There were no free agents to woo, none to leave the Rockets heartbroken. Rashard Lewis never led them on, so the Rockets never had the chance to make him an offer. No agents made outrageous demands, not even Jeff Fried, Steve Francis' representative, who could not ask for more than the Rockets offered -- the maximum allowed by the NBA. No franchise icons defected to Canada. However, Carroll Dawson nearly leaped out of his chair at the suggestion that, as general managers' offseasons go, his had been "slow." After a summer that has been more than eventful and a bonanza for their frequent-flier accounts, the Rockets expect this week to conclude what could become their most important offseason since they chose Hakeem Olajuwon with the first pick of the 1984 draft. Once the Rockets sign Chinese center Yao Ming -- and Rockets attorney Michael Goldberg said he sees no obstacles to completing a deal next month -- the rebuilding of the team will move from the front office to the basketball court. The Rockets' offseason roster changes might have been set since draft night, but the team's overhaul, Dawson said, is all but done. "Now we have a lot of pieces that after this year, the team will change very little from now on," Dawson said. "They will have a chance to grow. The chemistry will build. Instead of major pieces, there will be tinkering." If, as the old saw goes, the toughest positions to fill are point guard and center, then the Rockets believe they have accomplished much during the offseason. Francis signed a six-year contract extension worth about $85 million that goes into effect in the 2003-04 season. And it was Francis who was on hand when the Rockets won the draft lottery, which allowed the team to choose Yao as the No. 1 pick and begin a summer of negotiating with the Shanghai Sharks and the China Basketball Association. Goldberg said the Rockets hoped to sign Yao last month when he was in North America for the World Championships but that talks stalled while the CBA dealt with Wang Zhizhi, who was with the Dallas Mavericks last season. Goldberg said there is no urgency to get Yao signed before he comes to Houston in mid-October after the Asian Games but that he and CBA officials are working to turn earlier written pledges that Yao will be free to play for the Rockets into legal contracts. "I have no concerns," Goldberg said. "The Chinese government said they want him to play here. For that to happen, he has to be released. He said he wants to play here. Then he has to sign his contract. "We're in discussions with the commissioner (Xin Langchen) of the CBA. He wants to formalize the documents. I have the agreements in writing. It takes time to write the contracts. I'm not pushing anybody. But he is going to play here." The Rockets' other draft choices -- Bostjan Nachbar and Tito Maddox, who were taken with picks acquired when Olajuwon was dealt to Toronto -- already are signed. Nachbar had sports hernia surgery in July but has returned to Houston to begin working out and on Thursday could receive full medical clearance for training camp. Maurice Taylor, who missed all of last season with an Achilles' tendon injury, already has been cleared to play, and Glen Rice's rehabilitation of his surgically repaired right knee is scheduled to be tested Friday. "It's going to seem like we added more than we did," Dawson said, "because we get back so many injured players." There also will be a few additions to the training-camp roster. Sonny Watson, a 6-11, 241-pound center discovered by Kermit Washington in China, is expected to sign this week. The Rockets also have been talking to Pete Mickeal, a 6-5, 230-pound forward from Cincinnati who starred in the Philippines last season, and Steve Goodrich, a 6-10, 220-pound center from Princeton who has briefly played with the New Jersey Nets and Chicago Bulls. The Rockets did not make contract offers to small forwards Walt Williams and Dan Langhi. Williams has been talking with the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors, and he could sign this week, agent Mark Bartelstein said. "We're talking to a bunch of teams," Bartelstein said. "He's probably the premium guy out there now. But it's an ongoing process." Teams have been hesitant to do anything that might push them over the limit that triggers next summer's luxury tax. The tax threshold is expected to be between $50 million and $55 million. Including two draft picks taken much higher than the team expected, the Rockets' salaries this season total approximately $49 million. "The luxury tax has changed everybody's thinking in the league," Dawson said. "There's not the wild roster changes there used to be. It's made everybody more conservative. You still try to get the best players you can; you just try to keep your eye on that line." With that and other considerations in mind, the Rockets did not make a significant roster move. With a glut at power forward, the Rockets have not been able to reach agreement with Kenny Thomas on a contract extension but still have until Oct. 31 to reach a deal. The Rockets might need another season with Thomas, Taylor and Eddie Griffin to know just where Thomas fits. Thomas, who is even slimmer than last season's trimmed-down version, will start training camp at small forward, Dawson said, and could benefit financially by not signing if he can reproduce last season's numbers on a healthy team. That would give Dawson something a little more traditional to do next offseason -- a far cry from the way it was this past summer. "It has been very different," he said. "First of all, from the lottery on, the summer was nothing like I thought it would be as far as going to China, Rudy (Tomjanovich) going to Europe to look at Nachbar. When Yao Ming got to North America, we were in Vancouver and Oakland, and we all went to Indianapolis. "I'll tell you how much things changed. When we found out the World Games were going to be here two years ago, I ordered two tickets to send two scouts. We wound up sending a lot of people (Dawson, Tomjanovich, director of player personnel Dennis Lindsey, assistant coach Larry Smith, scout Joe Ash and director of media relations Nelson Luis). It's been anything but slow."
