Free agency is off and running, sort of and the rox are waiting to hear where they stand on the Stro sweepstakes. Dont get me wrong I think he would be a welcome addition to this team, but off all the fa's power forwards, I have the most questions about. If this guy is so talented, why would West let him walk especially in the West? If his upside is so high, why couldn't he beat out Wright or even take the spot when they traded SAR? If he's such a good shotblocker or defender, why did he avg 3 fouls per game in less than 25 mins a night? If he's all this, why aren't teams making a real hard effort to give him the money he thinks he deserve? I know this summer, most of the premier players are perimeter guys, but c'mon about Swift being what the Rox need. While the rox try to find this in between player for Ming and McGrady, they must be sure that this is the one. Its not to the benefit of team chemistry to keep changing players every year. This next team assembled should be the one that will be there for at least 3 years min. If we sign swift and find out that for every 1.5 blks, he's giving it up because he's so light and is staying in foul trouble or he cant play 35 mins and 75 games, something that he hasn't done since entering the league, then what?
I'm certainly not saying I don't have a lot of questions about this guy too, but I got a few ideas. First, I think West is letting him walk because he's too much like a poor man's Gasol, and he'd rather spend his cash on weaker positions. Second, I think he could beat out Wright for basically the same reason: Wright gives them a different look from Gasol, and is a more natural center (Gasol would rather play power forward). Your third question troubles me too, but maybe it's because there was a lack of respect from the refs, because he was only a 20mpg backup rather than a starter? I don't really know though. Fourth, I think other teams realize his talent and potential, and they want him, but they'd rather spend on surer things (Allen, Redd, Hughes, Simmons). Now that there are only so many teams with significant cap room left, there are only so many teams who can make "a real hard effort." Just playing devil's advocate, I'm not really sure on any of those. I just feel, like I think the Rockets do, that Swift's skillset is exactly what we need and nothing we don't, and he's about the cheapest and youngest we're going to get someone with all those particular skills.
Then again, I just don't know. Swift REALLY troubles me. I am afraid that he may be this year's version of Eric Dampier. Excellent analysis as always Leebigez...
We all have about the ames ??? aboout SS since he is not a 35 MPG 20/10 player. We just have to have faith in CD, JVG and especially TMAC. If CD and JVG will pay him and TMac will come right out and say he wants to fly next to him then that is good enough for me until SS proves everyone wrong. That's about all I can say. Except we lost 5 people off our roster and we only need Deke back; so we have plenty of roster space left. I want Dermar Johnson at the 2. If JWill comes along with Stro that would make a formidable starting 5: PG JWill SG DJohnson SF TMac PF Stro / JHo C Yao
I agree that those interested in Swift primarily for his potential are misguided. However, I think Swift for what he brings to the table now is a good fit, a better fit than with the Griz. We have a big man who can anchor the defense down low in Yao. A bruiser would be nice, but Swift right now gives you someone who can block shots from the weakside, hit the mid-range jumper to open things inside for Yao, and cut to the basket and throw down oops a la Marcus Camby. He's not perfect, but given this team's need for athleticism, he's a fairly decent fit. I wouldn't want to pay him much more than the MLE, but if he's willing to come to Houston for something in that range, he fits our needs more than any other PF out there and is why he's evidently top on our list of desirable free agents, IMO.
People had the same questions about Jermaine O'Neal when Portland got rid of him. Sometimes it takes a change of scenery to blossom.
Wright is no more a center than Swift,Gasol or anyone else on that roster. The best players always play regardless of position. Jerry West traded a very good and very productive Eddie Jones to get Kobe to the 2 and get glen rice. Jerry West traded Van Excel to get Fisher into the game. The Blazers traded Wallace because Randolph was emerging. If it was known that Swift was or is a difference maker on a team that needs one.
On a championship quality team, O'neal had a all star in Wallace,a good center in Sabonis and another banger type guy in Brian Grant. When a guy is light in the seat like Swift and Griffin, its hard to blk shots weakside when teams throw the ball to your man and he's manhandling you. i also want to know come playoff time when ally oops and fast breaks are to a minimum and the Rox play a team like the Spurs, how effective will swift be then? How effective will he be from offensive and defensive point of view will he be covering Amare? Well, in the playoffs against the Suns, the weakside shotblocker did nothing.
I disagree. Swift has always been tabbed as a power forward, though he can do spot duty at center. Wright started out his career with the Clippers as a center, and besides that he's got 2 inches and 20 pounds on Swift. Plus he's a better fundamental rebounder, though not nearly the scorer (but like I said, since they have Gasol they probably don't feel like they need the scoring).
On top of all this his toughness has been questioned by his team and coach. Something you would assume would aggrevate West. The Rockets need toughness, especially at power forward. Hopefully the consensus on his mentality is wrong. The only clear thing is that Swift has yet to prove anything in this league other than the fact that he has potential. With those concerns, and yours, I still wan't him.
How much weight does the "report" that T-Mac wants him encourage you guys? Is Stro just the best/only available or is he really a good fit from T-Mac's standpoint? Do you guys think that the players are better judges of this kind of thing than the management?
I agree with every doubt mentioned above and have said so ad nauseum. But there is merit to the argument that since JVG, T-Mac and the Rockets braintrust have made him priority #1, he probably would help us a lot. Swift's first 5 years in the NBA lead me to a different conclusion, but if the team wants him that much, I guess ( ) I want him too.
Obviously if the guy didnt have any question marks then he wouldnt be in our price range. Guys like Chandler and Curry who seem to have less question marks are guys who are WAY out of the Rockets price range. SS does worry me on many fronts but if he can stay healthy then his athleticism would be a great addition to this team.
