One (by Three Dog Night) One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do Two can be as bad as one It's the loneliest number since the number one No is the saddest experience you'll ever know Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know `Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do One is the loneliest number, worse than two It's just no good anymore since she went away Now I spend my time just making rhymes of yesterday One is the loneliest, number one is the loneliest Number one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do One is the loneliest, one is the loneliest One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do It's just no good anymore since she went away (Number) One is the loneliest (Number) One is the loneliest (Number) One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do (Number) One is the loneliest (Number) One is the loneliest (Number) One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
I'm don't really get what people want Morey to do about Yao. There is nothing he can do right now because Yao is injured and has 2 years left. I don't agree with everything Morey has done but he has impressed me enough to give him benefit of the doubt. Another thing, how is Anderson a failure? We haven't seen him play yet and he's signed to a value-contract. He's a big-man who's getting paid less than Scola who is also on a value-contract. Let's think a little before we start the blame game.
'Rockets Staying Optimistic' I know its a rumor site but still a nice read in answering the OP. "It's more we're in patient mode," Morey said to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle
Also, it's not a matter of whether they want to keep him or not. Even if they wanted to trade him no one will take him until maybe next year as an expiring contract. Other than that we will have Yao for two more years whether we like it or not and all signs point to him being healthy for next season. It will be interesting to see if we sign him after this current contract if Yao is not his former self. Then we will see if Les is putting money over wins. I still think we will have enough money in 2010 to sign a near all star type player who could possibly step up as a no. 1 option. I am sure Joe Johnson will command near max money but owners are not giving out as ridiculous of contracts as they use to. Maybe we can find a budding star like the Hawks did when they signed Johnson coming off a rookie contract from Pheonix. A guy like Nick Young or Rodney Stuckey may be possible. Either way I am sure Morey knows we need a perimeter star at SG and he has tried to acquire one but it won't be easy. We may be able to trade Tmac's expiring at the trade deadline to a team that thought they would be contending. I am all about value so I am all for Morey waiting for the right efficient SG to come along whoever that may be. You never know, it could be Von Wafer!
Here's a quick summary of what Morey has done since the end of the season: --Bought 3 high second rounders with money that doesn't count against the cap (one of which can develop overseas for FREE) --Fenagled a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) out of the league just in time for free agency --Signed an elite defender/athlete who played a key role on a championship team (and who JUST turned 24 years old) using said DPE --Traded for and is ready to sign an elite Euroleague player to a reasonable contract to add frontcourt depth and shooting --Gave up NOTHING of value, basketball-wise --Still has more than half of the MLE at his disposal One huge detail that is getting lost in the shuffle is this: If the Rockets do nothing else other than to formally sign the contract already agreed to with Andersen, as well as sign Taylor and Budinger to even the rookie minimum salary each, the Rockets will be $4.57M over the luxury tax threshold. Someone please tell me how Daryl Morey is supposed to "swing for the fences" when he has both hands tied behind his back? Like some others have said, unless another team is willing to give up valuable assets for T-Mac (or possibly Battier), then Morey has no choice but to sit back and wait. Patience, people. Patience. And even if nothing happens, better to do nothing than to do something stupid. Which are the only options currently available to the Rockets.
Either Morey isn't getting the types of deals he wants for McGrady's contract, OR, The deal he's after can't happen until a certain date. Unfortunately we have to be patient on this one, maybe even for another month and a half or two, when Landry has no say in where he is sent in a trade package. I'm inclined to believe Morey has something up his sleeve that has to wait. The Yao talk is half-bull anyway. Sure, we can put that scrappy feisty team out there for 82 games and a lottery pick; what are we gonna put on the billboards arounf town? "Lotto Bound: Scrappy Dappy Doo"? Morey did say he's after an All Star, and he did say this is not the likely roster on opening night. We just have to hide and watch.
would you rather have Morey make an ill-advised, panic move NOW? Or would you rather play and develop the team we have now, and possibly sign a big name free agent like Chris Bosh/D-Wade? We have excellent young talent on this team. And with one more year of experience, the sky's the limit. And when or if we can add a big name free agent in 2010, this team can really do some damage. I think the Morey haters forget the ridiculous contracts that CD had signed in the past that also set us back financially. And we finally got rid of all of those scrubs that CD had signed. Other than Yao, T-Mac, and Battier, last year's roster was one created by Morey; financially, they're great moves, and again..with a lot of talent. And if both the GM and the OWNER know that this year is going to be lost cause, why even bother with the luxury tax? The only way going over the luxury tax is justified is if you have a chance at the Championship.. we clearly don't this year. Save money now to spend more later.
