given a great opportunity to run his show! What did he do? Gotta beaten out by a rookie. What's funny is that Steve's worse year is pretty much identical to the "normal" Mike James, except Stevie grabed almost twice as much rebounds as James!Give the weak rebounding performance in the playoff series, who do you think can help Rockets ont he defensive end more? For all you James lovers, if you still look at his stats with Raptors and day dreaming, you need to wake up. That not the James you will see, that James is gone with the signing of his fat contract. As to Francis, he may not put up 20/6/6 next season, but I am willing to bet that he will put up much better performance than his worst year.
I was just wondering... if James was to agree to the trade, do you think that Charlotte would do this? To Charlotte: James, Head and the rights to Landry. To Houston: Morrison and May. Trade accepted. I would do it in a second. Don't know if Charlotte would. What do you all think?
Last year their 3 point shooting was virtually equal and James isn't that much better overall 3pt shooting wise. I don't buy the spot up shooter thing and Francis is a good defender as well and can create his own shot. As far as being "smarter" then Francis, I don't buy that as well. Francis has career assist average of 6, James just 4. James best year in assists is still lower then Francis' career average (James best year 5.8 apg, Francis career average 6.1 apg). Francis is also a great rebounder, something this team desperately needs.
I'm not sold on Morrison at all. I thought he would be much better coming into the league than he was last year but as of right now I would not trade James, Head and Landry for him just because I think he will be a flop.
James is labeled as a "PG", but has a terrible court version, and a bad passer. When pressed, he'd put his head down, run over anything in front of him. His skill fits better as a SG, but is not good enough to score much. There are plenty of players like James in this league, and most of them have been playing their role well, which are sit on the bench, play their role when called up from the bench. The problem with James is he thinks he IS better than he actually is, and worse yet, he took the action on the court to prove it, hence screw up the team chemistry.
That's what I was trying to point out earlier. I just don't understand all the hype and love folks around here keep giving James. He HAD his chance last year. He was given a perfect opportunity and he blew it. Period. Stop making execuses for him. Sure he now is playing in the city where he live. Steve is no stranger to the Rockets uniform either. Steve also was injured last season and now is fully healthy.
He had the opportnity here in 2005 and was excellent. Even the awful season and "perfect opportunity" (which it wasn't) last year was esentialy comparable to what Rafer did last year. Not that hard to figure out. Really, it's not.
That about sums it up. Just watch him in his only Rockets playoff performance and you will know that he was one of the most productive players in that series. There is no reason to think he will not perform at that level again.
I understand this thinking (the only reason I think Charlotte might even be willing to consider it)... but I like May and there is stilll a chance that Morrison will adjust. Man he was sweet in college. No D, but he seemed such a natural offensive talent.
If you want to bring back history... Steve was an all star when he was with the Rockets. James controls his own destiny, and he chose to go to minnesota, knowing his only competition is a rookie. and that is not a perfect opportunity? ) But I did not say James had an awful season. He had a NORMAL season in his own standard.
Yawn, 3 years and lots of injuries ago yes. I am talking about more recent history. No, the perfect opportunity would have been to return to Houston and usurped the mad bomber Rafer Alston and be the primary outside shooting threat. Minnesota meanwhile was a mediocre team had a load of 1-on-1 perimeter players like Ricky Davis and a similar player to James in Foye that they wanted to play a lot and invested a lot to get. Again, not hard to figure out. He had an abnormal season by the standards of the previous few. In particular he had an abnormal season on an efficiency basis. His efficiency is what makes him a desirable player. Look, you're just rehashing old James hater arguments that have been addressed time and time again on this board for the last two years. There's a reason that this thread has one star.
I do remember reading the Mavs forums during our playoff series with them and they were all concerned about MJ. He scored the 3rd most points in that series behind Yao and T-mac. Having MJ and Francis in our back court now gives us scoring punch, depth, and flexibility. These are all good things we didn't have last year, so I really don't understand how some posters here want to put a negative spin on reacquiring MJ. Next season our opponents will have to worry about our backcourt and that's something they haven't had to worry about in a long time.
As recent as 2 years ago? That sure is a big difference there. While James himself sure seemed did not figure such easy choice himself, did he? It was not like someone forced him to do that. He knew who was on the Minnesota team. Obviously he thought that was the best opportunity for him. Again go check his stats, throw out his season with Raptors, they are all the same including last year. When you started to throw out "hater" labels, then there is no point to argue any more... Just 3 more months we will know who is right and who is wrong.
My goodness get a life ! This forum is to find out the latest information on the Roxs, relieve stress and to meet other Rocket fanantics. This is not Folsum Prison...."Hey Clutch can we make this forum a Nazi forum where you have to say everything just right or your banned !" I get frustrated at times and want to cuss up a storm but I just use similiar curse words.....C'mon if you don't like the title of the thread then don't read it !! Clutch and the other administrators will take care of the locks !!!!!!!!!!
Oh god. I hope not! Sure, they have heart but they don't have an average IQ if you combine them. And mind you, I'm glad to have them on the team.
Francis was an all star in 2005? In what alternate universe - please explain. Utterly irrelevant as to whether or not it was - which it was not, which is not disputed by either James, the Wolves or the Rockets. LOL - so throw out the ones where he is good, and then he is bad? GENIUS idea. Thank you for this new heuristic. Anyway, this isn't even true given James' efficiency indcators which you have made no attempt to understand or examine in any sense I know that Daryl Morey and the Houston Rockets think you are wrong, that is why they tried no less than three times to get James back. Anyway, focus on the one star to see why you have no point.
