BTW, Damon Jones is averaging 10 points a game with a 45% 3 point shooting average. Stan Van Gundy should thank his brother.
wth? come on man... if you are going to blast somebody, at least make the fact straight. I'm sure Sura could have scheduled his surgery at the start of offseason when he doesn't have any injury at the time... -- and I believe this is my first time using the rolleyes icon in 2 years...
Last year there were multitude of threads about how young we were and it didn't matter if we were pissing away draft choices. In fact many argued draft choices were "bad" because they were guaranteed salaries and other ridiculous statements. It's amazing how people's perception change as things that used to mask our problems or seemed insignificant are suddenly uncovered. Yes we traded away a legitimate NBA all-star, a good role player and a good backup center for McGrady. People use the trade as an excuse to rationalize why we don't have more talent. The main reason we have no depth and not enough talent is because of all the poor personel manuevers by CD and the Rockets scouts. McGrady more than makes up for Francis. Mutombo is as adequate as Cato - who was a complete offensive liability. It basically comes down to Cat. Cat by himself does not change a team from borderline playoffs to championship contender. It's the absence of Cat in conjunction with the lack of depth that existed before the trade was made. We've needed a legitimate backup PG for the last 3 seasons - someone to play 20 quality minutes. We never addressed that issue because management screwed up Moochie's contract and handed him the job. Once he signed for the big bucks, we had to play him and never groomed another young player to fill in for Steve. The result of this was Francis and Mobley both averaged a ridiculous 40+ minutes per game because Moochie sucked so bad. When we finally dumped Moochie, we inherited Spoon - who is also bench fodder. When we traded Francis and Cat, there was no one to take their spot. That's when management decided it was a great idea to offer a medicore over-the-hill PG a 3 year contract, similiar to what we did with Piatkowski the year before. We've never had a legitimate PF since Thomas left. Even before Taylor injured himself, he was never a proficient rebounder. We were hanging all of our hopes on Griffin before he imploded. Rather than addressing the PF issue (either due to lack of creativity, lack of scouting or salary cap constraints), last year we stuck a backup C into a role he was never comfortable or competent to play. Lastly, we only looked to add veterans or overseas longshots, (none of whom have so far panned out) because our singular aim was the playoffs and nothing else. All of these things existed before the trade. So what happens next? As Yao and McGrady improve their chemistry, this team will get better and will probably be 1st round playoff fodder. There is a huge gap between playoff fodder and championship team. We need to add 1 quality free agent and get lucky in the draft. If we screw up either, we'll waste Yao and McGrady's prime years.
I also support firing both CD and JVG. I don't think that makes me a "traitor". I want a better team. I'm disappointed with both and think we can do better. I don't support Yao leaving. I want him here. I think Yao and Tmac can get a trophy. I think CD and JVG are in the way. CD : It looks like Steve Patterson did a better job in the GM chair than CD has. He took risks on castaways. He picked up late round talent. He didn't lock the Rockets into bad contracts with guys getting too much, too long, too old. He got some trophies with Hakeem and some magic beans. Popovitch has done a heck of a job, too. Have we got any international players like SA? Do we have a Tony Parker? Shoot - do we have a Bruce Bowen? In short - we can do better - with more scouting, a more aggressive front office working the phones, less sentimental error. JVG : Just a horrible fit for finesse superstars. We've done this already. On top of that, a horrible media and fan person. Combine his character weaknesses and fear of risk with CD's tendancy to overpay and overextend vets while ignoring youth, and you have a bad, bad map for a franchise future. The loyalist colonists can rally round the King and his redcoat minions, but the future is the revolution. Bring it on. This once great franchise will rise again, when we jettison this dead weight, that taxes us so unfairly.
HEAT Sign Damon Jones http://www.nba.com/heat/news/djones_presser_040810.html Why Miami, when you know you might not start, not have as many minutes as you might have had somewhere else? My goal, the reason why I play this game is to win. I know that minutes are something that all players aspire to have but when you look at this situation it is very intriguing. We have Shaquille O’Neal and what he has done for guards throughout his career from Penny Hardaway, Derek Fisher to Kobe Bryant. It fits my style of play, I shoot the basketball extremely well, I would think you cannot play Shaquille O’Neal one on one so there for there might be shots out there wide open and hopefully I can continue my streak and make them. Its intriguing from that stand point and I think the organization as a whole is known for winning and I have a desire to win. is what i read
If the team is still run by CD and JVG. Everybody should leave, Yao, TMac, and every single fan. As fans, we pay money and spend time on this team, who has the right to label us as "TRAITORS"? The real traitors are CD and JVG, who collect paycheck, fat ones, from the team and meanwhile, ruin this team. According to your defination, TMac blackmailed Orlando and got traded to Houston, Is TMac qualified to be a "TRAITOR"?
