Pieces Of The Puzzle...

What studies? Got any links?

Regardless, Mobley was already 24 when he was a rookie. Is the average player younger or older than 24 when they're a rookie? Don't you think that means Mobley will hit his prime a little later than average, since he came into the league older than the average? Were those studies done when it was relatively common (as it is now) for a guy to come into the league when he's as young as 17? I mean, guys are coming out of high school every year now. Do you really think Kobe Bryant still has two more years to go before he even begins to enter his prime years?

 

This will go round and round, but I don't think Griffin will be the player he will be until he's about 23. Firepower isn't what its all about to me, its more than just that. This core of players would have to be together about 4yrs for them to be effective in the West. That would be about the time Griffin turns the corner. Regardless to what people say, to be serious about winning, you have to have some kind of post presence from someone. It can be a big guard,small forward, or 4/5 man, but one is needed.

When given the chance, look in the west and see the battle we have every night at the 3/4/5 position. Its not really so much the 5 spot since its only Shaq, but the 3 and 4 spots. In all actuality, the 4 spot is better this yr than last, but the 3 spot must be shored up. I think BBS members undrestimate other teams players and overvalue theirs. Going into most contest, people think our guard combo will dominate the other teams guard play. More times than not this yr, they have played to a draw which is a disadvantage to us. When that happens, we need other players to have advantages either at the 3,4,5. Going from experience, we know its not going to happen at the 5 spot, so now that leaves 3/4. The 4 has been a pretty close to a draw, so now that leaves the 3 spot.

This is where the problem is and will be. Its not enough to rattle off the competitions powerful 4 men in the west, but when you start thinking about Dirk,Peja,Marion,Lewis and even guys like Marshall,Jamison,Patterson, and Battier, now we have another problem. Now we have a disadvantage that gets exposed even more when Rudy does his version of small ball.

To me, there are a few qualities to having a effective 3 man and really no one on the Rockets team fits that bill. A 3 man,more time than not is really your best athelete. The player at that position is suppose to be kind of like a jack of all trades. He should be a 4 tool type of player. He should be able to score,defend,rebound and pass. Scoring doesn't mean he has to be a 3pt shooter. Defender doesn't mean he has to be Pippen in his prime.Rebounder doesn't mean he has to be like Marion.Passer doesn't mean he has to be like Grant Hill of 5 yrs ago. That player just has to be good in all those categories , but not great which is why I think or know Odom or Lewis is better than anything we could get out of the draft. They could be the differnce maker on this team team. Both are long and bring good things to the table. Lewis is the better shooter and seems to get better every yr and Odom is the guy with the unlimited resources. Which do I prefer? Odom probably because he can get his own shot anytime,is very unselfish almost to a fault and could take the pressure off Steve and Rudy to try to create offense. I wouldn't mind either because both are upgrades over anything we have.

Those two are the differnce between the Rockets and the Mavs,T'Wolves,and Blazers. not Mo Taylor or Glen Rice.

 

1) IMO they will "work" once griffen bulks up, gets an inside game and steve learns how to run a pick'n'roll. I also assume the team plays/will learn good, but not an extreme/great, D. I can see griffen setting the hard screen for steve out top, allowing for either a griifen jumper/3pt-er or a francis drive/pull-up/"can i make sports-center with this."

2b) Everyone has harped on in many liks about every players weaknesses are, so i'll skip that. What we need is a "mainly 3" swingman, at least 6'7" who will/can play good D, have a slight handle (doesn't need to be great) and can score some. I was looking forward to the rox drafting jefferson last year for these reasons; i am very happy i get to abuse him as a nj nets instead of eddie though I think we also need a different back-up point guard, who will probably not be as good as moochie, but more fundamentally sound. Think bibby <=> j will trade (though obviously not at that level). If steve remains "50/50" for games, we need to keep moochie (unless a stunner of a trade). We break his balls until he plays D, passes more/better & learns to identify numbers on anything other than a stats sheet or bank balance, for example a shot clock! Fine him $1000 for each BOUNCE he takes (after a small amount, let's say 3) while standing around the key (his passing would get amazing) or if he takes more than 4 non-pressed secs to clear the half court... actually. i think those fines should be implemented now for the WHOLE team (hit 'em where it hurts).

3) A little on the fence about this one as i don't know who's who in collage/HS bball. Have to work in the theoretical Assume roxs own picks 5 & 20. I believe we could package those 2 + fodder for a well-above-average-to-star SF. I believe we should try to copy what the clippers did with the brand trade. Odom & lewis keep on getting there names thrown up & would work nicely here, as would eddie jones (too expensive!) or either of the celtics 2 players. ONLY if we CAN'T do a killer trade (like the EG/SF ones) should we draft. Try for a SF first, then go for a center.

 

First off it can be easily said that Mobley is not a franchise-type player. He is considered a second-tier player, which is not bad, but he is not a player that you build around.

The Rockets have good parts in place and bad parts. The good parts being Steve, Griffin, and Mobley. Role players being Torres and Morris. However, the bad parts are definitely Cato, Rice, and Moochie. Say what you will about Moochie being a good player, but his contract is way too much just like the other two bad eggs.
Cato has played decent for small stretches, but never enough to justify his contract. As for Rice, this trade still boggles my mind, with his health history and contrct figures, I still don't see why they traded for him.

