There have been many trade ideas posted on this board and suggested on the Sports Radio talk shows, but is there really a trade insight, that would make this a better team. And what I mean buy that is a trade that both the Rockets, and the other team would do. In my own personal opinon I believe the Rockets best move could be to a veteran like Jon Barry with the Mid Level Exception, and a player like Speedy Claxton with the Veterans minimal exception. One of the biggest problems I had last year was with Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley logging 40+ mInuetes a game, and going after either both are one of those guy's would help out tremendously. It is not a stretch to think that one of the reasons for the Rockets Collapse for a playoof position might have been do to the over use of their backcourt. Many people wan't to add a guy like P.J Brown, but wasn't the Rockets rebounding and shoot blocking one of their stregnths this past season, and to big parts of that Yao Ming, and Eddie Griffin are only going to get better. I know there is the Alan Houston proposals that frequently get mentioned on this board, but in order to get a guy like that you'd have to almost give up to much to get a Salary Cap match. But I know Carroll Dawson and Jeff Van Gundy know best so I guess we'll just have to sit and wait.
Jon Barry would be a solid addition Speedy Claxton brings that championship experience this team lacks.
i would think jon barry would command the vets minimum and claxton would be more in the moochie dollar range. the guys only a 2nd or 3rd year player who had some breakout performances this year in the playoffs.
no the rockets rebounding and shot blocking was not a strength this season. That is why you see so many people involving one of our power forwards in trades, because we need a toughness down low. Yao is a great center, but he is all about finesse not power. We need someone to bang down low and bring a toughness this team has not had since otis thorpe.
With the 4.5 MLE and the 1.5 Veteran's exception the Rockets are in play for some players. Certainly one of the top priorities for this team is a 3rd guard. If we are lucky that 3rd guard can play both the 1 and the 2. But we may have to get 2 guards if we can't find such a player. A team needs to have 3 PGs on their roster so Moochie stays unless we can trade him. Let Maddox walk. Perhaps we can get a Jon Berry and a Kenny Anderson for that amount. With the 4.5 MLE we can offer all of that amount to one player or split it up. From all accounts this Free Agency this summer is a "Buyers Market" with most of the money going to the top FA and then that leaves the scraps for the role players. We might be able to get away with getting a Jon Berry for less than the full 4.5 exception. Honestly you might even be able to get him for the 1.5 veteran's exception. After all the big money dries up at the end of July and when the dust clears many of these free agents will be scrambling to find teams.
Dam if moochie could play up to his contract are grds. would be ok.. he"s a bust another MALONEY .We need a guard that can help steve or cat when thier on the bench ,and moochie does not do that .I think every body here likes mooch but liking him and seeing him help the ROCKS are two different things.he does not help the TEAM or makes them better when steve and cat are on the bench .sorry moochie
We weren't good at blocks and rebounding? We were 6th in the league in rebounding, averaging 43.8 versus a league average of 42.3 (the range went from 46.7 to 39.2). We were 5th in blocks, averaging 6.0 versus an average of 5.0 (the range being 6.5 to 3.1). We were in a 13-way tie for 1st place (really, it looks like 4th place, but they don't have the chart correct to more than three decimals) in blocks per foul at 0.300. The average was 0.231 and the range goes from 0.300 to 0.100. How good do you want to be at it?
well, considering we were among the best in both rebounding and blocked shots, i dont think that we need an upgrade. 3rd year eddie(with JVG) is already an upgrade over 2nd year eddie(with Rudy). the trades people are involving eddie in are the pipedreams of getting jermaine oneal in a sign and trade. or elton brand in a sign and trade. there have been 2 legitamate trade proposals over the last year, 1) eddie for shard. 2) eddie for shareef. both have been declined by the rockets. blocks are not an issue with this team. yao, griffin, cato are all good-great shotblockers. and they will only get better. rebounding will increase as well, in that eddie will be stronger and more experienced. yao will be stronger and more experience. we already have arguably the best rebounding point in the nba (2 offensive rebounds a night ) and posey boards fine as well. check his numbers the last 2 months of the season.
Id like to see these guys on the team: John Barry - backup SG Speedy Claxton - backup PG PJ Brown - starting PF
Cutting Moochie Norris before we even implement a new sytem would be unwise,just like trading Eddie Griffin bc his trade value is high. i think this is reason is why in part Carrol Dawson and JVG are waiting till summer league. I approve of this method. Different coach,different system equals different results you see from players. generally, that could be a bad thing for us or a good one. Only time will tell.
Those would be great additions but doubtful we could obtain all three with the money we will have. PJ Brown probably will be worth the entire 4.5 MLE and you might be able to get Jon Barry with the 1.5 Veteran Exception but then you would be out of luck for Claxton. I think with Claxton's NBA Finals play his stock will be very high and probably will command more money than he is worth. I don't think he is worth the full MLE but some team might give it to him. I would LOVE to have Brown on this team but doubtful he will be here. I think it is more likely that this team adds a 3rd guard. As much as I would like Brown I think this team needs a quality 3rd guard more than another PF! Francis and Mobley just can't continue to play all of those minutes. A nice veteran spark plug guard off the bench would do wonders for this team! Yao, Cato at center and Taylor and Griffin at PF pretty much have those positions locked up. If we got Brown then I would look to trade Cato for some guard help. Brown is big enough to be able to play back up center as well as PF.
There is a trade out there that has been rumored ever since the trade deadline last year that I really think would make this a better team, Rice and Moochie for Brian Grant. Yeah, Grant has a max contract for a few more years, but he's the PERFECT power forward to pair with Yao, a solid defender/rebounder who doesn't demand shots, but still scores in double figures, most on put backs. The Heat would to it to get out of Grant's contract, and to get Rice's expiring contract, we make them take Moochie since he are taking on Grant's contract. Then we bring in a back up point guard (Charlie Ward, Speedy Claxton) and shooting guard (Eric Piatkowski, Jon Barry) with the 4.5 and 1.5 million exceptions. Of course the obvious problem now is that we have alot of money tied up into the PF postition, with Taylor and Grant, but I think it makes us a better team, and then maybe we could send him to some power forward starved team in the East for guard depth, you never know. PG-Francis/Ward or Claxton SG-Mobley/Piatkowski or Barry SF-Posey/Boki PF-Grant/Griffin/Taylor C-Yao/Cato
I don't think we're really in a position to sign anyone without some sort of trade. Isn't our MLE being used up by signing Posey?
Grant is signed through 2006-2007 at $12M+ a year. No way he's brought in for Rice's expiring contract. Rice's contract is too valuable. Grant is like a tree, immovable, IMO unless Dallas (read: deep pockets, luxury tax funds) decides that Grant is the only way to clear the pack.
I don't think resigning Posey will effect the MLE. Can't the Rockets resign for what ever because he's already on the team because of the Larry Bird rule? I know there are some exceptions to the rule, so if that's the case, can someone explain.
Posey will NOT be signed using the MLE. We can sign Posey by going over the cap since we have Posey's Bird Rights. The MLE is reserved for someone that is not currently on the team.
The Rockets shouldn't beat around the bush. Soon as July 1st comes, the Rockets should offer Zo Mourning the entire mle. If It cost losing Posey, then so what. Run the high post psuedo Sa offense with Ming and Mourning. Morris or Nachbar could fill the sf spot left by Posey and then try to get rid of Taylor somehow. In a couple of yrs, Griffin would really be ready to take over as a 4.
Posey and the MLE have nothing in common (as long as the luxary tax is not an issue). We have Posey's bird rights and can sign him regardless with what we do with the MLE.
