Frankly I'd rather have them cut Moochie than Baxter. Baxter may be a blue collar PF but he's definitely hardworking, and we've all seen how effective that Hayes-Baxter combo is at shutting down the lane defensively. Moochie is the ONE person on our team that is absolutely useless to us (and possibly actually makes the team worse whenever he steps on the floor).
"Dont be a fool Rockets!!! Keep all 3!!!" --per Gummi Clutch I agree. These three provide hustle, spark, and, yes, some degree of youth to our roster. VG has to be impressed with the defensive stops and speed that have been added. I do not know what kind of CBA arcana would stop us from DL'ing Bowen and releasing Mooch, but, if those moves are possible, then let's DO keep all three.
Look at that, only a few hours earlier I had said he makes the team worse by being on the floor, and he tries to prove me right by scoring a layup against his own team.
Moochie and RyBo both have another year on their contracts. I seriously doubt we will cut either of them.
I was at the game, and when Moochie attempted (and failed) that wide open layup at the wrong end of the court, I just wondered exactly what substance he was high on. He just looks like he's given up on being a basketball player. I suspect he knows that he'll never see another NBA contract and so he doesn't even care. He looks like he doesn't even practice anymore. He also missed those two free throws pretty terribly. If the Rockets are going to cut anybody, it should be Moochie. And of course that's only if there aren't teams interested in Moochie and some of our other expiring contracts for cap relief.
I too hope that none of the listed three get cut. JLIII, although he is the most likey to go, is a terrific asset - he is just insanely fast. That sweet layup on the breakaway with tmac in the bucks game was incredible - he got the ball to the left of the basket out past the free throw line and I thought for sure he was gonna be cutoff before he got to the basket - but he just exploded to the hole - nobody was even close to him when he hit the basket.
I think there is a "Team Option" on the last year of his deal.......aka he is gone after this season.
I don't know how reliable this is but this says that his last year is a team option. http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/houston.htm
If Moochie has only a team option after this year, he'll be gone. His expiring contract would be attractive for a trade, but I think that the Roxs would be happy with their roster as is if they could get healthy. Otherwise, JL3 is gone. We don't need another PG after Alston and Moochie. If Sura did come back after the all-star break, that would make 3 PGs. To me, you keep Baxter for depth and Hayes is now your backup SF. No, he's not an ideal SF, but neither is anyone else on the roster.
In his defense, the shot he was rebounding came after the expiration of the shot clock. Mooch assumed the refs were going to call a shot clock violation, but they were too lazy to, with it being garbage time and all. Anyway, JL3 was annoying me with his complete lack of passing at the end of last night's game. Plus passing up open shots to take contested ones instead. He's fast and all, but he wasn't playing too smart at the end.
I don't know, if anybody looked lost on that court last night, it was Moochie. What did he think it was, shootaround? Trying to make a layup on his own basket while the game is still on. That shows you were his mind was, it certainly wasn't in the game. And to prove it, he misses two free throws badly afterwards. Why is this guy still in a Rockets uniform?
