Do we expect some roster changes? Cat will stay...

Leebigez I like that lineup of Francis, Posey, Morris ,Griffin and Ming. I like the idea of three shotblockers in the game at one time, it affords the backcourt of Francis and Posey to crowd the opposing backcourt on defense. Cat, Taylor and Cato would be one of the tougher benches in league.

 

If we trade cato. Than who is gonna sub for Yao Ming? We all know Yao cant play the entire 48 minutes?. We cant trade cato becuase he's a good complimentary backup center to Yao Ming. Unless you are thinking about using "Usless" Collier as backup? Um..No I don think so.

 

The main purpose of SnTs is to help a player go to another team when the player is restricted Fa or when the other team can't sign him outright with an exception or cap room.

Who here actually believes Collier can sign for higher than a minimum salary player exception. Guys like this do not have to be SnTed; they just sign or not. Collier is unrestricted.

 

Cato is a good backup but too high priced for 13 mins / game.
Collier is a down grade but less expensive.

 

That is why I repeat that you can get a guy like Antonio Davis who can backup both the power forward and center position.

Jamal Mashburn would be nice...but uhh.....we have too many small forwards already!!!!

I'd like him though.....maybe get PJ Brown too.

 

You don't need a back up center as good as Cato. I don't think any team has one as good as Cato and they survived. You have to give up something to improve you weakest link, F in Rox case.

 

So the rockets trade Cato with Rice for say a decent pf.. and people worry whose going to back up Ming?.. the rocks aren't going to keep 3 pf's people.. so Mo-T would be involved in a trade as well for some kind of backup center, because he's more of a commodity than EG.. but saying all this, i don't think PF is the position we have to worry about.. I believe that the rockets need a decent Small Fw and to stop with this fascination of 3pt shooters at the SF position..

 

not to mention our weak guard rotation of francis/mobley/mooch. we need a more reliable back up pg than mooch and a player than can rest mobley's legs.

 

I think the only reason Van Gundy is talking so much about Cat is to increase his trade value.

 

Collier and Mo back up Yao, or we sign someone for the exception. Hopefully Yao can play 35 mpg. If that is the case, we don't need a $7 Mil player for 13 mpg of work. PF is our weakest position in the starting lineup. SG is weakest in depth. Trade Cato for Malik Rose and Griffin or Mo, perhaps with Rice, for a combo guard to back up Steve and Cat. Someone like Brent Barry.

 

FROM THE MEETING DOWNTOWN WITH THE MEDIA
On his coaching style translating from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference:
JVG: I think winning crosses all boundaries. So if you win, it’s all good. If you lose, there is nothing good about it. I think
there is no sense comparing and contrasting, because in the end, all you want to do is have a good team you can be proud
of, that wins big and conducts itself correctly. You’ve had that here for a long time with Rudy. I can’t tell you how much I’ve
admired him. He set the standard very high here. I want to make sure I live up to that and, again, try to build on what he
has done here so well for so long. As far as style, until you study the team and until you can really pinpoint strengths and
weaknesses, it is hard here to say what you have. But you do have a great core of talent players - young and need to
mature to win. When you talk about Steve (Francis), Cuttino (Mobley) and Yao (Ming), obviously that’s a team that has a
chance. That’s all you really want in this league is an opportunity to have a chance to compete.

On what surprised him about Yao after his rookie year and how much upside he sees in him:
JVG: He’s got seven-foot-five of upside. That’s a lot of upside up there. He’s a remarkably skilled post man who, what I am
most impressed with, seems like he’s a great teammate. He’s not spoiled by all that you get in the NBA, so he seems like he’s
just a - I don’t know him personally, but he seems like he’s a very talented, caring, good teammate. Obviously, if he
continues to progress, he is going to be a special player in this league.
to China before the season begins:
JVG: I don’t know. That’s a good question. I haven’t thought about that.


On if there are things he has seen already that he wants to change:
JVG: No, I don’t know of anything I want to change. I think obviously, the strength is in the core of Steve, Cuttino and Yao.
I think Eddie Griffin and Mo Taylor have done a great job at the power forward. (Kelvin) Cato had a great year last year. I
think Moochie Norris always gave us trouble in New York. (James) Posey I think is an interesting player in that he is a little bit
different. He is very high energy - a slasher/cutter. I don’t know too much about (Bostjan) Nachbar or some of the other
younger players I didn’t mention, but there is a good core. But to say that what I’m going to change - there is nothing
specifically. I just want to learn as much as I can over the next few months so that I give them a confident plan in September
and October that they can follow and be successful with.

So that there cant be any conjecture regarding what JVG said or what he might of been indicating I thaught I would reprint the paragraphs concerning our Roster.

 

I dont think VG will make wholesale changes to this roster this season, that will wait until next offseason to see for himself who are the slackers and probems on this team. With the salary cap implications this season, and Rice falling off the cap next year($9 million), chances are better for the ROX's to make their big moves next year. I definitely don't think he will trade Cato. Cato was an excellent compliment to Yao Ming last season and he played "BIG and Hard" all year. VG loves size and will not give it away by trading Cato!!!!! Things will be interesting next season.

 

I found the argument that we must keep Cato because he is a good back up for Yao is ridiculous. Yes, Cato is a good back up. But you can't just keep building your stong suit without addressing your weak links. Rox needs good PF and PG more than a good back up center. Without giving up something other teams value, such as Cato, you are not going to get quality PF that Rox desperately needs. Rox need a PF starter who can play 35 minutes. For that, I would give up Cato.

 

I could be wrong, but i don't think you can sign and trade a restricted fa. I think the only way you could do that is via unrestricted fa.

 

I don't think we are gonna see that many major moves nxt yr but I have a feeling after JVG looks at all the games he will see that we need a PG if it's just a backup or starter it doesnt matter but Moochie Norris isnt the answer, now if we can get a combo guard that would be great but we cant go in the season next year with just 2 ball handlelers (francis/mobley) we must resign Posey because he does his job, he doesnt worry about points or stats he just goes out and hustle play D, and I think JVG will love Kelvin Cato, James Posey, Cuttino Mobley those will be his ROLE players nxt year, Eddie Griffin and Nachbar will be his mystery players, Francis and Ming will be his leaders/money players for the clutch, and Mo Taylor, Moochie Norris and prob, Terrance Morris will be in his DOGG HOUSE!!!

Glen Rice will be his VET Player (used as a cheerleader)!