I doubt that we are letting these guys go to clear salary cap. There is no way that we can clear enough salary to sign someone significant. Besides those guys dont make anything. Maybe they feel like they have reached their potential already and are not what we are looking for. My question is who pulled the trigger on letting these guys go? JVG or CD?
What a waste of draft picks. That is why this new guy from Senegal will never make the team. Whatever happen to UT's Albert Berdett????
Hate to see TMo go, but believe that logjam at 3-4 meant he'd get limited minutes. With EG, MoT, Boki, Rice & hopefully Posey our 5 forward slots are filled. JVG may bring in a banger to compete or CD may look for a trade, but unless Posey walks that looks to be our forwards.
Folks here should not be getting their panties in a bunch. These were 2 players down the bench that did not figure much in their future plans. Morris' sporadic shooting did him in. This team has to start shooting a much better percentage in order to move up in the west. While Morris was a nice defensive player, he did not give you much on the offensive end. I also feel that this opens the door for Charlie Ward to come in now. He's an excellent backup and JVG loves him. Believe me, if there was a way, Moochie would also be joining these guys on the bus out of town.
I think Boki will be a good back up 2 and 3, that's why?CD knows that we don't need to bulk up on 3, so we are letting Morris to go free agency. But don't get me wrong, I think he is a descent player coming off the bench.
That BRICK BRICK BRICK guy was the best shooting forward on the Rockets team this past year. LOOK IT UP His shot was solid...I can't believe you give up on a guy in his 3rd year which is the year most players show marked improvement. Tmo will be a nice role player...and I think he would have been nice to have on our team. I see another Craig Ehlo here. DD
SF/MN CM JP(FA)/Rice/Nach EG/MoT YM/KC Looks like there's no need on this team for a 6th forward. I think it is only fair to TMo to let him go. Rockets (especially Rudy) have a history of giving guys a chance to play by releasing them in their best interest, and calling around to praise them. We can be certain that Rudy is calling around the league to help TMo find a good place to go, just like he did for Torres. They also let Damon Jones go early in camp, before Tierre Brown, so that Jones still had time to land with someone. I think this is a mutual decision. We just have a lot of forwards for a 2nd rounder to break into. We need vets and guards, and could use a smart center to just be a practice partner for Yao. We are not deep, and I think this is just a sign that TMo deserves to play somewhere, and the Rockets are going into the FA market looking for more than just Posey.
HP, Interesting take, and I think you may be right. The thing is that with injuries, the Rockets could really use another forward, especially one like Tmo who is a decent player. He would be cheap, and can contribute and spot start. I just don't get it. I think the Rockets should be looking out for what is best for them, not the player. DD
Letting Morris go could come back and haunt the rockets. I got to agree with you Leebigez Morris was our best all around forward this past season. He shouldn't have any problem getting signed by another team.
No offense, but if teams call the guy's agent, Mr Greedy Agent has to listen. Of course there's interest in a young athletic swingman who deigns to play defense and run the fast break. Posey wants to stay in Houston. The team wants to keep him. Most of these other teams that have contacted him won't have the money to outbid us anyway.
HP, you beat me to it. It sounds like the Rockets knew Morris was good but didn't know if they could give him the PT he deserved. Van Gundy was still evaluating the bench (according to the Chron) and they can see TMO has 2 SFs and 2 PFs in front of him on the depth chart. Plus, a vet might knock him down another peg, depending on how the offseason goes. So, they offer a slot in summer league so he can compete for our roster spot again but give him the freedom to find a team that can let him see the court. So, I think it was just a move by the Rockets to try to be fair to Morris. Even so, I wish they had picked up the option. I think he's going to become good enough that we'll wish we hadn't let him go for nothing. On Posey: he's not going to get an offer greater than $5 million. His agent said his suitors were Chicago, Orlando, Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Portland. None of them have cap space. They can only offer the $4.8 MLE. We need to worry only about San Antonio, Utah and (*snicker*) the LA Clippers. If anyone else wants to pay more than the MLE for Posey (why, I don't know), they'd have to make a trade with us.
Your definitely going to add guys that can shoot the ball, not be a scorer but a pure shooter... Steve Francis and Yao Ming are your focal points... As of right now Mobley is the 3rd option(which comes in handy because if one the big 2 get injured, you have that other guy that can score)... If anyone moves its going to be Rice, Taylor, EG or Mobley with a possibility of Cato(I think we will hold on to Cato)... It will have to be a trade with another team... We need role players(veterans though)... I would be shocked is Juaquin Hawkins is not on this team next season... He was the only other guy(Posey included) that played D every game(well every game he played)...
well, I believe it is best for the Rockets and best for TMo. Plus you aren't Rudy or JVG. They have a history of looking out for the player. Releasing a player to play for another team is just being honest with your needs, imo. Tmo was signed to be a SF. We have 3 SFs. Plus, our needs are guards and veterans. Keeping TMo might look like filling a need, but he's a 4th stringer at one position and a 3rd string tweener at another. I want vets as 3rd stringers...the very experienced pros make for better practices, even if they don't get much PT (think Chucky Brown)...for 3rd String, I want the equivalent of a 30yr TMo who is a true PF. It's just being fair to TMo to let him go early in the Summer. He's good enough to fit somewhere. <b>as for injury protection</b> I think you overrate our need at PF to protect against injuries, especially when we haven't even started signing any FAs. We have Badiane to use in the pinch as a PF, plus would could use Cato at PF if injuries really nail us. Plus, I would add another true PF, anyways (since, I think it is the most important position), but (1) I don't really think that's TMo's true position to begin with, (2) getting a vet minimum PF from the CBA or the wire in the Chucky Brown-mode is not unrealistic and it is better for us, and (3) <b>our biggest need is guards</b> Our depth probably is guards and the fact we have not vets. We need to focus on guards, and we need veterans on the bench. While TMo deserves to make a roster, he's not a good fit for us when we need vets. Give me a Chucky Brown over a TMo, any day. They have a stabilizing influence on immaturaty, and we are an immature team. TMo can't help with that.
Hmm, perhaps we have plans to pick up a free agent forward who does a lot of different things? I know of one offhand. I think Cuttino might know him. I think this shows how lowly Maddox is thought of, though. We definitely have a backcourt depth need, and I see it as the team not wanting to commit even a 2nd year player minimum unless he proves it. I can't think of the last 2nd rounder who made the roster year 1, but we didn't give that 2nd year commitment to. I'm fully expecting us to see some sort of "Van Gundy" move that lets him sort of put his mark on the team. Obviously, drafting mid 2nd rounder isn't it, and declining options on a pair of 2nd rounders aren't it. We shall see.
btw: I don't mean sign Chucky Brown. he'd done. I mean to use him as an example of a solid vet who can bring maturity to practice. We never talk about these guys, because they'd largely be 3rd string, vet minimum pickups...but the coaches do talk about these guys.
DaDa- FG % is overrated. Look at Cato.... he led the team.... doesnt make him a great player. Its Terrence freaking Morris for God's sake! If we lose him to make room for impact veteran players that will actually IMPROVE our team, isnt that a good thing?
Maybe by releasing Terence morris, the rockets might have an eye on Robert horry to give them some depth and experience.
I am dissapointed to see Terrance Morris option wasn't picked up, I said in one of my post earlier that he and Kelvin Cato were the two most improved players on our team this season.
