I would prefer that people identify what they think the problems are, and what types of solutions they think could help fix the problems. I think we have beaten the Tmac issue to death, don't you? Do you feel he is the only problem? What about Artest, Rafer, Adelman? I think there are many problems to address...IMHO, that is. DD
GTA, I understand your frustration with Tmac, trust me, I really do....but what do you think the team can do to fix all of it's problems....and, what do you think the problems are to begin with? Thanks, DD
Very good post. I'm not as big on Hinrich as you are, but I think moving Artest and a Luther Head type is a great idea. We can get value back, and you also focus on the bigger picture. With Artest taking games off, is this the type of guy you want to give a contract to next season? Let's get something for him while we can. Keeping TMac makes sense for a variety of reasons (at least in the hsort term). His value will be much higher in the offseason and next year if he's not helping us. Right now, his value is close to nothing
This team is built to win now. So forget all those 2010 crap. It's not like LBJ or Wade is coming here. Or if you really want that 2010 thing, you might want to start to blow this team up since Yao, Artest, Scola have a lot of value now and they may very well be gone in 2010. But too bad Sacramento owns our pick, unprotected. Get real. Nobody is going to trade you Brandon Roy or LMA for McLady. Michael Redd, Vince Carter, RIP, Josh Howard, Crash are possible available players that actually could help us to win something. I totally disagree. Artest has what this team lacks, toughness. If you trade Artest away you might start calling the Rockets the Houston pxxxy Rockets.
Frankly I don't think you can get away from the McGrady issue. If speculation is correct then he's at the root of a lot of drama in the Rockets locker room currently. If you can't trade him then how do you mitigate the problems he brings. Maybe I was being too cute in my last post but essentially the Rockets have benched him for two weeks. Maybe to try and repeat what happened last season where T-Mac sat and the team really took off? Artest, not sure. Not enough information. Rafer's simple--start Brooks. Adelman's the coach and unlike T-Mac/Yao/whoever on the Rockets he's the guy with the track record of success.
Sorry, but we're not going to win with Little-Mac. He's over emotional and a quitter. You can get him on board now, but in due time, he will be pouting again, with a bigger fit. IMO, there isn't a whole lot of great talent in the 2010 free agency. Sure, there are some big names, but they come with big ego's. Many will be more interested in money and location than actual commitment and winning. Play Tmac hard the remainder of the season. Get his trade value up and then trade him for the best deal you can get next year. Injuries have consistently been a problem for a decade. This needs to be fixed, whatever the problem is.
Same here DD. What changed your mind about the leading cause of the Rockets problems? TMac has had all the changes made to make him the focal point and not to hurt his feelings(ego). This guy needs to go I don't care if he is the most talented on the team, he is too much of MeMac not enough of team guy. I rather have players on the team that give a damn about the team. Oh, well we will see what 2wks will get you. Artest and Battier should not be traded period. Stepped up DD and make the truthful call; to ship TMac out of H-Town.
Hinrich is probably the best point guard we could get with Artest and he is not worth it. After all these years of complaining about a lack of a third scorer and finally getting him, you want to trade him away for a shooter? As you've said, we could get someone who 'fits better' at the two or three but I have to ask you - do you think it's Yao Artest doesn't fit with or T-Mac? If it's the former, I definitely don't see it. If it's the latter, I think you have to stop trying to build this team around Yao AND Tracy. Tracy (hopefully) won't be here after next season. But really, how many games have they played together? I don't think any real conclusions can be made about them fitting or not fitting. Anyway, Artest is NOT the problem. Or even a problem.
That's my greatest concern. It took the Rockets several years to finally unburden themselves of all those bad contracts, and I'd hate to see them go down that road again.
That worked last season but he will do well and then he will revert back to his true colors. I don't think has what in Spanish world is known as ganas in his body.
I'm going to shelve trade ideas for this post, since it can go on all day without necessarily getting us anywhere. The team will be cautious in their moves, and are almost certainly not going to make a major win-now trade if it compromises the payroll flexibility they have over the next two summers. I think they've already come up with one good solution - bench McGrady until such a time that he can and WILL participate in all games at full effort. Take the guys left and rally them under the flag. Scola, Landry, Brooks, and Wafer can call expand on their roles and take this as a real opportunity to shine. Hopefully, it spills over into the rest of the season. No more offensive dependency on only Yao, McGrady, and Artest. Yao can get overwhelmed and fatigued. McGrady is unreliable game to game. Artest (like Rafer) can get sucked into a mistaken "I need to bail everyone out" mindset leading to an ill-advised volume-shooting spree. Scola is emerging as a reliable double-double threat, and a nice mobile compliment to Yao on the weakside. Build on this. If he can become a little more consistent game to game (and I think he will), Brooks can really lead the charge and get us in a full court mindset. No McGrady - no need to slow down the ball. Landry has the potential to wreck havoc on offense as long as he stays aggressive. He's one that has more to give than we've seen these two months. It's been fantastic watching Von Wafer come alive. I can't figure out if we're playing with house money or if he's legitimately breaking out. Either way, STOKE THE FIRE. He needs to be careful to stay within his game (no more 7-17 nights, please), but his play may be the most crucial to our coming together without McGrady/Artest. I believe Artest can most easily be reassimilated into the offense, especially if we gell and are on a roll. With Tracy out, take the opportunity to play Adelman ball and prove that it is effective. Make Tracy adapt to the team upon his return. Do NOT go back to catering his volume-shooting tendencies. Evan
T-mac is scheduled to be back January 26th. We have 9 games total before the trading deadline with the team fully healthy IF (yes really big IF) nobody gets injured/re-injured. That isn't enough time for a team to gel but it is enough time to see what we can be capable of at times and to see if T-Mac is going to be commited to actually playing hard. If he isn't then we see what we can do before Feb. 19th.
I have not changed my mind at all about Tracy, but I have stepped back and taken a longer look at the situation and the franchise as a whole. I believe trading him will be hard, and I think what is happening is almost purely a mental deal with him. So, you either jettison him for 10 cents on the dollar, and that is a viable thing, or you start a reclamation project, get him up to a decent speed and you have increased your assets value either in trade or by making the team better. I honestly think Tmac and his knee are like Cole Trickle after his accident in Days of Thunder, he is just scared of what might happen if he drives through that smoke, he needs to pick a line push the accelerator down and go for it. So, what is best for the franchise? An honest case could be made for trading him for 10 cents on the dollar, but to me, before you make that case, you try to work it out so that you can get 50 cents on the dollar instead of 10. Trust me, nothing has changed my opinion about Tmac, I am trying to figure out what is best for the overall team...and how to go about getting the best for the organization. DD
It is unbelivable DD, you are like a woman. You are changing your mind very quickly. But I like that. At least now, you are objective
Just speculating, but I would guess he's more likely to return Jan 28th at home than play in the final game of a 3 game/4 night road trip.
