We'll be ok

I used to trust Rudy and Carroll too...until the last SEVERAL years of horrible player moves.

Yeah, they're good at finding legitimate NBA backups in the CBA, abroad, etc: (Sam Mack, Emmanuel Davis, Moochie Norris, etc.) They've made some nice draft picks (Othella, Cat, Dickerson, etc.) while at the same time blowing some obvious picks (missing Rashard Lewis in the 2nd round, drafting Langhi, Collier, etc.).

However, their recent track record at acquiring front-line "starters" and overpaying mediocre starters backups with long-term commitments is atrocious.

Consider that in 2003-2004, we'll still be paying:

Cato - $7.3MM/year (for his one good preseason game)
Moochie - $3.6MM (when he's only an average at best backup PG)
Mo T - $7.8MM/year (for being an average starting PF)
Matt Maloney - $3.0MM/year (for watching TV)
Glenn Rice - $9.6MM/year (for a guy that can no longer play)

That's $31.3MM tied up in under- or non-achievers that Rudy and Carroll "evaluated" and decided to make a VERY long term commitment. Only Mo T is arguably worth anywhere near that coin..if he not only returns at 100%, but develops some semblance of a defensive and rebounding presence.

Face it, the Rockets have below average talent at every starting position except PG - when everyone's healthy. Stevie's truly special. It's a shame that Rudy and Carroll have tied up the Rocket's salary cap with such a sorry supporting cast. At best, with the tremendous caliber of 2's in the league, Cat is average. At the 3, 4, and 5 there is no NBA team with as poor of a starting front court as Rice, Mo T and Cato. That trio provides below average scoring, no rebounding and no blocked shots. They'll be taking down nearly $25MM two seasons from now...argh!

Sorry - unless we can find an even worse GM to take Rice, Moochie, (and maybe Cato and Mo T) off our hands to free up some cap space, we'll continue to be a lottery team or at best a first round playoff loser through 2003-2004.

Rudy and Carroll sooner or later have to be held responsible for the roster they've built...

 

If you really think that Cat is only an average shooting guard, then your expectations are too high/your player evaluations are skewed. Based on that I would say that any other complaints that you have could also be off base. Cato has begun to play okay, especially when he is healthy, he is surely woth Todd MacCulloch money. Rice will eventually get his shooting touch back, which is exactly what is required from the SF position in Rudy's offense. I would rather have Moochie than Pack, Eisley, Ward, and almost any other backup point in the league. When we have all of our players healthy he is usually a good distrubutor, or was last year. Mo can hit the 20 footer, an essential element in the D&D offense. Lewis was not available in the second round, and I would rather have Cat anyway. Finally, you failed to mention Griffin at all. If anything, I think our worst offseason mistake was geting TMo instead of Loren Woods. Like we didn't have enough small forwards already. We could have kept Bullard as well, he can actually hit shots.

 

You make it sound like the project has failed?

It hasn't even started.


Once we have this line-up on the floor for 10 straight games, then you can make an assesment.


Cato
Taylor
Rice
Mobley
Francis

Bench:

draft pick, PF/C
Griffin
T-Mo
Torres
Moochie



That is an EXCELLENT team.

How can you say future?


Are there many teams where the 4th option is as good as Glen Rice, with the best backcourt in the league, and a player like Griffin off the bench?

I don't think so...


I'm extremely happy with Cato and Mo Taylor. You don't realize it, but Cato doesn't have a huge contract like you think. These days, 6M for a C is not a lot. Mo Taylor is worth what they gave him. Glen Rice's contract is a little unfair, but it's only unitl T-mo and Griffin develop.