It is kicking or sticking time : ESPN INSIDEr Hey, i saw this on ESPN, can some1 with insider plz post what it says? All i know is that it had DM's picture on the front. ESPN INSIDER Thanks in advanced
Houston. The Rockets are the one team that's unequivocally "sticking," just in a different sense than you might think. Everyone on the roster is available, but the Rockets are definitely the hunters and not the hunted. Houston has pursued Carmelo Anthony and can be a player for virtually anyone else because of all its trade assets: Yao Ming's expiring and insured contract, a large injury exception for Yao, a trove of decent young assets with good contracts and an ownership not averse to taking on money. Houston is a legit playoff contender, even with a 22-25 mark, because it has been better than its record shows and has a very favorable schedule after the trade deadline. However, the Rockets might be several games under .500 by that point because of a difficult slate heading into the trade deadline that includes a four-game road trip against West playoff teams. If Houston were to stumble over the next few weeks and go the "kicking" route, one player who may become prominent in trade talks is point guard Aaron Brooks. He's upset he didn't get an extension before the season and lost his starting job to Kyle Lowry; he also will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Nothing new but interesting to hear the national media is picking up on Brooks. I think the odds of AB being a Rocket next season are slim and none. The writing is on the wall.
Playoff contenders. Sure why not? Two teams above us that could stumble, Portland (injuries), Denver (Carmelo).
We're still contendors, but just for the 8th seed, and I really think AB will be traded or maybe Lowry by the trade deadline. I don't see Morey giving up on our Martin experiment just yet but JJ will probably be moved and Bud/Hill are definite maybes.
He's right that we are better than our record shows. So damn many woulda/coulda/shoulda games against good-to-great teams this year... would nice if we got at least a few of them. Either way, we still have a solid shot, but this next stretch could make us or break us.
This, unless we hit a homerun ball with one or two big deadline deals. It's doubtful, but we easily have the pieces (Yao, players, TEs) to send out and bring in two big names and retain a strong cast. Our biggest enemy is that there are such few sellers out there.
Agreed. I really think that Martin needs a solid all-star to counter his offensive game(Gerald Wallace-esque), plus a decent legit big-man(Chris Kaman-esque) to counter our unusual amount of power forwards, then we will be officially playoff bound.
