If I was to pick one player/free agent out there that is more likely to be a Rocket than the others next season, I'd say Lamar Odom. He's not happy with the Clippers, he is good friends with Mo Taylor/Cuttino Mobley, we are running small forward by committee, have a bright future with Yao Ming, and Odom was wearing a retro Astros jersey when he got off the bus at the Compaq Center But the Clippers have the right of first refusal ... so to get Odom you'd have to go through them really. I like Odom, but he certainly doesn't satisfy our need for a shooter. So I'd say Odom. But who knows - that may change next week
HP, Collier is not in the equation. In my original proposal it is under the assumption that we sign a PF/C baner with the MLE. This person takes the place of Collier. This is key! Suppose we get someone such as a PJ Brown or Elden Cambell? How would things look then? As for the "3 guard lineup", you would have that option to run at certain times in the game, but that is not my intention. But the versitility to be able to do it effectively would be a nice thing to have to throw at a team at certain stretches of games in which it would be a matchup in our favor. But by no means would I want that lineup more often than not. Live, yes I am making a "big" assumption on the development in Yao and Eddie! No question. But shouldn't the Rockets have faith in their picks? I think they do. I think they feel like Yao and Eddie will improve in this regard. What I am basically saying is that since Cato plays limited minutes wouldn't it be better to give those minutes to someone via the MLE such as a PJ Brown or Elden Cambell and have the BONUS of having a Jason Terry as a backup guard to spell Mobley and Francis? Everyone is afraid to give up Cato...but would you mind giving him up if you could make up that loss via the MLE getting someone like Brown or Cambell? Anyone?
Ok, considering the source, is anybody else out there having a little trouble closing their mouth right now? A little inside info there, Clutch?
Donald Sterling apparently really likes Lamar Odom. James Posey is the perfect fit at SF, if only he could hit some open jumpers now and then. We'd all be talking about signing him as a FA if we hadn't traded for him.
Deuce, Even though Im opposed to the acquisition of Terry, I agree with the point about trading Cato. I like what Cato has brought to the table this season, but Rudy seems very hesitant to play Cato and Yao together b/c he feels it hurts spacing and such. The ideal player to put alongside Yao to bolster this team's interior defense is someone like Brian Grant or PJ Brown that is a solid defender, plays well in a pick and roll type offense and can nail the mid range shot. This offseason, I wouldnt at all be opposed to dealing Cato, Griffin and/or Mobley if it helped to address this teams key needs: 1. A true PG 2. A tough PF that can defend and hit the mid range shot
Deuce, I'd rather just sign Brown or Campbell to buy Griffin more development time than trade Cato for Terry. But then again, I'd be tempted to pull off a Gooden-Miller type of trade, i.e. 1 star for 2 good players, involving Steve to increase the depth on the team. Tempted is the key word here, however, it doesn't mean I'll do it. (OK, now I know something's wrong. I'm actually in favor of signing Elden Campbell & keeping Kelvin Cato. )
Any Roster improvement this off season must involve the splitting up af the Mobley /Francis Guard Combination! If we keep these two players then the Rockets will never be a Center dominated Team. Any roster improvements must be focused on improving the Big Mans Game! ie:- We need a pass first Point Guard, we need a decent back up at Point Guard, also in the same mold. We need a crack 3pt. shooter to replace a failing Rice.( this could be incorporated in the Shooting Guard) We need assistant coaches that know how to improve the playing ability of our players. We need to know how to 'Swith off on defence and offence etc. etc.'
