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Backing up Yao more important than PG this year

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by tinman, Jul 28, 2004.

  1. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    There isnt jack left for PGs this year in the market.

    If Rafer Alston and Derrick Fisher are the big money PG signings this year, then Matt Maloney's contract seems fine. If Skip To my Lou get 25mill, doesn't the Professor or Hot Sauce deserve some cash?

    We need a Yao backup big time since Kato left. We can get any PG to hit open jumpers and run basic plays for the big 2.

    Now that Shaq is gone, keeping Yao healthy til the playoffs and minimizing his minutes is key.

    Who can we get at the C for a reasonable price?

    What about:
    Joel Przybilla
    Chris Mihm
    Robert Traylor
    Olliver Miller (dude can clog the lane...at the drive through)
    Kevin Willis (This guy can play for 20yrs.. Oh S#$#$ he has!)
     
  2. TECH

    TECH Contributing Member

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    "Minimize" seems a bit........wrong. :p Surely, we should not have to overtax Yao, but he should play more minutes this season.
     
  3. dandorotik

    dandorotik Contributing Member

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    What do we need a backup center for? Just slide Juwan Howard over when Yao takes a breather, put Mo T in his slot, and it's done!

    Juwan is the answer.
     
  4. pasox2

    pasox2 Contributing Member
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    Ok - for real. I think RFA Zeljko Rebraca of Detroit is a good target, especially if we concurrently run at Mike James. I don't think Detroit will match both.

    Those guys above are terrible. That position is hardly "key". We'll make do with someone. We could always go back to Keon Clark, or just slide your very good friend Juwon over for a few minutes. Look, I know you hate him, but is he any worse than that list?
     
  5. Roc Paint

    Roc Paint Contributing Member

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    I do agree with you about getting a back-up center, but finding a quarter back to run this team is just as important. Unless of course you have JVG bringing the ball up each and every time. :p
     
  6. withmustard

    withmustard Member
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    i agree a hundred percent. the other day i was watching the overtime loss to the lakers in 2001. Willis missed the last shot of the game and i got to thinking he would be a good fit. I know he's very old but his conditioning is right there with Malone's which gives them longer shelf life. IN 2001 game i watched with Willis i noticed that he's slower but he still has all that muscle. The fact that he can hold his ground and control an area of the paint makes him valuable. For the minimum and maybe just a little higher he could play 10 solid minutes a game. just come in at the end of every quarter to make sure Yao doesn't pick up stupid fouls
     
  7. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Mihm -can block shots and shoot the J
    Joel- can block shots and board
    Traylor -can board and play some O
    Willis -he's willis

    look, these dudes won't cost up much either.

    Kato played some good Defense and having a legit 7footer or big body is important. Can Rebraca play D?

    I also like Darvin Ham as a hustle guy off the bench.

    What about HORRY? He can retire a Rocket!
     
  8. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Rome wasnt built in a day. I think maybe next year we can find a good PG. This year we can find some Kenny Andersen or Travis Best player to fil the void.

    Maybe if we can get Damon Stadolmire, but I think he has a fat contract.
     
  9. outlaw

    outlaw Member

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    Detroit won't match because they don't own his rights.
    They traded ZelReb and Sura to ATL for Sheed
     
  10. Sane

    Sane Member

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    I like Keon Clark or Rebraca for backup C, and James or Jones or Daniels for PG.

    Pick one of those C's and one of those PG's and we're set.

    PG and backup C are equally important IMO. It's very important that our backup C can block shots effectively.
     
  11. Aruba77

    Aruba77 Contributing Member

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    I can't agree with you enough. Back-up Center and/or parlaying our PF clog into a strong defensive 4 is of paramount importance. The PG issue is nominal. They need to make sure they give Yao the help he needs up front, so he can develop into the kind of player we know he can be.
     
