When Moochie Norris is one of your best players on the court and even he gets injured, you know the basketball gods aren't looking out for you. It's Tmac and Austin Toros out there.
It is very, very grim; a sad moment in Rocket history. Jeff, you are wrong, you do not have "enough to win." Not even close. The Rocket's shooting is just horrible, watching their shooting futility is so painful I turned it off. Who likes torture.
If that Swift for Jefferson rumor is true I dont know what the Rockets are waiting for. R. Jefferson would definitely be a boost right now.
Look guys, I think "sunshine" posts are appropriate at times, but if you can find a "silver lining" around the cloud that is now on the court, well, that's just delusional. The team just doesn't have enough players at this point, and with everyone healthy, still not enough talent to do what they were predicted to do before the season began, contend. Do you really, really believe that this team is going far in the playoffs. I think there is reason to doubt that they will get there. This is not disloyalty, this is reality. It is all very disappointing.
All Van Gundy talked about at the beginning of the off season is youth and athleticism. WHERE IS IT!?!?!?!
Have to call you out on that statement. You haven't even seen all our players healthy and on the court at the same time. You have no idea what talent we have yet alone how good our chemistry can be. Did we have enough talent to tear up the league in the second half of last season? It wasn't talent that made us a good team last year. It was chemistry! Look at last year's highlights: we were running, getting into our offense quick while the defense was not set. Barry, Sura, and James were the main reasons for this; they were able to get the ball up the court fast. So why no running this year? Lets see, Alston, Barry, Sura, DA...our whole backcourt is gone. No shooting guard. No point guard! Obviously we are not the most talented team but we have yet to see if our talent and chemistry has improved from last seasons. I want to see Alston, Barry, and Head running with Yao and TMac before I give a doomsday speech and end up a "Clutchfans Classic Moment".
But your saying that Head, Barry, Alston, and DA won't or can't be our chemistry players? Alston and Anderson have yet to play with both a healthy Yao and TMac on the floor. Yao and TMac combined presence can make a lot of players look impressive. Likewise, team chemistry and good role players can help Yao's and TMac's game. Swift is a bust, lol, no argument there, haha. Put half of Francis' basketball IQ in a PF body and you get swift. He needs a lot of patience and coaching - if that would even help. J. Howard looked very good at the end of last year. Again, the team has not played with a healthy Yao and TMac together except a few games. Bowen shouldn't start. It's a given, but he is the classic good hustle player that can help with energy off the bench when needed. Head is a keeper and will play a major part when we contend. Very glad we got him. I believe when you have a healthy Yao and TMac together with healthy role players you will always have a chance to contend. I also believe we could use more talent but the fact is we are only in the second year of building around Yao and Tmac. It takes time when you give up most of your talent. My point is Yao + TMac + Team Chemistry + Health will make us a competitive team against the talented teams you listed. I'm with you, we need talent and frankly being in the lottery wouldn't upset me one bit. Yet, if we have a competitive team anything is possible, even successfully contending for a championship.
And for the record, I don't see your comments as disloyal: just unfounded. Wesley and Jackson have the same basketball lifespan left. I for one believe that was a good trade. The jury is still out on Alston and James. The fact is James is going to want a big paycheck this offseason that we weren't going to give him. For some stability we got Alston, who is signed through 2008/9, so we wouldn't have to find a new point guard each year.
You see, I don't buy that arguement, who cares if James wants to get paid after this year...trading him made us worse THIS YEAR....deal with next year...next year. Right now the moves that the team made...DA, Alston, Swift....are not looking all that solid. DD
Complain if you want, I didn't start a new thread and it's just an idea to create conversation...... I came up with a 4-way trade that I couldn't check on RealGM because it wouldn't work for whatever reason but the contractual numbers are similar. Its a 4-way deal involving Houston, Indiana, New Jersey and Denver revolving around the following points and the recent Richard Jefferson whispers around this board (whether accurate or not). The following points are well known: -Indiana will trade Ron Artest -Denver is one of the front runners to land Artest -Houston is extremely disappointed with Swift -New Jersey is interested in dealing for Swift -Denver has been listening to offers for Earl Watson and Nene Hilario -Houston recently scouted Earl Watson Here it is...... Houston trades: David Wesley, Stromile Swift, 1st round pick Houston receives: Richard Jefferson, Earl Watson ---------------------------------------------------------------- Indiana trades: Ron Artest, Anthony Johnson Indiana receives: Nene Hilario, David Wesley, 1st round pick (from Houston) ---------------------------------------------------------------- New Jersey trades: Richard Jefferson New Jersey receives: Stromile Swift, Anthony Johnson, 1st round pick (lotto protected, from Denver) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Denver trades: Nene Hilario, Earl Watson, 1st round pick (lotto protected) Denver receives: Ron Artest ---------------------------------------------------------------- Sure, offering a non-lotto protected 1st rounder is risky but in the eyes of Indiana, who would be acquiring this non-protected pick, it would be a great opportunity for them given the fact that currently we're one of the worst teams in the league. The idea is this kind of deal could revive this this team and turn things around a bit until we're completely healthy. I don't want to concede this season at all but this coming month of January is absolutely crucial if we seriously plan to make a push for the post season. If this kind of trade could be the turning point in salvaging our season, that's less value that pick has. Basically, it's a necessary risk for us. The problem seems to be would be whether Indiana would bite or not. They are a championship contender and one of the key players they would be receiving won't even be playing at all this season. Indiana's movitation for making this deal would be thinking for the future as well as is viewing it as a positive they were able to get a potential lottery pick for Artest, acquiring a servicable guard (better than Anthony Johnson) with an expiring contract and getting a 23-year old beast that could start alongside Jermaine O'Neal. Any thoughts, comments, etc? NOTE: In another thread I mentioned how it would be unwise and a bad idea to deal Swift. I meant that in regards to the rumors involving the likes of Marc Jackson and other nobody's that would do little to help this team. The chance to get a guy like Richard Jefferson and to finally discover a PG who could potentially help limit our ever persisting problem of dribble-penetration, it's worth it to deal him.
Jefferson is BYC, so it is pretty much impossible to trade for him because only half his salary counts in a trade and we are over the cap.
