I wouldn't like this deal nearly as much if we go the sign and trade route. Our trade-able assets are so slim right now, and I wouldn't even think about touching our 1st rounder for James. Our first decent first rounder since Yao, and it's going straight towards infusing our team with a young talent on a cheap rookie scale contract. Of course I fear that it will shake out similar to the Damon Stoudamire scenario from last year. James will want to come here if we work out a sign and trade, but if that doesn't work then he'll go with the highest bidder. I wouldn't blame him. His production and efficiency the past couple of years has been much more valuable than his salary. And with this being his last big contract, he'll try to set himself up as much as he can.
Yo, this guy is good, and if he stated that he REALLY wants to be part of the Rockets, I really think that we should give him a chance, it's not like that he can't play ball, in fact, I think he call ball better than anyone on the court except Yao and TMAC (when his on the court). Jame is a very sharp shooter, he can create his own shot and his very tough player, this is the kind of players that we need to compete against teams like the Suns and the MAV. Again, after being kick out by the rox, he still got the self esteem and heart to stated clearly that he wants to be part of the ROX, he deserve to be on part of the Rox more than anyone except Yao.
I think I've made it clear in other threads that I think Mike James is just a little bit egotistical, and that I would not have wanted him as the starting PG for this team this past season. With that said... I would have to consider bringing him back if he would accept the MLE and accept the role of THIRD scorer. I think both of those requirements, even though we have Tracy and Yao, are long shots for James. He can definitely score when he gets the shots, and he was 4th in the league in 3pt % this season so there's definitely potential for him to be a very good pick up. Again, it all comes down to if the price is right and if he will accept the right role. That's what it's always been about with my opinion of Mike James, but he hasn't done much to change that...yet. Time will tell as the summer grows longer.
when a player publicly says things like 'Houston is home' and that his focus is coming back home, that kind of stuff prevails over money. it's not just about Mike James himself, it's about his family also. Stoudamire situation was slightly different. he was choosing between the place he wanted to be (Houston) for LLE vs Memphis for $17M through 4 years. i think James would be choosing between salary starting at ~$5M and $6-7M. i really like the prospect of having Alston AND James. one of them would be coming off the bench (IMHO preferably James) but sporting a backcourt with those two would be a major PITA for many teams in the NBA. with the signing of James and drafting a tall, athletic SG with our 1st rounder one more thing we need to add is a PF with 3pt range, if possible with our early 2nd round pick (?).
I like this team and CD would have a chance to correct two mistakes, letting MJ go in the first place and signing Stromile Swift.
any way we could make this into a poll...to see how many people on this board would prefer to see james back as opposed to not...im curious to see the results(even though i believe a large majority of the people want him back)
This is like dumping your gf (James) for a supposed hotter girl (Alston) and your Ex getting really hot and still wanting you back. Sorry about the bad 3:30 AM drunken analogy but Wow! If James' hearts in Houston bring him back!
Damn I was so surprised and happy when I read the title of the thread. Anyways, I would love to have him back as long as he takes the money under the cap, I mean, if he really wants to come back, he should probably take the MLE. As for V-Span, there was news that he didn't even want to come to the Rockets next year so we can get MJ in exchange.
Sad to think we could add a quality player like James and have to blow our MLE to do it..... yet if we would have kept him we would have had his Bird Rights and be able to sign him AND have the MLE for someone else. But that's water under the bridge now. Being realistic, who is out there in FA that we could obtain with the MLE? I dont think there are a lot of quality FAs out there that are in MLE price range. Those wanting guys like Bonzi and Vlad Rad, forget it. They will get more than MLE, probably from their own teams. I have brought up names like Rasual Butler & Jumaine Jones, as guys the Rockets could sign that would bring 3pt shooting and some length and athleticism. You could get either of those guys for around HALF the MLE. In terms of guards you have guys like Speedy Claxton, Bobby Jackson and of course Mike James. With James, at least we know what we would be getting. He really is a younger David Wesley. Yes James has an ego, but really that FIRE is something this team needs. I am not overly enamoured with having an Alson/James backcourt because the lack of size is a problem. If we were able to draft Roy/Carney/Gay then I would be ok with it. That way we at least have some size waiting in the wings. As for V-Span.....clearly to sign him we have to dip into MLE money. I want him here because from what I have read his game would really help this team in terms of dribble penetration and creating shots. But if we have to wait one more year then so be it.
This is great!. with James, we get a guard who can play the 1 spot or the 2 spot. i say let Wesely go and start James at the 2. Alston James Tracy Swift Yao little small in the backcourt i know, but we finally get that offensive punch that might take us over that hump.
i really think we need to sign him with the MLE because he can bring a legit 3pt threat to this team. btw does anyone know how much cap space we have left to sign free agents? I know wesley's contract is off, and so is barry's, and DA's.
A choice between what we know James can do and what we hope Spanoulis can do is not much of a choice. Especially since V-Span can still come over next summer. Like others have said, add James and draft a big SG/SF type and we've definitely narrowed the talent gap to the elites. Given how the NBA is directing it officiating slant, James immediately adds valuable transition speed and aggressive to the basket moves. Plus, James is a pit-bull mentality the Rox seriously lack since he and Sura stopped being our PG's. Also, James and a tall SG/SF addition allows the Rockets to respond well on those rare occassions (like the Suns) where you can/need to play McGrady or the other SG/SF at Power Forward. Sort of like the Clipps using Livingston, Cassell, Mobley and Maggette to surround Brand at C. Or how the Mavs are using Dirk at C and Josh Howard at PF with Terry, Harris and Daniels on the perimeter. Beyond how nice it would be to add James, I am hoping this article brings a flush of red-faced embarrassment to each and every poster who thoughtlessly proclaimed that "the Rockets wouldn't be able to keep him". What part of Early Bird Rights were you missing? What part of him wanting to badly play with TMac and Yao were you missing? His torching us as a Raptor alone was evidence enough that he wanted to be here and was genuinely hurt.
Doesn't anybody find this just a little bit questionable in light of the fact that all season long he was saying he wanted to stay in Toronto and play with Bosh? Now that the season is over, he comes out with this? Wonder what Bosh and Toronto is thinking now?
We still have the Full MLE which equates to roughly around 4.6 Million. thats not gonna fetch you a Wells, but if Mike is willing to take a slight paycut, it should be enough to entice him with a 3 year deal. i said earlier( couple of months ago) james will want to comeback here since his wife is an Houstonian.
True. Do you think BC made it abundantly clear to him and his agent that he didn't want them around? I remember after he came in there, he kinda waffled publicly on whether or not they wanted to bring James back and whether or not he fit what they wanted to do. I would prefer to work a S&T too. Does anybody think we could pull off something like a re-signed MJ and Mo Pete for our #1, either Howard or Swift, Lampe, Sura plus a future #1 pick? Then we've got the MLE to pick up a PF, possibly somebody like Gooden.
Sounds like a ploy to get more money out of Toronto. I’m kind of on the fence about bringing James back, especially if he asks for a 5 year deal. On the one hand, we’re probably not going to get a better player than him for the MLE. Even if he doesn’t work out, he would give the team a decent trade asset. On the other hand, I really want next season to be THE season the Rockets finally decide to completely commit to making this a youth oriented team and actually try to develop some young players. Passing on Spanoulis and possibly another young player we could get for the MLE for 31 year old Mike James wouldn’t really send a good message.
