[Fox 26] Rockets contact Mike James, Speedy Claxton, Fred Jones

Why no power forwards?

I guess maybe we'll see a lot of an athletic lineup like this:

Yao
Battier
McGrady
James
Alston



That's not a bad lineup at all. They'd just have to score a lot of points to win consistently.

 

He does, and we all saw last year how a healthy determined YAO can dominate.

Our 3 point shooters can light em up if they double on YAO...unless we just have a horrid shooting night we should be able to beat all but the elite teams night in and night out.

If we get the right pieces this summer I could really see this team winning up to 57 or 58 games if we avoid any major injuries.

Is is November yet?

 

NBA Basketball




July 2, 2006, 12:18AM
James game no slam dunk
Rockets' cap issues make sign-and-trade deal a possibility


By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets moved a few steps closer to bringing Mike James back to Houston, but they also got a pretty good idea of how far they need to go.

The Rockets began the free-agency period at 11:01 p.m. Friday with coach Jeff Van Gundy ringing the bell at James' house in Houston while general manager Carroll Dawson called James' agent, Bill Duffy.

The only hitch was that James, whose workout ran late, was not there when Van Gundy reached James' door. But the two did visit a short time later.

"Everybody has an open mind," Duffy said. "From what I was told, they had a very good talk."

The Rockets have made their preference for the 31-year-old James clear, and James has been unusually outspoken about his interest in playing for the Rockets again. But putting them together won't be that simple.

Duffy said the Rockets are one of "numerous teams" that have already reached out to James. Duffy would not specify who else is interested. Atlanta, one of just five teams with cap space, is believed to be pursuing the 6-2 guard.

The Rockets are over the cap. Barring a sign-and-trade deal with James' current team (the Raptors), the Rockets can offer only their mid-level exception, expected to begin at roughly $5 million.

The Hawks are targeting several point guards and are especially interested in veterans such as James, Speedy Claxton or Sam Cassell as opposed to younger prospects such as Marcus Banks. Especially in a short-term contract, they have the spending room to offer more than the Rockets.

Asked if James was open to the mid-level exception, Duffy said, "That's going to be up to Mike James. Right now, he's just keeping an open mind."

But the Rockets can try to work a sign-and-trade with the Raptors using their $4.2 million trade exception.

The Raptors are unlikely to want contracts back, making the Rockets' trade exception a potential advantage because in a sign-and-trade deal, the Rockets can offer 12.5 percent annual raises, as opposed to the 8 percent raises permitted in free-agent deals.

"It's a concept to consider," Duffy said. "We haven't gotten there yet. A sign-and-trade is something we could pursue."

Duffy said that as much as James would like to play in Houston, he also wants to consider his options before making a decision in about two weeks.

Players cannot sign free-agent contracts until July 12.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com




WEll, look like we might have to wait a couple of weeks before James make the decision. Hopefully, it doesn't hurt our plan to pursue other free agents.

 

So is everyone assuming that the MLE is not enough for James? Is that why a sign and trade is being mentioned? That would suck to lose Head. Toronto has pretty much already lost James and now they would gain Head just because we need them in the mix to give James more money.

EDIT: Wow, quick answer to my post with that article above. So I guess we might not have to lose a player, if I read that article properly? We can trade away another exception we own? Is that right?

 

I'd love to see James come off the bench ala Sam Cassell or Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson. He seems to flourish when he's the only scorer on the court. Lord knows with our bench, that would be the case more often than not....

 

If the sign and trade is with the trade exception as mentioned in the article, Head coulnd't be used in the deal unless they make two simultaneous trades.

 

IT would be terrible if MJ doesn't sign with us and the other FA's are gone.

 

It looks as though the Mavs are making a serious run at Mike James.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...l/mavs/stories/070206dnspoterry.163c9e44.html

 

They just agree with Jason Terry on a 6 years contract with a hometown discount. I think MJ would rather play here if the money offer is about the same. Also Houston will probably offer longer than a 3 yr. contract. But it look like Dallas are going after James but not at full force since they only want to give him 3 year contracts.

 

Sam was playing behind a Vet
Vinnie played behind superior players [Isiah and Joe Dumars]

Why would MJ play behind a guy he is better than
MJames > Rafer Maddness

Rocket River

 

um... even if we get Mike James, we still need a 2. Fred Jones is a bit shrimpy, IMO.

It was brought up a bunch last summer, but MoPete would give us what we're looking for as a durable (82 games played last 4 years), big guard (6'7"), who can shoot from deep (39% on 450+ attempts). I dont know what it would it would take to get him but a guy like him should definatley be looked into.

As for the frontcourt, we still need a goon who can matchup with large PF's like Brand, Duncan, & Gasol. Unfortunately guys like that are becoming dinosaurs and the ones left have huge baggage (Boozer, Fortson, and K-Mart). So I guess we're lookin @ guys like Gadzuric/Cato. That kinda makes me sad, but it should still be an interesting offseaon.

 

Agree, Mike James would make a bigger impact than Rafer and bringing Rafer off the bench will keep his game in check.

 

Ever heard of Tracy McGrady?

 

pretty much....

 

SO if we use our TE on Mike we could use the other on Cato and then the MLE on V-Span and someone else. Woah buddy. Nice offseason. And hey I bet JR Smith is available. I hear Maggette is too. WOO so many possibilities

 

so if we sign mike james through a s&t going by the article the contract each year can be raised by 12%? so his first year would be 4.2 million then the next year 4.7? then 5.2? then 5.8? then in his final year 6.4? which is 26 million over 5 years?

 

I'm not excited about this news cause i donot think Mike james will be a good addition to Rockets. Yeah, he has beautiful statistics in Raptors last season, but that's cause he got so many shooting chances. If he's really so good, why does not Raptors resign him? Furthermore, we have T-mac and Yao, so can we still offer him so many shootings per game? I donot think Rockes should offer him more than MLE, not even Head(Head is so young and has much potential, Rockets will be regretful if trading him away, just like trading Jim Jackson and Bosgan for David Wesley) plus first round pick. Mike James does not deserve it!

 

We play him @ the 3 now so he wont have to chase SG's around. But even if he would start at the 2 for us. We STILL need somebody else who can back him up for a little (Luther Head would work against your smaller SG's but not Kobe, Ginobili, Stackhouse, etc.)

So to answer your question, yes I have heard of the McGrady fellow.

 

My guess is that McGrady will definitely start at the 2. Battier gives us some flexibility, given the fact that he can play the 2, 3, or 4, if needed. This means that, if Gundy wants to go small, he can start McGrady at 3, Battier at the 4, James at the 2, and Rafer at point (like I said). If he wants to go big, McGrady will be at the 2 with Battier at the three. When McGrady goes to the bench, that's where someone like Bogans (who I believe we need to resign) steps in. OR Battier slides over to back up McGrady.

 

I prefer Tracy to play Small Forward.