Is This The End ????

Thank you for that note of encouragement.

I'm afraid you're probably more right than I'd like you to be. There isn't any feeling at all that the Rocks are still going to do a trade or a big signing before the offseason is over. Essentially, we've traded Olajuwon for Griffin, which isn't at all bad, imo, but I know we were all expecting more.

At least we didn't fall on our faces and lose all our FAs.

 

Granville -- I'm with you....like you, I don't think the Rockets will make the playoffs this year. I don't think they've really improved all that much. They will be a year better, though, I believe. I just don't believe that will be enough. And I do think they'll miss the Dream in some ways.

Having said that, IF the Dream could give you anything this year (and I'm not sure he could), it would be for this year only. Certainly he's not a long-term answer for their concerns. And there was no move, save getting Webber, that could have made this team a contender for the title...and it's arguable that even adding Webber wouldn't have made a difference. Outside of Webber, there are no real significant free agents to be had. This team needed one more real solid contributor --particularly in the frontcourt -- and Webber was about the only thing they could add. They did great to add Griffin...but that is going to be a work in progress...certainly adding Griffin doesn't change the complexion of this team so much as to make them a competitor this year. Make no mistake...Cato and Taylor is about the softest frontcourt I've ever seen. These guys might combine for 10-11 rebounds per game. Having said that, Taylor was the best option available to the Rocks.

EVERY offseason, fans say, "this is a huge offseason!" It gets overblown. Clearly there weren't enough names in the ranks of free agency to make this a HUGE offseason. It just didn't play that way. They made a nice trade on draft day...that's more than many teams did. If they keep this little group together, they should be able to attract some free agents when the time comes...but this year, there just wasn't much out there. So you sign Anderson and Norris to some short-term contracts and see what happens...and if you can move Cato, you do it as soon as possible! That frees up money for the summers where there actually are players available.

 

A different perspective:

1. Hakeem was at the end of his career. Losing him within the next year or two was inevitable. Getting a first-round draft pick in exchange was a bonus.
2. Getting a franchise player without falling to the bottom of the league is extremely difficult. We got one franchise player without a lottery pick (Francis), and we may very well have gained another this offseason in Griffin. The fact that one of these guys is a backcourt anchor and the other is a frontcourt anchor makes our good fortune even more amazing. That is a huge accomplishment and a precious building block for our future.

 

CD is not done yet. There will be a trade soon. Something seems to come across his desk more often then not.

 

Unfortunately I think Granville is correct. I remember as the season was ending that we all though we would be significantly improved this year, via Webber or other FAs. I am happy to get Griff out of the draft, but noone can say right now that any 19-y/o will/won't be a good player. Griff has all the skills but the NBA is made up of players who had the "potential" to be good.
As I stated somewhere else I think we are the same as last year, probably battling for the 8th spot in West but as good as chance as being in the lottery again.
I guess I am so tired of the lottery that I would have been thrilled to take Battier in the draft and re-sign Webber. I know it may not have been the best thing for the franchise, but I don't want to play that stupid lottery game ever again!

 

Sorry i meant in the last paragraph to re-sign Dream.

 

Keep in mind this same Rockets team produced 48 wins last year. I believe that tied a record for the most wins for a non-playoff team. I find it hard to beleive that these same group of guys will find themselves taking steps backwards, or even stuck in mediocrity for long. I beleive they'll manage to turn the corner this year. I dont have the stats to back it up but the Rockets lost more close games last year than any other Rocket team i can remember.

So taking all this into account, Cd could of been proud with this team and the direction it was headed. You know, he could of sat back, counted himself as one of the rare blessed Gm's who never had to twist his face up into Jerry Krause convulsions while enduring that long, agonizing, process of rebuilding -- he could of sat back and accepted that last pick in the lottery with a contented smile...right? But No, fortunately a last pick in the lottery is not Cd's style because he's no damn fat Krause or Elgin Baylor. So what does he do? Oh well, he just manages to steal one of the top freaking projected picks in this years draft! That amazing manuever by the Rockets coaching staff is enough for
me to rate this as a succesful basketball related summer.

This team may not when a championship this year but the pieces are there and dont worry, like the two cahmpinship teams of a few years back, Rudy and Cd will gradually add the Elie, the Thorpe, or the Horry when the time is right.

 

I think we'll make the playoffs at best as a 7 seed. The west is a b****, and Eddie will probably be a player of consequence after his rookie year. Mo got the big money and he did show some real dominant flashes last year. As a cornerstone I look to see a lot more Taylor next year. Maybe he'll even reboud. I'm hoping for 50 wins...that should get us in

 

This team wasn't going to be a title contender even if they kept Dream and Webber. This is a young team contending for the playoffs, and they showed last year that they could win any game, I don't think losing Hakeem turns this into a team where you look into next season saying "This team doesn't have a chance of winning", because they will be much more mature, and experienced then they were last year.

 

Don't forget that Steve Francis has improved each year. He bulked up last year and was much better than his 1st. This year, if he improves even a tiny bit, he'll be better than Gary Payton.

We could be the Bucks of the Western Conference, where our guards dominate the other teams. Our big three would be Cat, Steve, and Mo (at least until Griffen develops into a better player).

Rockets will make the playoffs this season and shock the world again (like Ralph and Dream did the Lakers in 85).

 

This was a big offseason because we had so many question marks. We have so many free agents that could just go off to some other team. Where would we be if Mo, Shandon, and Moochie all decided to go sign somewhere else?

We picked up a potential superstar and we lost an aging center that would spend a considerable amount of time on the IR anyway.

This offseason could have been a lot worse...

Now that Dream's gone, Steve and Cuttino will takeover as leaders and not defer to Dream. I'm looking forward to the New Rockets, it sucks Dream's gone, but now it's time for a new brand of basketball with no looking back to the slow dump it in offense of the past.

 

Since when do you grade an accomplishment on what could have happened and not what happened.

Hindsight is 20/20......

You cannot have it both ways.....
On the one hand , you say because we did not get everything on our wish list that we failed but in the same sentence dismiss the fact that it could have been worse smacks of selective memory. To gauge how the off-season went, you need to look at both sides to properly evaluate the situation.

 

Granvillewaders, please do tell what we could have done?

Webber didn't want to come here.

Dream never really considered staying.

So do tell, what we could have done?

 

Webber didn't want to come? Thats the b.s. Had the Rockets came out and offered Webber a contract, he would have been with the Rockets. The rockets could have offered the same money almost the same money as sac. The Rockets could have signed Webber and re-signed Hakeem for 2 yrs. By that time Griffin would be a force at the 3, Webber would still be an all star, Francis would be too. Francis, Webber, Cat, Griffin, and Hakeem(for 2 years). I would put that lineup up against anybody.Cato, thomas,langhi, morris, collier, and colson off the bench. I would take that any day.