[Chron] Deal not likely for Rockets

I agree! Rafer may be enough to get out of the 1st round but I see a melt down comming once we face better backcourts. Rafer would be a great back up PG but his shot is to streaky to be a starter.

We need a player that will push Rafter to the bench in order to really compete with the best in the west. We can survive without another big for now, but our guard situation will not get us far.

 

People harp about aquiring a backup PG, but think about it, at what cost?

I wouldn't give up Head or Bonzi. Head is our most consistent 3 pt shooter, and that will be huge once Yao comes back. Bonzi gives us additional firepower, something the Rockets already lack, as is, outside of Yao & T-Mac. He's also one of the few Rockets who actually has a post up game.

So, let's cross out Head & Bonzi.

Who do we have left? JL3, V-Span, Snyder, Bob Sura's contract.

No trade value at all. Nobody wants them.

Adding a backup PG would be nice, but let's be real.

Come playoff time, Rafer will see a lot of minutes, and the ball will be in T-Mac's hands a lot of times coming up the court anyway.

Just stand pat, and let's let the chips fall where they may.

All we need is a healthy Yao to come back.

 

There's a lot of just wait until Yao gets back sentiment. I think you have to improve your team no matter what. The chemistry thing is great but look at the Suns and Spurs they just keep adding good players to their roster.

Yao is going to really help us, but I think we're asking to much of him to beat Dallas with our backcourt it aint going to happen in the playoffs. Next year Yao and T-mac will be older and that window just keeps on getting smaller.

 

Man, way to be supportive of your current roster that has the 5th best record in the WHOLE LEAGUE!

Mike James is not the answer and I am pretty sure that in a seven game series the coach who can make his players follow the best defensive adjustments will win. Odds heavily favor the Rockets who lead the league in defensive stats and a coach who preaches defense.

 

YAO AND T-MAC WILL BE THAT MUCH OLDER HUH?!? THEY WONT EVEN BE 30 YET!!!!

 

Yao was having an MVP type season this year, before he went down with an injury. He's a much better player NOW, than he was back when faced Dallas in the 1st round.

Of course it's nice to improve this team. But, ask yourself, AT WHAT COST?

What do we have to give up?

Our most tradeable assets, is Head and Wells.

You would really give up either for a BACKUP PG?

 

Right. We certainly don't have the kind of assets we had back when we traded for Mike James. Players like Reece Gaines don't grow on trees.

There is a whole lot more to making a trade happen than the quality of the players involved. There are chemistry issues. Players who have worn out their welcome with their coach and need a fresh start. Financial matters such as contract issues or the fear that a player will bolt when their contract expires. Redundancy. Etc, etc, etc.

Allen friggin' Iverson was had for Joe Smith and Andre Miller. Would you have ever believed that could be done? The current Jason Kidd rumor is Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, and Jordan Farmar. That may or may not happen, but it's astonishing that it's even being talked about from a talent perspective.

And guess what? We don't need a superstar like Iverson or Kidd (though Kidd would sure be nice). All we need is an additional point guard who belongs in the NBA.

And incidentally, you didn't even mention the fact we have draft picks to sweeten the deal. We'd all hate to see our first rounder traded away, but if we could get a point guard better than Rafer for the next few years, I'd gladly do it. And I'd be glad to combine Sura and a 2nd round pick for a rental for the rest of the season - assuming he can at least give Rafer a run for his money at the starting job.

 

Sure the Rockets aren't the Asset Mine of the league, but that doesn't mean they have NO assets.

Sura is an expiring contract with a decent amount coming off the books. Bonzi is a great asset to have, but chances are he's gone after this season. There are good young players at the end of JVG's bench that might hold some value to some of the rebuilding teams. And for a team that wants to "win now," I think there are a lot of young players with 'potential' on this "win now" roster.

I'm not saying the Rockets could have Jason Kidd or any other superstar at the PG...just someone to help Rafer get some rest on the bench. Luther Head is a young David Wesley...of course you keep your best 3pt shooter. But the young guys, Bonzi, and/or Sura should be more than enough to get you a legit PG to play with Rafer.

And I don't know about you, but to me, 5th best record in the whole league means there's more than enough room to improve.

 

I say we orgive and forget and go get Mike James.

