I think it will be VERY hard to find that one PF they would really like to anchor the position for years. I think they would be happy bringing in someone to be a real good backup. Dan Gadzuric seems to be a real good rebounder and good defender, runs real well for a big man, athletic and would come alot cheaper than other options. He would be a great backup that could either play alot of minutes or even start eventually. I know Gadzuric is not on alot of people's radar in terms of the Rockets, but I think he would be a great addition to help sure up that position for the next year or two.
Solid post. I believe getting a passing PG is more important than a new PF. The 2nd priority is the swing man we've all talked to death about. Thirdly, we need DEPTH at the PF, not necessarily a new starter. The Motay debacle bit us this year because when Juwon Howard went down, we had no viable alternative. My gut feeling is free agency will address the PG and swingman needs while we will draft a PF with our 1st pick. We should draft Warrick or Villanueva for cheap before we give Swift a bunch of money. He will never reach his so-called potential, especially after he signs a guaranteed contract.
I'd have to agree, as I stated in a earlier post, Gadzuric is a player, he will eventually be able to grab 10+ reb if given PT. He is also a good athlete and can run the floor well as you said. I'm all for it, I think the guy is under a lot of people's radar because of Chandler, Curry, Dalembert, etc... I know he can be had for the MLE and I'm pretty sure he wouldnt mind having T-Mac and Yao. I'd really like a Mike Miller type of player... i know its a pipedream but having a Radman or Miller type of 3 will open up a lot of space for Yao and T-Mac to work.
No thanks on Swift. He is very inconsistent, not a very good rebounder, and is mysteriously always hurt from something. I don't think we would have enough to bid for Swift to begin with, but there are other PFs that would fit better w/ us.
I agree - to summarize: 1. Passing PG who can rack up the assists - who? 2. Swingman to sure up the 2 or 3 behind McGrady 3. Draft an atheltic young pf to play behind howard I like it - those are the missing pieces.
Even with all the question marks around Swift I still feel like he is very much worth the full MLE. Like Clutch said, he is only 25 and I believe he still has a lot of potential to improve (just think what kind of defensive player JVG can make him into). I look at Swift and see a younger and more athletic version of Cato (with a better offensive game also). Also think of all the fouls he could save Yao from getting with his shot blocking skills. The Rockets interior defense would be as good if not better than that of the Pistons and Spurs with Yao and Swift. If the Rockets can get Swift I think they have to do it and then hope he develops into the player we would want him to be. Swift and SAR, in my mind, are the two guys the Rockets should persue the hardest this off-season. Signing either one of these guys makes the Rockets a top 3 team in the West.
I made several posts for taking Swift. On the other hand, we may can pick up a surprise PF in the Draft. Brevin Knight would be ideal. 2nd NBA in Assists. 1st in assist/turnover ratio. 5th in steals. Sura could move to the SG. Hmmm
I think the PF is obviously a position of need, but lets not forget Wesley, the guy plays hard but obviously he's on the wrong side of 30 and he could not keep up with the Terry's and Stackhouses... I think we should really look to upgrade the 2 spot. Have Wesley and Barry come off the bench... Wesley is not a 42 minute player... which is why I'm leaning towards Mobley, although I doubt he would want to come back here. 1. MLE... PF / C = Gadzuric / Wilcox 2. Draft ... SG / PG 3. Spoon, Baker, Moochie, Ward, Wesley = SF / SG (T-Mac backup) Gadzuric, G. Wallace, R. Bell, B. Knight... all players who know their role, would fit in nice with the crew we have now. Obviously we need to sign Yao to an extention, sign Deke, Barry, and hopefully get a couple of athletic guards...
Read Chad Ford's article about players on the RISE and players FALLING. Stromile was listed as falling. Question: Do you believe that an NBA GM would misplay (out-of-position or low minutes) a player that would become a UFA at the end of the season just to make him look bad to other teams and send a message to their other RFA's and future RFA's Answer: In a NEW YORK MINUTE, or maybe a Memphis minute.
Could the music department get something going here if we get him, how bout the song Cold Heart b****, switch it with Stromile Swift, sounds good, get working, chop chop.
