That would be ideal. Pike is an unrestricted FA though I believe. This would solve #2,#4,#7 (and to a certain extent #5) on my list. <font size="1"><B>My ROCKETS Offseason To Do List</B> Re-evaluate the Rockets offense or get a new coaching staff! (more motion, passing and cutting). Try to trade for a 3rd star type player (i.e. Elton Brand). Facilitate Eddie Griffin & Bostjan Nachbar in having major offseason improvements in their game. Via trade or FA find a 3rd guard (no moochie). Add another "veteran player" into the rotation. Re-sign Posey ONLY at a decent salary rate, otherwise let him go. Use Cato, Rice (expiring contract) and possibly Mobley as trade bait to aquire better talented players (see above) to fit around Yao's and Francis' games. Only trade Griffin for a star type player. Look for Quality over Quantity.</FONT>
O/S I hjope you wont mind but I adjusted your Roster? PG Miller Maddox SG Francis Posey SF Morris Nachbar PF Garnett Taylor C YM Collier I thing we would have to renegotiate the Garnett Contract! I still think Brand instead of Garnett, he wont need the ball as much as Garnett, and when we talk money were are dealing with a player that might be much more reasonable than Garnett.
No way you can make a deal without trading BOKI, let's throw him in to0. KG, YM and SF, we could go three on five most nights and still win 45 games. Come to think of it, Steve and Yao are already familiar with that scheme, three-on-five; that's what we did this year - five Rocket jerseys less Moochie and EG when they were on the floor together.
In a way, I'm kinda of tired of this coaching staff not adjusting the team to its talents. In the 90's when seattle gave us problems, the coaches didn't adjust, they just traded. When Utah started getting our number, we traded again. Let put the players into a possibility to succeed instead to fail. I agree that some players need to be moved to fit a better system. This team for the talent they have, still has holes. Francis- very talented player as a whole, but to's has went up and asst going down. Still isn't a true playmaker, but can be when he wants to be. Mobley- part of the old regime of 1 on 1 basketball. Improved defensively, capable scorer, but coach overblew his value as a player. Would be a great 3rd scorer if his ego would let him. Posey- Role player. Plays hard and knows limitations. Decent mid range shooter, poor 3pt shooter, but that was known. Plays the game like its his last. Would benefit from a few more fast breaks. Griffin- Still raw and unpolished. Needs to add bulk and improve footwork.Will never be a very good offensive player. Good rebounder and good shotblocker. Will be a 14pt 8reb 2.5 blks type of player, but nothing special. Ming- Not the best player on the team, but in yr 2 or 3 will be. Good feel for the game, but still needs to get stronger. Has shown a mean streak, but needs to show it more often. Franchise type player who will dominate both ends someday. Would benefit from a triangle type offense with his passing skills. The Bench: This is where i have a problem with the Rockets just like the Blazers. More times than not, it should only be 1 guy on your bench that is capable of starting, at most 2. That being said, thats how the pay should be also. Currently, the Rockets have Taylor(8m),Rice(9m)Cato(7m) and Norris(3.5m) tied up to the bench. All those that say we couldn't take on a max contract, Rice and Norris gives you 1 max and cato/taylor gives you another plus some. It was nights when the bench did save us, but at the expense of almost 30mill, is entirely too much. Taylor-Gifted offensive player against players his caliber. Still poor rebounder and despite his size and bulk, poor defensive player laterally and in the post. 16pt 6 rebs type of pf. Cato-Proved he can be valuable and also why he was overpaid. When given the chance to start, he put up the same type of numbers as he did coming off the bench. Really raised his value and did play hard in his limited minutes. Hands still suck along with his salary. Rice-Another mistake made by the front office. Had some glimpses of old self, but for every point he scored, he gave them up by putting the defense in bad position. Very attractive because in the last yr of a ridiculous deal from scott layden. Had some leadership qualities, but at what cost? Norris-Overvalued from day 1. Once Francis was back at full strength, minutes went way down. Still the best pg on team, but still sux by overdribbling. Can't believe he makes more than Bobby Jackson and Michael Redd. Nachbar- Suppose to be nba ready, but once again we'll never know. Suppose to be a mix between Peja,Manu and Hedo, but couldn't beat out Glen Rice. Morris- Played well when given the time. Could be our 3 of the future if played with more urgency. Was on a good streak until Rice came back and was buried at the end of the bench. Hated on a lot last yr, but did show a good improvement this season. Hawkins- Rudy type journeyman. Played pretty good and wish he would have played more to keep Cats minutes down. Capable hard nosed player, and seems like a keeper. Still would have preferred Oscar and Tierre over him and Maddox, but oh well. Collier- Actually played ok. Showed he had a pulse and might be a decent nba player. Seems like a Utah Jazz type of player. Still don't understand why he was drafted, but oh well. Maddox-Seems like he sux to me I think the Rockets have the players that can make a run at playoffs positions, but the bench needs to be cleaned up and get good bench players in there. The reason why Detroit,and Sac have good bench is cuz the players are content with coming off the bench. Taylor sees himself as a starter and to a certain extent Rice does also. So instead of coming and just playing hard, its a different focus. Morris,Hawkins,Cato are good bench players. My trade ideas are the same as they have been since the beginning. Trade Griffin,Taylor,and Mobley for SAR,Glover and a future pick. This gets rid of salaries and log jams, opens up spots for Posey and maybe nachbar and makes this a better more consistent offensive team, which we weren't this yr. Les probably won't fire Rudy, but nudging him upstairs would be the best thought.
