• If we sign Mike James. He is starting. In an "ideal world" he is a great 6th man off the bench. But that isnt what's going to happen. Mike James obviously wants to get paid, but where he goes he wants to be the STARTER. And I would even go so far as to say he wants to handle the ball, be the PG, versus the SG. • The Rockets can have him for the MLE, especially if they push out the years. I think he wants to live in Houston and he would play a VERY important role on this team. I think he cherishes that. • Mike James is a good shooter, and that wont disappear with age. He seems in great shape and is very durable. I think these things are pluses as it relates to his game later on in his career. • We are in "win now" mode with the Battier deal. We can't sit around and back off players because we dont want to "add an extra year" or what have you. If we are in "win now" mode then it's put up or shut up time. Open the check book. That's the course we have decided to go. We have to follow through with it. • There are warts on just about any player. And I totally understand that with James he is going to take some bad shots. He is going to take some shots at the end of the game that should go to Tmac and Yao. We will be frustrated. But over the LONG haul, I see more good than bad. And thus we have to make this deal happen and except some of those frustrating moments. EDIT: And if the Rockets could move Juwan Howard to the Raptors in a S&T for James then I would be all over it. We get James and keep the MLE for someone else and the Raptors add depth at PF that they lost in the Charlie V/TJ Ford trade. I doubt this would happen, but it would be sweet if it did.
These are my exact sentiments. We can't be taking on players we don't like and then shipping them out in bad trades or worse financial packages. In the end, Van Gundy will be disappointed in both James and Padgett again. He just can't coach non-perfect players.
Padgett left because he got an offer from the Suns and he knew he'd get less playing time at the 4 behind Juwan & Stro.
No we can use the te to sign drew gooden or work out something to get him cato will most likely be a rocket but for the vet minimum!
Deuce - Your points were all excellent but I wanted to emphasize a few. Assuming Alston isn't traded, IMO professionally he's #1 on the depth chart. But I've never seen that as a problem because I always felt James had more talent and would beat him out for minutes anyway. Combining your "perfect world" and "win now" motifs. You have to offer next years' #1 (protected) to TOR because they can pick up PF depth for half-the price. (Too bad we don't have other trade assets...but that's another story). "Win-now" means we weren't going to play the 8th player in the draft so the pick is of no consequence to VG. If we do have to give up next years' pick...we had better be really, really active in the FA market and also using our $4.2 TE. Since we've lost our starting PF, I'd see if I could outbid CHA for Melvin Ely.
I agree. I think they wouldn't have made that trade knowing that we have a legitimate opportunity to get a solid shooter/3rd scorer for this team. I can see James going for the MLE and a 4 or 5 year deal. Let's hope so. I think him and Rafer would be a great PG duo. You could also use Rafer and James in at the same time in some matchups and some stretches where we need lots of energy. I guarantee JVG is asking/discussing with him if he will try his best to tweak his game just slightly and play off of others instead of trying to create for himself all of the time.
The words "outbid" and Melvin Ely should never be uttered in the same sentence. If you can get him cheap and/or fairly priced, sure, but do not overpay. This guy is essentially the same as Stromile, who we just shipped out. I'd still prefer Wilcox, though that would somehow take some outbidding, and Wilcox has question marks of his own, as well.
To be honest i would like to have Harrington then Mike James, i believe that if we can do a SNT for him he will bring 3pt shooting at the PF possition to help spread the floor for us.
I miss MJ who really suits ROCKETS as the third scorer... not only defend, ROCKETS need score, score and score
What if we pull the old S&T, and send Mike James to Dallas for Marquis Daniels?? Rafer McGrady Daniels(SF) Battier(PF) Yao....... Then we'll have Head, Wesley, Juwon, Hayes, Mutombo coming off the bench..
Thanks - that's what I thought. So it looks like James at the MLE, plus minimum players to round out the roster, unless Les let's us dip slightly into tax land. Maybe there will be no other takers for Cato since he was hurt last year, and we can pick him up for $1M.
If we are able to get James then the Battier trade works much better. Battier can fill the 'roll player' and not the 'third option' scorer for the Rockets. Still wish we had Gay, but if land James we can make some noise, not championship noise but 2nd round/ WCC noise. Providing everyone stays healthy...
Why not put this in EVERYONE'S contact whenever T-mac throws up and awkward off balance heave when everyone is open . . 50K BOOM Rocket River
I like this idea. Offer James 6m/yr for 3yrs, short term. Then look for a shotblocking glass-eater at 4.
