[Done Deal] Rockets dealing Juwan Howard for Mike James

Well, they sort of addressed a weakness by exacerbating another but I don't want to quibble over the details because it's become clear to me that folks are so desperate for something good around here they will accept anything this organization shovels their way. If you actually believe that picking up a 32 year old shoot first point guard is going to work against the competition they face in their division and conference, then nothing anyone says to the contrary will matter.

You are mistaking my disappointment for bitterness. As I told Clutch earlier, i have completely lost all faith in this organization's ability to turn this thing around. Today's big trade does nothing to restore any of that lost faith. While this type of move does make them somewhat better at the point considering how bad things were there before, I have to question whether that improvement will actually translate into something meaningful on the court. I've read the posts here and I simply don't see how the addition of another undersized guard will make can make that much of an impact despite the fact he can create his own shot. I know that they aren't quite finished making changes yet so I'm prepared to wait until the fall when they have the final team assembled before I come to some hard conclusions. But if you and others like you truly believe that this move is one that should be celebrated, then by all means, go ahead and celebrate.

 

Well, I'd probably feel the same as you if we didn't end up paying the trade kicker. Said nutball still got paid either way.

 

You guys are sure mean!

 

A fat Quentin Tarantino, without the style.

edit: Damn it, I was thinking of Morey!

 

To me, he's always reminded me of Louis Gossett, Jr.

Of course, that would the MUCH younger, goateed, full tooth grinning version of Louis Gossett, Jr! Obviously not today's version!

The grin is key, though.

 

He would have got paid without a kicker from the Rockets too, just like all the other players who sign with us. Money was never an issue. The issue was tradeability (and MJ's ego).

 

This is a good move. Trading a guy who way underperforms his salary for a guy who can actually be a key contributer playing a position we lacked depth in last season.

Mike James is a PG. He breaks down defenses, hits outside shots, and sets up team mates. He's also very good in transition.

I don't think our FO is even close to finished. They left a huge hole at PF that they must fill with high quality talent. I have faith that they will get something done and we will finally have enough talent to surround Yao and Tracy with.

 

With James in the fold, I think
- James is our starter
- Chuck hayes returns as our starter. Among Tmac, Yao and James, there won't be many shots to go around and Hayes and Battier are exactly the types of guys we need with that unit. I'd like to add a PF with some scoring ability with all/part of the MLE
- James is well suited to slide over to the SG spot every once in a while, when Rafer comes off the bench. James can go into his Jackitup mode.


I don't care whether you are Hillboy or from the Land of Eternal Optimism and Sunshine --- I don't see how anyone can be against this trade. James is flat out a better player than Howard, particularly in the playoffs where ability to create, shoot 3's, provide perimeter defense and get to the hole are at a premium.

Also, it FORCES management to make a change at PF. It was certainly possible that mgmt could have returned Howard and Hayes. I have a hard time beliweving that Howard's replacment won't outproduce him.

 

With the way the Rockets are assembled there are a couple key things to remember here:

1) With t-mac on the roster they can get away with a combo guard like james who hits open shots at the point.

2) The Rockets are never going to be under the cap with yao/t-mac on the roster so worrying about contracts is silly.

 

Come on man. He was in the depository.


On a more serious note. I didn't think the trade kicker came into play until after the 2nd or 3rd year. Anybody remember that?


On another note. This trade makes us better on both ends of the floor. Defensively, James is a serious upgrade over Rafer and we don't have to worry about Juwan being stuck in 2 5-gallon tubs of peanut butter waddling around the floor just trying to stay close to his man. Offensively, we are night and day better with James at the very least cutting Rafer's minutes down to 20 max and possibly being able to move Rafer. We don't lose a thing offensively at PF either. I am so sick of that line drive jump shot clanging out and igniting the fast break for the opponent, I hope I never see it again, except when he's trying to throw that thing over us when we play the Wolves and James and VSpan getting the run outs off it.

 

We gave up a player that hurts you being on the court for a player that can help us a lot. I bet MJ puts up at least 15 ppg and 4 asts next yr. Juwan is no longer an NBA caliber player.

 

Oh that is funny! You guys are amazing!

 

If Mike James does become our 6th Man & Bonzi Wells stays here. We'll have a pretty deep bench. I mean, Mike James, Bonzi Wells, & Luther Head could probably start for many other teams in the league.

 

that's some fantastic news right there. i thought everyone said we'd have to use the mle on him if he wanted more than the minimum, but i'm going to assume you're right.

