I don't think Francis can play the two. He can obviously score witht the best but he's a horrible spot up shooter and he's much better at distributing the ball than many people think. However this would hurt us the greatest on the defensive end. He is a horrible defender as it is. Only average on the ball (and only average because he has great quickness but he gambles way too much) and horrible off the ball (he just turns completely around and watches the ball without having a clue as to where his man is). If you factor in the fact that 2's are generally more athletic and quite a bit larger you've got a real problem. The only way I could see Steve playing the two is if somehow he could guard the point guard from the other team. The only way I could see him doing this is if we have a taller point guard - maybe someone like Lamar Odom or Jaric?
Taking into consideration cost, realisticness, etc., this is who I feel we should pursue, in order... Best Scenarios: PG 1. Payton 2. Tinsley 3. Crawford 4. Cassell 5. A. Williams SG 1. Francis 2. Redd 3. Brent Barry 4. Jon Barry 5. Lenard SF 1. Posey 2. Odom 3. Nachbar 4. Battier 5. Hawkins PF 1. Brand 2. Taylor 3. Malone C 1. Yao Ming 2. Cato 3. Ratliff
Please Rockets No worn out players, especially ones that need big contracts and have about TWO years of NBA life left! I hope that you have learned your Glen Rice Mistake by now!
I don't think we should part with Griffin. First his potential is so great that he could very well end up being one of the star players in the NBA. He's only 20. Also, his stock has plummetted since he was drafted. The only way he could be traded is as a throw in and there's no way I would want to be the team that traded Eddie Griffin as a throw in. The only way I trade him is for another pf, maybe someone like Brand. Otherwise he's untouchable, simply because his stock can only get higher.
there is no way that the PG(EAST), SG(EAST), and PF(WEST) will end up being payton, redd, and brand. there is no way the the bucks would trade for payton without at least a verbal agreement to re-sign with them. any offer to brand will be matched. docs options for PF were "malone or malone" well in that case, worse comes to worst we get....malone. if karl does in fact want to come here, we can offer glen rice in a trade. and the jazz can allways buy out the last year on glens contract. rice will be making $9mil we can sign malone to that for 1 yr and not even feel it. doc also said that odom and miller will probobly be rockets next season. i think thats where cat and griff will end posey will end up. we still have a PG and SG from the east to figure out, and they have to be vets. with a line-up of: yao-cato malone-moT-Tmo odom-boki steve miller at PG we may be looking for a locker room preasance since we have 3 ball handlers in our starting 5. maybe darrell armsrtong. i cant think of anyone else. at SG we will need a sharp-shooter. john barry is an option, so is lucious harris, and fred hoiberg. the MCE will have to be split between these 2 players. i think most of this is very easy to get done.
Why is everyone so enthralled with Jamaal Tinsley? Premise: We need some shooters to prevent teams from constantly double-teaming Yao. Conclusion: We should acquire a guy that shoots worse than Moochie Norris. Next.
Yetti, as you have hoped for, getting Elton Brand would be what the Doctor Ordered.!!!!!!! I thought I would let all the posters know more about Brand. Brand is 2 years younger than Steve, and he has a very efficient game, a lots of Offensive Rebound and put back. and he does not demands the Balls like Steve and Mobley. He is one of the top shot Blocker average close to 3, and Great Rebounder. good defensive player. he can also score and good enough passing. it will be great to have a center and power forward who will average 3 block, 10 to 12 rebounds, 18 to 20 points a games
RIET -- Totally agree with you. By the same logic, I fail to see how Lamar Odom solves many of our problems.
That's the first thing I've heard that has a Malone aquisition making any sense at all. Nice work smoothie. I wouldn't mind Malone (gag) for a year or two - he could really teach Yao some tricks and throw some protective elbows.
I remember reading this in another tread, right now the biggest problem for the Rockets is their over abundance of talent. We have Steve, Yao, Mobley, Griff, and Posey; all players who think that someday they will become all-star players. Looking at another team that has too much "all-star" material is the Clippers. They have Odom, Brand, and Miller, all players who think they should be the star of the team. The Rockets shouldn't be trying to be pick up star material over the summer, they should be trying to drop some of it. Get rid of Mobley and Griff (Posey if he wants a big contract.) Then pick up GREAT role players. PG - Alvin Williams, Tinsley, or Crawford (that order) SG - Jon Barry and Person PF - Horry, Coleman, Howard, Clark, Camby, Davis, Jackson, MURPHY (Rudy's type of rebounder tough player,) and Rose. This way we would have our two stars, and 3 other players that are there to give them the ball and play defense. Edit: For some reason I have a strong feeling that Murphy will be a player the Rockets will pursue. We were probably going to pick him above Jefferson untill the Griffin trade came in. He is a hustle player that actually has good stats, and he brings it each night even on a bad team (well not that bad.) He is that 10-11 rebpg player that the Rockets need who can actually his a open jumper.
