Expectations

#3 in a heartbeat.

 

Ditto. No point in making the playoffs and getting a low draft pick only to lose in the first round. Focusing on the bigger picture (2010) should be the major priority.

 

Yeah, who wants to instill confidence in the rookies and truly test if this team is indeed the team of the future.

Honestly, I'd welcome points 1 & 2 far more than 3. If the team can at least score .500 record or better its a testement to Morey, above all it makes us way more appealing in free agency. Ariza came here because of the noise we made without Tmac and Yao. A character like Bosh would consider Houston because it's a team on the verge of greatness. Number 3 makes us more available for draft prospects. My question to you, how many good draft picks in the lottery have really shined in recent years. Look at the class of 2002, we have two of the top ten picks, what has that done for us? Draft picks aren't bankable, free agents are.

Both outcomes, 1 & 2 make us appealing to free agents. Pairing a Bosh or Dwade with Yao is much more conceivable for winning championships than going out and drafting a player. Of course, I'm probably wrong.

 

I'm sure if next year's squad meshes well and plays well as a unit with all their effort, we'll be able to make the 7th or 8th spot. At worst, we'll end up close like Phoenix last season.

The above poster's point on big free agents is agreeable. To attract a franchise player like Chris Bosh who's coming from another underachieving franchise like the Raptors would be hard if the Rockets become like that too. At least Houston's warmer than Toronto.

 

Oh, I don't think that's true. I have some decent expectations for this team and whatever team is assembled by the time the off-season is over.

So we're starless right now. McGrady could come back, or McGrady will be traded for something very useful, etc., things will happen next season that will make it enjoyable.

It won't be a complete wash and I don't expect this team to tank.

To be poetic, you could have titled the thread "Great Expectations"...just a thought.

 

You definitely make valid points. Instilling confidence to young players is certainly unquantifiable in value unlike a draft pick and the same can be said about attracting future FAs. However, although pragmatism would point otherwise, historically many players have chose to leave teams with good records in favor of worse teams due to monetary reasons. One quick example is Joe Johnson; he left the championship contending Suns for a then lowly Hawks team. Another is Hedo going to the Raptors instead of the Blazers. Money talks. And the majority of times, that's just what it boils down to. So, I definitely think it's highly possible that a highly coveted FA would come to the Rockets even if the team had a poor record in the previous season.

A lineup of Top draft pick + Yao (assuming he's healthy) + Core would sound enticing to any FA despite the Rockets poor record (if they were to have one). What it boils down to is Yao's health and the other players on the roster. If the Rockets can keep the same group of guys, if Yao can come back, and if there is good money, it would be hard for any FA to say no.

 

You might be right. I just think that people who are motivated by disappointment/anger/frustration are and have been more likely to post their thoughts than those that think we have a shot to do well.

Basically, the people who think we're gonna suck are a little more vocal than those who think we'll do alright, that's what I think.

I'm not saying we're gonna be #3 seed in the playoffs, just that when you realistically look at this team and what DM could do by the time the season starts, combine that with the addition of T-Mac, we could be alright next season.

 

I agree with you in your first post about the value it would add to our rookies and attracting free agents but relistically I believe that if we have a poor lottery bound season (which I doubt given our resiliency) it wouldn't make us have any less chance for next season than if we were to be mediocre or playoff bound. In fact it may give us a higher chance due to the lottery.

 

THE OFF SEASON IS NOT OVER......WTF CLOSE DOWN THIS THREAD THIS STARTIN 2 GET ME PISSED YOU DONT KNO WHAT CAN HAPPEN FROM NOW TILL SEPTEMBER

 

To start last season and actually into the Fall 08, the Rockets rolled out some utterly "heartless" performances. Many on this board were so disgusted, including myself, that comments were directed at how the team lacked fire, desire, intensity. Well, by the playoffs, the fire was there. Credit the absence of a hobbled TMac, the maturity of some players, the toughness of Artest, and so on. But whatever the reasons, win, lose, or draw I love to watch that brand of basketball. If next year's team is scrappy and aggressive. If they lay it out every night, I will be happy regardless.

 

Exactly, and you bring up a good point. I didn't want to say this because it's hard to quantify/qualify, whatever the word is, but what I really wanted to say is that I won't be disappointed in this team (and I don't have low expectations of them) if they don't do well in standings/winnings. Granted, I don't want them to horrible, but it's not just about the W/L column.

It's like you said, do they have the aggressiveness, do they have the fire, are they competitive, are they giving it their all, and like I said, I don't want to be the judge of that all the time because it's hard to judge that. But when you look at the majority of games from next season, will we be able to say that they tried and played hard and were just missing a star or two.

I think if we can say yes to that, then that's all I've expected and I will be completely happy.

 

you can be the most hardcore rocket fan in the world and hope all you want, rockets are not making the play offs. this year is rebuild year for us, this is when we show who is strong and who is weak in the rockets for 2010

 

we played our best ball last year with the lineup of:

Rafer
Wafer
Battier
Scola
Yao

in other words, without any ball dominant stars we played very well.

Yao is out now, but that could be a good thing the way defenses would converge on him late in game.

i think we'll suprise a lot of people (yet again), just like we suprised everyone when we took LA to 7 games.

don't you know we play our best when the odds are against us? you guys should be used to this by now.

 

I expect Morey to put together a good team and Adelman to work some magic. 50+ wins the last 3 season, I expect another one.

 

YOUR PREACHING TO THE @#$%^&* CHOIR



oh sorry for the all caps

 

As I said in another thread, Adelman's teams don't finish below .500 -- they just DON'T. His teams have finished below .535 in winning % only twice in the 16 full seasons he's coached. And his last 10 teams have been above that mark. The only way Morey's going to get a lottery pick next year is if he steals it from the Clippers.

 

That's the spirit! It is too early to dismiss this season. Things can change and people's perception would change drastically. Just wait and trust management to do the right thing.