Buyouts for Francis, Webber ongoing, and may interest Rox.

You cant just trade them cuz that would not eliminate the salary they have. Most important to the Knicks and 76ers is to not have to pay the full amount of the contracts. I think with a buyout the player is free to sign anywhere so there is no need to trade them.

 

The biggest point most of you are missing about Webber is that he could play minutes at center and provide a nice offensive compliment to Deke's rebounding and defense. Right now, we're right about at Deke's threshold with the role and minutes we're asking of him at his age. If we could play him about 20 minutes with Webber off the bench our center position will be fine until Yao comes back.

Sure, we would have to be selective about the lineups we would use since a Howard/Webber PF/C combo would be horrific defensively but we would have plenty of options to mix & match. Howard/Deke has been pretty effective. Conversely, a combo of Hayes/Webber would probably be equally as effective. Once Yao comes back, we could tinker with lineups according to matchups.

As for Francis, I guess you really have to consider it since he would be playing for the minimum and the risk vs. reward factor would really be in our favor. I have my doubts about his health and whether or not he could really be a contributor this season, but you almost have to consider it. When healthy, he's always been like a poor man's D-Wade so if we have that extra element of an athletic guard capable of attacking the basket and creating his own shot it could do wonders for our current shameful PG play.

 

If you can pick up SF for next to nothing, of course you do that. Talk about a 3rd scorer of 6th man.

But not Cwebb - he's useless.

 

I can't believe anyone would argue that Steve Francis would hurt this team. I am fairly positive he would take the starting job from Rafer in no time.

To anyone that says Francis would steal shots look at these stats.

Rafer Alston takes .347 field goal attempts per minute played this year.
Steve Francis takes .25 field goal attempts per minute played this year.
Last year Francis took .320 field goal attempts per minute played.

Francis takes less FGA even without 2 superstars on his team.

This Year eFG% Alston - 44.8% Francis - 44.6%

I threw this in there to show that I'm not just throwing out good stats for Francis.

This is what tells the real story though.

This year PPS (points per shot): Alston - 1.03 Francis - 1.51

Francis can finish at the basket and is a lot more efficient on offense (ie draws fouls and makes his foul shots). Three point shooting is not everything and I don't Francis would be any worse than Alston in that regard on this team.

This year A/TO ratio: Alston - 2.2 Francis - 2.15

Francis can really handle the ball too and he had some good chemistry with Yao before Yao was even a dominant post presence.

When you factor in things like Francis being one of the best (if not the best) rebounding guards in the league and him being an overall more complete player than Alston (blocks, ability to dunk) he is just better.

Don't tell me Francis is worse than Alston on D. Alston can't defend the pick and roll to save his life. Let's say that they are the same on D. Francis still offers much more efficient offense than Rafer.

Even if this doesn't convince you that Francis is better for the team than Rafer, then you have to agree that they are at least equal. Then we have 2 marginal starting point guards instead of one. I would say that is worth it if he will sign for the league minimum for a chance to play in the place he calls home.

 

Agreed. They may not be the franchise players they used to be, but we do not need that. Not at all. In limited action, they'd both fill several voids for our team, and most certainly make our minutes more efficient. Right now, the Rockets have quite a few players seeing more minutes per game than they probably should.

 

Are you guys nuts? Steve Francis is one of the most talented players to ever play in the NBA. he's got heart. He was the Franchise here then he went to Orlando and won many games for them just by himself. He's made many, many clutch shots. The problem has always been that he's not very smart, he sulks a lot and has got difficult personality. Sounds familiar?


The same things were alwasy said about Bonzi Wells. How come this board was going nuts when we signed Bonzy for $2+M but we don't want Franchise for $1M+? Francis is much better talent than Bonzi and cares a lot more about basketball than Bonzi. If we could have have both for $3-4M that would be one of the biggest accomplishments in the salary cap era. You want only one of them to have a lighbulb flash in the head and we are a championship-caliber team. If none of them gets it, Les is still paying them less than what he's paying Rafer. Rockets would be nuts not to go after Steve.

 

I don't know what some of you are smoking... so much ignorance.