man i hope kt slims down and gets a jumper. then he will have a spot on the team, and he can play sf from now on. Man that would be awsome. I'm starting to like KT.
This is probably the most noteworthy part of the article. I've been an advocate of trying KT at the 3 for some time... he definitely has good speed, decent ballhandling, and can do a lot of the things that Donyell Marshall does, for example. I still think he'll play some 4, but if KT can get in about 10 mpg at the 3 spot, he can still have a role on this team long-term, even with Eddie and Mo.
I remember hearing about Watson, supposedly has potential. Interesting, considering the relations with Kermit Washington. Still, challenges Collier for spot on IR at best, IMO. Mickeal is potentially a solid roleplayer. The guy is amazing on defense, question is if he has developed a shot. Still, 600K for him is a lot better than 6 mill for Shandn. The athletic 2/3 defender is not hard to find at all. Mickeal could be the guy. Goodrich seems like training camp fodder. The guy got next to nothing in terms of minutes on the Bulls. I think we're guaranteed of seeing Griffin-KT-MoT playing together. Interesting about KT playing the 3 in training camp-is Griffin now more or less the starter for the first 5 games at PF (with Mo suspended)? Will KT start from the get-go over a vteran like Rice?
Cat you are right. I have always thought that he could play the position. HP, also thought he could while Jeff seem to have thought it was a mistake as he says he is not fast enough. I thought that his post moves would be very effective against SF's. I am really sorry to see that DL was not invited. Not that it does not make sense but I hope he finds a spot.
Thomas, who is even slimmer than last years trimmed-down version, will start training camp at small forward, Dawson said, and could benefit financially by not signing if he could reproduce last years numbers on a healthy team. hmmmm....very interesting to say the least. I like Kennys game but the Rockets coaches should try to make it clear to Kenny that being a team player that has a positive effect on the outcome of the game will get him his new contract, and not necessarily an improved personal scoring average. Kenny was a hoss last year....but i dont like the idea of the Rockets giving a player personal incentive to be selfish or pad his stats at the expense of the teams success because he's out there playing for a new contract.
On Walt Williams: "We're talking to a bunch of teams," Bartelstein said. "He's probably the premium guy out there now. But it's an ongoing process." Walt? The "premium guy"?? You gotta love agents. os
If he slims down, he can be quick enough. It really depends on his decisions and desire. He will have to improve his ball handling skills and learn to make shots from 18-20 feet, but he can do that. If he does make the transition, it would be tremendously beneficial to the team. It would mean a permanent, quality back up for Nachbar once he assumes that role and another multi-position player. My biggest concern with Thomas was that he was undersized at his position and he didn't play really more than one position. The Rockets are loaded with guys who can play 1, 2 or 3 spots on the floor at any given time. That is a tremendous advantage. If Thomas can do that as well, it is a big step forward for the Rockets because it means they will very likely be solid in the frontcourt for years and we already know about the backcourt.
