Greetings all, I am a rabid Rockets fan. I am not a general manager. I am not a professional coach. I do not claim to have the answers I only offer opinion. So the topic is where we are as a team. There are three things I will preface this with before we begin so everyone knows where I am coming from. 1.) I have been a Rockets fan for 18 going on 19 years so I wear rose colored glasses at times. 2.) I have seen three games this year all on TV 3.) I firmly believe we are moving in the right direction. What is wrong with this team In one word we are inconsistant. Yao can score 30 one night and 8 the next. We have had 3 different Starting PG's. Two different starting Power Forwards. Five different players have lead us in scoring including the amazing Scott Padgett, I like Scott reminds me of Air Bullard kinda. The first thing we need is to be more consistant... that is going to take some time we have 3 new starters. We have players who were thought going to be in key roles hurt currently, Ward or have been hurt, Sura. So let us look at our weaknesses and strengths to see where we can improve. Weaknesses 1.) Small Forward I think I will get blasted for this. I think the biggest weakness on this team is a small forward who can pass, cut and shoot the three. Prince, Jefferson, Peja, Artest, Rashard Lewis, Marion, Whomever plays the three for Dallas, almost of all the Grizzles, Carmelo, Ak-47, Spreewell... all of these guys and ones I left off the list can all kill us. So this is a position we need to improve... I see this as the biggest weakness on the team... JJ is a nice player but really he should be coming on the bench. 2.) Power Forward. I see an issue with Athletism more then anything. Howard is kinda slow. Mo is mo. And Weatherspoon... we trade Moochie away for this guy... enough said. MO is more then likely the best of the bunch and is servicable. 3.) A thrid scorer who is night and night out 14 points Kinda goes along with my 1st issue and I think the solution is kind of the same. 4.) We need a day and day out lineup We need to find a lineup that works and stick with it, of course injuries happen, but we need to shuffle everyone and their mother into so many spots. 5.) We need to find a better way to help YAO YAO is a force. YAO might one day be a top five player. We as a team need to do a better job of figuring out what we can do to help him become that player... the sets we run, the plays we run, the defense we run, we need to find a better way to get YAO involved in a way he is most comfortable he seems more out of sync this year then even in his first year. Those are the big ones Strengths 1.) T-MAC The man is amazing. He rebounds, he dishes he scores. Honestly I love his game... the best player on the team and a top 5-7 player in the league. A guy who can almost single handedly when games. The trade took a lot out of the team but he has time and time again reinforced why we did it. 2.) Barrett I really like him. I liked him at Hall, I like him now. He is not going to get you 80 points. He will not be Steve Nash. He will make plays. He will get people shots. He will leave it on the Court. 3.) Yao I talked about him above but also when he has been on and involved he has been a force. Something that we can ride to the playoffs and someday maybe a championship. 4.) Better Passing The passing in the games I have seen has been better then last year. Many of the shots are easier, or at least more open then last year we are not hitting them though. So on to my favorite part Solutions and Predictions Prediction 7th in the west One trade during the year role player type Likely canidates: Lue, Boki, Weatherspoon 1st round 7 games hard to say whether we win or lose. Depends on who we play and of course injuries. Offseason Max Ming. If we can at that point CBA is not my Strong point Move Weatherspoon, Last year of contract coming up, for something a bit better then a chicken salad sandwich. Resign Barrett. If Lue is not gone let him go. Solutions: Do not trade our drafts picks unless we can get a better small forward. Round one: Assumed pick is 19-21 Danny Granger SF New Mexico Why? Partially cause I am a homer. I am from New Mexico and I think he is awesome but on to talent. Good Ball Handling Strong in the Block or Boards Quick enough to take guards off the dribble Intelligent both on and off the court. A senior Can shoot the three set or off the dribble Understands roles well Is not a superstar. Leaves it out on the court and takes the games personally Similar to James Posey with a more consistant shot Other Option: Although I would like to see us trade down a bit for this guy is this is the pick Joey Graham Stronger the Granger Intelligent Not a good a shooter as Granger (Thus the reasoning for wanting to trade down.) Used to being a second or thrid option Granger is the T-MAC of New Mexico A Banger and a dirty work doer Similar to Marcus Fizer but used to playing the 3 spot. Second round... Some Forgien guy Angelo Gigli/Channing Frye if availible/ or maybe even Lorbek. Free Agency There are a few names that speak to me. Mark Madsen: Cheaper... annoyer energy guy Udonis Haslem: We more then likely will not get him as he is RFA but a banger on the inside plays Shaqs buddy with Miami now SKita: If he is cheap... there is something about this guy that intrigues me... Denver seems to not be interested in him much at all so might be cheap Micheal Ruffin: This guy is a banger but drifts from team to team might be a JJ type fit here. If we trade away our 1st rounder to get a PF Bobby Simmons: Will he be availibe? More then likely not the Clippers have cap space but Sterling is Sterling maybe he can be for one more year Eddie Grifffin: I do not think that if he has a descent year that Minne can afford to keep him. Plus if he has his life together he could be a great asset to this team. Joe Johnson: Honestly a pipe dream but if you are going to dream dream big... Him and T-mac in the back court just make me gush... more then likely will go for more then the MLE. Vladimir Radmanovic: Again more then likely a Pipe Dream but with Ray's Big Contract coming and trying to keep Flip in the picture someone has to go... maybe the rad? Coaching... Has been avoided because I think a change in that is coming to who I am not sure but I think it is coming. I was excited when we got Van Gundy but unless he figures out a better way to use his players his time is short. So this concludes this long and slightly silly look at the Houston Rockets. Remember win or lose they are still the Rockets and I will root for them till the end. Thank You and God Bless, Fierguard
Man, I think Bobby Simmons could be a huge addition to the team. But who knows what Sterling is going to do. Although a big difference however is that Simmons is an unrestricted FA. Sterling has shelled out some big bucks in recent years, but he's only done it by letting other teams set the price and matching on his own restricted FAs. Unless he really keeps on playing out of his mind, a full MLE deal might be enough to land him. He reminds me a lot of Posey, who I wasn't wild about letting go when we did. I also think that getting a guy like Eddie House would be great. He was just waived and unless there were any character issues, he seems to be exactly the type of guy that we need in the backcourt with T-Mac. He can shoot from the perimeter, and really score in a hurry. He's small and quick enough to defend PGs in the league, but not as small as a guy like Barrett who will have problems against certain players. With T-mac's playmaking skills, it's a lot more important to get a pg that can shoot and score. And while guys that are "SGs trapped in a PG's body" don't usually last in this league, having a big guard that can create like T-Mac would be a perfect fit for one.
it brings tear into my eyes to see this statement these days on the board... it's a beauty man! it's a beauty!
