10 misconceptions about the Rockets this off season.

No, but what is hilarious is that you think we are still in 1984 and can tank games to get a superstar rookie.


And you obviously have a huge misconception that pride and heart have little to do with winning championships.


And I have a question for you, before nba drafts and seasons, did you know which team was going to win it all? Did you know who the next breakout player was going to be?


So you are assuming we don't have enough talent, so you want us to not even try just so we can pick up some premadonna and let him lead us to the promise land.

How do you know AB isn't the next AI? How do you know that Scola can't put up consistent numbers like pau gasol? How do you know Trevor Ariza can't be the next Scottie Pippen? Or that Chase Budinger is an undersized Dirk?


I would much rather go balls to the wall, and see what we really are made of outside of Tmac and Yao.

Because telling our players, hey you all aren't deserving to even have a shot at the title this year, so lets tank games so we can get some 19 year old "savior"- is going to install a loser mentality.

 

We shouldnt rebuild. We have a good young core thats getting better. We've won without Yao before. We aren't going to tank, this team has too much heart. In fact, I believe we could even make the playoffs. I believe Rockets fans are overreacting. Sure we lost Yao, but we got a big man who fits the system better. Sure we lost Ron, but he took too many crazy shots anyway and our team chemistry is probably better without him. We are also in a position to compete in the 2010 free agency to get that star to lead this team.

Rebuilding is a process that takes many years. We will be ready in a year or two I believe.

So, I completely disagree with your 10 misconceptions which basically keep saying we need to rebuild :/

 

That's avoiding the real issue - his relationship with the team and coaching staff. He hurt us on the court with his refusal to dial back his game and his disinclination to buy into a team concept on the court or off it. Now he's gunning for a free agent contract, something that rarely if ever brings out the unselfishness in players. Given that we haven't heard a single peep from either side about an extension and two years of rumors that McGrady wants out of Houston.....I'm not excited about the idea of McGrady playing for the team in some odd one year rental scenario.

From a leverage standpoint, I agree there's no urgency to trade him. But if the front office has reason to believe that he will sour the locker room, I think that changes matters.

Agreed - but in no way should we consider him untouchable. Even at his best, he still hasn't shown that he can run the team well, only that he can get his own as a 6-0 shooting guard. Those aren't the PGs that championships are made of.

Agree fully. Sometimes taking a mulligan year is the best thing you can do. The Knicks ruined themselves for a decade trying to rebuild without having to tear things down first.

Strongly disagree. Everyone in the league needs height. You can't compete without it, aside from all entertainment no substance Don Nelson small ball teams.

Mediocore 7 footers often have more impact on winning than pretty good SGs.

I don't know who's saying that or why. First, I don't know that we're going to have a rookie sensation that garners enough buzz to deal, and second, like with Brooks (and the Ron trade), if a good deal comes along, you do it. Don't force trades, don't refuse to listen to them either. Everyone's available for a price.

I agree that we need to maintain flexibility. Unless the right deal comes along.

No curse, agreed.

There's also something to be said about doing right by Shane. If we're rebuilding, he doesn't need to be here in the final years of his prime. He deserves a shot at winning.

On the court, he's a guy that isn't going to offer us much if there is no franchise star for him to play off of. He's a halfcourt guy and we aren't going to be able to play a halfcourt game as presently constructed. At $7M, Moneyball Morey isn't going to hold on tight to him anymore.

Nothing induces Buyer's Regret more often in the NBA than handing out the full MLE. I do agree that I was hoping more for Gortat than Ariza, but I'll give things a fair chance.

Tanking is never okay by me. Ever. It's difficult to excise a loser's mentality out of a locker room after it happens.
Breaking down a team before the season and letting the loses come? Fine. But the players on the roster should still be playing their guts out for 30 wins.

 

if tanking was a great idea tim duncan would be a celtic

 

I agree with the idea of tanking to get the number one pick in part as to not actually throw the games but put our rookies out there and the Brooks and Landry more to drive up their value. Use alot of David Anderson and let his offense drive up his value as well. Leave the Battiers and Scolas to play modest minutes or the same they have over the last years and not more than usual so we can save their legs for next year when we make our real run. Limit those veterans to uder 30 minutes or right about that limit and we could get in the top 5 draft order while making alot of our youth more attractive for trades and keeping the vets healthy and fresh for another year. They obviously arent going to compete this year for a title anyways. Its not tanking as much as evaluating youth and conserving veterans for 2010 run to the playoffs. Ariza was a great signing of highly more significant promis than Gortat. Not just in actual skill seen and had during games but also the fact that Yao will come back anyways and that Yaos health for his foot would be no worse or better with Anderson or Gortat backing him up. You dont waiste full MLE on a backup anyways when you have Yao coming back. Especially if their is a solid backup at half the price in Europe. Ariza at starter at full MLE for years is a real bargain though. If Morey and Adelman follow that plan 2010 could be a real exciting year for us. Of course it also depends on what they do with Tmac. Let his contract run out and make a run at every big name out there. Unless Bosh is on the table and it doesnt involve too much of our depth.

 

I don't understand why everyone thinks we are a lottery bound team, we blew out the lakers without yao and tmac. Mark my words, we will be a playoff team next year!!! Adelman is a great coach and can win without star power