Francis actually played pretty decent defense under Van Gundy. He's not a ballhog. He's not a quitter. Don't blow the superbowl incident out of proportion. Francis always put it all out there on the court. Saying that Francis is a ballhog is like saying that Alston still dribbles like an And1 baller... it's just a misinformed opinion.

Francis's problem was that he was never good enough to be a #1 option (or frankly even #2 option) on a championship team. But is he good enough to be a 3rd or 4th option? Hell freakin yes he is. Assuming he rehabilitates his knee, he would be a vast upgrade over Alston. Francis and Rafer both have shakey long range games, but Francis is at least far better than Rafer around the basket and from midrange. Francis has way more scoring potential than Rafer ever will.

Rafer used to be pass first pg, but since teams are giving him the open shots, he has been forced to take more shots. I'd like to think that Rafer's just in a slump, but this is a very disturbing trend that is continuing from last year. We need a pg that is able to put the ball in the basket.

 

I'd be happy to have either one of these guys back provided they understand what kind of players they are at each point in their respective careers. I think giving 20-25 minutes a game to either one of those players would tremendously help the Rockets title chances.

 

What if we bring in Francis...start him in the backcourt with Rafer, let him take over Snyder's starting spot, add T-Mac, Battier and Yao in for the starting lineup. Luther and Snyder will come off the bench in the backcourt...Bonzi will relieve T-Mac at the 3 or be interchangeable at the 2 as well. Bring Hayes off the bench at the 4 and split Mutumbo and JHo at the 5.

 

I don't know how anybody could have any reservations whatsoever about signing Francis at the minimum.

Even Chris Webber - he's damn near completely broken down, and yet even still he'd be more than worth a minimum contract if he's willing to accept a role off the bench ala Antonio McDyess when he signed with Detroit.

 

i would welcome francis back for the right price. why? because tracy will be handling the ball, not francis.

 

He'd certainly be an upgrade over Rafer...I see them splitting minutes at PG, and SF getting some minutes at the 2.

 

I don't see it happening. I would love to see SF as our third option. But, i don't see where it states that he'd even be interested in returning to Houston in this article.

It is an absolute no brainer to get an All-Star for the minimum.

My concern would be that he lands on with either Dallas, Phoenix, Lakers or the Spurs.

 

c-webb is juwan with baggage and a big head

 

Not that I think we could get Francis, but I just want to agree with this assessment. I also don't think Rafer is in a slump. I think this is the best he can play under JVG.

Looking back, the only thing Francis was guilty of was not living up to expectations. Now that those expectations have been knocked down a few pegs to something realistic, he could make a great guard for the right team... and Houston would be the perfect place because he has McGrady to handle the ball in crunch time.

Basically, his role would be the same as Alston, except he could make defenses pay. With McGrady handling the ball, turnovers would not be a problem (he can certainly get the ball down the court as well as Alston). He is also a better rebounder than Alston, better defender, more athletic, and actually can get on a roll offensively at times. The one thing he has always been good at is getting to the basket and drawing fouls in crunch time. The more players you have that can do that, the better. Francis shoots 5% better on FGs than Rafer for his career... that's a lot.

3P%
Alston - 35% this season, 35.5% career
Francis - 38% this season, 34% career

FG%
Alston - 36% this season, 38% career
Francis - 41% this season, 43% career

 

all that said he still is an upgrade over rafer chokeston so i would take him for the league min which is all he would get from any other team if just to see if it would work out

 

Francis > Rafer big time. JVG said last year that he liked Francis while he was here and woudn't mind coaching him again. If we are barely paying him, the question is why not?

 

They are both better at their position than the guys we have playing...how can anyone say...NO?

We would be replacing Sura...who is out forever anyway....and on a vet minimum contract.

Steve Francis and Chris Webber are better than Bonzi...can you say...HELLO 3rd scorer?

Hell, I would sign em both if they wanted to come here.

DD

 

That's not a fair statement. Hayes was No.1 rebounder when he's in NBDL. Wesley played good D on both 1 and 2 in hornets, and barry's defence was at least quite fair.