Elton Brand and Andre Miller For Cuttino Mobley, Eddie Griffin, Maurice Taylor?, Kelvin Cato, Glen Rice, and Moochie. Man...it doesn't matter. Andre and Elton will be making like both max. Even if we trade the good players, it won't be even. But I do want Elton and Andre... Piatkowski would be nice too.
Your assessment of Rice and Mooch were right on. But the fact that you have given any thought to T-Mo being the Rockets three of the future shows that you are not watching the same game I am. Exactly how did T-Mo improve? I watched every Rocket game this year and I never noticed a legit hot streak. he had a few games where his jumper was falling, but other than that, he is a piece of crap. Plays with no fire or attitude. I really hope he is not on the team next year. And you'd prefer Tierre Brown over Hawkins??? This is absurd. You are losing credibility here bud. I remember watching Brown last year. The guy is short, can't even dribble, and his shooting form is nightmarish. Where as Hawkins is taller, plays good defense, and can hit the perimeter shot. And how can you say you like Maddox over Hawkins?? You just said Maddox sucks. But he never played. His grade, like Nachbar's, is an incomplete. How can you judge one player over another when one did not play. I can understand your opinion of liking Torres over Hawkins. I don't agree with that either, but Torres had good stretches in 2001-2002. Your analysis shows you are indeed a smart Rockets fan, but you've got to re-evaluate your assessment of Hawkins as compared to Brown or Maddox.
How aboout Mobley for Tinsley and Bender. Dont know if it would work salary wise though. Yao/Cato/Collier Eddie/MoT/Bender Posey/Rice/Boki Francis/Joaquin Tinsley/Moochie/Tito I know I forgot someone...
Hey..you read his post wrong. He said he liked BROWN and TORRES over Hawkins AND Maddox. Hmm...I liked Torres. And I like Hawkins. But I think he was right about Terence Morris. He is a good player when he gets to play.
I do like that trade on paper... I just don't think in the long run it would work, even if Franchise and Andre Miller don't get along... We have our 1-2 punch in Stevie and Yao... Build around them... Lakers have Kobe and Shaq, they build around them... Hey they are the champs til beaten, I could care less if the Kings have a great 10, or Mavs have a solid 9... San Antonio are winning with their 1-2 punch with Parker and Duncan... They have solid role players like that quick PG the acquired from Philly, Steve Smith and Malik Rose... They know their roles and accept them... I can't say that really about the Mavs and at times the Kings seem to have players counting their minutes on their hands... Meaning that we don't need another All-star player... But I would take Brand and Piatkowski... A solid big man with a great shooter... They both fit our needs... Oh...and in fantasyland I'd want Tim Duncan with Yao and Franchise...
First of all... I liked my idea of... Damon Stoudemire/Jeff McInnis/Moochie Norris Steve Francis/Derek Anderson/Juaquin Hawkins James Posey/Bostjan Nachbar/Terence Morri Eddie Griffin/Maurice Taylor Yao Ming/Jason Collier. That would be a better team than the one you listed... But yours would work too. Tinsley..I like him. Good young point guard. But still...that would mean Moochie still plays. And Bender 3rd string?!? Man..he's good too. Jesus! And you forgot Terence Morris. And yes...we should resign him.
How do the Clippers trade free agents? The question should be would Miller and Brand want to come to Houston.
Yes, I forgot TRock. I dont know if we could get Stouds, Derek Anderson, and Mcginnis for Mobley and Cato though. We might, but I dont really like Stoudamire.
Your right, my bad leebigez. I did not think you were dumb enough to actually believe Brown alone was a better player than Hawkins
Remember that Brand will be making at or near max this or next year; and ditto Miller. So a trade for Brand would have to rid us of a little more dough-re-mi; Cat ($5.5-ish), EG ($2.5-ish)....maybe throw in Collier to make it work (who can be let go after a year). At least the Paper Clips don't have to worry about BYC, what with their under-the-capness.
KEEP ‘EM Yao (His Yao-ness) Steve (yes, Franchise) Mobes (remade his defensive game) Boki (potential) TMo (hustle. steady improvement) Cato (QUALITY minutes) Posey (hustle) GET ‘EM POWER FORWARD--rebounds/defends POINT GUARD--assists/defends POWER FORWARD--rebounds/defends TRADE ‘EM MoT--trade Eddie--trade Moochie--bundle in trade Rice--trade contract Collier--trade to East WHO CARES Tito We need to acquire PFs and PGs based on ability to cheerfully do the lunch-bucket necessities and on leadership/chemistry attributes. We need to ‘move’ the lame, the sick, and the inconsistent in addition-by-subtraction strategy.
