That's the way I see it. I love having Battier, but have never liked what we paid to get him. I'm hoping Battier's play this season will make me quickly forget that, but that'll have to wait for the season for an answer. I'm glad we moved Swift. I don't think he didn't have value. I think he does. I think we should have gotten a freakin' pick for tossing him into the deal. Eventually, I expect to get over it, lol.
Agree. Hard to judge Sto when he never had a chance to start alongside Yao. He looked good when he did get his minutes with Yao though.
Here we go again. Wo is me. He never got a "chance." In 6 years, never once did he get a single opportunity to prove his worth. Two NBA teams and 4 head coaches conspired against Stro to keep him down. Both teams were unwilling to improve their winning % instead were more focused on ensuring Stromile's amazing talents never saw the light of day.
Here we go again. How many true centers did Stro play with in his 6 years. From what I remember the rockets signed him to play alongside the slow footed Yao. How many CHANCES did he get to play alongside Yao even when the freaking season was over. CONFUSED
Uh, I beleive Jerry West is using EXACTLY the opposite rationale as you. He is saying now that Gasol is out, Stro will finally get his chance to shine. But Stro had those chances here with Yao out ...but Stro never shined. So I don't think I follow your logic. How many centers did Karl Malone play with? Kevin Garnett? Dirk? Duncan doesn't play with any centers now. ...and if that is your logic, how many true centers are even out there? So is the whole league going to implode because nobody gets to play with a true center? What does playing with a true center have anything to do with Stromile's lack of motivation? It's his low BB IQ and lack of motivation that keeps him down ...not his "He never got a chance."
What you're confused about is that Stro will never play in the ideal laboratory conditions that some people say he requires to do well. The problem is he plays in the NBA, where nothing is perfect. But if you insist, blame his lack of playing with a "true center", blame his coaches for not nurturing him enough, blah blah. Blame everybody except the real reason: Stro himself. BTW, how many "true centers" are left in the NBA? If Stro has to have someone like Yao or Shaq to play well, his future looks very dim.
I didn't like his game when he was here or his work ethic but now that we don't have him and we are weak at th 4, I wish we had him as a bench player....
JVG is as intellectual as your next door neighbour Joe, and he is as fair as Kim Jong-Il would be to his subordinates. Ok, I am taking the case to be extreme, but some of you should stop believing in JVG's portrayed image of fair and intelligent man because it is a simply fallacy. The matter of fact is JVG didnt play Stro's because of the lack of production. He just found it hard to tolerate a lazy and unmotivated bum that Stro is. I can understand his frustration, and his stance would be perfectly understandable for a mid-level manage at Wal-Mart, other than the fact that JVG is getting paid 7 figure salary to run this ballclub and Stro is a multi-million dollar asset whether he is worth that much or not. If JVG cannot deal with personal egos nor cajole players into better performances then I do not see why on earth he should take hom his salaries - after all he doesnt play the game as some of his supporters would argue. To make matter worse, based on 3 years of observation, it is clear to me JVG is type of guy who works in a world of hyerboles, stereotypes, with an unbelievable levels of stubborness. Oh, did I mention that I profile him to be the type whereby the notion of justice is always beside him? In another words, I imagine JVG to be a typical next door mid level manager that comes a dozen with perhaps a high degree of basketball knowledge and sheer dedication to his cause to differentiate himself from the pack. He is a good honest guy - I ll take that - but at the same of time as an employee he is not the type you would find most pleasant to work with. And most importantly, he is nothing special. Talking about production - Hard work with zero ability gets none too. And how about more all the stats stating Howards terrible on the court contribution in contrast to Heyes. Of course JVG would argue Heyes would be to small and ditto for Head. But then you get my point. My conclusion with Stro is that JVG is a over-bearing control freak, and he just couldn't get through Stro the way in which he can with Ming and McGrady due to Stro's complete lack of resemblence of maturity. Stros lack of on the court production didnt help but watching JVG deal other players I refuse that to be the primary reason why JVG found hard to work with Stro.
Stro was so awesome for the Grizzlies that as a number 2 overall pick and a freak of nature type of athlete he took an MLE contract. He was so awesome for the Rockets that he was beat for the starting job for Juwan Howard. That is the same Juwan howard who is a net negative on the court and would be cut immediately if he didn't have a big guaranteed contract. There is a reason that Stro plus high profile rookie Rudy Gay only netted the Rockets role-player Shane Battier.
stromile swift playing with the new jersey nets and a healthy (younger j kidd), or stromile swift playing with the phoenix suns and steve nash would amount to something .... we've seen what stromile swift looked like in a rockets offense. stromile swift has nba talent but it will only show in the right system ... so those rocket fans that are hating on stro, you might want to look at the ones responsible for bringing him to houston, knowing his game vs. our system, thinking it was a good fit, thats what i call low basketball IQ. stro's a running, slashing type four ... that can finish at the rim, change shots on the defensive in, and shoots a decent percentage from the foul lane ... which indiquates he's capable of a mid range face up shot. saying this he is still more suitable as a back up, coming in to change the tempo of the game and cause match up problems for the more typical fours. jerry west will get good use out of him, or atleast good trade value ... the rockets did neither. good luck stro ......... wish you were used more effectively your short time in houston.