You've gotta love Goldberg. In Feb. 2005, he's going to be mentioning how he sees no obstacles in getting Yao's clearance to the NBA.
I imagine that if Kenny has slimmed down even more this summer then he's probably been preparing to compete at the 3 spot all along. Hopefully, that means he's been working on his shot, his outside shooting was his biggest weakness last year. Unlike some of you, I think Kenny has some pretty good handles, can definitely take it to the rack, and his defense is underrated as well.
Wo are we kidding, Kenny has PF handles for the SF position. I don't think they are talking the starting SF spot when refering to Kenny. It has to be for a backup role at SF because that is who he can match well against. and if he loses weight for that spot then he will be less able to handle the PF spot.
The fact that they're continuing to experiment with Kenny's role on the team is a further indicator to me Kenny may be the odd man out of our three PFs. But if significant minutes (say, 25+) can be found for all three PFs and Kenny can still produce, then I'd love to see him stay with the Rocks longterm. I'm looking forward to seeing how the experiment pans out. Then again, I'm just looking forward to Rockets basketball period.
What's going to happen to Glen Rice then if Thomas is going to be moved down to the 3? And will it limit Nachbar's playing time?
Honestly, my guess is Glen Rice is not going to play too much this season...he's just too old. It seems like he's been having injury problems the past three seasons, and he's just played through some of them. Nachbar is probably not going to contribute a whole lot because of his lack of experience, so I don't think the Rockets have any choice but to play KT at small forward...it's their most suspect position. I actually believe Kenny could handle the position defensively, his feet and hands are lightning quick, and he's got a lot of strength. However, I don't see Kenny doing so well on the offensive end...he still hasn't proven he can hit at outside shot consistently and he doesn't have the ball-handling skills to drive to the basket like he could against slower PF's last season. Still, I don't think the Rockets have a choice.
I think the idea that Rudy even considered starting KT at SF really tells you that he wants to win this year. Hopefuly we will see less of our usual "3 point shooting brigade." and maybe some more of our improved post play. If Steve can get used to the idea of sharing the ball with our post players (last year any ball that was thrown into the post would have to have been a ally-oop, or a failed attempt) maybe we can get into a more "team" orriented play; which of course would be the oppisite of how we played last year. Also, does anyone else think this might have something to do with Rice. Do the Rockets think that Rice will not be able to put out enough energy or minutes to be serviceable as a starter let alone a back up?
i think this year he will pass more to the post, when Taylor was playing two years ago steve passed, but last year who should he have passed to? cato than he just as wel give the ball to the opponents, now with ming an offensive force in the post he will pas, he wants to win, and begins to see he can win. and with Thomas as SF we can Nachbar play some minutes as SG after mobley, so we don't need a nack up SG. Nachbar can play both SF and SG s he will play both. i'm really looking forward to next year.
I don't think it has so much to do with Rice. I think KT and the Rockets knew at the end of the season that Walt and DL were not coming back, and MT and EG are their primary PF's. I think they planned on KT spending the summer moving towards SF. It makes sense, KT and Rice with Nachbar progressing like EG did last year. It really solidifies both forward positions and offers many options. The team is really taking shape now.
Thomas, who is even slimmer than last season's trimmed-down version, will start training camp at small forward, - JONATHAN FEIGEN Opening day starters? Yao Ming Eddie Griffin Kenny Thomas Cat Steve If Kenny can really handle the sf position then this has got to be our opening day roster. It sounds like Kenny may be in the Rockets long term plans after all. There has not been any legitimate rumors about the Rockets looking to move MoT. Maybe HeyPee had it right when he said the Rockets should keep all three (Eddie, MoT and KT). The best thing out of that article was that the Rockets are through making any big time changes. From now on this group will be allowed to grow together and future adjustments to the team will be limited to tinkering. I love the direction the team is taking and I can’t wait for training camp!
