this is actually a good thing if you think about it...... both teams won multiple championships in the 90's, and have lost almost all of their veteran star players.......and when you look at the way the 2 teams have approached rebuilding, you gotta give your props to Carrol Dawson and Rudy......... Bulls, 1. worst team by far in the NBA 2. lottery team now for 2 years, and still do not have an explosive player to build around. 3. still a lot of holes to fill, and the plan of Jerry Krause to sign Duncan and or Hill doesn't look like it is going to work out. Rockets 1. Due to injuries, the Rocks rebuilding plans have been accelerated.....luckily Carrol and Rudy were planning ahead, and pulled off the best trade in NBA history. 2. This will be worst year for the Rocks, and there is still a chance they could get the 8th. seed in the West.... they have their explosive player in Francis, not to mention, Cato, Mobley, and maybe others. 3. Still holes to fill, but big pieces are in place... this team needs to play together more and get used to eachother..... all players are young and talented...... could be a lottery team next year, and pick up another huge piece to this puzzle....... no Contest Rocks win huge !!!!!!!!
Yeah, the rockets have done a much better job than the bulls. Overall, I am very happy with the Rockets' management and what they were able to do. I mean, they got a good player in the late 1st round in Kenny Thomas. This fool has shown he can play by hitting the 3 ptr, using a variety of post up moves, and rebounding. Most of all, HE HAS CONFIDENCE. That will take him very far in this league. Bryce Drew is turning out not to be a wasted pick. He is not too consistent, but he'll get better. With that good shot, and awesome floater of his, he could become a very good backup for us. Now, after Hakeem leaves, we will have a ton of money to sign some other budding superstar. And that will the final piece of our puzzle. Rudy and the gang have done a really good job of drafting the right players. I'm sure they'll do a good job and steal another one in the next few drafts. This year, I see the Rockets making i to the 1st round and losing. Maybe they'll be a spoiler and make it to the 2nd round, but I don't think they'll pull a New York. Next year, they will have a far better season, but still will proabably only be a spoiler. 3rd year is our year. We will have a team that is capable of winning it all for this year and years to come. Peace.
I never understood why Chicago always talked so much about breaking up their team every single freaking year they won a championship. How can you even enjoy them when in the interviews after the last game of the finals every year they all said they weren't coming back to defend their championship. The egos up there were enormous and for some reason that translated to a rebuilding strategy that EVERYONE had to go. As a result they got s*** for their players. We traded Rodgers for Pippen and then turned around the next year and traded Pippen for Williams, Rodgers, and Cato. Now it looks like we might get Gill for Williams. Chicago recieved Rodgers We recieved Cato, Rodgers, Williams Portland receieved Pippen More than a little lopsided. Chicago, for some reason wanted to suck. Brand only has a three year contract, so I hope Chicago doesn't look like the Clippers in two years or they'll lose him too. What's the point of trying to win the lottery? They might as well have sold the Bulls and got an expansion team.
Props to the Rockets management, although they are nuts in many decisions they have done a slightly better job than the Grizzlies and the Clippers management. remember, other teams don't have the luxury to trade Pippen for young building blocks.
FantasyGM, I can't see us possibly having the ability now to make the playoffs. Except if Hakeem came back and was a terror every night. Even then I don't know. What we need is: 1)Solid young rookie, who will be a forward, almost certainly. With new rules you don't have to pay these guys much for the first three years or something. Our guard linup is almost set. He'll be part of the future to go with Francis. 2)Decide if Drew is the right backup point guard for us next year. Some here will say he is, some will say he isn't. We'll let the next 60 games decide that. Either way other teams now want him, as of his recent explosion. His turnovers are now myth, and shooting is now fact. Defense still whack. 3)Free Agent Forward - Power forward. 4)Is Carlos Rogers a starter? With Walt gone who takes that role? I'm not sure Bullard will be around once Hakeem says Adios as well. Bullard is a Hakeem by-product and there are other teams in the league who will trade at least something for him.
C.Sensation Very Astute Analysis. Bullard = 90s Rudy T. He will retire a rocket them sit next to Rudy on the bench *grin*. but if we can trade him . . . . I maybe a bit spoiler but. . . If we can get some 2nd round picks for him . . .I'll be loving it. Rockets can sure find the DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF[ read Second rounds] if anyone can. Rocket River
It's not fair to compare the Rockets' rebuilding vs. the Bulls rebuilding at this point. The Bulls are getting ready to raid a free-agent market with the likes of Grant Hill and Tim Duncan. Let's talk again after 2 years and then you can start talking about who won the "rebuilding wars". ------------------ Rocket fuel pumps through these veins...