 

i will always remember the efforts J Howard put in for the team, and his professionalism in basket sport, always a great Houston Rocket

Welcome back M James, but i hate the fate that we have to loss J Howard to get him

 

MJ and Bonzi whales could be starters of some teams in the league. Head is always a bench player.

 

when I saw the name 'Justin Reed' I immediately thought, "when did Willis reed come back into the league? Is he an assitant coach?" at least we get another big body for 6 fouls or double teaming.

 

Updated Article With Howard Quotes:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...p-rockets-timberwolvestrade&prov=ap&type=lgns

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- As far as Juwan Howard is concerned, his move to Minnesota should have happened four years ago.

Back then he was a free agent coming off a big year in Denver, and the Timberwolves were high on his list of suitors. He chose Orlando instead, spending one year there before being traded to Houston.

"Even though I did not sign with Minnesota, it always was in the back of my mind when I was in Orlando (and) I second-guessed my decision," Howard said. "Nothing against Orlando, but I felt I should have signed with Minnesota."

Finally, Howard is in the Twin Cities. In the first of what could be several moves to shake up its roster, Minnesota shipped disgruntled point guard Mike James and swingman Justin Reed to the Rockets for Howard, and the 34-year-old veteran can't wait to get here to help Kevin Garnett.

Howard grew up in Chicago, where Garnett played his final year of high school before jumping straight to the pros in 1995. The two worked out together in the offseason and became friends.

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"He and I have a lot of respect for each other," Howard said in a telephone interview from his son's basketball camp in St. Louis. "Not only that, we're familiar with each other on the court, playing against each other for many years. We both come out and bring our lunch pail to work night in and night out. We're both fierce competitors."

For most of last season, Garnett openly pined for another veteran in the front court, someone to take some of the attention away from him in the post, and some of the burden off him in the locker room.

Chemistry was a problem for the Timberwolves last season, both on and off the court.

"Being a veteran who has spent 13 years in the NBA, I have a lot of experience," Howard said. "That being said, I think it's important for me to come in and be a positive influence in the locker room as well as on the court."

Howard averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in just over 26 minutes a game for the Rockets last season, but those numbers jumped to 13.6 points and 6.5 boards when he was inserted in the starting lineup for the 32 games that Yao Ming was hurt.

Timberwolves basketball boss Kevin McHale said Howard is coming to Minnesota to "help stabilize the locker room and help stabilize the team, and it balances out our roster a little bit, so it was a good deal."

Last season, the Wolves had a glut of guards on the roster.

James was a disappointment in his lone season in Minnesota. He signed a four-year, $23 million contract with the Wolves after a breakout year for Toronto, serving as Minnesota's lone notable free-agent acquisition last offseason. The Timberwolves hoped his swagger and sharp shooting would fit in well with a team that needed a fourth-quarter scorer and 3-point shooter.

But the team and the player never meshed. James found it difficult to secure consistent playing time on a team with four point guards -- himself, rookie Randy Foye, Troy Hudson and Bracey Wright -- and another guy in 6-foot-7 Marko Jaric who fancies himself one. James scored 10.1 points a game, less than half of his output the year before in Toronto.

Unhappy with his spotty minutes, James went to McHale when the season ended to voice his displeasure.

"Mike did not have the type of year that Mike wanted to have," McHale said at a season-ending news conference. "And he didn't fill the role for us that we had hoped that he would fill as far as spreading the court and making those shots."

James' struggles only exacerbated a disastrous season for the Wolves in which coach Dwane Casey was fired and they missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

"I just never really found a niche for myself in that organization," James said. "Because of that, instead of focusing on my game, I was focusing on other things and that affected my game."

The trade brings James back to Houston, where he played 26 games in 2004-05. He nearly signed with the Rockets before last season and loves the area so much that he was planning to build a home in Houston for his family even before the deal was completed.

"To be playing in the same city that I'm calling home now, it's definitely a good feeling," James said. "Being somewhere where I'm wanted and want to be, I'm excited about that also."

James' return also calls into question the status of Rafer Alston, who was badly outplayed by Deron Williams in the Rockets' first-round loss to Utah in the playoffs.

"Obviously, there's more competition for minutes," Rockets GM Daryl Morey said. "He was playing near 48 minutes in the playoffs and there will be some more competition."

AP Sports Writer Chris Duncan in Houston contributed to this story.

 

Howard seems surprisingly optimistic about being in Minnesota. I don't get it. He probably wont even see the playoffs. Blount plays almost exactly the same style, how will Howard even make an impact? I would actually rather have Blount than Howard.

 

He's just being PROFESSIONAL. Howard is always a pro.