According to the Denver article about House, he turned away Denver because of a lack of playing time available (behind Miller and Boykins). So CLEARLY he is looking for a good fit, a place where he can be a solid contributor. I think Houston is as good as he can get. We have one of the shakiest PG situations in the league and House could get decent to serious minutes at that position depending on his shooting. Tmac and Jackson (or Sura) handle that ball a lot in terms of creating the offense so House just has to play the PG on defense and really a SG on offense to hit jumpshots when Tmac and Yao are double teamed. Look how effective Andre Barrett was in the last game when he was nailing those jumpers. The way our offense is set up the PG position HAS to be able to hit jump shots. House could do that. Houston makes the most sense for House. And for the veteran's minimum I would say that would be a good value addition!
My only question is, if we add him: what gives? Ward+Lue+Sura+Barrett+Gaines+House The IR is only big enough for 3 people.
I guaranteed contract person would have to be cut. The choices are: Barrett - brings too much to the table for too little to be cut. Ward - and eat the remaining 1.75 years. Possible but not likely to admit what a mistake that was just yet. Gaines - and eat the remaining 1.75 years. Maybe but he makes more than Ward but contributes less - if that's possible. Boki - and eat the .75 year remaining. Maybe, I really don't see him with the Rockets next year anyway though he's more valuable than the 2 above. Lue - and eat the .75 year remaining. Most likely. I don't see him in a Rox uni either next year and they'd have way too many pgs that can't play on the list. One of them has to go and I see it as him.
I could see some kind of trade for Lue and Boki/Gaines for 1 other player. I think those players are attractive because of expiring contract and youth. OR maybe Lue/boki for a 2nd round pick?
Something that shakes things up. Like I said, House would be a nice addition to our bench. But we need something to "wow" us, or something that makes us believe that the Rockets recognized we are a terrible team and have decided to do something. 1. Trading for a real PF. 2. A coaching change (I didn't want to bring this up because this thread is about something else).
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...te09dec09,0,61271.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Interesting tidbit at the bottom of this article: 'Mailman' on delivery to Heat? By Ira Winderman Staff Writer Posted December 9 2004 MILWAUKEE ยท Becoming the latest former Laker to be put off by Kobe Bryant's attitude, free-agent forward Karl Malone has acknowledged ongoing interest from the Heat. So, for that matter, has the Heat. "We've had interest from the start, and we continue to have interest," General Manager Randy Pfund said Wednesday. Healed from offseason knee surgery, Malone is considering a return to the NBA within the next two weeks. He told the Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise that he has fielded calls from the Heat, Spurs, Mavericks and Timberwolves. Until Tuesday, it appeared any Malone comeback would come with the Lakers, his 2003-04 team. However, once Bryant went on a Los Angeles radio station Tuesday and said it was unfair for teammates to deal with the shadow of an impending Malone return, everything changed. Both Malone and agent Dwight Manley say the 41-year-old power forward no longer views the Lakers as an option. Contacted Wednesday, Manley declined further comment. Asked about Malone seemingly ruling the Lakers off his list, Pfund said, "I guess it somewhat verifies that maybe the place people thought might be the most likely place for him may not be." Having recruited Malone to the Lakers last season, Heat center Shaquille O'Neal said before Wednesday's game against the Bucks that he will leave the matter to team management. "That's not my decision -- Pat Riley is in 5,000-percent control," he said of the Heat president, "so, we'll just have to sit back and see. "I'm sure if Karl is interested, then maybe Mr. Riley would be interested, and I could do my part with the general managerial skills I possess." Speaking from his Arkansas ranch to a variety of media outlets, Malone, in the wake of Bryant's comments, lashed out at how the Lakers handled several personnel decisions, including the dispatching of O'Neal to the Heat. "I look at the whole scenario, and the whole thing could have been done differently, by everybody," Malone said. "I don't want to throw daggers at anyone, but I would have quit my job before I traded Shaquille O'Neal." Pfund said the team has kept in contact with Malone's representation. O'Neal said he also has been in contact with Malone. "Whenever we talk, it's never about basketball, it's never about coming back," O'Neal said. "Karl is a great guy, and I know he went through a tough injury last year." Of Bryant's comments, O'Neal said, "I'm not really concerned with it. "I don't know what happened. I don't care what happened." Offshore excursion Reports out of Utah confirm speculation that the Heat will face the Jazz in a exhibition game next year in Puerto Rico, home of Jazz guard and former Florida International standout Carlos Arroyo. The Heat played at San Juan two years ago and might include a trip to the Dominican Republic in the 2005 preseason trip. ... Pfund said the Heat took a cursory look at possibly bringing back guard Eddie House after he was released this week by Charlotte. "We don't have a roster spot, so it's kind of a non-issue right now," Pfund said. "You're talking to the guy who's drafted him. Eddie's always been intriguing."
Perhaps the team can make a 2 for 1 trade, Gaines(or Lue)+someone for someone else. I would try to trade Ward for a bag of chips. But chances are the chips would be too much. So it would have to be a "stale" bag of chips.
The Rockets aren't going to "eat" a guaranteed contract. I like Barrett, but he would be cut. His minutes would be taken by House anyway. I think the only question in JVG's mind is, "House hasn't played for the Knicks, but he HAS played for Riley and my brother, maybe that counts..."
I can imagine an ad. out of this: Billions of HOU fans across the world are are trying to kill themselves by knocking their heads against the LCD screen which shows this thread. Meanwhile, doc rocket is yelling to his cell phone: Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Can---You----H---ear----Me? Or: Doc Rocket dialing his cell phone while the signal bar on his head is empty. Billions of HOU fans are looking for Doc Rocket. Everyone has a cell phone and a full signal bar above the head. Finally, Clutch( the one in the Toyota Center) finds Doc and gives him a cell phone and Doc's signal bar becomes full.
Check that impatience. Just think about who and what you are being impatient and frustrated at. All of this is a privilege. Don't forget that.
Man, Barrett looked great again last night, but he still can't shoot very well. Hope we're still considering picking up House.
In general when it comes to Rox management, things get very quiet when they are working on a deal. We may very well see something happen soon.
Well said Tex Stoke. I agree 100%. Im sure Clutch & Doc have better things to do than worry about the BBS 24/7. Not just you (rich_argh) but WE should be lucky we even get this info & i for one am very thankful.
It sounds like everybody is bowing out of the race for him. It'd be unfortunate if he couldn't catch on somewhere.
Signing House would be an act of desperation. I hope the Rox will pass on House. There are better players out there. Let's see what the current guys can do after they've been around a while while fully fit. Remember we've had injuries to Sura, Yao, McGrady, Ward, Lue, and now JJ. Yao's shown he doesn't have pain threshold to play through an injury. So let's give the PG's the benefit of the doubt that they have been playing injured.
And when exactly has Yao missed a game due to an injury? HELLO! He is playing with a torn tendon in his elbow and takes shot after shot from some of the biggest players in the league every night. By the way, to answer the above question, he has NEVER missed a game.
