Which ONE player should the Rockets be targeting this offseason?

Yao Ming.

Lock him up long term!

 

24 year olds coming of a season like Simmons had get bigger offers than the MLE. Simmons along with Radmonovich, Chandler, Curry, Dalembert, Joe Johnson, Redd, Allen--NO CHANCE we are in the bidding for those guys. They are simply not realistic with us being over the cap.

I don't share the reluctance with SAR and I see more questions than Swift. SAR is a more efficient offensive player than anyone on the Rockets other than Yao. He can hit the jumpshot, score with the ball (3rd option), and is also an excellent FT shooter. If he gets the ball and he is open he should shoot it. No lock down defender (nor is DM or Swift), but he rebounds well. I think the main knock against him is he has been on sucky teams, but then again he never has been on a team with two players much better than him. Sura had a similar knock (only played heavy minutes on sucky teams), but showed he can be a role player. I would be happy if we ended up with Swift too, but their are major issues of his competiveness, toughness, focus, smarts and effort. He might be a great signing, or him and JVG (and JVG type hard nose vet players) would be like mixing fire and water.

DonYell (didn't he have a brother named Donny who was in an out of the league or I am thinking of someone else) Marshall and Reggie Evans are the next choices. You know more what you are getting, but DM doesn't help you get younger or quicker, and Evans would bring some good things (help out on D--probably the best man on man individual defender of this group, best rebounder of the group, athletic) but has major offensive limitations.

I don't see Mobley (or another swingan where a 2-year 3.3 mil deal is not competitive, the next best deal we can offer w/o using the MLE) unless we sign and trade for our 4. We cannot count on a mid20s draft pick to find our 4, and we don't want to be in a situtation again where JH is the only 4 on the whole squad worthy of more than spot NBA minutes. It is not a great situation even if JH is healthy and is disasterous if he isn't.

 

15 year contract

 

Anyone noticed this Jameer Nelson guy from the Magic? Have watched him play a bit this season n i think he'll be pretty good very soon. If we're looking to add to/change our PG..

 

Portland just signed him last year, which makes him difficult to trade for because of all of the base year stuff (that I don't really understand).

Putting that aside, I do think he's the kind of athlete the Roxs need, but JVG won't take on a knucklehead like that.

Bottomline: unrealistic proposal.

 

Pardon me, but is it a foregone conclusion that TMac will stay at SF. I thought that was kind of a 'stop-gap' because we didn't have one. No doubt he can play SF, but I thought his natural position was at the 2 guard. If he goes back to 2 (Barry is b/u, Wesley gone) then we are in real need of a SF as well as a PF and a PG. We desparately need some things to fall right for this summer.

BTW, is anyone interested in Luke Walton. He is a RFA and backed up Kobe. In fact he started for Kobe toward the end of the season and had almost a triple double. I almost think Bill was warming us up for him this winter. He is not 'athletic', but he a great passer, has a very high basketball IQ, and with minutes would be a substantial backup at SF and maybe PF is we go small ball. I really did not get to see him alot maybe someone who did has an opinion.

2004-05
Statistics
PPG 3.2
RPG 2.30
APG 1.5
EFF + 4.79
Position: F
Born: Mar 28, 1980
Height: 6-8
Weight: 235 lbs.


HaHa, that is funny! Asking for an opinion on this board.

 

Speaking of Larry Hughes...is he a FA? What is his market value like right now?

 

Bobby Simmons. Put tmac to the 2 and get a young up and coming atheltic player than can be a clear third option. Bring Wesley off the bench.

 

A lot more than we can afford. Washington will definitely resign him for 8-10 million per.

 

James Posey.

Of course, I don't know his availability, and his contract isn't grotesque (and why we didn't pay him the MLE but somehow managed to pay Jim Jackson and, uh, was it Charlie Ward? with the MLE, I will never understand), and he still has a home here...

Whether he'd be available is open to question. They'll let Bonzi walk. Stromile they also might lose for nothing. But they still have a payroll problem. An expiring contract plus draft picks...? Would they bite? Is Posey worth it?

T-Mac and Posey at the 2 and 3 spots, sometimes with Sura at the point. Fairly big lineup.

 

Pretty much - by all past indications JVG wants him there, Tracy wants to be there - i'd say that pretty much closes the book on it.

 

If worried about perimeter defense, the Rox can get a guard with an outside shot and adequate speed cheap, like Kareem Rush. The same thing can't be said with a starter type power forward, which is what the Rockets need along with JH.

 

^ Kareem Rush can shoot, but he isn't athletic, nor can he play defense. He's pretty one-dimensional. His shot is the only part of his game that is above average. I dont think he is any better than anybody we have.

I think Kerry Kittles would be a good investment if he would be willing to accept the veterans minimum. He can shoot just as well as Wesley but his D is much better. (being 6'6" as opposed to 6'2" helps a lot too)

We should also look at Raja Bell. I've liked him ever since he was a rookie in that LA-Philadelphia Final so many years ago. He plays good D and his shot continues to improve.