First I look at the draft, the Rockets could pick up two good role players with both picks this draft in Melvin Ely (who could be a 4 or 5) and maybe Tayshaun Prince (a tall small forward with long reach that can score).

The trade I'm hoping that goes down is the one for Odom. With Maggette and Miles the Clippers really don't need Odom (what a luxury). Odom would fit this team well, and would give the Rockets the 3rd franchise player. Lewis would do well for this team, but he would need the ball more, and with Cat and Francis and the emergence of Griffin, there aren't enough basketballs to go around.

I look at this team and I like the makeup of the team, and then I don't. The pieces are there, but there is still one good piece needed, and some to finish it up, hopefully the Rockets get those pieces soon.

 

I don't think we have the team to make a dynasty out of. In my opinion, a dynasty takes a lot of work by the coaches and front office to keep it successful. Every year they need to make some kind of change. This year I would like to see us use the draft. Two players that come to mind are the two I see play quite often. I think the world of drew gooden, though I shouldn't. He lit my team up when they played on espn. The other is Jason Williams. Now, I may be assuming too much, but I think one of the two of them will fall to a rocket draft pick. Also, is Jason going to the draft after the year is over?

 

I think Steve & Eddie will be good enough in two years.
(in the next two years, Steve'll gain playoff experience; Eddie'll gain weight, confidence, and develope his post move)

we just need to find the best supporting cast complement them.
imo, we still have four missing pieces to solve the puzzle!

1.) A starting 2 guard who complement Francise. I don't think Mobley is the answer. He might be Steve's best friend but he's not Steve's best backcourt partner. imo, Steve needs a 2 guard who's defensive minded, shoots better percentage, willing to pass, taller, and more experienced. I found this kind of player in every championship team for the last decade: The 95' Rockets had Super Mario; Spurs had Mario three years later; Lakers had Ron Haper and Kobe has developed into a luxury one; and of course the Bulls had the best one named MJ. The #1 team right now Sacramento Kings was just a high scoring losing team before they acquired Doug Christie.

2.) A "3rd option." I think I don't need to explain why.
Mobley could be the perfect fit, but unfourtunely he always wants to be the No. 1 option and that hurts the team. I know he's probabley the best scorer on the team but I still believe he's hurting the team for being the #1 option because: 1.) he doesn't has a good feel of the game, 2.) too emotional and too often play out of control 3.) inconsistent 4.) doesn't has the good court- vision to find open teamates when defense collapes on him 5.) too selfish when playing basketball 6.) not trust in his teamates (except Steve) 6.) doesn't has the dominating move (his best weapon is Iso-pull up J or Iso-drive and he's doing it sucessfully for 42%. That's not a championship team's No.1 offense. I hope Eddie can develope his turn around Jumper to a dominating level and be our No.1 option.) I don't think Mobley's willing to come off the bench anymore and I also don't want to see him play outposition at 3 so maybe we should trade him for the 1st missing piece I mentioned above.

3.) We need somebody to bang inside. I know Cato is rebounding well lately but he just isn't tough enough. We need someone like Rodman (on the court), Pollard, Ben Wallace, or a young Willis. Calvin Murphy call those players utility guy. Those players chase every loose ball, threwing elbows, foul hard on opponent players when needed. They don't need the ball in their hand and still take your team to the next level.

4.) A decent bench. Mooch, Torres, and Taylor are all very good bench players, we just need to add 1 or 2 decent players behind our starting center and small fordward.

we have three ways to find the missing pieces: Trade, FA, and Draft.

My suggestion for 1.) and 2.) is trade Mobley plus Cato for Eddie Jones.

Jones is a 6'6" shooting guard who's among the best defenders in the league. He's a 9 year veteran with alot of playoff experience. He is a 3-time all star and still averageing 19pt/5reb/3asi/1.5stl/1blk at the age of 30. I believe he's willing to be a 3rd option if it helps the team winning.
And maybe C.D. and Rashard could force the Sonics to a Sing-n-trade deal that bring Rashard home. (Taylor+Toronto's picks for him?)

the #3 in my list is the most diffiicult part. Most of those guys are either too old and expensive or untouchable. The only players I can remember who fits the bills and still young, affordable, and that we have a chance to acquire them are Jahidi White and Brad Miller. or maybe we can get Yao Ming or Stoudmire from the draft. (I think A. Stoudmire could be a huge upgrade of Cato. He's so young and already 6'10 240 lb. he has no problem to develope into a center's body and maybe jump higher than Cato. and Yao Ming is a guy who can easily give us 14pt, 12reb, and 3.5 blk a game.)

I don't worry about the bench. We'll have more draft picks than we need to find those players.

The best line-up we could expect for next season:

Yao Ming, pick or Willis, Collier
Griffin, Thomas, Morris
Lewis, Rice, draft pick
Jones, Torres
Francis, Norris, Brown

That's a championship team!

 

We don't need another star player. We need to pick up some underrated defenders.

We need a guard and a small forward who are defensive specialists to throw in the mix once in a while.