[CHRONIC] The Rockets don't appear to be a factor with star players

Totally agree, or hope one of your young players becomes one.

Right now we have a couple of chances, though probably long shots.

DD

 

If we pull of the trade for Iggy discussed in the other thread, then we will instantly be a more attractive destination for other players. And we will still have trade assets left over.

 

Good lord, not another tanker

Tanking is less than 1% effective. It can be proven mathematically. But Tankers never listen. It's like a religion.

 

WHY CANT HUMAN THREAD STARTORS BECOMES MORE CREATIVE??1!!

 

Normally I would agree, but I am not sure there are any equivalent level (championship leading superstars) in next years draft.

 

Since Yao's health is a question mark, maybe the way to convince Paul to come to Houston is to agree to bring Okafor along. Not to mention, him playing with someone that he has been used to playing with already would make the transition that much more comfortable for him.

 

The players really don't have the ultimate say until FA. Contracted players are at the mercy of the organization in most cases.

 

Not really, most GMs are not going to trade for a guy unless they want to sign an extension, it is just massively risky to do that.

DD

 

Vince Carter whined and underachieved his way off the Raptors. Baron Davis did the same to the same Hornets team. And lets not forget how the Houston Rockets got Tracy McGrady.

**** like this has happened before many times. Chris Paul, too, can cancer his way out of New Orleans if he wish. The question is whether really wants to join that crowd.

 

As much as people hate the thought of tanking, all you have to do is go back and look at the history of the NBA free agency to realize that most teams get really good because they draft an elite superstar type player, and that elite superstar type player helps them bring in other star players. It's even more true now. Yao is not an elite superstar player right now. If he averages 20 and 10 next season, maybe he will be again, but with his minutes being limited, that seems unlikely. Free agents aren't going to come here and stars aren't going to want to be traded here until we have a bankable, reliable top 10 star. The only way to get one of those without free agents or trades is through the draft. Either you get lucky with a late pick, trade up for a high pick, or tank.

If we look at some of the recent champions:

Lakers drafted Kobe (draft day trade)
Miami (drafted Wade, who became a superstar, which is why Shaq went there)
Boston (tanked for Duncan, ended up with Pierce, without him KG and Ray Allen wouldn't have gone there, Pierce ended up Finals MVP)
Spurs (tanked for Tim Duncan, got 4 titles out of it)

The idea that you can get your top player through free agency or a trade is not likely based on the history of the NBA. The top player has to already be here for other top players to want to come.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_NBA_Draft

And

13th pick Kobe Bryant was 13th Pick not resulting from TANKING. Shaq the FA didn't sign to play with KOBE.

 

I just don't see adding a CP3, or Melo can help us that much. We don't have problem scoring, 2009-2010 Rockets scored 102.4ppg, but gives up 102.7ppg. Wide open middle, getting out rebounded, opponents having layup drills everynight is what really killed us. I rather see us going after a defensive big like a camby, okafor, even a rookie like Cole Aldrich. Just imagine replacing Chuck/Scola with one of them at center last season, we could easily won another 10 close games pushing us into the playoffs. With a defensive big helping Yao, i see us going much further than adding a star PG/SG/SF position. Imaging if Lakers traded Gasol/Bynum and got CP3/Melo, now starting Mbenga at center, would they beat Boston a month ago? Hello no, they'd be outrebounded by 10-15 a game, Boston be scoring at will in the paint.

 

Once again, I didn't say we have to tank. I said we have to get lucky with a later pick (as the Lakers did), trade up for a higher pick, or tank/have a bad team. The Rockets most likely route since they aren't going to tank is to get lucky with a later pick or trade up for a high pick.

 

And I also said that LA/NY are exceptions because players will give up better options to play there. Shaq went to LA because at the time he wanted to be a movie star and wanted to be in LA. Houston doesn't offer those types of glamorous options.

 

This is why i say we pursue Okafor instead of Paul. Look, i know his contract is ridiculous, but will any of that matter if were to win championships with him? No, i don't think so. Adding another big would benefit the team more now than a better PG. Not only woud he cancel out our Yao problem immediately, he would also play great next to Yao or Miller. We could always use more rim defense and rebounding.

 

I don't understand the whole "I'm going to throw away everything and join with another superstar" approach that is suddenly so popular. I don't see how it would be good for young talent or the league in general. While it may be good for the city with the superstars (Heck, I would love Paul and Yao here together) it probably wouldn't be good in the long run. I would say to Chris Paul, get out of your agents circle can come back to earth.

 

And the sand will shift back when the owners push for a franchise tag. If the league thinks fans will continue supporting a product where 20% of the teams have 90% of the stars they are sadly mistaken, but I think they already know this.

 

What did he ever do to you??

 

Acquiring draft picks through trades is the way to go. Then you have the option of getting lucky in the draft, or combining and flipping your picks and assets for a current star.

When you tank, you only have 1 option. Get lucky by drafting a HOF'er and praying that he improves every year and never gets injured.

When you examine the history of draft picks, it only takes a little bit of grade-school math to realize that tanking is astronomically dumb. The odds are stacked so much against you that only the most delusional minds would even consider it as a viable option.

 

I honestly think karma will set things right. Lebron, Wade and Bosh are trying to take the easy road to a ring. It isn't the same thing as Jordan and Pippen (Pippen was a nobody who worked his way into being a star player) or Boston's big three (all three of those guys gave their all for a decade and were on the downside of their careers when they joined forces. Not to mention, Boston brought Garnett and Allen in, they didn't get together like a bunch of girls and decide to all to the same place.)

Hard-working, balanced teams with chemistry will always prevail. I honestly believe this short-cut to a ring is going to blow up in their faces and discourage other players (with heart) who are considering the same.

Eventually, an elite player will see what we have in this Rockets team and "bring his skills to Galveston Beach."