The issue is not whether Stro is a bust or not. Or whether his lack of production is due to himself or JVG. I think such a debate is rather pointless given that he has moved on and so should we. The issue is whether JVG is fit to manage this team. Personally, I think Stro is a typical case where JVG's lack of compassion and moreover flexibility was brutally exposed in last year's disasterous run. The way I see it, Van Gundy has never been a player himself so he doesn't quite understand the importance of psyche in determining player's performance. And in so far as judging Swift's value based on Battier trade, I must add Michael Jordon was once passed over by Sam Bowie of all people. Yeah I know, hidsight is 20/20. However, the matter of fact is many players in NBA are ultra-talented and with an appropriate environment they can really excel. Otherwise, how can you explain Suns coming up with absolute revelation year in year out? I know you people will laught at this but I think the same can be applied to Swift as well. Swift may or may not be successful in this league, but the point is giving that little element of trust and chance is much more positive and value creating approach on the part of coach, and deeming player not worthy in a matter of couple of months. JVG should stop managing on a rhetoric such as hard work, grit, humility and work himself based on more objective(?) measures. Because as much as he is denouncing certain types for their lack of professionalism, he is also giving clear favoritism to those who are clearly inept. After a year of abysmal season, I don't think I can tolerate Ryan "Freaking" Bowen clanking up the rims, or Juwan Howard being beaten on the boards. Last year, I have seen to many JVG's bonehead moves and I am in no mood to tolerate more this year. No, Stro is also lazy bum, unmotivated arse but that doesn't let off JVG's clear lack of man-management skill.
Why do some of you keep insisting that Stro is worth a pick or something ...? He did not cost us anything before. Noone tried to outbid us for him nor offer anything to the Grizzlies the last time. Why do you think Stro has become more valuable after a forgettable season with us?
I give Stro more credit than some posters are giving him. Stro isn't a kid who needs to be led by the hand. He just doesn't have the talent to be consistently good.
That is like, the total opposite of everyone else's take on him. So you think he has plenty of drive and motivation, but not the talent to do anything with it? Like Ryan Bowen?
I'm off to see the wizard the wonderful wizard of oz for a heart and brain. It's amazing he's still alive on the basketball court.
I was glad when we got Stro, I thought his potential was really great. But.. as others have said, he had his chance here, and did little more with it than what he'd done as a backup in Memphis. He could not handle the passes, I think he must have tiny hands or something, seems he always dropped the perfect passes. His athleticism is impressive... but after his stint here, I see him as Kelvin Cato. Maybe that's not fair, I expected more from him, but never saw it, and again, he had his shot. I am glad he'll get another chance, and that it won't be OUR experiment... he seems like a decent guy.
Swift will put up good numbers this season. He will play 40 minutes a game and get plenty of scoring chances. Look for 17/9/2 from him. We will be 5-25 but West will move him for an expiring and a pick to some sucker.
Per Hirushikun: "Swift may or may not be successful in this league, but the point is giving that little element of trust and chance is much more positive and value creating approach on the part of coach, and deeming player not worthy in a matter of couple of months. JVG should stop managing on a rhetoric such as hard work, grit, humility and work himself based on more objective(?) measures. Because as much as he is denouncing certain types for their lack of professionalism, he is also giving clear favoritism to those who are clearly inept. After a year of abysmal season, I don't think I can tolerate Ryan "Freaking" Bowen clanking up the rims, or Juwan Howard being beaten on the boards. Last year, I have seen to many JVG's bonehead moves and I am in no mood to tolerate more this year. No, Stro is also lazy bum, unmotivated arse but that doesn't let off JVG's clear lack of man-management skill." I could not agree more. JVG owns some responsibility in this. He gives up on players too easily. It's not like Stro was a rocket scientist, but could perform repetitive skills-tasks. JVG gave up too easily on Steve Francis, Mo Taylor. JVG has championed Kelvin Cato, Juwan Howard, and Ryan Bowen. Go ahead CD-JVG wants - needs his players-team served up on a silver platter- he has no responsibility for their acquisition or development. He will give up quickly if they are not ready made for him. They will be history and it will not be JVG's fault. Give T-Mac some truth serum and ask how much JVG had to do with developing our offense in '04 &'05 season leading ot our playoff run.
