It's obvious there really wasn't a definitive Rocket at number 8. Gay was drafted so we could use him to get something to make us better. Unloading Swift makes us better. Adding Battier and Novak make us better. Keeping Head makes us better. Battier was the number 6 pick the year he came into the NBA. You can flip this and see we got the # 6 pick with 4 years of experience on top. At least Battier has good floor play and IQ to go with his skills. Do you think Swift does? Whatever, the way the #2 - #8 picks were traded around last night you'd think no one really wanted any of them or they all had the same modicum of value. I really didn't see any great tactical maneuvering, more a swamp, fish camp crap shoot. I think Dawson said yes to West if they'd take Swift. If Jerry West thinks he got one up on us, well he shuffled his roster last year too and they are still trying to get the right mix. There's more luck to success than skill after a few dominate players (Wade, etc.) Look how long Dirk has been playing his heart out in Dallas. 51 wins or so is about as good as we'll do regardless of Gay or Battier roster whereabouts. For my money I'd rather have youth and excitement for my 50 wins, but JVG is major old school. If Yao could get a mean streak and McGrady hang healthy, we'd see some basketball. It's all about them and hopefully, some extra luck and get James back. If you use the draft to get better - we got way battier. Save the Head and Gay banter for the fish camp.
There is no way to accurately gauge what impact, or the lack of, Shane brings to the Rox next season, since there will be other moves involving our MLE and maybe the trade exception in the off season. Things will get mixed up. As an isolated incident, this is a lopside trade against the Rox. The off season is still salvagable after this robbery. The Rox can get better if they use their remaining resources wisely. It's like a tribe being looted and still have hope because there's crops in the field, but it doesn't excuse of being looted.
Funny that those that support the trade, point to the fact that Gay needs 2-3 yrs before making an impact. That's exactly the time frame the Rox may be ready to make a championship run, they ain't going to do it this year. Yes they will be a better team with Battier this year but no way we challenge for the WC finals this year, taking the intermediate term of view would be a better strategy than winning now. Letting a guy with the upside of Gay develop for the next couple of years, accumulating other assets and waiting for JH contract to expire in 2008 to make a bigger splash in the FA market would be a better strategy to win in the long run.
I agree he will help us win, but I believe there we could have made a different trade to win more and I also think that we would win more even without a trade. Perhaps not this year, but that could also be possible. He's not much of an offensive threat. He shoots two threes a game and you even said that he may not improve his individual numbers. I don't believe the 10 pt. scorer we get in Battier won't free up much. 58 would be great, but I don't think adding Battier while losing Swift and Gay will make us 7 games better than we were two years ago. I must say that if Yao dominates, T-Mac stays healthy and we add someone major it's possible, but that scenario is very unlikely.
PG Rafer Alston or Bob Sura (Depending on Sura's health) SG Tracy McGrady SF Shane Battier PF Juwan Howard C Yao Ming Key Reserves: Luther Head - 6th Man Keith Bogans Chuck Hayes (I hope they re-sign him at least for cheap) What will happen to Ryan Bowen? I don't know... Carroll and Jeff Van Gundy need to plug the holes with some solid veterans and hopefully the Rockets will be all right. Brkp1999
Can we use the future drafts and TE for a 8M front player by BYC? He could be the starter PF and Rockets has th ability to competite for champions these years.
A question for cap guys: Could we trade Head and the TE to the Raptors in a sign & trade deal for Mike James? That would leave us with the full MLE to sign someone else like Drew Gooden.
Yeah, but I'm asking if the TE can be combined with Head's salary? Wouldn't that give Mike something close to the full MLE?
While you may say we have increased the quality of our starting 5, we have decreased the bench. As far as our rotation goes, we have the 5 plus Head and maybe some Hayes minutes. That leads to more minutes for the 5. The more minutes they play, the greater the chance of injury or burnout. If any injuries happen, we will be back in the lotto next year. I'd say that might be something to look forward to but after Wednesday, I'm not sure I can watch.
If sura doesn't come back I hope we can at least get a strong rebounding guard. Having a guard that strong at rebounding helps our transition defense because then the PG or SG can't just go taking off towards the other end to score and easy basket. They have to put a body on someone like sura to keep us from getting 2nd chance points. I think that was one of the key elements sura brought to our team.
This is exactly the scenario that CD and Morey and the gang are counting on.....it is a gamble for sure, but it could happen. I think last year and the injuries were an aberation. DD
So you think TMac and Ming are stronger this year? Ming might have been a fluke but I think the current roster will put even more stress on their year older bodies.
But Yao and T-mac become older. Furthermore, because of the loss in depth, they have to play more minutes.
I predict our starting lineup for 2006-2007 will be: Center- Yao Ming SF- Tracy McGrady PF- Juwan Howard SG- Matt Harpring PG- Rafer Alston Bench- Shane Battier, Chuch Hayes, Steve Novak, a back up point guard, a back up center, another back up swing man and Bowan, possibly Deke
i like the addition of Battier... but really for a successful team, which right now would be to at least get out of the first round....... we have 3 and half starters to get that job done...... Juwan Howard is not a playoff winning standard PF and Rafer Alston is only just a starter.... Dallas has only the one star, but they have Terry, Harris, Howard and Stackhouse around Dirk The Suns have the triplet stars in Marion, Nash, and Stoudamire and then come at you with Thomas, Barbosa, Bell and Diaw The Spurs have Duncan, Parker, and Manu and then Bowen plus some super vets off the bench in Finley, X, and Nazr..... Even the Clippers have Brand and then a cast around him of Mobes, Kaman, Cassell, Livingston and Magette...... Sure a 75 plus games from the Yao and TMac combo is awesome and Battier will help and Alston some and maybe at a stretch some help from Head.........but for me i would have us well behind the above 4 teams with the roster as it stands and probably in the mix with the Kings, Lakers, Grizz etc..... we must have another better than average front court player and we still need more punch from our 1 spot......