His stint with the Timberwolves is like Mick Jagger's late 1980-s solo career or Gary Cherone's stint in Van Halen - worth a try, would have been good to make it work from a convenience perspective, but forget it, it's a bust. The conspicuous absence of the missing bandmates ruins the whole thing. It's Sonny and Cher, it's soup and sandwich, it's Bonzi and Sacramento, it's Britney and Baldness. They just go together. Plus, you figure flaming out in Minnesota must have humbled him an iota or two.

This team has enough of an identity to deal with James if his ego gets weird. There is no power vacuum to exploit anymore - Howard, Mutombo, McGrady, Yao... the team is not this desolate canvas waiting to be painted on by trigger happy guards, in or out of the locker room. Mobley and Francis had no discipline, of any real proof of concept, to restrain them during their misbegotten era. This is different. Van Gundy will bench any person he can if he's in the mood - Yao, Bonzi, Morey, Dawson - he's no Rudy T. The chemistry risk is minimal, i think. You have to do it if you can, we need someone just like him. So what if it's hooking up with our ex.

 

While I agree with you not to mess with the core--including Head, I have some departures.

If Bonzi was part of acquiring a scoring oriented PG (James, Atkins, possible Stoud), I would consider trading him. There really only is room for Head and one of Bonzi/Snyder at SG, so both Bonzi and Snyder are expendable and neither are fully ingrained as well (not really messing up chemistry to lose either).

Also Snyder has some trade value (probably at least like a late 1st/2nd round pick worth). Novak, JL3 and VSpan might be worth mid to late 2nds given their flexible and relatively low cost contracts relative to upside. For some players like Atkins (who is in his last year) or D Stoud some of these guys might be enough.

Finally, we have our 1st round picks. I would include a 1st round pick as part of deal for a player who could be of immediate impact and be a fixture down the line like Ridnour. I would consider swaping our 1st (probably late) for a mid 2nd to grease some other deals (Deiner, James).

So we do have some modest assets to acquire a contributing vet PG w/o breaking into our most regular 8 rotation players--Alston, McGrady, Head, Battier, Howard, Hayes, Yao & Deke.

 

1) 100% agreed about the assets. I'm sure CD got plenty of trade offers-- it is well known, for example, the Pistons like Bonzi Wells.


2) I'm guessing the big concerns for CD are A) salary-- they don't want to take on bad contracts, which are the type people are probably trying to dump on him right now; and B) what to give up: other teams probably want the Rockets to give up too much talent/picks than this additional player is worth.

CD probably has a few conversations going, but both sides are trying to get the most they can for their asset and/or give up as little as possible.


It sounds like JVG definitely sees some needs that can be filled in a trade. Who knows whether they'll make it happen. It takes two to tango.

 

I say stand pat. Once Yao returns, we will have 2 legit MVP candidates on the same team.

 

there's a limit to that cash considerations line that pops up during trades. i think it's around 300k.

 

The Rockets will also have a hole in their armor once Rafer isn't playing well or when he's on the bench for rest. All they need is someone to bring the ball up and run the offense other than Rafer. Not McGrady...he'll get doubled and trapped everytime he brings up the ball, plus it'll waste some of his much needed energy. Not Head...if he makes bad PG decisions in the regular season, he'll make even more in the playoffs.

 

Alston will prove all you haters wrong and dominate the opposing team in the playoffs!! He will show us why he is the best fit for our team as well as a top PG in the league when Mac and Yao are healthy!

Thanks a lot for supporting our team(5th best in entire league) when it needs it!

Also, those of you who want Mike James, don't forget what a cancer he was when he was with us!!

We don't need any help! As long as we have Tmac and Yao we will win the championship!


I'm very open to the idea of trading Bonzi for Dale Davis and Flip Murray though!

 

It seems to me that CD is being offered junk for Bonzi,Head and possibly Sura's contract.

 

Who says the "trade-wanters" are not supporting the Rockets? the "trade-wanters" support the team every bit as much as the "stand-patters." And as mentioned before, the 5th best record in the league does not mean there is no room for improvement. Doesn't 1st sound a lot better? As good as the Rockets Organization is, they should not 'settle' for 5th. This team and the city deserves to number 1.

 

IMO Diener isn't worthn giving up a 2nd rounder let alone swapping 1st for 2nd picks. He's also an expiring contract with no bird rights.

Though it'd be interesting to see him part a guard rotation involvinng alston and head when yao is back. the three bombing could be on par with the suns.

 

If Mike James accepts a reduced role he could add some defense and could pull double teams if he gets hot. I would be more willing to take a chance on proven playoff achievers than to be cautious with minimal role players because of chemistry concerns.