Are you smoking crack??? I recall that before Yao went to the bench the game was very close. As soon as Yao went out, the Rockets started to take over. I recall Francis hitting key shots in the 4th and dishing out to others. Man you people are sickening. Last year when Francis would dominate and take over, you would cry and say that he dominates the ball too much. Now that he is trying to play conservetive and look for others and work under JVG's system, you whine that he is not ball-hogging. Man you people change your minds more times than J-Lo changes men. Like Jay-z said "get your mind right mamie". Peace.
Steve Francis: Instead of saying he's a 20/6/6 guy, why not say .... 39%/4.8/12 20 points @ 39% shooting will KILL YOUR TEAM - Jim Jackson shoot better than that. 4.8 - Steve averages 1.2 less turn overs than assists per game. 6 assists = 4.8 turn overs - that gets you kicked off a team. 6 rebounds = 12 fast break points the other team gets during the game due to NEVER COVERING YOUR GUY when you miss the rebound. YEp, he's a 39/4.8/12 guy. Go ahead, give him the max.
When Yao is not on the court, Francis is a NON factor. There are many players in this league that can do what Steve does and better for cheaper. Francis has an explosiveness and a change of direction ability to get to the rim, but just about everyone in the league can get to the rim, that's nothing special. JVG, when Yao is on the bench, clearly gives Steve the green light. Not to iso up, make poor decisions, and neglect teammates, but he has every opportunity to score within the system. But he does not have the ability to do that. For one, he is too inconsistant a shooter, and two, he does not have the ability to shoot without putting the ball on the floor. The latter of the two is what JVG is preaching to Steve when he says that, "he takes enough shots", he (VG) wants "Steve to take the same amount of shots on less dribbles." Unless Francis is wide open on the arc, he cannot do this. He is a rhythm shooter. If you notice, Steve is a poor shooter when he does not do his dribble-cross up to pull-up jumper. Imo, JVG is wasting time trying to fix Steve's problems. Ever heard the saying, "you cant teach and old dog, new tricks"? The saying applies here. It is for these specific reasons that Francis can never be a shooting guard. He is an in between guard. He does not have the vision or the mindset to be the point, and he does not have the ability to be a two guard. He's a "tweener", if you will. What Francis brings to the court, with or with out Yao, is NOT worth MAX money. Yao is the only difference maker on this team. He makes everyone, including Steve, better. Is that betterment enough to justify MAX money to Steve? You would be crazy if you think so. For anyone with the League Pass, watch the Jazz and Raul Lopez. He is a solid "team first" point guard. AK47 is unbelievable as well. I would like to move Steve +, for AK47 and Lopez, but I don't think Steve is enough to get AK47. That being said, I would take Chandler +, for Steve. Tyson Chandler next to Yao could be dangerous. Chandler is an exellent shot blocker and could be weakside help for Yao. Moving Francis would give us so many options to build around Yao.
I'm not talking about "ball-hogging"! I'm talking about taking over a game. Tracy McGrady takes over a game, Francis tries. There is a difference.
Eddie Jones hasn't been to the playoffs in ages, Jalen hasn't been since he left Indy, my point is that max contracts are given out to a lot of players, in fact, most teams have atleast 1. If ya'll want to b**** about contracts, b**** about Moochies, Catos, and MoT's. Brand and Jamison never had good enough teams? What about Steve? I didn't call the Rockets a playoffs team until Yao got here, and I firmly believe that we would have been if Rudy could have stayed the rest of the season. If you call SF, Mobley, Kenny Thomas, Cato, Moochie, a good enough team to make the playoffs, then your expectations are too high.
Ok, ok I am going to give you the facts. Here is McGrady's domination and taking over games: 12/21 vs. Raptors 12-27 FGM-A 1-8 3GM-A 2TO's 5 assts. 12/22 vs. 76ers 6-19 FGM-A 2-6 3GM-A 5 TO's 6 assts. 12/25 vs. Cavs 15-29 FGM-A 5-9 3GM-A 2 TO's 11 Assts. 12/26 vs. Spurs 8-21 FGM-A 0-6 3GM-A 4 TO's 4 Assts. 12/29 vs. Knicks 0-2 FGM-A 0-2 3GM-A 2 TO's 1 Assts. Let's total these: 41-98 FGM-A (42%) 8-31 3GM-A (26%) 27 Assts. 15 TO's = 1.8 assts/ TO Let's take a look at W's and L's in those games = 2-3 Those are spectacular #'s, especially in the weak eastern conference. They should induct him in the Hall of Fame RIGHT this minute cause he is incredibly dominant.
Excluding the huge contracts signed before the current CBA (Shaq, Garnett, Grant Hill, Kidd, Vin Baker, Juwan's old contract, etc.), there are IMO 3 basic types of NBA contracts other than role player and vet minimums. * Max MLE - ~$5M * 2nd Tier Stars - $7m-$8m * Current max - ~$10m Max contracts are awarded for numerous reasons but surely include potential, assumed NBA market value (will another team with cap room out bid you?) and PR (do we really want the local press to have a hayday with us over a few mil?). In an environment absent of these 3 elements you will find the 2nd Tier contracts... Raef La Frentz - $8m Lamar Odom - $9.9m Kerry Kittles - $9.3m Gilbert Arenas - $8.5m Alan Henderson - $7.6m Austin Croshere - $7.6m Jamal Mashburn - $8.2m Why on earth would any managerial professsional address a teams' #1 pick (overall #2) with an attitude like.... Ya know Steve, we only think your 500k better than LaFrentz... or C'mon Steve, you know you're not a million and a half better than Arenas... IMHO, you give him the $10m and move on. Or did you want the negotiation with Steve to resemble the awful ugliness of the negotiations with Dream prior to him moving on to TOR?
