I know, I know, he's over paid. But, he would fill our needs at the point and the 2. He is also familiar with JVG's system, and would probably play his best ball in years, if he were to return to H-town. My suggestion: JHoward (6 mil through 08), Sura (3 mil through 07), Alston (4 mil through 09), future 2nd round pick for ...... Steve Francis (14 mil through 08). The knicks would do this because they have 4 players in their backcourt who make over 10 mil a year. Also, Alston is from NY, and is the kind of pg they need (plus he's cap friendly). Sura's contract comes off the books a year sooner. JHoward can provide badly needed leadership. Plus ... they get an extra 2nd round pick, while getting rid of an overpaid player. In to it?
So we lose 3 players and add one? Where do we replace those 3 players we lost? GO to the nbdl? You also suggest chuck hayes to start at pf and battier sf?
I think it's a good idea to look towards NY for trades because (1) Thomas is there and (2) they are 44+M over the LT threshold. I not suggesting Francis, but David Lee would be nice. (Frye would be impossible, but we are talking about Thomas.)
We'd only be losing one player, as I doubt Sura plays next year. He's purely contract relief for the Knicks. Never said anything about Hayes starting at the PF.
have you forgotten all the bone-headed plays? all the turnovers and stupid bball IQ? i love SF, he has heart and talent, but he needs to get over his own hype and grow a brain. Im no cap expert/guru, but his contract is way too big. HOw do you have 3 max players?
You have the right type of idea in mind but i think a better fit would jamal crawford he is only 26, pretty long and atheletic and can shoot. Dont know what his contract situation is though.
Basketball wise Francis' game fits on this team because we need a third offensive threat, a lot of his draw backs can be covered up by McGrady, especially in the clutch, and a lot of McGrady's draw backs can be convered up by Francis. The reality is that money wise it doesn't make any sense for the Rockets because they're cheap skates that need to get their money's worth or else they'll trade the player for cap relief. His max. production on this team would be somewhere around 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal and a half. A team like the Rockets would never pay 15 million for that even if it guarantees a championship. They look at Rafer and see that he can hit most of those marks at one third the price tag even though the impact of those two players hitting those statistical marks is vastly different.
Yes that would be the smartest move Rockets can make no matter what because Francis deserves another chance in Htown and nobody is better than him to spark this team up after the Gay deal and that James crap.
Well other than the fact that Francis makes way too much money for this organization to consider him, the depth we are lacking gets worse as we subtract another PF (even though he is not very good) from our roster. And as much as this off-season has sucked, bringing back Francis and his style of play would be even worse. And considering how directionless and clueless our front office is, they will probably forget that they are cheapskates and "get r done" the deal you are talking about (Francis for Howard, Alston, Sura, and draft pick).
No, no more turnovers at the most crucial points of the game, and bricking shots on iso plays at the end of the game either.
We'd still have the MLE and TE to work with but I see your point. As for bringing Stevie back...I actually think it could work. Hopefully his whole Orlando/NYK experience has humbled him a bit. He wouldn't fill the shooting need we have, but he would being a lot of athleticism and heart to a team that lacks that as well.
ok, where are you guys getting this idea that the Rockets organization are cheapskates? have you not seen the large contracts they hand out almost on a yearly basis. the problem isn't that they won't pay for a player, the problem is they have been giving big contracts to the WRONG players. Moochie, Cato, Ward, Taylor, etc. etc. hell, in retrospect, even Francis doesn't deserve a max contract. just b/c the Rox are not getting the players YOU want doesn't mean they are cheapskates. Alot of you overlook the fact that it takes two to tangle. What good does it do for the Rox to say they want a player and are willing to trade this person for them, but the other team rejects it?
