A couple of thoughts: 1) I bet when this whole story comes out, we'll find out McGrady was on the phone to this guy every night, jawing about a championship or women or reading him the Three Little Bears or whatever it took. 2) Those of you who are grousing about Swift's shortcomings -- you have no idea how much worse we could have done. We could easily have lost this guy and ended up spending the same money for somebody older, less talented, or less accomplished. Teams with high expectations on them can get desperate as the FA pool dwindles. 3) We don't need this guy to be all the things he wasn't in Memphis. We just need him to do the things we know he can do. This is why the Rockets targeted him, IMO: He's the right piece to our puzzle, and vice versa. We're not trying to get the best players. We're trying to get the best team.
I pay $10 today just to see reaction for this. Great pickup. Very nice young frontcourt and can grow together. Hope can get young PG to learn with them. I go lurk now since my English sucks.
I am cautiously optimistic (it is one of those rare moments that I almost agree with pgabrial, scary!) Swift may not be so great a player as he is "potentially" a great fit. I will give the Rockets the benefit of the doubt on this one. They got more athletic and younger and for a "decent" price. He will get his chance to shine.
Awesome, I didn't know about this until my nightly check of the bbs. I think Swift is exactly what we need at the 4. He won't be spectacular, but we don't need that. CD/JVG are unstoppable.
I am very, very excited. I would be happy if we got Swift for a sign and trade deal even if we had to take some cap garbage from Memphis. Getting Swift for the same price as Raja Bell is awesome!!! This means the Rockets still have the ammunition to go after another top level player. With the addition of Head and Swift, the Rockets are transforming themselves into a young and athletic team that can play pressure defense and get out on the break. I am hopeful CD and JVG can parlay their expiring contracts into a solid outside threat. I am intriqued by the possibilities of the Rockets slashing to the basket, Swift getting a lot of easy put-backs and jams and drawing a lot of fouls. I love that the Rockets targeted Swift early on and made an all-out push for him. Well done!
Agreed. The price tag, along with the fact JVG & CD wanted him so much make this a good deal for us. What makes our frontcourt scary is Yao + Stro/JH + T-Mac. The fact we have both JH and Stro at the PF is what makes us above average at the position. We will probably have the best frontcourt in the NBA next year. If we can still upgrade the backcourt starters, we are a championship contender, if not one of the favorites. I'm still holding my breath, but with this cased closed, it's likely some other deals will happen.
NEW[CHRON]Swift agrees to terms with Rockets http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3271334 The Rockets just could not take their eyes off Stromile Swift. His talents fit their needs. His potential excited their imaginations. So they went after one free agent and Monday, they got him. After 10 agonizing days in which the Rockets waited for his answer, Swift declared Monday that he wanted to play for the Rockets, Swift's agent Andy Miller said Monday evening. ``He has decided to become a Houston Rocket,'' Miller said. ``He's absolutely excited about playing with Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. The Houston organization has been very consistent and adamant about getting him.'' In Swift, a 25-year-old, 6-foot-9 bundle of athleticism if unrealized potential, the Rockets get the sort of frontcourt explosiveness they wanted to put in between Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. In five seasons with the Grizzlies, Swift has averaged nine points and five rebounds, never cracking the starting lineup while usually playing behind Pau Gasol. Given his athletic abilities, and that he was the second player chosen in the 2000 Draft out of LSU, he had been called of an underachiever. But the Rockets viewed him as a player that needed the role they could offer. ``That's real, real big for us,'' McGrady, who worked to recruit Swift, said. ``I'm going to do my best to turn him into an All Star player, too. I'm very excited about it. I that he was the guy we were missing. He'll add more depth, more athleticism. It's good to have him part of us. I think he has unbelievable talent. The best is about to come out of him.'' Miller would not discuss the terms of the deal. But unless the Rockets can work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Grizzlies, which is unlikely, the Rockets will not be able to offer more than the mid-level exception, expected to be worth between $28 million and $32 million over five years. Players cannot sign with teams until July 22 when the new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be completed and the financial formulas that dictate such contracts are expected to become available. Now that Swift has chosen his team, Miller and the Rockets will likely work out the details of the contract this week. But the tough part, the decision, is over. ``He's very excited about the opportunity,'' Miller said. ``It's a relief that the pressure is off. He feels that he did his homework, his due diligence, and that his is a great opportunity, a great staff and great situation for him from this moment going forward. ``I think Coach (Jeff) Van Gundy will be a great help to him. It's just a great opportunity all around.'' Though known for his leaping ability, Swift has developed the sort of solid mid-range jumpshot, making 46.8 percent of his attempts in his career, necessary when teams double-team Yao with big men or sink into the lane to cut off McGrady. His quickness and shot-blocking ability should help the Rockets' pick-and-roll and fast-break defense in which so many teams try to force Yao to run with smaller players. The Rockets will, however, need Swift to improve on the boards and in consistently playing with high energy. They will also have other off-season moves to make. To that end, Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson met with former Portland guard Damon Stoudamire Monday at Toyota Center. The meeting was considered preliminary and casual, a source familiar with the talks said. The Rockets, however, do have interest in adding Stoudamire's quickness, point guard skills and shooting touch to their backcourt and Stoudamire is interested in the Rockets. But as with their pursuit of Swift, because they are over the salary cap, the Rockets are limited to what they could offer. With Swift likely to take the entire mid-level exception, the Rockets could offer Stoudamire only a salary cap exception expected to be worth about $1.7 million. Stoudamire, who earned $12.5 million last season, is expected to receive offers considerably larger than the Rockets', particularly from the Cavaliers, a team under the cap and looking for a point guard. But Monday, they got the player they wanted and happily turned their thoughts to the player they believe he can be. ``With the coaching staff we have and the players we have on this team, he's definitely going to be surrounded by a first-class organization and coaching staff,'' McGrady said. He's going to be a huge asset to our team. ``I think it's a great pick up. Carroll and the organization did great. We're going to make him work, and we're going to make him feel at home and we're going to get on with winning.''
I wonder if they asked Yao about the trade. If this were me, I wouldn't stop being pissed at this dunk until my deathbed.
At the MLE, Swift is high upside and we have hedged on the downside. Not bad. Not bad at all. Several thougthts come to mind: 1. The 4 seed is ours. (Regrettably, we can only get the 4 seed b/c SA is in our division, and we're not quite ready to overtake them). 2. Our greatest need is quality backup swing man that can lock down on defense. Tmac cannot play that many minutes again. He needs a break for the end of the year run. If not available, bring back Barry. 3. Next big thing: Bring back Deke for cheap. He has to see that this team has serious potential. 4. Tmac/Swift PnR. Yeah, lobs and dunks. No weak side help b/c oh, wait, you can't just leave Yao. Swift has the potential to develop into that third key player. Great job by the front office. If Swift is going to live up to his potential, it will be here, under a tough coaching staff and a team full of hard working, high chemistry players.
