[CBS] Rockets Preview: Houston adds retreads and new attitudes

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Oct. 24, 2007
By Tony Mejia
CBSSports.com Staff Writer

For the first few years of his first stint in Houston, Steve Francis justified his nickname, "The Franchise." He was the league's top rookie in 2000 and, on many nights, the only reason to come watch the team play. Maybe we should've known then what we know now. Some saw his act a one-man circus, but no one could've guessed the depths of how far his act would fall.

To his credit, Francis was always good to the Houston fans, even in a losing effort. He never led the Rockets to a win in a playoff series, but the kindness he showed Yao Ming during his unprecedented transition to the NBA didn't go unnoticed. He became a great friend and in that sense was a wonderful teammate. On the floor, the story was different. Jeff Van Gundy has taken a lot of criticism for denying the Rockets creative control the past few years, but he was absolutely right that Francis' style would hold Yao back. He was too much of a scoring point guard, needed the ball too much. He had to go. His act wore thin in Orlando and New York, so much so that his game became a joke at both stops.

After turning the Kings into a contender, Rick Adelman's ready to work his magic with the Rockets.


Francis turned down likely starting jobs in Los Angeles and Miami for the opportunity to rejoin his old friend Yao and return to Houston. That's a great sign that he's intent on changing his ways. He's humbly returning knowing that the role he once played as the "Franchise" no longer exists.

Stevie "Backseat?" Stevie "Whatever It Takes to Win?" If he wants to restore a damaged reputation, that type of unselfish attitude is what it's going to take.

Van Gundy is gone, replaced by Rick Adelman, who intends to keep Yao as the focal point of an offense predicated on motion and passing. The player Francis was originally traded for, perennial All-Star Tracy McGrady, will remain the primary scoring option in the backcourt. What's odd about McGrady is that he hasn't been able to win either, despite offering guarantees that last season would be the one in which his Rockets would finally advance past the first round. Utah made him a liar in seven grueling games. McGrady, beside himself with frustration, is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. If that includes riding Yao and sharing a stage with Francis, so be it.

If there's one thing Houston has going for it as it enters the season, it's that everyone wants to be there, dreaming bigger than a team that hasn't made it out of the first round of a playoff series in over a decade likely should. Still, Adelman's arrival has the masses pumped. He turned Sacramento into a perennial contender that shared the ball. Everyone is going to buy in. That includes Argentinean power forward Luis Scola, who is going to surprise people with how polished his game is. And former starter Mike James, who cried the day he was dealt from Houston after laying his roots down. Like Francis, he's been labeled selfish and failed to win. Like Francis, he gladly accepted a return that featured no promises.

Rafer Alston is the incumbent starter at the point and granted Francis and James no favors in cutting into his playing time by arriving in the best shape of any of the Rockets. Bonzi Wells returned when no one expected him to, thrilled over playing for a coach he thrived under a few years back. Again, no promises, no problem. Luther Head would seem to command playing time, too.

Given the deep pool of talent, one figures that at some point, egos will again get involved. If there's a slow start during an adjustment period, it's only going to be natural for someone to feel they can do it better than somebody else.

"At those three perimeter spots, it's hard to play three guys (off the bench) and get them the minutes," Adelman told the Houston Chronicle. "If you play Tracy extended minutes and Shane (Battier), then where do the minutes come from? We may play small some. But you can't get four guys minutes back there, so someone is not going to play.

"That's something I'm going to have to make a decision on and talk to them. Right now, it's not written in stone, but at the start of the season, that's how it's going to be."

Houston's preseason has been spent with players adjusting to one another and Adelman's demands. The mentality is to always look for the easiest shot, ideally a layup executed by a 7-foot-5 center who should be unstoppable around the basket.

That sounds easier said than done. Ditto for Adelman in his hopes of keeping everyone happy and productive. Winning would solve a lot of problems. Once the games start to count, the happy tune everyone is currently whistling might change.

The key will come in realizing that the only "Franchise" that ultimately matters is the Houston Rockets. It would be smart of Francis to try to set an example in that regard.

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Houston Rockets
Power Ranking Rank: 4th
Projected Record: 53-29, 3rd Southwest

Best case scenario: Yao Ming continues his steady progression and everything falls in place around him. He has it in him to be the type of elite big man that delivers one success after another. This might be the year it happens.
Worst case scenario: No matter what happens in the regular season, getting past that first-round playoff hump is tops on Houston's to-do list. If it fails again, there will be much exasperation.

X-factor: Luis Scola is all about winning and championships. He'll help take the pressure off Yao with his strong abilities around the basket.
Early season schedule: The Rockets open the season in Los Angeles for a date with the Lakers before visiting Salt Lake City for a meeting with the team that dispatched them in the spring. Houston fans don't get to see their new look team until it squares off with Portland on Nov. 3.