Post your Rockets 2005-2006 roster and how we (somewhat...) realistically get there

Trade Spoon, Wesley, and a 1st and a 2nd for Cat (resigned at ~7-8 million) and Martin.

Sign SAR to the full MLE.

Resign Yao to his new max extension.

Cut Bowen loose.

G - Sura, James, Spanoulis, (one of Norris or Ward, cutting the other)
G - Mobley, Barry, Martin
F - McGrady, Padgett
F - Abdur-Rahim, Howard, Badiane, Baker
C - Yao, Mutombo

We wouldn't be depending on Badiane and Spanoulis to give us anything, but they can play spot minutes to start getting some NBA experience, so we can see what do do with them. SAR and Cat are similar in style of play to Howard and Wesley, only better and younger (SAR has more range than Howard too). Other than that, our team seemed to work pretty well when we had all of our guys healthy, so we should stick with the same basic plan.

 

OK, here is my try at it.

1. Sign Antonio Daniels with MLE. Another option is half the MLE for Marco Jaric & the other half for Reggie Evans.

2. Sign & trade SAR for Spoon & next years first round pick. OR a Sign & trade for Donyell Marshall for Spoon & next years first round pick.

3. Draft Ersan Ilyasova(SF), Hakim Warrick(SF), Joey Graham(SF) or Wayne Simien(PF). If we are going to get a PF from free agency then a SG or SF is more appropriate in the draft.

4. Buyout Baker if can't be traded.

5. Resign Barry & Deke

6. Sign Badaine or James Thomas for minimum

Yao/Deke
SAR/Howard/Padgett/Badman
T-Mac/Ilyasova
Wesley/Sura/Barry
Daniels/James/Moochie/Ward

That is the 15 man roster - with Padgett(~1M), Wesley(4.9M), Barry(1.8M), Moochie(4.2M) & Ward(1.7M) all in the last year of their contracts.

Other players of interest:

Bobby Simmons - can he be had for thel MLE? if not maybe a sign & trade of expiring contracts + picks. The Clippers like picks

Marco Jaric/Reggie Evans - Maybe half the MLE each.

Ron Artest - would require talent + picks to get him. Maybe Howard + 2 picks. Don't think they will trade him though.

 

I forgot about Artest. He would do wonders for us in so many ways. With him, the need for a great PF is diminished b/c with him, Jaric and T-Mac, dribble penetration against us would be pretty nonexistent. This would allow us to play man defense and save Yao from stupid fouls. Most importantly, we would not be caught out of position for defensive rebounds by running around trying to cover each others man. Not to mention he'd be a good replacement for Sura as the team "tough-guy".

More playing time for Yao and less offensive boards given up? Bring in Artest.

 

I haven't read past the first half of the first page, but so far no one there mentioned Howard, what's up with him? is he coming back to Houston? If he is healthy next year all year we have a very decent team as it is.

 

Is mobley a FA or would the Rockets have to trade for him?
I would love to have Mobley back.

 

"Is mobley a FA or would the Rockets have to trade for him?
I would love to have Mobley back."

Mobley can exercise a player option on his contract and opt out of his deal. He has one year left on his contract and his owed about 6 million or so. No one knows if he's interested in opting out, or if he would have interest in re-joining the rockets is.

 

Mobley will almost certainly opt out. He has been underpaid for a long time and will be looking for a big payday on his last contract.

 

You're right. Anyone know where he lives so we can ask him?

But seriously, you bring back Cat and draft a young rebounder, this team joins the elites.

 

What's all this talk about bringing Cat back? If you go to the King's board, most people don't want him back. Reasons include - trigger happy, offense lacks movement when he has the ball, routinely waives of Bibby and Peja when they are open, etc. You get the point. Rockets don't need another trigger happy scorer who needs 15 shots per game.

Can you imagine all the comments this board will get when Cat waives off T-Mac and Yao? Depending on the day, we already have James, Sura for that.

 

Cats can be tamed
It would be awsome to have Mobley back.

 

Hakim Warrick - Solves all problems.

 

C-Yao/Deke/Evans or Haslem
PF-Evans or Haslem/Howard/Deke
SF-McGrady/Sura/Padgett
SG-Garcia/Barry/Sura
PG-Stoudamire/James/Spanoulis

IR-Badiane, Bowen


First, I'd draft Francisco Garcia with my first round pick. Then I'd offer most if not all of the MLE to Evans/Haslem(two tenacious glass guys). Then I'd resign Deke/JB to reasonable two year deals. Lastly, I'd S/T with Portland on Stoudamire(like Wesley/Spoon for Damon). That way Damon gets the kind of contract he is looking for and Portland gets some expiring contracts. Only thing is does Portland want to take on those contracts when they don't have to.

The other scenario is:

C-Yao/Deke/Simien or Turiaf
PF-Howard/Simien or Turiaf/Deke
SF-McGrady/Sura/Athletic project SF
SG-Simmons/Barry/Sura
PG-Stoudamire or Daniels/James/Spanoulis

IR-Padgett, Bowen, Badiane

In this scenario I draft Wayne Simien or Ronny Turiaf, and look for an athletic swingman in the 2nd round. Again I resign Barry/Deke. This time I use the MLE on Damon or Antonio, while offering the clips Wesley/Spoon in a S/T for Bobby Simmons.

 

My prescription for the offseason:

1. Sign Kwame Brown to the MLE. I really believe that he just needs a change of scenery in order to grow up & really blossom. And I'm sorry Wiz fans, but that organization hasn't been the most professional or well-run during Brown's stay on the farm. Give Kwame a fresh start, and he'll be the perfect PF to team with Yao: ultra-athletic, quick, explosive, and big enough to still match up with most 5s.

2. Draft best available SG or SF. IMHO, the Rockets would have to move up to get Wayne Simien or Hakim Warrick, and there's no guarantee that's going to happen. And besides, Simien may not be the shot-blocker the Rockets want & Warrick may not be very effective on the glass on the next level. Even better would be....

Butler would be ideal: tough, athletic, quick, young, and can score. But will or should Kobe , I mean the Lakers part with him, and would that package be enough? If so, I would gladly part with James and the 1st round pick for Caron.

3. Resign Deke, Padgett, & Barry. Deke is in the perfect situation given his age. Padgett is ideal as a utility-type hybrid F. And Barry, while he drives me crazy at times with his "feast or famine" style, is ideal off the bench.

My choice for the 2005-2006 roster:

PG - Sura, ??, Mooch
SG - TMac, Barry
SF - Butler, Padgett, Bowen
PF - Brown, Howard
C - Yao, Deke

Younger, much more athletic, much deeper, and the beginnings of what could be a fantastic young nucleus.

 

I don't know why everyone thinks Butler is available. The Lakers love him and he was putting up big numbers at the end of the season.

 

I always thought the ONE position you have to have a quality player is the PG, unless you are running a system like the Tripple Post. It's nice to have a good PF, a good SG, etc, but if we cannot have a quality PG who can control the offensive tempo, direct the offense, we will be out the 1st round again next season.

I don't follow other teams too much, but I'd think there are some traditional 2nd string PG out there, just wait for his opportunity to shine, like Nash when he was trade to Dallas from the Suns.