[ESPN Chad Ford] Rockets still have major holes to fill

I think Chad "the boob" Ford is probably talkin about our back up center spot

 

The free-agent frenzy is over, and a number of high-profile teams have a lot to show for it. With NBA spending at an all-time high and trades going down at a frantic pace, there is a growing parity in the league that gives hope to franchises that have had little to cheer about the past few years.

From Boston to Utah to Orlando and even Cleveland, GMs can stand up credibly after a busy summer and tell fans hope is on the way.

With all the focus the past two months on what teams have done in an effort to improve, it's just as instructive to look at what some teams have left to do.

Training camps start in less than a month, and a handful of potential contenders -- including the Heat, Grizzlies, Kings and Rockets -- are heading into the season with major holes left unfilled.

Today, Insider takes a look 10 teams that still need to make another move or two before training camp begins. Do the Heat have enough depth to make Shaq happy? Can the Kings add enough depth to make a difference in the West? Will the Grizzlies finally get their hands on a big man? Here's our take.

#5-Houston Rockets

Holes: Center, small forward, point guard
Skinny: The Rockets pulled off the second-biggest trade of the summer when they swapped three starters -- Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato for Tracy McGrady and Juwan Howard. A combo of T-Mac and Yao Ming should easily get the Rockets into the postseason next year. But you don't make a blockbuster trade like this unless you're gunning for a championship, and the Rockets still have some glaring weaknesses.


Can the much-traveled Mutombo provide the kind of Yao insurance the Rockets need?
Over the past few weeks the Rockets have made some solid moves. The team signed veteran guards Bob Sura and Charlie Ward to help out at the point. The trade for Dikembe Mutombo (to the Rockets for Eric Piatkowski, Adrian Griffin and Mike Wilks) should go through today. But is that enough?

Mutombo, when he's capable of actually playing, is the perfect back-up for Yao. But he hasn't been healthy in two years. There's a reason the 7-foot-2 former defensive player of the year has bounced around Philly, New Jersey, New York and Chicago in the space of two years. Teams aren't convinced Mutombo (who's generously listed at 38) has much left in the tank. Teams keep trading for him, hoping he still has some juice, but lately he has disappointed everyone. This is relevant to the Rockets, because they have no one else to back up Yao. Yao goes through a grueling offseason every year for the Chinese national team and has been incapable, in the past, of giving the team more than 30 mpg.

With Piatkowski out of the mix, Sura likely will be slotted as T-Mac's back-up at the two. That leaves Ward, Tyronn Lue and second-year guard Reece Gaines to battle it out at the point.

 

You know I don't think T-Mac is really on the Rockets yet....

 

i dont know who is stupider:

chad ford and his 'inside info'

or

us for continuously posting his stuff here knowing that the guy is just an idiot

 

How is backup center a major hole?...specifically when we have the 2nd best center in the league. Jesus Christ, you'de think we were the Phoenix "Donut" Suns of the 90's. All we need is a body to throw in there for 10 minutes...

 

a buddy from ATL has been razzing me all weekend about the Rockets' lack of "depth" - all I can say is this

Ford just named 10 teams that have depth needs and I can name 10 more that have worse problems (like Golden State) or who are just plain bad (Chicago) - The truth is MOST teams are not deep, that is why injuries are such a factor in the regular season.

 

He averaged 32.8 mpg last year and 37 mpg in the playoffs.

How does Ford get paid to write this crap?

 

So he listed 3 guys who can play/ battle for the point guard position, excluding Bob Sura. How is that a major hole?
Mutumbo is our backup C, so he's like a hole too? At the very very very least he can play like 10 minutes; 2-3 minute intervals. That's worst case scenario. Howard, Taylor, Padgett or Spoon could play like 5 minutes combined at the C. Other teams question how much he has left in the tank because they don't have the 2nd best Center in the league. And it's 3 seasons seasons, not counting the the 2 years at philly before.
ANd then he goes on to list the SF position. YOu list it but you don't talk about it. What on earth does he mean by it's a major hole? Jim Jackson, Nachbar, Padgett, McGrady/Sura. THere are so many guys we can slide to the 3 position.

 

Thank you for posting the rest. I think the Rockets have the full squad they need to start the season. Mutumbo should be a good addition to help Yao rest during games.

 

You do understand that other than JJ who is on the wrong side of 35 none of those guys are any good, right? Ward, Sura, Nachbar, Padgett are all garbage.

 

dont know why yall doggin ford so much... he's basically questioning deke's durability since he's bee injured so much for the past couple of years. I have to agree trading for deke is a big gamble because at times we might need about 20, 25 min from him, especially when yao's having an off night or get into early foul trouble. If deke is injured, we either have to try to get another backup or move a pf over, which will be pretty ugly...

 

Tell me how many minutes JJ will play. Then tell me how much the others will play combined. I have no intention to discuss with you anything about nachbar because you are a grizzlies fan. Sura can play. He might not be bright but he can play.
And YOU do realize we're talking about major holes, and not our bench, right?

 

Clearly Ford has picked out potential championship contenders and identified the holes that will keep them from winning it all.

In that regards, Chad Ford is right here. Deke as our backup center and the PG potentials are the two main items that will likely keep us from winning it all.

But I think everyone on the board would agree that if what we have takes us to the WCF it would be a successful season gearin gup for a championship run the next year.

Further, if Yao learns to dominate, and T-Mac is as good an all-around team player asmany expect he could be, then those holes this year aren't really that big of a deal and the team may win the championship.

 

Chad Ford is a major hole. And we are going to fill him.

 

The main hole I'd like to fill is Ford's pie hole.

 

first off - JJ is 33

second, let me give you the role players for some other teams in the league

Golden State:
Avery "retired more than MJ" Johnson
Christian "yes, I still get a paycheck" Laettner

Timberwolves:
Oliver Miller
Mark Madsen

Suns:
Steven "I got cut from the Magic" Hunter
Keon "haven't played in 4 years" Clark

Toronto: Robert "who the hell am I" Archibald

Nets: Jacque Vaugn
Ron Mercer AND
Alonzo "one kidney" Mouring


add these to the 10 Ford named and you see a pattern - there are a few (30-40) superstars in the league and even less quality role players... the rest is garbage -


it is now all about getting the best garbage to assist your all stars and role players

 

When the focus of your offense is the center and he only plays 32 minutes a game, the backup is very important. Just look at the Rockets record without Cato last season.

 

But wouldn't that mean that... um... uh... that's... you know, not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm gonna take a pass.

 

Well that's the whole point of the Mcgrady deal. When Yao is sitting, T-Mac can take over the offense. Which is what he is used to and does quite well I might add.