Sane, in the grand scheme of things I totally agree with you about trying to add one more star/semi-star such as a Brand. I have brought up this point many times in threads saying that the Rockets need to have 3 star level players on their team to compete with the trioka of stars on the Mavs, Kings etc. This allows one of our stars to have an "off night" and we still won't be in trouble and can get through the regular season with a decent record. Getting an Elton Brand would be ideal! Jason Terry and the max? NO WAY will ANYONE give him the max! No chance. He is a good player but no way will he get more than 7 million a year. I just don't see it. Not unless someone like Denver is desperate but I don't see it. Max players in today's marketplace are all stars. Terry is not an all-star. He is below the radar. I am not against a Derek Anderson for this team. He would add nice 2/3 versitility. My whole point of the Jason Terry trade was to add a third guard to our unit that can be a spark off the bench. Derek would fall into that category. Clutch, Lamar Odom is an interesting scenario. The NBA is based on player mismatches and Lamar Odom does offer a lot from the 3 spot giving other 3s in the league trouble with his height and handles. He would probably give this offense more motion as he would add another passer into the lineup. I wouldn't mind getting an Odom but I don't see how we can do it!? Lamar is a restricted FA. I doubt he would sign an offer sheet with the Rockets as the Clippers would probably match. The Rockets have to try to work out a sign and trade to the Clippers. Probably would involve someone like Mobley (Clutch is liking this idea already!) and maybe even Cato since Kandi is leaving. Lamar will probably just sign the one year tender offer with the Clippers and leave after next season. He will be an unrestricted FA then. But the Rockets won't have the cap room to sign him. Even when Rice leaves I think the Rockets will be over the cap. Can anyone think of a viable way to obtain Lamar? Chris
I agree with Yetti, Mobley and Francis, either one or both of them need to be traded. prefer to get a Pass first oriented point guard who can also defend, stop the opposing player's penetration. we also need to get 2 and 3 good outside shooters like what we have in Hakeem's era. an inside outside game, space out. Rockets should try to get Brand from clippers, he will be a free agent at the end of the season. forget about Odom, Mobley and Francis, It will not work with Yao Ming.
Deuce, I also agree with your idea of getting Terry as a 3rd guard, but at 7M? I think it's more likely that Cuttino will be our 3rd guard next year than Terry, who has a choice to start for a winner (FA). Terry won't get the MAX, but 7M is still a lot of money, and I'd rather save that money right now. I've always wanted Odom on this team, but more and more, I'm coming to a conclusion that our SF needs to be able to shoot lights out, and Odom just isn't that player. Besides, Odom is the most likely to stay with the Clippers next season, because their owner will offer him an extension before any of the other players. Here's a trade I came up with, but we don't get rid of Moochie, and he's pretty much still eating cap space without playing, but still: Houston trades: Mobley, Rice and Collier. Houston Recieves: McInnis, Derek Anderson, Bagaric Portland trades: McInnis, Anderson, Patterson Portland recieves: Jalen Rose, Roger Mason, Jason Collier Chicago trades: Rose, Bagaric, and Mason (basically a draft pick) Chicago recieves: Mobley, Rice, and Patterson It still needs some work to match the numbers, but it's pretty close. Rice=capspace, Roger Mason=draft pick, Rose=Pippen replacement, Mobley=cheap experienced backcourt player, Mcinnis=just eating cap space right now, Anderson=useless with Bonzi and Rose. Thoughts on that trade? I think this is the kind of change in the backcourt that MManal constantly speaks of.
remember, the francis, mobley combo have never even get us into play off, championship will be out of questions altogether. look at L.A. Bryant score lots of points, yet the team struggling to win games, it is O'Neil that is the main stay for them to win championship. WE WANT CHAMPIONSHIPS, NOT SELFISH SCORING INDIVIDUAL. ALSO, MOBLEY AND FRANCIS ONLY SHOOTING LOW PERCENTAGE IN THE LOW 40'S. Francis leads the league point guards in turn overs and very often allow opposing player to penetrate into the baskets.
Clutch:- You must not have your thinking cap on this afternoon! Odom, Mobley and Francis would form such an unbreakable clique, that we would never have a Yao Ming Era! You are suggesting a Roster improvement of a player that the two Guards wanted instead of Yao Ming. Remember!!! Its either A Guard oriented team or a Center oriented team, most fans want it to be Yao Mings Team not the Guards!
SHUT UP YAO ONLY FAN, your anti rest of the Rockets posters are the stupidest of the YAO ONLY FAN CLIQUE.
