I am not a steve-only fan, but I do believe that it's better to keep him next season. It is obviously he is a great player and he has changed himself a lot to merge into the new system. Moreover, I don't think we will get a BETTER PG after rockets trade him. Keep Steve!
But we could get a BETTER PLAYER and SCORER with more consistency, and smarts. T-Mac. As for our pg, Brent barry's our answer, I'm with Clutch on that one. T-mac and Brent barry or Steve francis? I think you see my point.
There are very few owners in the NBA who have any sense of loyalty to players and a understanding of the meaning of tradition and how the two are related to successful sports franchises. But they are out there. There are two Texas cities blessed with such individuals. IMO Houston is NOT one - yet.
Unfortunately for Rockets they are NOT one of the teams in the NBA with astute clever player personnel people. Look at the Rox over last five years v. San Antonio, New Jersey, Indiana, Dallas, Memphis, Detroit and now Minnesota. Based on the Rox player personnel history - I'd be very warry of any deals involving starting five, especially Steve or Yao that current regime cooks up. They are stale and will only get burned by more clever better prepared organizations. Rockets have got to STOP help building other teams - a la NJ - and start building their's.
you mean we should have paid him ANOTHER "reward for past service" contract giving him $12 million over three years - only to get 4 months of service out of him before he retires ?!?! in either case, I doubt he would still be invovled - he is traveling the world enjoying his retirement when you retire, are you going back to your office (unpaid) and hang around ?!?!
When you retire don't you effectively opt out of a contract? Or are their special rules for the NBA that allow players to retire and still get paid?
Hakeem "retired" (in quotes) before he retired. A player needs to send a letter to the league confirming his status. Olajuwon announced his retirement (and had the number-retiring ceremony here) early in the season three years back. He was injured, but did not send in the letter until the end of the season. That kept him officially a Raptor, on IR and paid.
