Extreme Makeover- Rocket Edition

What odds would you have given in '03 that the '05 roster would look like that?

 

There's improvement among the starters, but the huge difference is in the bench.

 

pg- Alston <<< Francis
sg- Wesley < Mobley
sf- McGrady >>>>> Jackson
pf- Swift = Cato
C- Yao (4th year) > Yao (2nd year)

05 Bench >>> 03 Bench



I guess we are a better team on paper. However, a team's performance is not based on paper. Chemistry is a huge issue. Let's hope:

05 Chemistry >>> 03 Chemistry

 

This deal is a pretty big risk and I would be against it if Rudy was at the helm. But with a guy like JVG at the helm, this trade brings us explosive offensive potential with Alston's playmaking, ball handling, and 3 point shooting. We already had the low post game with Yao, the "everything from anywhere if I'm feeling it I'll pull up 4 feet from behind the 3 point line" game with McGrady, glimpses of the pick n roll McGrady/Yao, added Swift's athleticism, but adding an explosive point guard that can get inside the defense and rack up glossy assist numbers just makes the possibilities limitless. We now see a shift of Van Gundy moving from conservative players to creative/athletic players (McGrady/Alston/Swift) because he trusts the starts to keep everyone within the confines of the offense. The critics worried when we got McGrady if he could play in control under Gundy and we saw how that turned out last year. Imagine, a guy that averaged 6apg, a true point guard getting the ball inside to Yao or Swift or finding McGrady on the wing, releiving him of playmaking duties. Wow.

It's a huge risk, but you can take trade for troubled yet talented players (Rodman) when your star player (Jordan/McGrady) is in your corner, and you get the most out of them.

This is a really, really, good trade.

 

So Yao has played with 44 teammates even before his 4th season starts. Is this a record for a player never gets tradted?

 

I would strongly disagree because while some of the individual parts in that lineup were better, these parts have the capability of meshing TOGETHER. Their unique talents fit into the system we are running. Rafer Alston, Derek Anderson, and David Wesley are all good set 3 point shooters but can also keep the ball moving - things Francis and Jimmy Jackson killed us with their inability to do.

 

Does this make Yao the longest Rocket career without being traded on the 05-06 roster?

Well technically, moochie would be the longest, 03-04 traded to NYK then back in HOU 04-05. He didnt miss a season not playing as a rocket in 6 seasons.

 

One of the things that fascinates me is how much Van Gundy is reminding me of his mentor, Pat Riley. It's just happening in reverse. Riley was a terrific coach for the Showtime Lakers, that so many of us remember well. When he went to New York, he adapted to the personel he had and radically changed his offence. Van Gundy is doing the same thing since the McGrady trade. He realizes that McGrady, teamed with Yao, can get him a championship. McGrady being the key piece now, imo, he's changed the team to fit a much higher octane offence built around Tracy and more suited to Yao... far different than we ever expected to see from him.

Damn, this is fun.

 

Rafer / LHead / Moochie (IL)
DA / Wesley / Barry
Tmac / Sura / Barry /
SSwift / JHoward /
Yao / Deke

I think you start Rafer w/ DA or Sura w/ DWes.. Rafer and DWes is too small to start together.

Once Sura (6'5) returns he could fill in some minutes for TMac at the 3 giving him a break and not losing as much as putting in Bowen.

First one off the bench will be Jhoward to come in for Yao --> Stro playing some minutes at the 5. Wesley will then probably rotate in Deke..

any thoughts?

J

 

Actually yes. Thats pretty damn sad

 

Howard in for Yao when you got Mutumbo? I still don't think Howard is losing his starting job to Swift just yet. Maybe later in the season if it plays out better, but not to start the season.

 

My cat pooped yesterday.

 

It IS all good!

That bench looks fantastic!

Mutumbo and Howard in the frontcourt

Anderson at at the swingman with Head bringing up the ball and he and Barry making the space!

Is there a better bench unit in the league??



I like the addition of Rafer - he's a volume three point shooter, and he is quick, takes care of the ball and knows how to pass and run.

Swift brings some athleticism to the front court - allows Howard back to bench, he and Anderson give great scoring there!

 

I agree AND disagree ... if that's possible.

You don't replace Yao with Howard. You replace Yao with Mutombo. And when Yao rests, you rest Swift too. Howard goes in for Swift. That way even though you lose offensive power with Yao out, you gain some back with Howard in. You lose some interior defense when Swift sits, but you gain it back with Mutombo in the game.

Of course, it's not ALWAYS like that. Sometimes Swift's having a monster game and Yao has 3 fouls. So you replace Yao with Howard. But Deke contributes WAY too much to let him waste his talents riding pine all game.

 

I´d like to see:

Alston / Sura or Wes
DA / Wes or Sura / JB
T-Mac / JB / Bowen
SSwift / JHow
Yao / Deke

 

So we are 12x > (counting chemistry), 4x <, and 1x =. Net, net then, we are 8x better

 

Interesting comparison w. Riley. It sure looks like we will be more fun to watch. If JVG can't fastbreak more with these guys, you know he doesn't have it in him.

 

Wow. There's the very definition of JVG-colored glasses. "Military Intelligence" has nothing on "JVG's explosive offense."