In Vegas: Adelman Says Free Agency is Key

g1184 · Jul 11, 2007

Not the best source (forgiviness please!), but Interviews leave little room for editorial.

Houston Rockets head coach Rick Adelman say the Rockets have their work cut out for them as they approach free agency. He also talks about choosing the Rockets, working with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, and the future of Aaron Brooks in this Basketball News exclusive interview!

Rick, first of all, how did the process of becoming the Rockets' head coach come about?

"It was a surprising process for me, really. I thought Jeff was doing a nice job and didn't think the job would come open. When it did it was an easy choice for me because the Rockets are a quality organization with some nice pieces to build around."

You've had guys like Kevin Duckworth and Arvydas Sabonis, but you've never had a dominant low post player like Yao. What do you think of the opportunity Yao represents?

"I'm really excited to get a look at Yao Ming and see what he can do out there on the court. We believe he can be much more of a passer in our offense, as well as being a dominant low post presence. We're going to need to get a look at him to see exactly what's possible, but clearly he's a great talent. It's going to be interesting to see what Jack Sikma can do, working with him, as well. We feel we have a great staff in place to get this team to the next level."

You do have somewhat of a similar player in Houston to your star in Portland. Clyde Drexler and Tracy McGrady are not dissimilar players.

"Tracy is a little like Clyde in that he has the premier outside game, he has a strong will to win, and he can get his teammates involved, too. He's the perfect complement to what Yao can do inside. We're implementing the same offense we had in Sacramento, which was very much like what we started doing in Portland, and Tracy will be a perfect fit for that offense."

One of the reasons Daryl Morey liked you in terms of being his new head coach is the relationship you have with Bonzi Wells, who never got along with Jeff Van Gundy. Have you had a conversation with Bonzi? Do you think he can get it together?

"I have had a chance to talk with Bonzi, and I think the main thing between Jeff and Bonzi was that Bonzi was never really in shape. He played great for me in Sacramento, but he was always in shape there. We think if we can get him in shape and on our page he can be a valuable contributor for us next season. Obviously he brings a lot to the table when he puts himself in a position to contribute and he can be a big part of what we're doing next season if he's ready to play."

Aaron Brooks is a talented young player, but there were more than a few raised eyebrows when the Rockets picked him at 26. Was another point guard what you originally had in mind?

"Obviously with the pick we took the best player available. We knew we weren't going to be able to get the power forward we needed at 26, so we went with Aaron Brooks. We're very excited about what he brings to the game. We don't really know about our four and five spots, so we have a lot of work to do. We've reached out to Mutombo, but we're not really sure what he's looking for. I think he's going to play, but he hasn't really let us know what he wants or committed to contract talks."

Each team seems to take summer league differently. The Mavericks, for example, are treating it like the Finals, while the Nuggets are basically playing street ball. What is the value of summer league in your mind?

"Summer league gives us a chance to see what certain guys can do. We have three guys here - Aaron Brooks, Steve Novak, and Carl Landry who we believe will make the team, so it's important to get a look at how they do in this setting so we know where to go moving forward with them. It's a great chance for Elston Turner and the rest of the staff to see where they are and where they need to go to help these guys get ready for training camp."

Free agency begins today. What's the team's mentality going forward?

"We know we need a big man. Chuck Hayes is our only power forward and he is a free agent - restricted, but still a free agent. We need a back-up for Yao, and we're not sure where Dikembe Mutombo stands. He's leaning towards playing again next season, but I'm not sure we're going to be able to get him back in Houston. We definitely have our work cut out for us."
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Nothing ground-breaking ... but it's nice to know they feel the same way about the roster as we do. I feel validated.

Carl Herrera · Jul 11, 2007

Where did he say free agency is key?

hooroo · Jul 11, 2007

g1184 said:

Nothing ground-breaking ... but it's nice to know they feel the same way about the roster as we do. I feel validated.
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Deke's situation sounds new.

RedRowdy111 · Jul 11, 2007

Wow, sounds like Mutombo is 50/50 on coming back. That sucks. C'mon Deke, the city of Houston loves the cookie monster!

smasstastic · Jul 11, 2007

thanks for the post. What seems strange to me is that Adelman doesn't seem convinced that Mutumbo is coming to Houston. Strange.

g1184 · Jul 11, 2007

Carl Herrera said:

Where did he say free agency is key?
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Not my words, article title. I'm assuming that "We definitely have our work cut out for us" = "Free agency is key."

abundance · Jul 11, 2007

LOL. This came from hoopsworld. This thread is going to be locked.

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