You saw what happened this past season with the Rockets. Even with a healthy Yao and T-Mac I was still not impressed. I just don't trust him handling the ball for us. What the hell is a true point guard? Alston did lose a few close games for us last year taking ridiculous shots at the end of the game. His shooting is subpar. But again back to last year, no Rocket was willing to take the shot and nobody was bringing a high intensity energy level (except Hayes but it was a little too late). That is what we lacked and Mike James brings exactly that! I was opposed to the Alston trade from day one. My theory was if he doesn't want to come back, then let the guy go. Simple as that. I'm not going to bring and statistics into this. I'm not too high on stats because each and every single one of them is skewed (except the minutes played). So that's out of the question and I'm not trying to compare the two players. Mike James is great and we do need him. His cocky attitude will help us as well; it's time for a team personality change.
You must be a hell of customer to please. We had two very impressive wining streaks with Yao and Tmac play relatively healthy.
Of course we did have a few big wins, but it doesn't prove anything because my expectations were a lot higher. We still lost games we shouldve won. And we were not as consistent as I would've liked to have been Yes, I am a hard "customer" to please simply because I'm sick of losing. I want to win and I want it NOW! But I just realized something. When Spanoulis is ready, won't we have a crowded back court? And its inevitable that more players will come and go. Its not like we will stick with James and Alston for the next 5 years. And as we saw with Swift, anything can happen at any time. So no, its not that we must have Mikes James, but I still would love to have him.
Actually, if you look closely enough we didn't. The so called "streaks" were against bad (non-playoff) teams. I've got the data and I'm not going to bore everyone with it. But at the time we went something like 10-2, the combined %age win rate of the teams we were beating would have been a 36-46 yearly record. That's the caliber of teams we were beating during the win streak. Like the other poster, I wasn't impressed either. Especially since Alston was getting outplayed by the likes of Derrick Fisher, Luke Ridnour, and Jameer Nelson. Over a stretch where the Rockets were 14-5 with Yao and TMac, Alston shot a pitiful 37.8% averaging 4.8 FGA's/48. We were winning in spite of him not because of him. With Battier doing intangible stuff that may not easily translate into points, we need firepower and James is it.
Chris bosh has number of times had stated about his desiers of having James return. once it became blatantly apprant james was'nt returning, he went sour grapes. bosh wanted james back.
We need James. But with Van Gundy, James will be useless in a couple of years. The signing of James will be a good move, when Van Gundy is gone.
In the short term he gives us a quicker backcourt, he'll help spread the floor if his last years 3 point % doesn't take a hit which you would think it would not because he'll get more open looks. He's a vet so he understands team defense and he always hustled on defense anyways. He's a definite upgrade at the backup 1 and 2 spot and depending on how JVG works things he's an upgrade at the starting spots in both areas. That leaves us with hoping we stay healthy which is the key for all contending teams. We still need a couple of players, preferably a backup C/PF and a tall athletic backup 2. With that alone I think we can become players in the WC, an upgrade at the 4 via a trade and we'll be real players for the ring.
The perferd option would be we get toronto to participate in a sign and trade.that would leave our MLE intact to persue a big man of the ilk of reggie evans or someone of the kind. the trade exception alone wont satisfy the raptors, they might ask for head, but i hope we play tough.
He have to UPGRADE one other position Backcourt or PF It is simple Without James. . .we are 2nd round fodder at best with James. . . . we could win a championship Rocket River 2 and a Half Stars
On paper I agree he is an upgrade to the current back court (which really does not mean much given what Rox has right now). Even though I still have doubts if this upgrade will really materialize. Without a doubt, he did very well last year with Raptors. But that's his contract year. Look around, it seems everyone performs exceptionally in thier contract year (except Yao, who did really poorly the year before lasy year ). To say that he will be the key to Rox winning it all is really too much a stretch IMO.
