Locks: Francis Mobley Cato Rice Thomas Griffin Norris Morris Collier Williams Probables: Torres - he's earned a spot with his outstanding pre-season Nwanko - because we need a 3rd center & he's been decent IR Bound: Taylor Langhi - don't think he'll be cut but it's not looking good for him, IMO. Damon Jones - Torres beat him out plus with Moochie back, he's sorta screwed right now. Rockets will probably keep him just in case something happens to their guards.
Manny, Looks pretty good. I think Wiz, TMo or Nwanko could replace DL on the IR. Also, I'm sure CD is looking to move one of our 3s for a 4/5 kind of guy.
IKE, if he makes the team has to go on IR. Langhi is not for IR, simple, unless he is injured. He has to be given the opportunity to a major contributor which he has the potential to do.
I would like to see "IKE" Nwanko on the team. First reason being the fact that he got his nose busted and he wiped up his own blood and didn't tell anyone so he could play. Second, he made a nice outside shot on one of the only chances that he got to shoot. Third, look at the size of his pipes!! We need "D" from the 5 spot. Collier is more of an offensive threat and we are not expecting any offense from Cato other than some serious dunks. We are in need of rebounding, I think IKE could help out here as well as toughness. He is not expected to make the team, but IKE probably would like to make the team and stay on the team. Therefore I believe that he would bust his behind to rebound and play defense.
Nobody has mentioned Tierre Brown (sp?). This kid looked damn good in the one game I've seen him play. I actually like him better than DJones. Since we already have Mooch at backup, cut Damon so he can get get picked up by someone else. Then keep Brown as more of a project. The guy has potential. -krosfyah
Shark, I know what you are saying about Langhi, and I agree with you. However, considering how fragile Collier and Cato are health-wise, we have to have a 3rd Center on the team. Nwanko fills the bill unless Rudy and CD go out and get someone. My hopes of that happening is getting slimmer each and every day. Langhi will probably make the final cut, but IMO, he hasn't deserved it with his play so far.
yea, Brown really looked pretty good...I might rate him ahead of Jones, but we haven't seen enough of Brown.
They'll keep Jones before they keep Brown on the IR. Jones is a PG with NBA experience & he'll definitely net us something in a trade later in the year. He might be a key player in a trade package to land us another 4/5, once Cato takes his rightful place on the IR.
Jones over Brown would also be my guess because I think at least some part of Jones contract was guaranteed (whereas that isn't the case with Brown). Unless Brown is just head and shoulders better than Jones, the cards may be stacked against him.
Manny, I haven't gotten to see Nwanko play, so its hard for me to comment on whether to retain him or not. However, I think CD will try hard to bring in another 4/5 and use one of our many 3s as bait. Wiz offers vet, 3pt capability and a contract that expires in a year. He probably has the most marketability. If he can't pull it off and Nwanko is a decent 5 then he may make the roster. However, more than likely if he makes it he goes on IR and comes off if one of the brittle ones goes down. That's the way I'd play it and I hope CD comes up with a decent 4/5 kinda guy.
IR with Taylor out:Langhi, Taylor, whoever makes the team after preseason IR with Taylor back:Langhi, Jones, whoever makes the team after preseason.
The roster really looks set at 1: Francis, Norris 2: Mobley, Torres 3: Rice, Williams, Morris, Langhi 4: Thomas, Griffin 5: Cato, Nwanko IR: Taylor, Collier Cuts: Jones, Brown Collier was in street clothes last night, so he might land on IR to start the season. If that is the case, Nwanko makes the team. I think Ike has earned it. Ike may rotate with Cato and Collier on the IR this year. Damon Jones should land on his feet and be picked up by another NBA team. I also don't see the Rocks bringing in another wide body. This may very well be the team that the Rocks field for the next several years, except for Walt, who will be gone after this year.
Now that CD's work is done, we can safely say the cuts are going to be: Kelly, Brown and Ike. The full roster, deep and designed for the long haul, should be: 1 Cato 2 Thomas 3 Rice 4 Francis 5 Mobley 6 Willis 7 Griffin 8 Walt 9 Moochie 10 Torres 11 Collier -IR 12 Taylor -IR 13 Morris 14 Jones -IR 15 Langhi
I feel very good about that roster, DearRock. Switch Willis and Cato and I'd feel perfect. I am very excited.
And is goes a little sumthin' lilke dis................. 1-WINK, Norris 2-Cat, Torres 3-Rice, Morris, the Wiz 4-K9, Griffin 5-Cato, Willis, Nwankwo IR: MoT, Collier hurts my heart but thankyou Damon and TBrown you will be missed Peace be with you Mr Kelly
With Willis on board, I'd very surprised to see us keep Nwanko. It's not an impossibility especially if Collier lands on the IR, but as much as I hate to say it, Dan Langhi will be one of the 15 spots. He just isn't going away. My revised depth chart: PG Francis, Norris SG Mobley, Torres, Langhi SF Rice, Williams, Morris PF Thomas, Griffin, Willis C Cato, Willis, Griffin IR - Taylor, Collier, Damon Jones Damon may not be on the IR, but I think the Rockets will try some way to keep him. Also, Langhi and Williams could easily land on the IR and swap with Collier and Jones.
I agree with you for the most part, but I think we might keep D. Jones on the IR and let Nwankwo go - he really didn't impress me due to poor hands and overall bad coordination. I'd like to keep Jones around in case a guard goes down or as midseason trade bait along with Walt. I don't necessarily want to trade Walt, but if our backup 3 (Tmo/Langhi) is coming along nicely and hitting threes reliably, he would be expendable if we had another need. So my only question is our IR list: MoT, Jones and...Tmo or Langhi? Tmo has the advantage of knowing how to play with Steve and is a natural defensive addition, but Langhi (given the minutes) is a more explosive offensive player and is probably ahead in Rudy's system. (By Rudy's rules, you have to lose your place in the system, and if they are looking at the same minutes, Langhi would still be ahead) What I'd like to do is put Collier on IR as well, but that depends if Rudy feels comfortable playing Griffin some at center yet or not. So...who goes on the IR?
From what I've seen we need another 5 incase someone goes down, so Ike stays in my book. Ike can also pick up some minutes at the 4 in case K9 or Eddie goes down. Also, I think Brown played ALOT better than Jones. I also think Brown has more potential than Jones. 5.Cato, Willis, Collier 4.Kenny, Eddie 3.Rice, Morris, Langhi 2.Cat, Torres, Walt 1.Wink, Norris IR- Taylor, Ike or Brown D. Jones and D. Kelley can try next year.
Just from the this preseason it looks as though Rudy's staff is comfortable with Ike on the floor. He hustles and bangs that is all they want from a 3rd center. Jones has been in the NBA 5 years and started most of the games albeit for the Grizzlies last year. He is waisting his time on our roster because are not enough minutes for a guard of his abilities on this years Rockets. If we unfortunately lose a guard to injury this year I can see Tierre Brown signing a few 15 day contracts to fill in temporarily. He has great court vision and plays Moochie almost as well as Moochie himself. LANKY needs to be traded or cut Torres,Morris,Rice, and the Wiz do what he does only better and a great deal of things he cannot do. At 39 Willis is a better runner than Cato and Collier simply do to his superior conditioning.............If only Collier could run