That's the funniest thing I have ever heard. The same Chandler that got outplayed by Kelvin Cato when the Rockets played them? The same Chandler who is not dominant in the east? Funny.
I like how you simply ignored the fact that the ONLY reason the Heat started stinking is because Zo went out with kidney problems. Not not only robbed them of the second best 5 in the league at the time, it tied up cap money for years. How GOOD were the Heat? They were 50 - 32 in 2000 - 2001 and most importantly, made the playoffs despite losing Zo for 69 games. That is something Steve has yet to achieve. Btw, I used 2000 - 2001 because that was the season Eddie Jones was traded to the Heat. You said Steve lost a HoFer. Well guess what? Eddie Jones lost a future HoFer too. At least Barkley didn't tie up the cap for Steve. With Jalen Rose, I like how you conveniently included "since he left Indy." Did you honestly believe anybody could have turned the Bulls around? Chicago was 15 - 67 in 2000 - 2001 (the season before they got Jalen Rose), 17 - 65 the season before that, 13 - 37 the season before that. The same HoFer equation apply here. Chicago lost BOTH MJ (who was the better player compared Barkley, whose leave left a far greater hole on the Bulls) and Quitten. Btw, Bulls record in 1997 - 1998 (MJ's last season there), 62 - 20. Good for #1 in the NBA and a title. Brand? See Jalen Rose. I can't believe you even mentioned Vince Carter. You don't think he deserves the Max???!!! The guy only single handedly took the Raptors within 1 game of the EC finals. The Raptors were 30 - 52 in 1996 - 1997 (the season before Vince), 23 - 27 the season after that, 45 - 37 the season after that, 47 - 35 and of course, 1 Vince last second shot from EC finals in 2000 - 2001, dropped to 42 - 40 the following season on Air Canada's bad knee, 24 - 58 the season where he pretty much missed 3 quarter of all the games. This season, for the first time in a long time the Raptors are above 500 beyond the first 3 games of the season. Vince Carter is one of those guys that DOES DESERVE THE MAX. I don't consider Steve, Cat, KT, Cato, Moochie a good enough team to make the playoffs. I consider Steve, Yao and Cat good enough last season. I consider Steve, Yao, Cat, JJ, Pike good enough to make the playoffs this season OVER the 33 million Jazz. Simply put, I think non of Eddie Jones, Jalen Rose, SAR nor Jamison deserve the max, but at least they can make a case for it. Stevie Francis just plain doesn't deserve the Max and that's not gonna change whether EJ, JR, SAR or AJ deserve it or not.
This year Steve has not been put in a position to flourish. The Steven Smith articule they had on espn.com addressed this point. Its way to much Yao vs Steve on this board. Neither has played good. As much as the steve hates talk about him, the Yao bashers can talk about the high # of turnovers Yao has, the fact that he has yet to meet a double team he can beat, and his lack of an ability to secure a rebound. The team has problems that need to be address. Not a Steve problem but a team problem.
I can understand you feeling that way especially since you are most likely an old fart and don't understand the art of hip-hop. Maybe if i quoted Tim Megraw or Billy bob you would better understand. Peace.
Funny thing, McGrady also just happened to have made the playoffs. If you know the kind of TO's Steve make, you'd also know that they are different kinds of TO's that TMac or, say JKidd make.
Great breakdown GATER. Looking at your breakdown what really stands out is the "2nd Tier Stars" in relation to the Rockets. That means Cato and Taylor are BOTH making in that category and for their production we are getting royally screwed! How about a SAR or a Wallace or a Rashard Lewis instead of the guys we have? That would make such a huge difference! Each team can produce 2 stars and then perhaps 2 "2nd Tier Stars" and it is important for the Rockets to get better "2nd Tier Stars" on this team!
Anyone with League Pass can see that Zach Randolph, AK47, and lot of other big men are better than Yao so let's ship his ass out too. Quit trying to cover up for the fact that Yao sucks. It's not Steve's fault. It's you and other Yao only fan's dream that once Steve is gone, Yao will bust out all of his Shaq like dominance. Whatever. My expectations for Yao have droped so much that I would settle for him making it on whole game without ending up on the floor. Just one.
Yeah, your expectations of him dropped from Shawn Bradley to Mirsad Turkcan. I have yet to hear anybody else say a 17/10/2 2nd year player sucked. You are quite unique indeed.
I was really hoping you would impress me with your vast knowledge and recite another quote from Jay-z, but I guess not. Moving Steve for Chandler +, is not because Chandler is dominant. He's 21. He's an athletic 7'1" power forward with a developing mid-range jumper. He plays long and he has great shot blocking ability that would be even more impressive for one, starting, and two, playing the weakside defense alongside of Yao. He is just a better fit. And if we had McGrady paired with Yao, the Rockets would no doubt be far better than the current team with Steve.
Yao should make HIMSELF better and i think they HE MAKES EVERYONE ELSE BETTER is not as true as you and others would like If OTHER don't make a PERFECT pass. . Yao Fumbles it Having the ball and distributing it. .. yes makes some others better but Making others better means covering some mistakes or imperfections and YAO does not do that in all aspects If a play breaks down . .steve can Make it better somewhat He can run down errant passes They both do some good things. . . . People say Francis dribbles too much Well YAO has the reverse problem Francis keeps hitting the ball down all the time YAO KEEP HITTING IT UP FOR SOME REASON (GRAB A REBOUND!) Rocket River
