As things currently stand, a healthy Houston Rockets team can beat SA, NO, Dallas, and Utah in my opinion. The biggest obstacle, however, in making it to the NBA finals for the Rockets next year will be the LA Lakers. The Rockets would need Ron Artest to get past the Lakers. Assuming both teams are healthy, the Lakers starting five will look like this: Fisher Kobe Odom Gasol Bynum That's probably the most talented starting five in all of basketball. Battier doesn't give you enough offensively and Miller doesn't give you enough defensively. Artest is a defensive monster and can be the elusive 3rd scorer we've all been looking for. A starting 5 of... Rafer/Francis T-Mac Artest Scola Yao ...can win it all and defeat the Lakers. Imagine being Kobe Bryant and realizing that you have to face Ron Artest for a seven game series. Nobody would want that. The Rockets need Ron Artest to go from being very good to being the best.
The general consensus on Memphis is that they were trying to dump salary in order to sell/move the team. That REALLY doesn't look good. However, I'm just cynical enough to believe it. The NBA has failed in Memphis just like it will fail in Oklahoma City. But even if a team is rebuilding, it's still important to keep enough veteran talent around to provide an example of the work you need to put out to be productive in the NBA.
id rather have the guy that plays 70+ games thus giving us the better seed for the playoffs over the guy that plays 50-60 games and is mentally weak. his latest incident happened this year against the jazz <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jBx8LSwqRpE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jBx8LSwqRpE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> he was easily agitated, that combined with his bad rep, he will not get calls in his favor.
agreed, i think perhaps the veteran talent can come from a 3 team trade, which will give us the chance to unload head and some other fillers to sweeten the deal.
Who cares about a meaningless regular season game? Better seed? The Rockets have had homecourt last two years in the playoffs and they've lost both times. Do you really think Mike Miller is the answer and will put the Rockets over the top? I don't. Let's be real here, the Rockets are viewed as a soft team that can be punked. This is why other teams don't really fear Houston and that's why we never get the benefit of the doubt on a lot of calls by the refs. Sure Ron Artest is volatile, but he's also one of the toughest players in the league. As it says in my signature, he's probably the only player in the league that can dominate on both ends of the court. He'll bring that toughness to the Rockets as well. I don't know if you remember a guy by the name of Vernon Maxwell, but he was also volataile and he did all the stuff Artest has done including going into the stands after a fan. The Rockets also won a championship with him and he gave Houston much needed offense, defense, and toughness (which is exactly what Artest will do, but on a greater scale). Plus there are calming influences on this team like T-Mac and Adelman (who coached him in Sacramento). For whatever it's worth, Artest has said that he wants to be part of a winning team. Ron Artest + Houston Rockets = Serious Contenders for the NBA Title.
You won't be all for Artest when he starts taking ill-advised shots and ruins the chemistry on this team..the guy can play but he is more the type of player that is more concerned with his personal interest than the success of the team..It's been proven everywhere he's played.
I wouldnt mind getting Artest, but he just worries me too much. If we were to get Artest or Mike Miller without getting rid of our new core, namley Scola and Landry, I dont see how we wont make it far next year. Artest would bring better overall production than Miller, but its a risky gamble. And I'm not worried about the Lakers at all, they dont scare me. They still dont have our kind of defense. We just need a tweek with a legit 3rd scorer and good to go, barring injuries of course. This summer should be intresting for thr Rox.
If we get Artest without losing Scola, Landry, Yao, and T-Mac, the game is on. There's nothing else to it. I was actually hoping someone would make a thread to corner these two names because well, they are exactly what we need. I prefer Artest over Miller, though. He can average 15points EASILY. I am from Sacramento and I get to watch him pretty often. His game is intense, man. Maybe he can bring back the street/youth in T-Mac. Alston, McGrady, Artest, Scola, Yao : Nuff said I guess Battier would be the bait? --- Man, if Houston Rockets get Artest and still have their main guys, this team has the best GM/front office. I'm so excited just thinking about it. It's a possibility because he can opt out. Please consider.
Everybody takes ill-advised shots...look at T-Mac, Rafer, and Bobby Jackson. I'm sure Artest will find his place and role on this team should he come here. I don't think he's going to ruin the chemistry of this team. He might alter it by adding toughness and intensity which is a positive development, but what has this so-called chemistry the Rockets have gotten them? It surely hasn't gotten them out of the first round. I strongly disagree with your last statement. Moreover, it's factually incorrect. Ron Artest played on the 2003-04 Indiana Pacers team that went 61-21. He won DPOY and played alongside Jermaine O'Neal, Al Harrington, Reggie Miller, and Jamal Tinsley. He was the #2 option on that team behind O'Neal and accepted his role. That team also went to the conference finals. When was the last time the Rockets did that?
i think artest is the guy that will light up the fire for our team made us a tough team. Also he will be a great factor in facing a tough phsical team.
Andre Miller is not a bad choice too, problem is, philly won't be letting him go anytime soon especially after what they've done this season. As for memphis. They know they won't be going anywhere. Yes it is important that memphis keeps a few veteran players, but I think memphis needs to know that its selfish for them to keep Mike Miller, just like how it was selfish for the wolves to keep garnett for all these years. They're wasting away Miller's best years. I also think this is one of the reasons they traded gasol. Miller has potential of becoming a very good sixth man. I don't think memphis will be keeping him for long...
Well nothing will happen until they decide what to do with AI. If he moves or flakes on a crappy contract. Then they will go into rebuilding mode. They have Louis Williams at the moment who they are ultimately very high on. Miller is expendable if AI doesn;'t stay
And then 6 months later, he became infamous for starting the craziest brawl in NBA history. And eventually it led to a huge suspension in which the team suffered. Not only did it lead to his suspension but also other key players. Then the next season he demands a trade after his teammates get his back. Jermaine O'neal publicly stated that he was annoyed by artest's behavior. He clearly has no interest in the team's success. Oh yea one more thing i think you're forgetting is that Stephen Jackson was on that team also and from what i recall he was just as much a #2 option as artest was. Plus with one of the most clutch shooters of all time on that team, you can't compare the Rockets to that pacers team. They had talent, Jermaine O'neal was playing like a beast at the time. I think my statement of him being more concerned with his personal interests couldn't be any more factually correct.
I was REALLY interested in Andre Miller for us too. I thought that since Sixers are a bunch of really young guys, Miller is like the only guy over 30 so they might want to move him to get younger players. But I don't think he is viable for us. We need a 3rd scorer right that can take those open 3 pointers when T-Mac or Yao gets double teamed right? now the following might surprise you: Miller's career 3 pt % is 20% this season his 3 pt % is less than 9% but he has 7 assists per game and 17 points per game this season, which is really good, being MVP for the Sixers. But after thinking hard about it I don't think Andre Miller fits us.
no ****. because in truth, it's up to the Rockets fans, not Sacramento, not Artest, not Mephis, not Daryl, or even their fans. Just because Carmelo is being shopped doesn't mean we can't take a look.