He could possibly be right. Morey's looking to wait and hit one out of the park. We need scorers and it doesn't look like we're budging.
I would trade Battier asap while he still has some value. I would try real hard to get Stephen Jackson for Shane. Gstate is going through a youth movement and is looking for cap relief, and Jax has a long term contract that is a good value. Battier's contract expires in two years and his annual salary is less than Jackson's. Shane would be a good influence on that young team as they grow as well. In Jackson you get a real good defender who is also an offensive threat. He's a clutch player with championship experience too. Before you dismiss this scenario, consider what I said above and look at how the Rockets acquired Artest and how the Spurs got Jefferson. If the Rockets throw in their 2010 #1 pick, the Warriors will do it. Unless a real good deal comes up, I would let T-Mac's contract expire and sign Amare in the 2010 offseason with that money. Let Scola go and put Landry in the starting lineup. Do not pickup the options for Chuck Hayes and Dorsey in 2010 and use that money and the mle to sign one of the 2nd tier free agents like a Travis Outlaw as a 6th man off the bench. Also, sign a guy like Sean Williams as cheap insurance. This way Amare can be the starting C and Yao can come off the bench and play 15-20 mpg so he doesn't get reinjured, but Stoudemire would be able to slide over to the 4 as well and play alongside Yao. In my view this would be a realistic path to get the Rockets back to being competitive in a couple years: Brooks/Lowry Ariza/Outlaw Jackson/Outlaw Landry/Amare/Williams Amare/Yao/Andersen
That lineup would be a recipe for disaster every day of the week.....Jackson has anger issues, and would destroy team chemistry, I like Amare, but barbosa would have to come along in such deal
Exactly, the team has done pretty much all it could on the draft and FA front, having gotten 3 picks in a draft in which they started off with none and having spend essentially 1.5 times the MLE for Ariza and Andersen. These may not be "sexy" names, but they have the potential to be pretty effective (and in Ariza's case, he's proven to be effective, but we are asking him to play an expanded role). Any significant futher moves to be made must be on the trade front-- and that requires, you know, another team to be involved-- offering an asset the Rockets want for a price they are willing to pay. There is a difference between that other team hasn't show up yet with an offer the Rockets llike and the Rockets simply determined to stand pat. I don't know why people think that roster moves must be finished by the end of July or else it proves the Rockets won't make any more significant changes. And it's ridiculous to freak out over plain vanilla GM talk of "we like our guys, we are looking for moves, but wont make one unless it helps the team's short and long term goals." As pointed out many times in this thread since when do GMs ever announce they are determined to make a bunch of trades? A little perspective would help. Didn't CD and JVG swear they love Steve Francis before he shot shipped for McGrady? More recently, didn't you hear Utah swear they were thrilled about Boozer picking up his option and believed he will work as a part of the team?
By: Steve Kyler Last Updated: 7/30/09 8:00 AM ET | 1410 times read Adjust font size:The Rockets Are Optimistic: The Houston Rockets have not sat out the off-season. They were in the mix with Marcin Gortat; they got after Trevor Ariza very quickly when talks with the Lakers soured. They were involved in talks with New Orleans about Tyson Chandler; they opted instead to trade for David Andersen who cost them less in terms of assets. Via Hoopsworld Nothing else to do, so found that
If only we could get a couple of winners like Jackson and Baron to replace Battier. Think what it could mean to our youngsters to have two guys that know how to get to the 2nd round (more than once) and beyond.
I think you're forgetting about Battier's success at Duke. Jackson doesn't seem to be the most stable guy mentally. And Baron?? No thanks, i'd rather take my chances with T-Mac for ONE year, rather than Baron for the next 4 who is just as prone to injury as T-Mac.
