[Done Deal] Rockets dealing Juwan Howard for Mike James

Good trade, hope Mike James returns to form next year, think he has more left in the tank than Juwan.

Moved JHO at the perfect time, played well enough, at times this past season to give him value but he's on a very fast down slide.

Now lets see who we get to fill the 4 spot.

 

I'll try to happy about having James. But, I think he's a big chemistry risk. I wish they had set sights elsewhere. I don't blame the Rockets for not giving him the trade kicker in the first place, since I didn't want him around, but getting him back now, I have to wonder if they're closing the barn door after the horse has gone out. Last season was the attempt to go deep. I'm hoping next season they try to develop a deeper roster. I don't know if picking up a 32 year old guard is really building for the future.

 

Plus, don't forget that Minny has to pay that trade kicker. That's what made the money so close. The downside is that they are trading away a 2 year contract for a 3 year contract. If MJ's skills suddenly go on the decline, they will be right back where they were with Howard: an aging player with diminishing skills who carries a big contract.

 

I agree he is a chemistry risk, but this team clearly needs a loose cannon to shake the doldrums out of the nice guys.

We have too many nice guys, we need some killers, and MJ fits that bill.

We need dangerous players that rock the boat a bit....IMO.

He is a little nutty, but overall harmless, unlike Artest or Stephen Jackson etc.......

DD

 

Sincerely,

The San Antonio Spurs


where does this notion come that you need jackasses who threaten chemistry to win?

 

Yes, but when I say killers I really mean competitors, the Spurs nice guys seem to all be killers already.

The Rockets need more guys not afraid to lose and who want to step on their opponents throats when they are down.....that is the type of player I am talking about, and believe that MJ is one of....

His chemistry stuff does come from his ego, but most of his arrogance etc seems to be harmless.......IMO

DD

 

I was surprised to see last night that we made a move so early. I still feel indifferent about the trade. I was hopeing we could packag Juwan along with a few other players for a more significant player, but what is done is done. Let's just wait if this move prohibits us from moving for other pieces.

 

Ginobli/Bowen are not exactly "nice" guys on the court. They do whatever it takes to win.

 

It definitely makes them younger and more athletic. We drop Juwan who is one of the oldest and the worst athlete on the team for a PG/SG that can shoot and drive to the hole effectively. Although he is a little older, he doesn't have the same wear and tear that players his age do. Its not like we won't go after an athletic PF now. I like Juwan but getting rid of him for a valuable player is a good deal. Now we can set our sights on an athletic PF if need be through a trade or the draft. I am a little scared by James because I am not a huge fan of him person wise but player wise he definitely has talent and heart when he is in the right situation. I still think the fact that we got rid of Juwan is a huge plus. Having him on our team means you have to have him in the rotation even though there are better options out there.

 

It is a really give and take between nuttiness (don't know if that is a word) and talent. I would rather go high risk and bring in Artest than have MJ. In the end, we might have both. We can only hope.

 

Firstly, that's mj, not MJ. Majic Johnson, Michael Whassisname are MJ.
Secondly, I agree (gasp) with the premise of your post.

 

Supposedly he and TMac have gotten over there deal....

as long as it stays good with TMac it will be fine,

But I don't want James to start the rift again with TMac... hopefully Adelman will talk to Tracy...

 

They never had a riff. This is an out of control rumor that people ran with, even when others posted pictures of them together that summer hanging at one of Tracy's party's.

 

Well, at least I've been consistent in what I believe. Yes, I keep going back to this because that episode is the point in time where everything went completely off track for this team and this organization. That's when the gap between them and the rest of the WC started to grow and grow. And they have continued to compound mistake upon mistake (trading away Kenny Thomas so EG wouldn't have to look over his shoulder and be the man, the years in the lottery with nothing to show for it (Yao was a gimme), gutting the team in the Tmac trade and never repairing the damage) because of their refusal to acknowledge and learn from the mistakes of the past. No, their "solution" is to pretend that the organization has done no wrong and shift the blame to the head coach. First it was Rudy T and then JVG. Adelman will be next.

I'm sorry to rain on your parade here but this move just makes them look stupider than ever to me (and that's saying something because my opinion of this organization was quite low to begin with) and is simply not enough to even begin to close the talent gap management has created in the past 6 years. Hey, if this move makes you folks happy then I'm glad for you. All I can say is that from where I sit, I don't see how this makes them younger and more athletic and better able to match up with the big dogs in the West. I'm just not cool with the idea that in order to go forward, they first have to go backward.

 

So who else are we getting in the James deal?

So who else are we getting in the James deal?

Juwan's salary in 07/08 is 6.8 million

James's salary in 07/08 is 5.6 million

I thought the salaries in a trade had to match within a small percentage and I don't think 1.2 million is that small. So they would have to throw someone in or it's a mulitiple player deal on both sides? Or am I wrong on this?

 

Im not quite sure what to think yet. MJ certainly didnt have a good year last season, i just hope it was b/c of a bad situation and not b/c his game is diminishing. That being said, rafer and MJ should fill out the pg position well (assuming rafer isnt dealt). I still start rafer and bring james off the bench for scoring but overall they will get about the same p.t. I also has a little apprehension about the contract length...i just think in 2 years we will be in a similar position with he as we were with howard (older guy that still produces a little in a limited role but makes a pretty good dollar figure).


I think its a positive move for now, but its also dependant on what else happens...i wouldnt nearly rejoice as much as some are. Rockets have way too many pgs and undersized sgs and not nearly enough front line guys, so that would obviously seem like the next position to address.

 

This is true, but Juwan was not exactly a force at power forward. Before the trade we desperately needed help at both the PF and PG.

 

I thought they had to match within 125% (or maybe it's 120%). The difference (if the numbers are an exact 6.8 million and 5.6 million) is roughly 121.4%.

 

it works according to the espn trade machine

 

this trade works.

i think the incoming salary has to be within 125% of the outgoing salary which happens here.

now the report that said the teams are still talking about possibly adding a couple other players into the deal, but they have agreed that at the very least howard for james will get done.

so who are those other players? surely they are no one who gets significant playing time. otherwise they wouldn't be thought of as 'throw-ins'.

my guess is the rockets would like to get craig smith for novak or lucas...maybe with a future pick involved.