 

One of the things I have noticed is this team is being built more and more in the mold of the SPURS. Key players get long term contracts... role players get three or less years. I think we should continue in this mold until well really find our group.

Also I would prefer a few guys over just one, in the signing of free agents. That way a injury or suspension does not hurt as much, see Juwan Howard.

Marshall or Sar would be fine if he would take like a 3 year 10 million dollar contract. Giving us the chance to sigh another guard from the free agent pool. As it is pretty deep in the way of tier two and tier three guys.

I think a younger 2 or 1 are the primary other needs. Bobby Simmons would be great but I am not sure we can afford him especially if we sign Marshall. Jaric is also one of those names that comes up and I would like to see if we could get him with the Rest of the MLE. Another couple of names I have not heard so much and might be a good vaule guy is Green from Phili, Rush from the BobKitties, and personal fave Raja Bell. Bell more then likely would be the most expesive but all would really add value to the backcourt.

I am not really that interested in spending a ton of money this year as we will have some cap space and a few really interesting free agents next year. (Dunleavy, Al Harrington,Gooden,Wilcox, Caron Butler, Harpring, Songaila, Salmons) I know Yao Ming's extension comes up but even with it we should have some cap space if we play our cards right.

So the ideal situation for me for the summer:
Ward retires (+1 roseter spot)

Deke and JB resign vets minimum 1yr

Ryan Bowen is let go (I like him but we need more then just hustle.) (+2 roster spots)

Braggs let go (+3 rosters spots.)

Sign Marshall for 3 years 8 million

Sign Bell or Jaric for 3 years 7 million

Draft the might that is Danny Granger (Okay a little homerism here I am from ABQ.), or Warrick (I think he can be groomed to play three), or Ersan Ilyasova if he stays in the draft lastly if none of the above are then Simien. (Notice mostly 3's? yeah I am thinking Wilcox would be awesome with YAO.)

Trade moochie for a second round pick and a bag of wet hair... picking Daniel Ewing or Gilchirst(I know total reach the bad of wet hair really is fair value for Mooch.)

We get younger/better we get a guard I am way high on, ewing, and we surround T-Mac and Yao Ming with a better chance of winning.


I am not a GM or Coach I am just a FAN.


Fierguard

 

I think he defends the 3 better than the 2, but that said we do quite a bit of switching on defense. That's why I like the idea of looking for taller guards. Sura has some size. Wesley doesn't. Posey's a good thought if you're looking at backcourt players. A guy like Penny in his prime would be terrific for a PG. Hell, dare I say a guy like Scottie Quitten would fit well with our defensive scheme?

 

SAR and Kareen Rush, i know thats two

 

Trade Yao to LA for Butler, Odom, and Mihm.......






.......ducks..........

 

Gerald Wallace



He's really come around since he was first drafted. He's what we've been lacking, an authentic SLASHER with young legs. The guy has crazy hops and can put pressure on opposing defenses with his driving abilities. It was very evident we had only TMac to slash to the basket in the Dallas series when they had J. Terry, Howard, Stack, Finley, M. Daniels, and to Nowitzki. Yes Barry, Sura, Wesley, and James tried but weren't nearly as effective. Their driving in the final game opened up the 3pt line. Wallace is also a very good ball thief at 2 steals per contest and isn't in love with his shot. He is restricted this year and am sure would welcome a chance to play for a contender next year.

 

Bring back roderick rhodes. Think of Yao, T-Mac and RR! In all seriousness, the rockets need serious perimeter defense help, and hopefully CD will move in that direction this off season.

 

Rileydog -
Given that the NBA has changed radically in the past 3 years (zone, no hand-check, emphasis on perimeter speed, etc) let's limit a comparison of Juwan and SAR to only this past season. If anything, that should favor Abdur-Rahim since Howard started slowly, is older and has his best years behind him, had his role firmly defined as support for Mac/Yao and whereas Shareef was free to do his thing....pad stats on a Lotto team.

On a 32 mpg basis, there is virtually no difference in Howard and Abdur-Rahim except 4 ppg. 4 whopping ppg generated on the TrailBlazers. If Abdur-Rahim where Juwan on steriods...maybe. But he's basically a deluxe version of what we already have. We just don't need another duplicatiom of the same skill set.

Further, and perhaps the most damning. In the many times I have watched Abdur-Rahim on NBALP, I have yet to see any consistent stretch played with passion. Heck, at least Juwan scowls. Dispassionate play is not something you hang your defensive calling card upon.

Why I prefer Swift...he's a PF playing C, with a 10 man rotation Fratello does not have time to coach him (I'm not even sure the Grizz have a coach for their "bigs"...), after getting swept by the Spurs last season both Hubie and Jerry West were on record with their disappointment at how light-hearted the exit meeting was...and these are the teammates criticizing Swift? Given fouls trouble, injuries or matchups, Swift is an infinitely better C option than SAR.

Abdur-Rahim is popular enough on this board that I will surely have a minority opinion. That's OK...I truly feel that my evaluation is very close to Rockets' management.