i say we hustle and play hard to try to win as many games as we can, rather than lose to get a high pick... the way the NBA works today, it's better to rebuild a team through free-agency than the draft. these young guys now want to go where the money is, so it's very difficult to keep the same core of players on the same team for a long time. if the Rockets play hard and show they can win, i think we can attract some of the high-profile free agents to come and play here... we should push more for a Grant Hill rather than a Terrence Morris.
I couldn't have said it better myself dream team! ------------------ I follow the NBA, but I am a ROCKETS FAN!!
Dream Team: I think we can hustle all we want, but we don't have enough talent (and experience) to win this year. Even w/ Dream coming back I don't expect to see us making a run at the 8th seed. I think we have a few good NBA players (including Dream, Francis, Anderson, Mobley) and some potential players (Cato, Rogers) but I don't honestly think there is enough to win there this year. I think we are one PF and a little consistent bench depth away from being in the playoffs, and a couple years of experience away from contending.
I think we'll use both the draft and the player market to rebuild. We arnt going to have a good season this season.Even when the Dream comes back.So I say we use this season as a learning experience for our younger players and do the Draft thing. Now from what Im seeing around most thing the Rockets will draft a SF (Terrence Morris,I have no idea who he is who is highly rated. Then you go for the Free agents.There is 0.01% chance we'd get a Hill,Duncan or even Eddie Jones.We just dont have the cap room and I dont see these guys willing to take a smaller amount then the maximum that they can get.So you go after a lower rated free agent who you can get at a good price.My pick would be Anthony Mason.We REALLY need a good PF. C ream,Cato PF:Mason,T Mass,Thomas SF:Terrence Morris,Rogers,Williams SG:Anderson,Mobley PG:Francis,Drew That looks like a good line up to me Of course Dream Rogers Hill Anderson Francis looks alot better but Id be stunned if we ever got that team togeather. So basicaly i say tank this season and go through the draft and player Market Christopher ------------------ Your Starting Power Forward for the Clutch City Allstars
That is what I have been saying all along. You can not rebuild using the draft. It does not work anymore. I say make any trade that will help the team, with the exception of Francis and Dream. Those two you keep at all costs. Unless you can get V. Carter or L. Odom for one of them...hehe DaDakota
I'm absolutely with JuanValdez. The quality of player we need is extremely hard to get via free agency under the new CBA. If you want to attract a top free agent to the Rockets, staying out the lottery won't help you. (If anything, losing your chance at drafting a young stud who could help the FA win a championship with your team will hurt you.) Those of you who want top free agents to consider the Rockets seriously in the next few years should focus your energies on passing an arena referendum. The current uncertainty over the Rockets' future in Houston is far and away the biggest impediment to attracting free agents.
Twist on whether to go FA or draft. Say the Rocks get the fifth draft pick in next year's draft. Couldn't they trade that pick for a prior year's lottery pick on another team who is looking to relocate. Hypothetically, Lamar Odom could tell the Clips that he will not resign with them. The Clips could trade him to the Rocks for the pick (or the player after the pick is made if it make a cap difference). Essentially in this hypothetical scenario, the Rockets rebuild through the draft and free aganecy at the same time. Personally I would be much happier with Odom over whoever the Rocks could draft at 5.
The new CBA makes staying with your team better, I'm sure the admin have stated that point already. The strategy now is build through draft, to maintain your bird rights. No way in hell we get Odom, I'm sorry but he's like the MJ to the Clips. But Morris is not out of the question.
The only problem I can see with us rebuilding long term is this: Just say we get Mason (I'll use him only as an example) and we draft Terrence Morris (Once again an example) this is our lineup: Dream Mason Morris Anderson Francis Good lineup.BUT then Hakeem retires and we have a fair bit of $$$ to spend on free agents. The problem I think will occur is this.I dont think we will be able to sign a player for the same amount Hakeem earns as (From what I know) some of our other players salaries will go up and take up some of the now cleared space.Also if we are still over the salary cap limit at that time we'll loose a bit more money. For example: Hakeem's salary is 14 Million (Example only),He retires. Of the 14 Million we are no longer paying the Dream say 3 million is how much we are over the cap now,that is basically gone. Then players like Anderson will be looking for more $$$ as we promised him if he come play for the Rockets.That will burn more salary. What you are left with is only enough money to get a good role player when you need something more. Cato Mason Morris Anderson Francis Alot less firepower. I guess that is the reason the draft (or getting other teams draft picks) would be better longterm.Once you draft a player you basicaly have the upperhand in resigning him longterm with less of a hit to the salary cap. Thats why you need a good balance of Trade,Draft and Free Agents to get a contender,because 1 or even 2 of them dosent quite do it. Enough of My Rambling Christopher ------------------ Your Starting Power Forward for the Clutch City Allstars
Actually, I'd say just the opposite: the new CBA keeps teams from building through FA. The money in the FA market is dried up and the only way for players ot get theirs is to stay with the team that has their Bird rights. Not that we shouldn't use the FA market at all. We got Anderson that way last summer and that has worked out well but he had to give up some short-term money in order to do it. The thing that free agency probably will not give us is a superstar. Who was the last superstar to move by FA? Shaq? Those guys you're going to get either in the draft or in a trade. The Francis acquisition got us halfway there but I think we need another All-Star caliber guy before finishing the team off in FA. And I'd rather draft that guy than trade for him. So, we'll have a poor '00 season, get a front-court player to help Francis lead the team. Then play mediocre in '01, get a mediocre pick to produce a good complementary player and then we can start thinking about post-season success again.
"I think we'll use both the draft and the player market to rebuild." I agree with Christopher's statement here, though I don't think the free agency will be much this season. The Rockets are going to be players in the free agent market in a year and a half when Dream retires... not sure who will be available then (rookie class won't be), but they can make an impact in the market and look to see what holes need to be filled. This year we should be thinking about adding as big of a stud as possible via the Draft
If you are talking championships, I disagree. The draft is where its at. Olajuwon, Jordan, Robinson, Duncan, Magic, Bird, Worthy, McHale, Thomas, Dumars, and Pippen. All aquired via the draft. All Champions. Only role players were aquired via Free agency or trade after the franchise players were put in place. No trades contributed franchise players. And only a few trades/pick ups contributed Players that made a HUGE impact in the championship run. Drexler, Rodman, Jabbar, ect.. You can tell me the game has changed, but has it really? Until I see it, I just can't believe it. It's all in the draft if you're lucky enough to pick in the top 3.