Malone is an enforcer that I wouldn't mind seeing added to this team. He's not the Power forward that my buddy mentioned the Rox were 'looking' at. That was just my PF. I believe that selling out the games is priority number 1!!! Get the players here that will get us into the playoffs. Also, I'm almost positive that the team has an option on Mooch's contract BEFORE the end of the deal....I'm almost positive on that!!!
PG-bring in payton...case closed. get TB to come back and he can be the backup. SG-im all for barry....case closed. PF-bring in brand. if miller has to come along then he can be a backup behind GP. or PF-karla...hmmmm...a veteran that can still bang...hmmmmm...but its karla...hmmm...well 4 years out of the playoffs will make anyone think crazy thoughts. or PF-KG...im all for that but dont see how it would work cap wise. ahhh the offseason...
Good. I hate Karla. I'm just going to plug in these Yao/Cato Z.Randolph/Tmo Odom/Boki/Tmo Francis/Berry Miller/Armstrong. Me likey. Except Miller. Why'd you have to say you think we'd get him? Ball moves from outside to inside quick, around the perimeter quick and back out. Bang, pick, slash, shoot, whatever, we can do it. Tall backcourt. Crappy d in the frontcourt. Please don't get Miller, get A. Williams for that lineup. Or Antonio Daniels in the backup role, or Jeff McInnis, in the Randolph deal. We still need coaching help.
Sure what was I thinking. You could never get a player like Andre Kirilenko, Cuttino Mobley, Nick Van Exel, Tony Parker, Emanuel Ginobili, Gilbert Arenas, Jamaal Tinsley, Marko Jaric or Rashard Lewis with a late 1st round or early second round pick. By the way did I mention that 24th is the earliest any of those players were picked? Out of that group there are only three 1st round picks and they are extreamly low. Two early second round picks are probably just as valuable as 1 late first round pick.
the biggest non-rookie contract Donald Sterling has ever given to a player is the Eric Piatkowski 3 year 15 million dollar contract. Don't be surprised if Brand is on the Block. Why else would the Clipps have drafted Wilcox and Ely. Besides what makes you so sure that Brand is Sterlings favorite of all time?
Doc, I absolutely hate you You started this damn thing well before the playoff have even begun!!! I like the sound of the changes, at least the thinking. I suspect EG will to someone in East and so would Mobley as well. These two should net a solid PG (Payton, I would love, Bucks need a PF, if not then Tinsley or Crawford, I dont like the Armstrong option - though I am sure Orlando may be willing to doa bit to improve their front court) and a backup two (Jon Barry/Redd) If Doc's assertion about SG/PG from east then I do not see Miller happening, and i really think he is off to Utah who are salivating for him. The more intereting one would be the PF from West. I would love Brand, but will he need many shots - I guess Cat going may realese about 15 shots for that slot. If we talk veteran then it could also be someone like Horry - who I beleive would be available for MCE and interested in getting closer home. This damn off season is going to be interesting. Can we get otehr GM to get 'high' with Eddie or Moochie and bail us out. I have a feeling that Lux Tax maynot be a barrier..atleast in the year LEs has to sell those suites up there. ALso would love to have JPosey stay with us either in a slightly above MCE deal or a wink, wink two year deal.
Cassell is currently on an extension that pays him 17 mil over 3 years. He will be a free agent in 06.
1st - I said the Bulls won't be drafting late in the first round. They didnt even make the playoffs this year and next year, no matter how they improve, they probably won't be picking near the bottom. So essentially, why would they give up a high-mid tier first round pick for 2 second round picks. No team would do that. 2nd - For every Gilbert Arenas there are 100 Dan Langhis or worse (if possible). Sure, you may take a chance in the 2nd round on some Eurpean player. However, with more sophisticated scouting, there will be fewer and fewer late 1st and 2nd round surprises like Tony Parker, Ginobelli, Jaric, Kirilenko, etc... Look at Tskitishivilli. 3 or 4 years ago, he wouldve been a late 1st or early 2nd round player. 2nd round players are like lottery tickets. Its fun to have and you may get really really lucky but they are cheap to get and the success rate is low.
