No, but a 15-10 center, veteran wing, lotto pick and Shot Blocking backup Center should do the trick.
I almost never agree with anything Bucher has to say....and I don't care if he wrote it just for argument sakes. The Clippers.....really???? The Nets were not seriously tanking either...as someone posted....they are just really bad and had no need to tank.
Landry was great......but once the league started double teaming him, he wasn't quite the same 4th quarter scorer.
and when landry gets 30 it's a big deal on a career night. when martin gets 30 it's probably getting close to the end of the 3rd quarter
Nets and Rockets will be in the playoffs. If Jennings can get the Bucks into the playoffs, Wall and Turner can get them into the playoffs. I think the Nets will be better than the Knicks.
Exactly. Bucher's cards analogy assumed that the Rockets won't be making any improvements other than Yao. I expect Morey will add a rotation piece to the roster this summer, but even if the doesn't there are other ways to improve the team now. Adelman will need a deep bench to hedge against injuries--the biggest obstacles to the Rockets' success--and that is something the front office could easily provide with a lottery pick, the MLE, the LLE, and their various minor assets (future picks, expiring contracts, etc.).
Rockets may not have a go-to guy, but we have so many weapons in crunch-time. AB's midrange, KMart and Kyle's penetration, Battier or C-bud's catch and shoot, Yao's low post. We don't need a go-to guy. We will adjust depending on the opponents. That's a huge advange to me. A team with Kobe or other so-called go-to guys, you pretty much know what they are going to do in the cruntch time. If you lock him up, they don't know what to do. Once you meet a really good defensive team, that will be a real problem. I like the current the squad. A decent backup C is the last piece to put us in the title-contenders. Hopefully, DM will get us one in this offseason.
Honestly what the rockets needed all season, was: A. an efficient scoring wing, because battier, ariza and chase were all had below average shooting percentages B. a shot blocker to block at least 2 shots a night and change at least 3 more, erasing at least 5 possessions from the other team. that would put some fear in opposing guards from attacking the rim. C. an efficient scoring center who can clean the defensive glass. A. was taken care of by kevin martin, any doubters can look at how our offense blew up after we traded for him. we traded our "go to" fourth quarter guy and now we hardly ever score under 100 ppg B. our point differential was -0.3 this year. for a so called bad defensive team with no all stars or shot blockers that is a pretty damn good achievement. i don't see any reason why if we got a shot blocker (yao or draft) to change at least 5 shots in the course of the game. why our point differential would not be somewhere around 3.7 next year. (thats not considering any offensive impact the shot blocker could have) C. if we got a chris bosh, joe johnson, or amare over the summer, who do they realistically take shots from? we already have efficient components that are known assets to our offense. kmart, brooks, scola, chase, hill. hell even ariza is starting to look efficient with martin around. this team would receive the greatest benefit by getting someone on the team who can make high percentage shots but doesnt demand the ball. they dont need a plan A type player. this isnt a system that is based on standing and watching. what they truly need offensively is a 12-14ppg center who is efficient as hell. I think yao and his career 52.5% fg percentage can handle that.
No one, especially a sports writer, can tell you at this point how many minutes Yao will or will not be able to play next season. Yao may average 30 minutes a game he may not even average 20... we do not know yet and will not until he puts his foot to the real NBA test of playing the damn game night in and night out.
Here's my problem with his entire argument. They acquired Martin in Feb and the team went into a deep slump cause the chemistry all changed. Then in a couple weeks, Martin was integrated and they started winnng with Martin, AB and Scola scoring like 75ppg. Unfortunately, Ariza and Lowery got hurt and we slumped again with more injuries to follow including Martin. You get Martin and Yao into training camp together and this whole team playing as a unit, I can see something special. Most people that have watched this season can see that. To further support that, offense mostly hasn't been the problem this season. Defense was probably the biggest single factor that's killed us. That changes with Yao and more practice time as a unit.
That's just it. We DO have good to great perimeter players. Sheesh! How many times to Martin and Brooks have to tourch a team for 25+ in the same game to prove it. Throw in Chase who is definitely emerging and we are stocked with very good to outstanding perimeter players. And as of today, Brooks and Martin are both just as good of perimeter scorers as Steve Nash.
I think if we had a healthy Martin all season and the rest of the team minus Yao had stayed healthy then we would be going to the play-offs this season. So with or with out Yao I believe this team can and should be in the play-offs next season, especially if you consider the fact that they will be adding a significant piece in the off season.
Guys, while I don't agree with Bucher on this one, this thread has brought out some true homer-ism. Ric Bucher knows the Houston Rockets, and he has spoken complimentary about the franchise on many occasions. He is one of Yao's biggest fans. To say that he hates the Rockets just because he wrote a "point-counterpoint" article against the Rockets being the MOST LIKELY lottery team to make the playoffs next year is just blatant myopia by some people. Save the criticism for guys who REALLY hate the Rockets. Bucher's not in that category. He's wrong here. But he's not a "Rockets hater".
Unless,Yao comes back strong and healthy,the addition of a backup center won't be enough to make us a contender. I'm surprised you didn't mention Luis' contribution to the team. Without his scoring,we wouldn't have a frontline right now.
No he didn't he said this, Maybe you should ask teams like Boston, Denver and NY if Brooks is a go to perimeter scorer. He's one of the better ones in the league at this point.
