http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/307784p-263368c.html Van staggers into offseason Stern & a long summer await BY FRANK ISOLA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Jeff Van Gundy's year is done after Game 7 blowout. DALLAS - The locker room was empty for nearly 20 minutes late Saturday before Jeff Van Gundy finally emerged from his office, still stunned and somewhat disgusted with how the Houston Rockets were ushered into the offseason. Wasn't it his old boss, Pat Riley, who used to say that there is victory and there is hell? Following an embarrassing 40-point loss in a Game 7, Van Gundy didn't need a thermometer to tell him what he was experiencing. "The way it ended," Van Gundy said, "does not reflect well on myself and the team." The most lopsided Game 7 in NBA history, a 116-76 Dallas victory, sent the Mavericks to the second round tonight against the Phoenix Suns. The Mavs won 58 games during the regular season and should present a difficult challenge to the top seed in the Western Conference, which is led by its MVP point guard, Steve Nash. Dallas' talented and deep roster eventually overwhelmed Houston in the series. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady combined for 60 points in Game 7, while the other eight players Van Gundy used produced just 16. "It definitely lets you know how far you have to go to be close to the best teams in the West," said Van Gundy, whose team won 51 games following a 6-11 start. McGrady is now 0-5 lifetime in the first round, Yao 0-2. But the team's two best players will be just 26 and 25 years old, respectively, next season. Houston will build a better supporting cast and the coaching staff would like to add a physical power forward to complement Yao. There are already rumors that Jason Kidd may try to force a trade to Houston. While the future for the Rockets is promising, Van Gundy has some music to face in the present. NBA commissioner David Stern is expected to meet with Van Gundy within two weeks to conclude the league's investigation regarding comments Van Gundy made about the officiating. The league already slapped Van Gundy with a $100,000 fine for claiming that an NBA official revealed to him that the referees would be looking closely at Yao in response to complaints by Mavs owner Mark Cuban after Games 1 and 2 that Yao was setting illegal screens. Stern has hinted that if Van Gundy fails to cooperate, he could receive a suspension or even a lifetime ban. On Friday, Van Gundy launched a preemptive strike by issuing his second public apology in five days. People inside the league office feel that Van Gundy's act of contrition will help, but there is no telling how Stern will view it. Further punishment would seem excessive in light of the record fine and the simple fact that if Van Gundy's actions were so egregious, why wasn't he suspended immediately? Players who throw punches are automatically suspended for the next game. Of course, Van Gundy will punish himself enough this summer by watching a tape of Game 7 over and over. "I think the whole thing was blown out of proportion," said Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo, a strong ally of the commissioner. "It sounded much worse than it really was. But Jeff will be back. He's not going anywhere." Van Gundy has the support of his players and has become something of a folk hero in Houston, much like he was in New York when he was winning playoff games with the Knicks and clutching onto Alonzo Mourning's leg during a melee with the Miami Heat. Now, Van Gundy has another fight on his hands. As he exited the American Airlines Center, Van Gundy shook hands with Derek Harper, the former Knicks point guard who now does television for the Mavs. He then headed straight to the bus, chin up, already talking about next season, determined as ever to make his stay in hell a temporary one.
If Jason Kidd didn't have that monster contract and could be had for a reasonable salary, I'd be all over it. He does have that monster contract and he's not the answer to our long term needs. We'd probably be lucky to get two good years out of him, and this is not a team that was built to be done in two years. In fact, we may just be getting started.
Money should not be an issue with Kidd here, provided the NBA luxury tax isn't too low and Les willing to pay. T-Mac and Yao themselves will insure the Rockets will never be a FA player for the forseeable future. Even the next offseason, when half of our roster comes off the books, the Rockets STILL won't enough money under the cap to add another impact player. For those of you talking about how old and washed up he is, this is the player who's only a year removed from a Finals appearance. It's not his fault his team kept losing in the finals because they meet vastly superior teams. I know there's the injury, but that's what physicals are for. T-Mac might be young, but he's been in the league for quite some time. And Yao's year-round play might catch up to him sooner than later. Both have been remarkably injury free the past season. Can we count on that for the next 6-7 years? I'd take my chances now. And Kidd more than any other player available provides that window of opportunity for us to get a championship.
Ya'll missed this nugget we not getting Kidd. . . WE'RE GETTING DERRICK HARPER!! Rocket RIver - we need some levity
Money won't be TOO MUCH of an issue if we let NJ take Howard's contract out of our hand. Howard + expiring contracts + James for Kidd, I'd do it in a second.
Unless he comes cheap somehow, I don't really want Kidd either. Yao/McGrady are 25 and Kidd is 65. We need better/quicker/younger role players. Not another monster contract for a has-been.
If Pippen hadn't turned over the ball with 20 seconds left when we were down by one, you might not be saying this. I hate Pippen.
Length of contract..... amount of contract...... age of player..... he signed a 6 yr 103M contract in July of 03. that means it runs thru 2009..(player option in the final year) IIRC...that would have him at 37 at the end of his contract. do the math..... say no to Kidd. btw...this subject has already had no less than 4 threads created about it...
Getting Kidd minimizes the flexibility of building a surporting cast around the Big Two. I'm not ready to pin the hope of the Rockets on an old, low scoring, cap killing pg with a bad knee, and wife beating coach strangling history. We don't need to take risks that can be paralysing. Kidd is that kind of risk.
