Much of what is suggested here are desparation moves. Trading and moving players who are not difference makers. Posey, Cat, MoT, Eddie Jones, Odom... etc etc. These are not difference makers in this league. Now if we had a legitimate shot at a Duncan, Garnett, Kobe or McGrady, that's different. Our two key guys are Steve and Yao Our key move this summer was hiring Jeff Van Gundy and the next big move Les Alexander is going to make will come after he evaluates this coach and this team this season. Everyone might as well relax and enjoy the show. I think Van Gundy is going to prove out to be a difference maker. And this season we are the 7 or 8 seed. This season is all about Steve and Yao stepping up a level and Van Gundy putting the package together right.
Exactly. It's natural that everyone wants to react to what the Lakers, Spurs, T'Wolves, and Kings have done, and just trade players and pick up free agents blindly. Jeff Van Gundy is the former coach of the New York Knicks. Patrick Ewing is the former center of the New York Knicks. Carrol Dawson is not Scott Layden. Keep it in mind.
I'm just happy that Yao already knows how to pass out of the post, because Ewing doesn't know squat about that subject...
I completly agree, we may have more raw talant than any other team in the league. We are in great shape right now. Everyone needs to relax and realize how grateful we are to have the team we have. Yao was the biggest thing to hit the nba this past season and we were lucky enough to get the #1 pick the year he came out.
People around here want to fire everyone and trade everyone because thats the only solution. Some posters (you know who you are ) called for Rudy's head because some player's weren't producing up to their capabilities, were being mis-used or tuned Rudy out. Now we hire JVG, and these same posters (you know who you are ), want to trade all these same players (the same players whose mediocre performances were blamed on Rudy) and they cite their reasons for wanting to trade them as the same ones for firing Rudy. I don't get it. Glad to see that some of the other posters believe in keeping players and developing them into quality contributers on a championship contender (kind of like we did with Thorpe, Maxwell, Smith, etc.).
If (biggest word in the dictionary) Yao comes back stronger and with more endurance, and is more adjusted to NBA play, this team won't need to back down from anybody. Once Yao demands the double and triple team things are really going to open up for the Rockets. Especially if Steve takes the next step as far as reducing turnovers and shooting percentage. I think the rest of the players will feed off some success- Cato- stays aggressive and committed Mobley- shows some good judgement and improved shot selection MoT- better conditioning and health and Defense Eddie Griffin- Stronger, more confidence in the faint and a nasty defensive disposition Everyone else- fit your role
good post. i'm fine with people making fantasy trade posts and such because a board like this is for rockets fans to talk basketball, and i suppose this board has to have some of the negativity or else there isn't any real discussion, but i'll be damned if it doesn't grate on me at times. i'm really excited about this team under this new coach. i love rudy and i really didn't want to see him go, but i can't help but be excited to see what a coach like jeff van gundy can do with our team. i'm excited about seeing if eddie griffin can come out and show us why people were talking about making him the number one pick in that draft with this being his contract year. i'm excited about seeing Yao pass out to rice and piatkowski all year long. i'm excited about seeing how francis is going to perform under the stricter reigns of van gundy, because i really think he's just a little discipline away from being one of the best players in the league. i'm excited about seeing how mobley adjusts to this system as well. i really think he has all the tools to play a michael finley type role to francis and yao. i'm just excited to see this young team have a year more experience under their belts. in three years when francis is pushing 30 and yao is 25, if we're still not in contention for the title, you may hear me begin to complain. until then, i'm enjoying this rebuilding process, which hasn't been all too long really. even the lakers and the celtics were a long time between playoff appearances after magic and bird were gone....
ALL i know is whoever coaches wont make MOOCHIE any better... I would still trade him even we got jack squat back.. as long as we were to trade Moochie it would all be cool... I think Moochie is the only desperation move.... TO BE CONTINUED
Sounds good. Cat and Cato seem to be shopped as much as anybody. We get more bang for the buck out of Cat than anybody does in the league. Doesn't Cato's contract expire at the same time as Yao comes up for his new contract? They could pretty much switch money if that is the case. I bet Van Gundy won't tolerate all that standing around with your head in your ass I saw last year.