I hate to be quoting you so much lately, so I promise I'll stop after this. But, the more I think about it, the less I think we need "James" firepower. Yes, we could use an efficient third scorer. Yes we could use someone who can penetrate and break down defenses to make Tmac's life easier and keep spacing on the court for our three point shooters (which we'll hopefully have this year thanks to Battier and Prozak). But we don't need a chucker who will dominate the ball. Honestly, we never paired a healthy Tracy with a dominate Yao last year. If this dream comes to a realization this year (and the whole organization is banking on it), we don't need an ego driven player eating into shots of Tracy and Yao when they are rolling. Last year, everyone, especially you and clutch, whined about the James for Alston trade pointing out how badly we needed his shoot first mentality to save our season. But the truth of the situation is that with Tmac out, we were sunk anyway you looked at it. He was never going to be healthy even come playoffs and the most that MJames would have done was to add 2-5 wins to our total. Thus losing us Battier or Gay if you will. If Tracy is washed up, we will be sunk again. No bit player that is going to accept the MLE is going to change our fates. We will have to explore rebuilding in the offseason. If, on the other hand, Tracy is back to himself, Alston will be the perfect point guard to distrube the ball into Yao and Tracy. Battier will be a nice compliment to space the floor and help distribute to the post. We will only need someone that can accept a role and only be the primary shooter when both of our stars are off the floor (which should be minimal). Long story short, if James accepts the TE or MLE for 3 with team option for 4 I would welcome him gladly. But if he pressures the organization to offer him a 5 year MLE, then I would gladly look elsewhere. A combo pickup of Banks and Songalia would be very nice and shouldn't strap you for the longterm.
Where I disagree with you Studogg is that Yao and Tmac picked the wrong year to get injured. If it was next year with the big 2007 expected draft we'd be able to pick up a high draft choice with a kid that was going to be somebody. The most likely choice we have beyond this year is going to be the MLE. We are never with Yao and Tmac's salaries ever going to have big money to spend on a free agent. What the Rox management is going to have to do is be smart and pick up a reliable vet or 2 cheap every year and hope a kid like Novak falls in their lap and makes it. Even some of the trades we'll do we are going to have to pick up somebody's throw away and hope they'll blend in here. A big part of that will be how well Yao does and if he'll dominate the way he did the 2nd half of the year. We are going to have to follow the Kobe/Shaq Lakers formula of picking up reliable vets to play with Yao and TMac. Battier and James will be a step in the right direction. The faster the process will go if we can get James with the TE.
No it was ****ing David Stern, and Joakim Noah who picked the wrong year to institute the age limit, and not enter the draft respectively. I saw Chad Ford's "what if" mock draft and he had Roy falling right into our laps. Then we would have never done this battier trade. No, I'm not bitter.
studdog - If you think Alston is the "perfect fit" let's just stop right there and agree to disagree. Leave Mike James out of the equation...don't even reference him. Alston IMHO is borlderine terrible. Whether it's James or Marcus Banks or Sura...with a healthy team, Alston will be riding the pines. Surely he'll be at crunchtime. That's how I see it and I'm unwavering till the 2006-07 season is completed.
If MJ with the TE then MLE could go to Banks or VSpan AND Jones or Butler AND Rafe becomes a tradable chip. Rox need depth, quality depth and MJ with the TE is very important. Otherwise the TEs become paramount, and Stevenson and others become targets?
With all the efforts done to "Win Now" who's to say Brandon Roy a rookie would come in and put this team over the top? Battier fits the win now mode. And like Battier in the "you know what you're gettin" thinking, Mike James fits that same description, over what a Rudy Gay, Roy, and Stromile would bring. Mike James was already on this same Rockets team as was a solid performer. Let's not forget he was a key part in the Pistons championship run so he brings that added experience as well I still don't think Rocket's ABSOLUTELY need him. They can take their chances not bringing in anyone if they want. And James has some question areas still (undersized, not a great distributor, ego). But i'm warming up to the James pickup more and voted "Yes". He's not the perfect piece but he brings a lot that other pickups cant. I saw the Rockets play the Lakers 2 seasons ago. Everyone's all about the beloved Bobby Sura and Barry bunch (add in Wesley to the mix kinda)...When Mike James came in for Sura though it was NIGHT and DAY the flow of the Rockets. Instantaneous change of pace. Up and down and side to side the court much quicker and crisper, in the opponents face. (He did dribble out the clock too much looking for his own shots couple times which is why i can understand the Rafer deal to replace Sura if Sura was thought of as the glue, but) still the end result was the Rockets smoked em. Not discrediting Sura cuz he still lent size, rebounding and leadership but he was much more a plodder and anyone could tell Mike James made a difference. Reaction from fans was "who IS this guy? He's killing us!"
I think we're all overlooking the fact that everytime we add a player who has two first names, we get better: Mario Elie Kevin Willis Steve Francis David Wesley Jon Barry Mike James I think the only instance where this didn't work out was Derek Anderson (and that is if you could consider Anderson a first name, I guess you can). But in the large, large majority of instances, guys with 2 first names bring success.
Mike James got burned by Dallas in the '05 playoffs just like the rest of the team. His defense isn't spectacular. He would be a good addition to our team, but not the piece of the puzzle that takes us over the top. However, I voted yes based on the availability of free agents.