1. probably not this year. lets wait and see what a healthy bob sura can bring. on the other hand, there are a lot of good young PG's in the FA pool this summer. we could sign AD or earl watson for the MLE. 2. the ideal fit would be garcia in the draft. otherwise consider trades for wesley and some other ending contracts for a swingman. 3. the PF's in the draft that will be available to us are all a crapshoot. we should take the best player left, if it isn't a PF then there are a few FA's that can help us here too. about swift: not gonna happen. ATL, NOH, and CLE will all offer much more $$ and PT than we will.
I agree, those are the areas we need to improve on. I would say that the Swingman you allude to not only could be a backup behind Tmac but might evnetually be a starter to take the place of Wesley. I would love to get more size at the 2 guard spot. Wesley is only 6'1". I would love to get an atheltic swingman that was more in the 6'6"/6'7" range to shore up our perimeter defense. In a previous thread I mentioned for trying to trade for Morris Peterson because he is the type of player I am talking about. But we might also be able to find this type of player at #24 in the draft. We still have a ton of combo guards so if we ever can get a TRUE pass first PG to run PNRs with Yao the way Tmac does with Yao then that would be huge. And clearly PF is a spot of concern. We need more athelticism there and depth. I think Howard as a backup PF would be nice. He could bring some scoring off the bench. But I would ideally love to get a more atheltic PF to start next to Yao, someone that could rebound, block shots and play defense against those quicker PFs in the league. We might not be able to find that ideal player. Maybe Stromile is it? I dont know. But getting depth in general at the PF spot would be a plus in any case. Going into the season with Howard and player X at PF is a lot better than Padgett/Bowen/Spoon at PF. Getting back to the subject matter of Clutch's thread.....Stromile Swift. I think the qualities he currently has are the qualities we are looking at for a PF to lineup next to Yao. Shot blocking, rebounding, athletic, decent mid range jumper, can run the floor etc. I do quesiton his work ethic and his toughness. So those are things that make me wonder if he gets a FULL MLE deal will he continue to play hard. However if he does, I think he fits right in on this team. Imagine a front line of Yao, Swift and Tmac. Is there a better one in the NBA? Is there? Clearly Tyson Chandler is the pipedream PF for the Rockets. He has great length at 7'1" and there arent any questions about his work ethic. But of course the Bulls wont let him go so we can pretty much forget about Chandler unless you want to put him on the team in ESPN NBA 2K5. Go ahead, it's fun! I have my doubts whether we can nab Stromile for the MLE. I have a feeling one way or the other (under the cap team or via S&T), Stromile will run for the money. So the Rockets might have to look for someone a little older that is willing to take the MLE at this stage in their career, someone like Donyell Marshall.
What cap space? Yao will be a RFA that summer so you have to extend him before he ever goes to free agency. A maxed McGrady and Yao will start the Rockets payroll at a minimum of $28m. Add in ~$13m for Sura, James, and Howard plus a couple mil for this years' 1st round pick and your right at the recent historical cap. The Rockets and "cap space" aren't going to be used in the same sentence as long as we have TMac and Yao. It's a familial name. He was named after his grandfather. Cleveland won't have cap space until they renounce or re-sign Ilguaskas and McGinnis. After that, they aren't very big FA players and they have Gooden. If they would go after Swift to play C, Swift would have to decide whether he wants to live in the cold and whether sharing the ball with LeBron and Gooden is better than sharing with Gasol and JWill...a toss up IMO. The Hornets have big bucks tied up in Magliore and PJ. If they are serious, they'll have a lot of money tied up in bigs with almost no perimeter players under contract. If Swift takes the big $ from the Hawks, I have two words for him..."Good Luck". It's a horrible team, with horrible management and poor fan support. Sort of like what he experienced in Vancouver.
I think Stromile Swift even if he wants to come here, could be a risk but without risk there's no big reward. I think we'll sign him if he's willing to accept MLE.
Eventhough Swift provides a different look at PF than Juwan Howard, i think i would still probably sign SAR. It just seems there's less of a mystery there, and i think Abdur-Rahim can serve one purpose this team does not have, and that's a 3rd option on offense, and a third guy on this team that can create his own shot. He doesn't fit the overall mold of a Van Gundy PF, however, the coach may need to adjust coahing style a bit. SAR can bring you 16 PTS and about 7-8 rebounds a game out of the 4 position. If the Rockets, assuming Yao can elevate his game, can get a combination of 35-40 points and 16-18 rebounds a game out of their 4-5, that will be pretty salty production. Rahim isn't strong defensively, but im not sure if he's considered a huge liability either, just very average there, so hopefully under JVG, he can increase his intensity level.
