October 25, 2007 By Gene Duffey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer HOUSTON (TICKER) -- Steve Francis never really left Houston. The Houston Rockets traded him away after the 2004 season, along with good friend Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to acquire superstar Tracy McGrady in the deal. But Francis continued to live in Houston in the offseason and worked out here in the summers - showing up at an occasional WNBA Houston Comets game. Now he's back with the Rockets - signing as a free agent after parts of two forgettable seasons in New York - trying to fight his way into an overcrowded backcourt directed by new coach Rick Adelman. "It was not really a tough decision for me, to come to a place where I had played," said Francis, who now is 30 and beginning his ninth season in the NBA. "Being able to come back to a place where you started your career jumped out more than the other situations. "I wasn't hurt or surprised (when I got traded). That's just the nature of the NBA. Some of the best players have moved on to different cities. Early in my career, I definitely played what I think is some good basketball. I definitely enjoyed the city and never moved from here." His job description will be much different in his Rocket revival. Now Houston's go-to guys are Yao Ming, the 7-6 center who Adelman plans to play more at the high post this year, and McGrady. "It's more the reality of this roster," Francis said. "Everyone knows the No. 1 option on this team. That's where we have to go. We have to play off what Yao does. Once everybody respects that, everybody will be happy." Yao and Francis were teammates for two years with the Rockets before the trade with Orlando. Francis watched Yao mature from afar the last three seasons. "Physically, he's probably the best center in the NBA now," Francis said. "He's more aggressive, both offensively and defensively. And he can put the ball in the bucket." Rockets owner Les Alexander probably knows Francis better than anyone in the organization. "He's a great competitor," Alexander said. "He was a young, great player (when he was here before). We didn't want to get rid of him. It was an opportunity to get McGrady. To get him back for nothing is great for us." But Francis averaged just 11.3 points last season for the Knicks, missing 38 games because of tendinitis in his right knee and sprains in both ankles. Francis said tendinitis is a problem for virtually everyone in the league and was pleased that there was no structural damage that required surgery. Adelman coached against Francis many times with Sacramento and knows what damage he can do when healthy. "He already was very successful here," he said of Francis. "He was in a couple of situations (in Orlando and New York) that weren't best for him. I look at Steve as a combo guard. He's obviously been a very good point guard. I think he's got the size to guard the off guards." He played point guard nearly all the time in his first stint with the Rockets, although some suggested he would have been more effective at the two-guard spot. How exactly he fits into Adelman's plans has yet to be determined. "I can't make that decision," he said. "That's definitely up to coach Adelman, what anybody's role is on this team. We've yet to discuss it." The No. 2 pick in the 1999 draft, Francis averaged 18.0 points, 6.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds as a rookie. That earned him the nickname "Stevie Franchise," which may have placed unfair expectations on a young player. But Francis never complained about the moniker. "Not at all," he said. "It helped me at the endorsement box." But he became the target for much of the criticism directed at the Rockets for missing the playoffs his first four seasons in the league, then losing to the Lakers in the first round in his fifth year - his first and only season under former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. That was the only time in his nine campaigns that Francis made the playoffs. "I averaged 22, 23 points and people still had things to say," he said. "There's been times I averaged 16, 17 points and people still had something to say. I don't want to try to prove anything to anybody. I just want to play the game the right way. It's time to win some significant games. "It doesn't make a difference who's (the No. 1 option) two, three, four, five. It's productivity as a unit. That's the only way you can win. Tracy will tell you he's tired of averaging 28, 29 points and not winning." A rift reportedly developed between he and Van Gundy when Francis wanted to beg out of a Sunday night team flight to Phoenix so that he could attend Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston. "There was never a problem between myself and him," Francis said. "There was just speculation." Can Francis be happy being a role player, often going overlooked between Yao and McGrady? He should be somewhat relieved that defenses and the media won't be keying on him all the time. "I wouldn't really say relief," Francis offered. "I want to be that man. I want to be a very important asset to this team. I don't want to just blend in. I definitely want to help push some of the buttons when it's crunch time." Returning starter Rafer Alston, Mike James, rookie Aaron Brooks, John Lucas III and Francis will all be competing for minutes at point guard - on a team where McGrady handles the ball quite a bit. Adelman's most difficult job may be getting a diverse group of personalities - including Bonzi Wells, Alston, Francis, James and McGrady - working together. "You look on paper, you say we've got a lot talent," Adelman said. "But the talent has to come together. Guys have to be willing to sacrifice. Steve's just one of those. "It's got to come from within the team. The teams I've had that have been successful, guys have come together. It's going to be a process." Updated on Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 9:28 pm, EDT http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txrocketsfrancisftr&prov=st&type=lgns It still hurts to see him dribble out the shot clock but, you can't have too many players that can hit the big shot at the end of the game. any thoughts?
he said everyone has to feed off yao. its really a bit funny how he hasnt mentioned much about t-mac.
It's a moot point because it doesn't look like Francis will play much of a role this season (atleast no greater than James and Alston), but this quote further confirms the suspicions of some including myself [from that other thread a few weeks back] that he basically sees the totem pole as Yao and then everyone else, rather than Yao, Tracy, and then everyone else. I at first worried that this could cause some chemistry problems, but seeing as how he won't even get off the pine for big minutes, it's more just amusing.
Steve can be all talk and no walk. Look at the recent pre-season game with Memphis. He was such a ball hog, often held the ball till last second, drove inside, and forced up a shot.
As we all know from Tracy, talk is cheap. It's on SF to find his role on this team and contribute. It might take some time for that to happen. Anything he says right now doesn't mean much.
I don't know what else he should have done. Luther Head was doing the same thing whenever he had the ball in his hands. What should Francis have done, pass the ball to Carl Landry? And this criticism comes after Francis made almost every one of those shots he "forced up".
We definitely can't make any assumptions about Steve's contribution to the team at this point before any real games can't be played, but I also feel like we might even have to wait until the end of the regular to season to state conclusively whether or not he's been an asset, since how the playing time works out now will be very different from how it shakes out at the end. He might not play much initially, but just be patient with him. He seems willing not to disturb any of team chemistry, and the production we get from him will be gravy as we had nothing in terms of a #3 option last year, much less 4, 5, 6 or whatever scoring threats we'll be possessing with all our players this year.
those are ALL-TIME legendary big men. yao is not that so far. but yao is more of a playmaker in this offense.
i agree. seems like francis has something personal with t-mac, almost like he doesnt want to admit t-mac is better than him. it's t-mac and yao at the top, not yao and then everyone else francis.
You guys make too much off of S. Francis's non quote or mention of T-Mac. Who cares. Anyways, Francis is right about Yao. In Adelman's offense it's basically find the center. The Center initiates the offense from the high post and the other players are cutters. The Center then runs to the low post or sets up a high post pick and roll or low post pick and roll from the side. Everyone is constantly moving so the opposing team doesn't know where the play is coming from. It's basically who gets open with cutters.
maybe he just sees that t mac has accomplished just as much as he has, wins wise being the man on the team. oh well as usual, much ado about nadda