i'm not sure you can compare the two teams' rebuilding strategies... the rockets got totally lucky with francis' desire to not go to vancouver. if whatshisnamefromdetroit had a good back, we'd still have othella (cb not hurt?), dickerson et. al, and would probably not be as hard set in rebuild mode as we are now. when you include what the professor said about the bulls cap wise, the jury takes a longer break. the bulls will have a ton of money next summer. i think that that fact will eventually make up for what krause did to pippen. they might not get duncan, but if they tank yet another year, they get a third lottery pick (if you include this one) and roll over their money. the rockets on the other hand will be ready to reimburse anderson for his exception 'wink wink' while dream frees up 16 mil in cap (could a capologist help w/ the timing of signing anderson considering there will be an option involved? is it like signing any other free agent? use the cap, sign your own?). let's wait until both of the teams are back in the playoffs, judge the health of the teams financially and skillwise. luck, nerves, luck, nerves.
To whoever said the Francis trade was the best in NBA history: I think there have been some trades that are better than the Francis one. I think Pippen was traded for Sam Bowie. Probably more idiotic trades concerning the Clippers, but I don't really know much about them.
I agree with the Dr. of Dunk: There is more than one way to rebuild. Even though the future looks much brighter for the Rockets, let's see what happens in the free agent market. Also keep in mind that the Bulls knew they were going to break the team up and knew when their rebuilding would begin. For the Rockets, coming into this year, we thought we would just be reloading this year, until the injuries to Chuck & Dream. This planning period will allow the Bulls to compete vigorously for the FA's of the future.
I agree with FantasyGM. Even though the Rockets did not plan on this year being a rebuilding year, it has turned into one, and with less than a half season of rebuilding under our belts, we're way ahead of the Bulls. The Bulls will be cellar-dwellers for another 3 years, and will dump Tim Floyd before they start to rise again. Props once again to Carroll & Rudy T.! ------------------ Just Win Baby! More Than Four Times!
I live currently in the Chicago area, and it doesn't matter how bad the Bulls suck, they still fill up the stands. This goes for all the local area teams, making it impossible for the owners not to make money. Why pay for high salary players when you can rake in a fortune dwelling in the cellars of the league? We'll see how much the fans can take here, but it's difficult to see a letup in the near future. And although the Bulls will have tons of money next year, who are they going to sign who's not tied up with their current teams for the next several years? They certainly don't have any trade bait. On the other hand, the Rockets are set: and if they get Kendall Gill with Hakeem coming back to put some bite into those words we all saw this weekend, they could make the playoffs this year. 180ยบ in my opinion, and it looks to stay that way next year and after.
I've been watching the Bulls maneuver. They are being very Smart. They will go after Duncan with Vigor. I've wondered why they took BRAND . . . I figured it out. . . They will offer him and draft picks [GOOD POSSIBILITY OF IT BEING IN THE TOP 4] for DUncan's Bird Rights. Allowing San An the illusion of a win win situation. But there is no what they will get all of Duncan's value in a trade. If I were them I'd tell Timmy that his bird rights stay in SA. fly if he wants. . . but it will be below the max. I do not see what they can offer Hill in detroit in the above senario. No one wants toni kuKoc. and Hersey is going down hill. They may try to Sign Him before the Sign N Trade for duncan [It's all about timing] I must admit. They and Rockets are shrewd businessmen. Making Moves. The difference is one is staying competitive the other is doing what is liken to TANKING Rockets Don't Tank . . . WE ARE 100% QUITTEN FREE!!!!1 Rocket River
achebe "could a capologist help w/ the timing of signing anderson considering there will be an option involved?" I think I can help here. First, let's summarize Anderson's deal. <ol type="1"> [*]We were over the cap when we signed him [*]We asked him to take our Mid-Level Exemption (ave NBA salary=$2m), which he did [*]The contract I have down is 3-yrs with a Player Option for a 4th, not a team option. [*]He gets paid ave NBA salary each year (i believe with a guaranteed minimum 12.5% raise) [*]Each year Anderson is here counts towards his Bird rights. So, at the end of his contract, we can resign him for up to the league max as a Bird exemption. </li>[/list=a] General Cap Issues: His pay counts against the cap every year, as every salary does. We can use the Mid-Level Exemption each year, regardless to whether we used it the year before on a multi-year deal. ie, we can sign an Anderson-priced free agent EVERY YEAR for the very same contract that Anderson received, without being under the cap. This is likely what we will offer Mobley. Your Questions: <ol type="1"> [*]is it like signing any other free agent? Yes. Any other free agent with 3yrs w/o changing teams via free agent. ie., he'll have Bird rights. [*]use the cap, sign your own? I don't know what you mean by "use the cap". But yes, we can sign him for the max w/o cap worries. Other teams must have cap room to offer him above league average rates (ie, above the Mid-Level Exemption rate).</li> [/list=a]