GUYS, DO YOU ALL WANT TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS??? MOBLEY AND FRANCIS, ONE OF THEM OR BOTH OF THEM NEED TO BE GONE !!!!!!!!!! besides Michael Jordon, all championship term starts with A GREAT CENTERS and Big Mans inside
Yetti, Stop making such a fuss over this clique thing. Yao is #1 in Francis' book, regardless of who joins the Rockets. His relationship with Cat isn't as strong as it used to be because of Yao's presence, meaning, Francis would distance himself from Cat before neglecting Yao on the team. I do, however, agree that we need to either bench or get rid of Mobley.
"Can anyone think of a viable way to obtain Lamar?" Well I think there is one distinct possibility to make it work. Assuming Lamar is not happy with the Clipps as Clutch mentioned he would likely not want to sign a long term deal. This basically means that Odom would accept the one yr tender offer then become an unrestricted FA next summer. However, the Clipps are already about to lose Kandi to this routine, and Brand and Odom will be headed down the same road. This would be where a possible sign and trade scenario comes to fruition. Cuttino Mobley is under a reasonable contract which Sterling would probably be ok with b/c it has a couple more yrs left at reasonable dollar values. Cat is slated to make 5.3 mil next yr so a sign and trade for Odom could start at 5.3 mil plus an additional 15% or 6.2 mil. Thus, according to what I calculated, with the annual increases, the Rockets could pay Odom as much as 7 yrs 60 mil. Honestly, I dont think Odom's market value will be any more than that type of salary and probably would be less. I also seriously doubt the Clipps would commit that kind of $$$ to Odom, and its pretty obvious he wouldnt be interested in staying long term with the Clips. The question then is would this combination work for the Rockets? If you take Mobley out of the equation, it could possibly work. The Rockets would need to add a pure shooter and savvy guard like Jon Barry to the backcourt alongside Francis who does not really need the ball and it would be possible. Odom and Ming would be the main initiators of the offense while Steve Francis would concentrate on scoring. I would personally rather go the route of getting a true PG, but this strategy could work with Cuttino taken out of the equation (ie one less player needing the ball).
Odom is a good option if we don't find any good G's to compliment Steve in the backcourt. Odom averages a staggering number of TO's, and they're not off of bad passes. They're just out of a lack of discipline. Also, Odom is injury prone. Add to that the high hopes we have for Boki and the wonderful form T-Mo displayed this year, I'd have to go back to improving the backcourt. Still no comments on my trade proposal? (Last post, 1st page)
Sane, I agree 7 million is a lot. I was looking at that at the upper end. I still like Terry a lot and think he would be great in a guard rotation. I don't see him as a starter. He is a backup combo guard. That is where his value lies in my opinion. As for your trade proposal. Basically you are giving up Mobley and getting McInnis and Anderson. I would take that deal. McInnis gives you back up minutes at the 1/2 (what I was suggesting with Terry) and Anderson starts at the 2 spot. You lose Rice's expiring contract in the trade but you were able to upgrade the backup PG spot and upgrade slightly the SG spot for someone that would fit the team better the way it is currently structured. You would still have the MLE to go out and get a banger PF/C which is what I would have done with my Terry deal and I am sure you would look at with your proposal.
Sane, That trade proposal isnt bad at all and is workable in terms of personnel. Portland would love to get Jalen Rose, and the Bulls wouldnt mind getting Mobley and a veteran like Rice. However, the big question mark in that deal is the luxury tax potential from the Rockets end. Les Alexander has been adamantly opposed to this, and the Rockets would pick up a long term deal in Derek Anderson as opposed to having an expiring Glen Rice. Jeff McInnis was a solid guard before his minutes declined in Portland, and Derek Anderson is a pretty solid all around player. Anderson averages 4.3 APG and only 1.64 TPG which is very good for a SG. McInnis also had a very high Ast to TO ratio in his three seasons with the Clipps.
Translation: Yao Ming Yao Ming Yao Ming Yao Ming Yao Ming, Yao Ming Yao Ming Everyone else can go to hell
