[Clutch Tweet] Rockets insider: change coming, need players with more upside

Genuine upside is needed. Guys who are two dimensional. No need for raw projects. Better veterans can be useful too.

 

Nice to hear that from Clutch,but I wonder why the Rockets are leaking this out?

 

I have a feeling that Battier, Scola and/or Brooks is getting traded. I don't believe that we will be rebuilding but retooling the roster. I think we will get rid these guys for younger talent with upside, but that can help us immediately (proven, but young players). Thabeet (unproven) and Mayo, I would welcome, but I think it will be a Center that no one expects and maybe A.I. or Granger, or some other 2nd tier SF..either way, there may be multiple trades or shake-ups. Hurry up Feb. 24!!!

 

Veterans from young unproven players

Say hi to Mayo and Thabee

 

leeb, you're driving me nuts with your fantasy of Anthony Randolph playing the SF. Please make it stop.

 

Draft picks? Yes plz.

 

Hey tested911,

2-time Defensive player of the Year Mark Eaton called and said he's still enjoying the millions he made playing TALL. :grin:

 

Mark Eaton is appalled at the comparison. The guy average 5.56 blocks per game for a whole season one year.

 

LOL! I know, but that's more in line with Thabeet's potential ( a more athletic Mark Eaton,;Rather than the silly Olajuwon comparisons seen on this board.)

Who ever gets him is going to have to teach how to play TALL 100% of the time.

 

Certainly it's a more apt comparison...but still not a good one.

I think you may also be underrating Eaton's athleticism. He didn't have Thabeet's hops and probably not his straight-line speed, butI think had a much better sense of co-ordination, hence his success and Thabeet's lack thereof so far.

Thabeet is in that zone where he's got the key attributes, but put him at NBA speed (as opposed to college or D-League), and he just needs that extra hint of co-ordination he doesn't seem to have, to me.

 

Eaton was not just tall. To be a good shot blocker, you have to be reasonably smart and have good timing. Just like height, these two things can't be taught.

 

If "upside" means potential, let's look at our roster:

Good upside
Hill
Patterson
Williams
Smith

Some upside
Hayes (Yes, he still has upside. Haven't we seen him improve his game this year?)
Budinger
Lee
Lowry

No upside
Miller
Yao
Scola
Jeffries
Battier
Martin
Brooks

If they are serious about upside, they guys at the bottom category are the ones who will be traded first, with the middle category guys as possible throw-in sweeteners. The top category guys are keepers.

 

been looking forward to the trade deadline since the second week of the season. pretty much sums it up right there...

 

HUH? Dude's timing isn't bad at all. He doesn't have good core strength (Hell you couldn't move Eaton) and he still leaps at fakes when he doesn't have to. (Eaton didn't have the distraction of having hops so he jumped at nothing, which drove Olajuwon crazy!). Thabeet is going to have to learn that he DOESN'T HAVE TO JUMP TO BLOCK OR ALTER A SHOT! Perhaps a guy like Jack Sikma can reach Thabeet & teach him HOW to be effective, he's only 24.

 

Bro, Chuck Hayes is always going to be an undersized back PF. I like "effort guys" too but let's be serious man, no NBA GM is going to use Chuck Hayes & upside in the same sentence.

 

In other words, the more you suck, the more upside you have, as long as you are still young.

No thanks. Upside is overrated in 90 % of the cases. It's the faint hope of the LA Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves of the world.

 

Contract year, possibly his last major contract.

 

GeryWoelfel The word is the Rockets will trade anyone ... except Scola.

 

Screw that, trade Scola too... he deserves a lot better than this.

 

Everyone should be available. I love Scola, Lowry, Battier, etc. But a change is much needed and I just can't and I don't think Les and DM can handle this below average team anymore.