Memphis did tried to trade him, but Swift said he wanted to go for FA long time ago. It doesn't matter though. I wasn't thrilled by his signing. However, since we already signed him, we better play him and develop him. JH show is looking less and less effective by the day.
Look i could fathom the earning his PT argument if howard was playing even half descent ball, but he is not. what do we have to lose?.. swift is the future, howard is not.
swift having to sit each time he receives a knock is an indication he isn't mentally tough enough to be a consistent player. waiting for swift to fulfil his potential is like chasing rainbows.
The only thing I can add is that Major has said every statement I've made about Swift to all his supporters that want him to get major minutes : 1) He plays half-assed and boneheaded (although that's kind of improved a bit... whoopee) 2) Swift has failed to improve appreciably with 2 teams and 3 or 4 coaches. 3) Swift is statistically doing pretty much what he's always done. 4) You don't reward mediocrity with more playing time in the hopes you can turn a dud into a stud. I say give JHo and Rybo more playing time... teach him some humility... or at least teach him to play well enough in practice to get playing time in games because I'm guessing he isn't.
I really dont buy the " earning your Playing time" angle! I can understand if Stromile does not have an option. He is signed up for the next 3 years- it is our team that will have to bear the consequences. Even at this stage not playing him- and suggesting that J HO and Rafer dont make bone headed plays is just ridiculous. We got away with the DA incident by making it public- hopefully we wont repeat that with Stro. Even with Yao JVG finally came to the realization tha the endless ( and Mindless) picks that Yao keeps setting saps his energy- now he does not do that anymore ( and I noticed Rafer directing Yao for setting a pick and clanking the shot!). Maybe we need to make some plays for Stro which are idiot proof and get him more involved once he gets his confidence.
sometimes it works. Not all the time. Just like Brilliant kids who slack off in school. Put them in a school with more liberty and see that they excel. Don't twist this the wrong way. Stro is no genius, but he's not like your average soldier, where u b**** at him and he gets his ass in gear. He's more like a puppy where u got be firm and loving.
We, posters of the clutchfans here, have to trust the coach, though i dont like JVG. He is the one who know which players are playing/practicing hard thus earning the playing time and help the team to win. But once we are mathematicallu out of playoffs, I wish JVG will start Swift and let him play more than 30 minutes to show what he really has. The rockets signed Swift because we need a Pf who can rebound, block shots(Juwon has 5 blocks the whole last season and less than 10 blocks this season so far), to protect yao from fouls and to hit open jumpers. Pair Swift with yao for a longer time on court and see what he really got. If he played well, then the organization have to decide to keep him or trade him since he played well it will raise his trade value. I see no harm playing Swift starter minutes once we are out of the playoffs race. One example to compare is Darko Milicic. Given chance now in Orlando, which he got zero while in Detroit, he is averaging 20min 6.5pts, 4.4rebs and 2.5blks . Rewarding Darko playing time and he actually delivered!
You are not taking anything away from JH. He is playing terrible. The question is whether we need to continue on the same path that does not take us anywhere. JH is over the hill and we now what to expect from him (very inconsistent games). With Swift, we don't really know what the outcome will be if he starts and gets a 30+ minutes a game.
Well said, I was excited about the signing of Stro this offseason for the main reason that the rockets could pair him with the unathletic Yao. We currently have two sloths in the rockets frontline and only one is productive. Stro signed with the rockets to be paired with Yao because he had never played with a true center. How much would it hurt the team if JVG gave the 25 year old Stro 30+ minutes a game alongside Yao. All I know is if Rudy T were the current coach to this team Stro would have been starting a long time ago. When you go through 5 to 7 game losing streaks you try something new. I think he has only played 2 to 3 games over 30 minutes this season under JVG.
Well if Stro can't find more minutes, then CD is not in control. (1) Stro's through 2 teams, 4 coaches? So what? Rockets signed him with high hopes, remember? I was not the one thrilled by the signing, but they did. They should have a reason. Time to test your vision. (2) Earning your minutes? With the way JH played, and Stro's play lately. Stro actually deserve to have more minutes. (3) Remember Denver before they are good? Before they got Melo? They are STARTING Bate'er, yes he who now plays in China, at the PF position. You need some principle, but you also need to be flexible sometimes.
It boggles my mind why so many people keep making excuses for Swift. Yes, we should play him more as soon as we are mathamatically eliminated; however, we should only do that if we are dead-set on trading him in the off-season (which I hope we are). That being said, I have noticed much more of a concerted effort on his part to play hard. I am hoping that this is the begining of something, and that he'll actually earn his minutes. Either way, the Stro-show needs to show me something quickly, or don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. by the way ... Ben Wallace is a free agent this offseason. ... Everyone is entitled to his dreams.
I make excuses for him because I don't think he's getting a fair shot. Juwan Howard sucks and is a loser and he gets all this playing time because he puts on this big act with the coaches where they are blinded by his professionalism and don't realize he's hurting the team. The fact that JVG doesn't start him doesn't say anything to me because his favorites are Howard and Ryan freaking Bowen.
I say. Bench Slomile. Perhaps he and JVG can get in a fist fight or you can do something to make it look like he doesn't deserve benching, so as to not disturb his trade value,if any. Just be careful as JVG is pretty feisty and might stomp old Slomile further decreasing his trade value.
I was thinking the same thing. I bet swift would be AWESOME with nash and the suns. And they have tons of shooters they have in assets we may be interested in. HOWEVER, this kinda trade will make the SUNS WAYYYY better, and us only minimally.. If they were in the EASTERN CONFERENCE this wouldnt be that big of a deal.
Heard it all. Comparing Stro to Darko? Which player has 6 full NBA seasons? Which player, for the very first time in his career, is just now actually playing in actual NBA games? There is no comparison between Stro and Darko. One has a 6 year legacy of mediocrity; the other hasn't been given a chance. We need to "make some plays for Stro which are idiot proof". Someone please translate this. If you mean draw up plays on the offensive end for a player with very few offensive skills forget it. Especially with Yao and Tracy on the floor. Stro hasn't seen fit to develop any offensive game. At best, his jumpshot is a work in progress. Comparing Stro to a puppy dog "where u got be firm and loving"? Should JVG rub his belly every day after practice? Name one NBA coach who is "loving". Every NBA coach that I've followed fairy closely is tough as nails, no matter what image they project in public. Rudy T royally blistered his players at practice and during games (though never with the press), yet he seems to have a "nice guy" reputation. Is Stro some r****ded child who must be treated different from all other NBA players? I say this because the way some people defend him sounds very condescending to me. If Stro were worth a dime JH would have been on the bench a long time ago.
They just have trouble reconciling the fact that he's such a beast on Playstation and blame JVG instead of his absolute lack of IQ and passion. Evan
We don't have too much time to waste for both TMac and Ming being in their primes. A whole season to test whether a 4th option is starting material? Aren't you guys too generous? I agree we can start him for the rest of the season, and even call some plays for him. He has to prove himself, that he can handle the pressure, earn the minutes, play with more head and heart, and deliver. If he can't, then he can't.
