Hoopsworld.com COULD THIS BE THE YEAR OF THE ROCKET? Let’s talk conspiracies for a moment, this year the NBA gave into the ‘Theorists” and allowed media to watch the NBA draft, as most felt New York would be handed the first pick to rebuild the NBA’s cash cow. While everyone’s eyes where on New York, no one paid attention to Houston- you know that team in Texas that struggled with attendance and is opening a new building next year. I don’t mean to suggest the Lottery was fixed, but if you lined up all 29 teams and said, who needed the top pick the most, it wasn’t New York… It was Houston, who is trying to sell tickets to a new building… Knicks fans, regardless of how fickle they were last year will still come to the Garden in droves. The Rockets who have a pretty nice team if they got healthy, now not only hold the first pick, but they are getting a lot of interest from pending Free Agents. A few weeks ago, we talked about Michael Olowokandi and the Rockets, and the short and fat is if The Clippers won’t pay him max, he’d like to be a Rocket. Seattle’s Rashard Lewis mirrored that with the Sonics saying he expected to see Kobe numbers next year on his checks, and if the Sonics didn’t like it, he’d be a Rocket too. The agent for Rashard Lewis said the #1 overall selection only re-enforces Rashard’s interest in playing in Houston (his hometown); and would force them to give Houston a long hard look, even though Seattle says they will re-sign him. The Clippers may grant the Rocket player’s wishes and force Houston to deal the top pick for Lamar Odom and the #8, but that’s only likely if China stiffs them on Yao Ming. Rocket swing man Cuttino Mobley told media he was in favor of such a deal, and I am sure the Sonics would be as well as Lamar and Rashard are very similar players. Rockets ownership made it clear at the end of the 2002 season that the playoffs ‘must’ be reached this year or changes would be coming. I guess if there was a string to pull, the Rockets pulled it, and this rightly could be the year of the Rockets. Look at the Nets…worst to first… It can happen.
Agreed! Its only a handful of players worth the max. If I'm Francis, I would sign a contract that gives me a out clause after 4 yrs to judge the teams progress. It can still be a long term thing but if somehow the team is sputtering you could go elsewhere or if the market goes up, you could increase your money also.
The only way we can sign eiher one of those guys is through a sign and trade. I'm sure both players are aware of that. So maybe the players will take a cut or they see a way that these deals can work. OUR LINEUP NEXT YEAR WILL BE C Kandi, Cato (he'll probably will be traded), Griffin, #15 0r #38 PF Ming, Mo T (probably will be traded), Griffin, KT (probably traded), #15 pick or 38? SF Lewis, Griffin, Rice (probably traded), #15 pickor 38? SG Mobley, #15 pick or 38? PG Francis, Norris That starting line alone would get us into the playoffs. We have just enough fire power on both ends to make a successful season happen.