Heh heh... A "Rocket fan?" Lets see....First, you have NBA League Pass why? HOUSTON Rockets? Nah. It's because of Yao. You would not be here if it wasn't for Yao. Next, you will dedicate your time that if JVG (and CD) is not fired, that you will push fan opinion that HOUSTON, is not a "fitable [sic]" place for Yao? Wow! Are you are actually threatening Houston fans? Oh, ok...yeah, sure you're a HOUSTON Rocket fan. You are only a Yao fan. And an extremist one.
Is Yao still a Rockets player? Should Yao and Houston coprosper? If the Houston team goes nowhere, should Yao find a "better" place, like TMac just tried, very recently? Do you mean the true Rockets fans should just sit tight and watch this team become CD's playground and JVG's nursing home?
I think what you should do is put your hurt feelings aside for a second, give this team some time, and wait until the play-offs before you make embellished predictions that this team is a failure. I think everyone on the Rockets staff knows that this teams needs help at PG and PF + some athletic ability. That will be addressed when possible. So, you just be patient. That's what Yao want you to do.
Thank you for your kind advice. I tried to be patient. That was why I sit down and did some analysis on Rockets roster and contracts. My analysis just made me more furious. NBA is a businessmen's game. It is also a smartmen's game. You only gain by giving, or you are dealing with somebody who doesn't belong to this game. Rockets have nothing to give at this stage, except Yao and TMac. What you said "That will be addressed when possible." basically equal to "That won't be addressed if impossible." Rockets are in a hole. Who is responsible for this? With last year's team, we could hope for something, maybe stevie finally accepted JVG's system, maybe Yao would get better, maybe Cat would be more under control. This year's team. You know they will be swept out first round in playoff. Only a major injury to Yao or TMac can bail JVG out. Then he has something else to blame.
Anyone who hasn't watched a single Rockets game this season would think we are now 0-13 after reading this thread.
I think the MOST important thing was to get TMac. Who we got in the trade, other than TMac, was NOT as important. TMac/Yao is our future. Not Lue/Ward/Howard or Gaines. The key was getting TMac first. Those two are our CORE players. Next, we improve the team from now on...this year, next year and so on... As far as Francis. I never thought that he would play well last year. He's much better suited playing behind Grant Hill. That's his style. But he's not suited to play with Yao because of the slower, half-court game. And I make this assement after 5 years of Francis. It just wasn't worth it. McGrady is a better fit because he can score, pass and play defense. This helps Yao much more. EDIT: By the way, I do want Cat to come back. He played some of his best basketball last year (3PT shooting and defense; the Kobe stopper!).
The team was ranked #6 preseason, now drop to #19. NBA.com Power Rankings: Nov. 24, 2004 19 Houston (20) 6-7 Should the offense really run through him? Rockets are just 1-5 when Yao scores 20 or more. Though they're only 3-4 when T-Mac does the same. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- the current Rockets just like a guy spent all his money get a Ferrari, then find out he has no money for gas.
Im surprised that NIKE didnt correct RIET's misconception about the TE... FYI RIET...the RIce TE was used in the Tmac trade..we now have a new one worth 4.5M that is good until next June. and David S and Jeff have said all other things I would want to say... except.... I would like to wish the thread starter good luck over at the yaoming*****.com board....you will fit right in over there... and I will have one less person on my ignore list....dont let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya...c-ya
lanqiu1 you are clueless. This team wasn't biult to win a champoinship this year. The foundation was laid this year. This is a project in its infancy and when it does grow and become something special I hope you are still around and man enough to stand up and say what an idiot you were. You remind me of a Mark Cuban fan. Yes he has collected a lot of talent but I dont see any rings in Dallas. You and this instant gratifacation generation crack me up. Everything has to be done NOW or else.
That's the same thing I was thinking. We have had to many close ball games where the victory is decided on who executes better down the stretch. And if this trend continues the rockets are in trouble because of lack of consistency. It's just to many good teams in the west for the rockets to continue this type of play and expect to make the playoffs.
Add this to the fact, that Les gave CD an extension. Which shows poor decision making on his part. CD could have done more this past off season than what he did. And those kind of decisions and past decisions are holding this franchise from being a contender. I personally think that once the rockets reached contender status they are going to make it happen. But until the decision making in the front office is change this is the result (right here in the now) we as rockets fans are going to see.
I am resigned to the fact that every time the Rockets step on the floor they are outmanned at 3 of the 5 positions against the good teams. It sort of makes sense of why the record is where it is. If you look at the Suns' domination of the NBA, they have good to great players at all the positions especially when they play small ball. There are 3 ways of improving the roster. Go the Spurs' route of using the 1st round draft pick wisely like when they drafted Tony Parker with the last pick in the 1st round. Trade Mo or Juwan along with Weatherspoon (last year of his contract after this season). Use the full MLE for a quality player.
