The Rox have just completed a very good regular season and almost advanced to the 2nd rd. They didn't and so like every other teams who don't win the title, the offseason is a chance to improve the team. The Rox have problems just like every other team who does not win the title. I'm very optimistic with CD that he doesn't pigeon hole this team. Many people on this board want the rox to go with the traditional thinking. 80% of the people on this board want the Rox to be 2 man Kobe/Shaq light in building this squad. That would be fine if Ming could have the stamina to be a force every minute he's on the floor. Until then, the Rox have to improve this team from the angles possible. Many people scream that the rox need this banger who can hit the 15fter, rebound and block shots. Who was this guy on the last spurs title team? Who was this guy on the 1995 rox team? The fact of the matter is, the Rox need to become more consistent on offense more than anything. The Rox need that consistent 3rd scorer who is a quality scorer and can get his own shot. Right now, the Rox have too many stationary players. Other than Mcgrady and James, they need someone to get them a shot. It would be nice to get a Hoarace Grant with the early 90's Bulls, but it really isn't one like that out there. So i fast forward to the rox, whats wrong with a 80's Celtics type team? Whats wrong with have 1 superstar(McGrady/Bird) 2 all star quality player (Ming,?,Parrish,Mchale) and 2 quality players (Sura,DJ,Ainge,?). Why must the Rox copy a plan that really doesn't benefit the players they have or can aquire? If the Rox can field a team that still lets it dominate player(McGrady) be dominate yet allows other players like Ming still be very good without asking more than what they're capable of doing, wouldn't that be better than short changing the upside of the squad?
The main thing that's wrong with it is the economics. Our owner is not named Mark Cuban or Paul Allen, and we can only afford 2 max contracts in the long run. If you have 3 all-star quality players, you are going to be paying 3 max contracts. The brightest part of our future is the fact that we will have 2 players who are well worth their max contracts. I loved Steve's heart, but the fact of the matter is that his max contract was going to be a millstone around our neck because he falls firmly in the class of players who get max money but don't really deserve it. A mid-level revenue team such as ours cannot afford these kinds of players.
He shouldn't be Cuban. Ming is the 2nd all star, but the Rox get into trouble whne Ming gets into to early foul trouble and Mcgady has to do it all. The 3rd quality player is the one I'm looking for either at the 2 guard or 4 spot. The Rox have expiring contracts which should make it easier to get what they need. All in all, the rox have about 15m worth of salaries that expire at the end of the yr.
You say we don't need a banger that can hit a 15 footer, rebound, and block, but that's what Robert Parish was. He was an excellent rebounder and shotblocker, and his offense was primarily medium distance jumpshots. If Mcgrady is going to be the Bird of this team and Yao is going to be the Mchale, we're going to need a Parish type to do the dirty work.
With the Salary Cap, 30 teams in the league, and the fact that we don't have Mark Cuban as an owner, I think it's unrealistic to expect to go the 80's Celtics route. I think instead, we should look at what Dumars has done in Detroit. Young, athletic players who play smart and can create their own shots. Five guys on the floor than can score, defend, pass, and rebound. Sura would fit this mold if he were younger and less injury prone. Dirtto a guy like Derek Anderson, who'd be perfect if he wasn't always hurt. Maybe we can find a way to bring back James Posey? He had a bad year last year, but he's still young and should be able to bounce back. Pietrus is another guy I'd be interested in. He should develop into a much better version of Bruce Bowen down the line (I don't think he'll be a star like some believe, however).
James Posey cannot create his own shot.........unless a fallaway 3 pointer by a 30% shooter is a quality shot.
Parrish was just a very good player. No one on that team was a banger, just good to great. Even Mchale wasn't known as a banger, just a very good low post scorer. I like the dumars route also, but i think with Mcgrady and Ming, it could be a supplement to that squad.
I dont think it is "breaking the mold" to think this team needs a 3rd reliable scorer. I dont think Tmac and Yao can do it alone. And that's mainly because Yao is not going to be Shaq. Just like Duncan has Ginobili and Parker, Yao needs Tmac and.........someone. This preferably would come from the 2 guard spot which would leave the PF spot open to be more of a solid role player the way Horry/Mohammed are for the Spurs. No question, as much as this team would like to have a nice shot blocking/rebounding/quick PF to disguise Yao's weaknesses, we also need that reliable 3rd scorer that can create their own shot and help this team on nights when perhaps Tmac or Yao are not having such a good game.
Yes. Does anyone know if we can get Swift? I'd like him here with Juwan Howard. And then a swingman or point guard..Nachbar
We are the freaking Houston f-ing Rockets. We have 4 million people living in this city. I would love to call it a town but it isn't one. It's a major metropolitan. No more money excuses. If Les doesn't have enough money it's because the people of Houston aren't going to games. Let's go to games, let's buy the merchadise and let's have a big market team. I haven't heard San Antonio make theses B.S. excuses. It's time to stop thinking small because, dammit, we're big. Real big. I'll see you at a game or two. We change money problems, not the owners. (I live in Austin)
Where was that guy to mask shaq weakness? Why can't that reliable 3rd scorer be at the 4 spot and not at the 2?
The teams with the highest payroll has never won the ring. Looking at it this yr and that will hold true. This isn't baseball, this is a cap sport and its all about being smart with your money.
Shaq didnt have as many weaknesses as Yao does, he needs less masking. I see where you are going. You want the reliable 3rd scorer to be SAR at the 4.
Yes, every player on their team was good/great, but they were all great in their own unique way. Parish was best known for his rebounding/shotblocking, Mchale for his low-post scoring, Bird for his shooting, and DJ for his excellent defense and penetration. That was what allowed them to all be great hall-of-fame players on the same team. That's kind of the same mold that every championship team uses. Different players with different strengths. I think that every championship team uses a similar formula that has been proven to work time and time again: Great scoring big man (Kareem, Hakeem, Duncan, R.Wallace) Couple of great/very good perimeter players (Magic/Worthy, Drexler/Cassell, Parker/Ginobili, Billups/Hamilton), Big man the does the dirty work (AC Green, Horry, Robinson/Mohammad, Ben Wallace) A great perimeter defender (Cooper, Elie, Bowen, Prince) The 3 primary power forwards that Shaq has played with (Horry, Horace Grant, and Udonis Haslem) all mask his weaknesses. Quick mobile power forwards who do the dirty work that Shaq is too lazy to do (defense, rebounding, etc.) and who get their offense from open jumpers that they get from Shaq. It's important that the Rockets don't just go out and find the most talented offensive player they can get and stick him on this team as the 3rd scoring option, regardless of fit. The Rockets have to find a 3rd option that complements Yao/Mcgrady and who's strengths are different from Yao and Mcgrady's strengths. Yao's strength is his post up game and Mcgrady's strength is his perimeter shooting. So ideally, find a slashing/penetrating guard would be the ideal 3rd option. There are power forwards out there that can do this (Odom, Antoine Walker, etc.), but it's much easier to find a guard.
Good points. Was Los Angeles in the top of payroll when they won theirs? I just don't think we should make small market excuses when it's Houston.
I think the biggest problem between teams nowadays and teams like the Celtics in the 80's is money. I haven't done any research, but I'd assume that McHale wasn't paid MAX money like Yao will be. It seems like it's next to impossible to really get a player at his true value anymore unless it is a sure MAX player like TMac. Sometimes those great deals come along, like Mike James, but overall I'd say players are overpaid. What does this cause? It obviously gives us less money to pay the players that deserve it (like our Parrish or DJ). There is almost always a team that is willing to overpay for someone and because of this, if you want a player your more than likely going to have to do the same. Pugs
