Where the hell would you put SF on this team? He wouldn't ride the bench and he can't play PG. I would pass on SF and get a quality PF like Swift.
I think that's because McGrady is Two-Time Scoring Champ McGrady. Miles is just "Star of Crap Movie The Perfect Score" Miles.
Ideally, a player who's being shopped because they're being paid more than they're worth by a team that wants cap flexibility, not a player who's being shopped because his team is enormously desperate to get away from him. I don't really want Francis on this team. I was using him as a point to illustrate my dislike for Darius Miles and Zach Randolph
Hell Yes on Artest!!! Maybe on Darius Hell no on Randolph!!! These guys are CRAZY!!!! No way indy gets equal value on Artest. Period. So their only options are to keep him or package him with an overpaid dud like Croshere. Enter the rockets who can trade their expiring contracts.
a big hell no on randolph. without problems he's a very good player but he doesn't fill a real need. miles, i would take on the team, but i'm not a huge fan. i'm confident in jvg's ability to mold players and keep them in check but not everyone will buy into it. for me miles is among the laziest wastes of talent in league history. this will be his 5th season? i'd look around first before settling on him. artest is a no-brainer. he's an amazing defender and athlete. without the nutcase aspect he's the definition of a jvg player and with him and t-mac guarding the perimeter, well that's just nasty. i don't know how realistic getting him is but i'm sure he's worth the risk.
Maybe Yao could mellow out Artest. Then again, maybe Artest could teach Yao how to get really pissed off. Let's sign him.
Because Gerald Green is a projected lottery pick. http://www.nbadraft.net/index.asp It'd be a miracle if he slipped down to us. If he did, we'd HAVE to take him, but honestly, I'd prefer somebody who is a gauranteed contributor next season. Hakim Warrick, Antoine Wright or Joey Graham would be my picks. Maybe Wayne Simien.
What about the possibility of trading with a team that has 2 picks in the first round and taking on a contract in return. I'm thinking trading a combo of expiring contracts (Wesley, Norris, Baker. Spoon) or Howard to Toronto for Jalen Rose and their 17th pick. That would give us a 2 first rounders in a deep draft and adding some much needed youth. I know Jalens contract runs through 2007@ 17 mil but I trust Carol to unload it for an expiring one. ...Im looking at you Isah. My guys are Sean May, Jawad Williams, and Ronny Turiaf.
i read couple of days ago about Rockets scouting PG. WTF we should be looking for PF or SG(because wesley is old and short).
I bet we could get Bonzi Wells for cheap. Cleveland might choose to part ways with Jeff McInnis. Antonio Daniels may opt to sign with us instead of Seattle if we offer him the starting job. Maybe we can take Desmond Mason off Milwaukee's hands.
Guess the general consensus is Artest. Then, just make it happen. I would love to have him as well. He's so good defensively, he could easily shut down the best offensive player in opposing team, like VC or TMac (yes, TMac as well.) He has high bball IQ (maybe not necessary overall IQ), but he plays the physical and mental game greatly. On top of that, he's a very good offensive player, who can shoot threes, cut, drive, and rebound. What do you want more? Did I mention he can rap too, although it's not my favourite music
Players who i like to be part of the Rox next season: choose one -- bonzi wells, derek anderson, desmond mason, ron artest These guys can play D and can contribute on offense. I love to add Bobby simmons on the list but I thin he's not quick enough to be a perimeter defender
Looking at the free Agents: PG Jeff McInnis Brevin Knight Earl Watson Jaric These are the big three so to speak and Earl I think would be the best of the three. These are UFA so no matching. Jaric is a RFA and would be the whole MLE. But would be nice to team with T-Mac. SG Kareem Rush Dajuan Wagner Ronald Murray Juan Dixon Raja Bell As you can tell I am looking at Tier 2 or three guys. Bell I think would be wonderful on the team. I also am interested in Wags. SF Simmons Nachbar James from Indiana I know I know... but still he is availible. Simmons I think we not be availible but James from Indiana might be. PF Swift Chandler (RFA) Brown Rodney Rogers SAR Marshall A short deal to Marshall would be fine with me. Or Chandler. Brown is interesting as he could be had on the cheap I bet. C Diop Dan Gadzuric Both are interesting guys that we could have for the VM Why did I put these guys on here? Cause we need to look to replace Deke sooner or latter... The draft will determine who we go after... I am hoping that the Rockets get either Joey Graham or.... Danny Granger... Just a fan. Fierguard.
Derrick Anderson will turn 31 in two months and has 2 years @ $18.7m left. I guess for maybe Mooch and Vin Baker but otherwise...why bother? As far as Artest goes...that's a Pipe Dream based upon his perceived de-valuation which I don't believe Bird and Carlisle share with us.
I'd like to see us draft Wayne Semien if he's available when we pick. I haven't found any decent mock drafts yet since most of them still have the high school tweeners listed too high which is causing them to declare for the NBA draft in the first place. Hopefully logic will kick in, agents not lie, and they will pull out in time to go to college and get some playing time as well as some development. That should improve the quality of the mock drafts but won't happen till a week before the actual draft. I have seen Wayne available at our slot in almost every one. Re: Artest... Is he even available? He certainly would provide the jacked up crazy ready to fight edge that this team lacks even though McGrady did look pissed off at several times in this series. At the end of the day T-Mac is a nice guy with some crazy mad skills who can get upset from time to time. I can guarantee you that I'd much rather hang out with T-Mac than Michael Jordan just based on their differing personalities. Sadly it is that discrepancy in personality which will likely make T-Mac a hall of famer but not the greatest hoops player to run the court. Back to the topic could Artest play the 4 day in and day out in the West? I guess my concern with him is lack of size/rebounding and ability to get suspended/ejected at the wrong time. Also with Van Gundy marked by the officials and Artest being marked by the officials it could be a bad combo esp for Ron's temper. I liken him to Dennis Rodman in crazy temper hustle and defense but he's much better scorer than Dennis and the worm was a much better rebounder. Rebounding is what this team is in desperate need of.
Speaking of misfits, isn't the aforementioned Spree a more realistic candidate in this thread? There's no way he stays with the Wolves, and seemed this year to play/quote himself out of the money range of the extension he was offered last offseason, to the point where the mid-level offer might prove rasonable. Plus, he fits the mold of most recent Rockets signees: he's a former Knick/ has history with Van Gundy, and he's way past his prime. Love him, hate him, are currently being asphyxiated/punched out dockside by him, he would fill the (formerly) athletic SG/SF need.
Or Carlos Delfino. After his outburst after Larry Brown left him off Detroit's playoff roster he'll be demanding a trade or will be put on the trading block by Brown... Except the Rox don't have much to offer for him. Some of the best players the Rockets have, ie Sura & James are Detroit rejects.