  12. stroker

    stroker Member

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    Keon Clark at backup PF and C and Daniels at starting PG would be a good way to start the season and the sooner we sign them the better. Next year's FA market for PG's isn't that impressive with I think Tony Parker being the marquee player and you know SA isn't gonna let him get away. Continuity is important for Yao and T-Mac so let's get this done with and have a sense of what we're gonna look like roster wise going into this season.
     
  13. rhester

    rhester Contributing Member

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    agreed, another big body is more important this upcoming season, because taking care of Yao is so needed. He will need rest and we need rebounding badly in the post.

    I don't consider J Howard a good low post defender or rebounder.
    More of a finesse rebounder than a power rebounder/defender.

    Any point guard can bring it up court and get the offense going quicker than Steve could.

    But our bigger need is for someone to spell Yao who can grab defensive boards and clog the lane.

    If our bench is so thin that J Howard is Yao's back up we will be very vulnerable to teams who have decent front lines. We were already weak last season with Cato and Mo T at the 4.

    I don't think we need a scorer to back up Yao, we need a rebounder with a physical presence, shotblocker would be a big plus.

    When Yao is resting, TMac can carry the primary scoring load.

    You won't see both Yao and TMac on the bench at the same time for too many minutes.
     
  14. mateo

    mateo Contributing Member

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    Does Mihm start panicking if he gets on the court with Stromile?
     
  15. GATER

    GATER Contributing Member

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    A $6.99m TE, a $4.9m MLE, a $1.6m exception and multiple $1m exceptions....

    Sorry, I don't see C and PG as mutually exclusive events. We have enough money to do both by not overspending.

    Mike James, Antonio Daniels, Damon Jones, Kenny Anderson, Lindsey Hunter, Bobby Sura, ....all affordable.

    Keon Clark, Mihm (full MLE), Corie Blount, Boumtje-Boumtje, a waived Steven Hunter, Mikki Moore, Willis, Loren Woods....all affordable.
     
  16. Scott_H

    Scott_H Member

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    I agree with dandorotik. Juwan's got size and good passing skills outta the post. With the era of bruiser C's a thing of the past, I think he hangs/outlays a lot of backup C's he'd have to face.

    I'd focus more on the PG issue.
     
  17. dharocks

    dharocks Contributing Member

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    How about bringing the Good Year Kemp out of retirement? We could pay him in Krispy Kremes and Kool-Aid packets.
     
  18. g1184

    g1184 Member

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    Does anyone know about Keon Clark's attitude problem other than "he has an attitude problem" ? (if it's even true or not)
     
  19. rhester

    rhester Contributing Member

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    Scott_H- go back and look at the games last season when Cato was hurt. We struggled.

    You don't need a passing center or a bruising center, you need a rebounder and a defender that can deal with penetration and another good low post player.

    If you cannot defend post up players like Denver has, like Stoudemire, like Duncan, like Zach Randolph, Elton Brand, etc.

    It's all about mismatches and a post up game is still very much a part of the NBA.

    J Howard and M Tay are going to be struggling in the block defending power players. J Howard has some length, but he is more of a finesse player.

    Yao has the size and weight and base to defend the post. Cato had the strength and quickness.

    If Yao can give you 98%-100% for 40 + minutes no problem.

    If not we need another good post player. Rebounding is easier to make up for by other players going to the glass hard and position. But we need someone who can defend the post up and clog the penetrators to back up Yao.
     
  20. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Juwan Howard, finesse player!

    We definetly need some strength and shot blocking considering how good the PFs are in the West. Yao is going to get tired of cleaning up after Juwan/Mo get burned by KG etc.

    Joel Pryzbilla plays physical and he's a legit shot blocker. Man I wish we could have traded for Antonio Davis!

    The Rockets D was so good last year because we always had a shot blocker or 7 footer in the middle. I'll miss Kato. At first I thought his contract sucked, but now, knowing Derek Fisher got $37mill, I think Kato worked out well.
     

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