Quote: Originally Posted by mFt82 I think chuck and shaine are the two players I don't want to see traded. Everyone else is fair game. And on the "Yao Era": what a pathetic joke. I've been a rockets fan my whole life and always will be but that guy sucks 60% of the time. And thus the rockets have sucked (at least) 60% of the time since he's been on the squad. Balderdash. Cmon now! Yao has consistenty been a 20 and 10 player for most of his tenure despite complete BS officiating against him night in and night out (which i witnessed for 5 years). Dont forget the role players he and McGrady had around them... Ryan Bowen was the starting PF in the playoff series against the Mavs. You'll never get through to these kinds of people...they've got it stuck in their little brains that Yao "sucks" and hasnt been a benefit to the Rockets. Granted, his injuries have been too often and have been hard to swallow but his tenure here being a pathetic joke and he sucks 60% of the time is idiotic. Toronto, Sac, Minnesota...those teams have been pathetic jokes...not a team that got obviously got robbed in a seven game series against the mavs and took the championship lakers to seven games in the second round. Those things didnt happen cause the big fella sucked 60% of the time. Shane and Chuck are the only ones that are untouchable? oh ok...now i understand.
I feel like Morey is ignoring the obvious truth that our defense/rebounding is terrible and we have no size. We got by with no talent in previous years because we had deke to back us up when yao went out. Now we don't have anyone who can protect the rim (not Chuck's fault he's a pf) even though we have talent! I also notice a considerable difference in our hustle, I feel like we were scrappier in years prior, we don't play like ever game is our last. Even worse, a lot of the times we do play good D, and then no one boxes out for the rebound. That game against Orlando???? It made me sick to see them manhandle us down low. Jordan Hill get a clue, hit the gym and box out dude.
i feel like this roster is still based off of a 2 superstar team, it is designed around having tmac and yao. But since we dont have them its definately not working, its hard to watch honestly to see role players attempt to be heroes it just isnt working. We need players that aren't complimentary pieces and can create. We have squeezed the maximum potential from most of our players and quite simply they aren't going to get any better except for maybe patterson but thats it. Brooks has peaked and is now regressing lowry is close to peaking Martin has peaked and would be a really good complimentary player to any all star battier is just the best blue collar you can get but needs to compliment Chase has peaked, but you cant expect him to carry a team Courtney may not have peaked but needs more Pt and thats not going to happen with kevin martin T will i see alot of potential but without PT your not gonna get anything out of him Scola has peaked J hill-see flashes but i think we are all being way too optimistic about this kid. hes a role player, he doesnt have the potential derrick favors has brad miller would be great on a contending team but ya hes not on one hayes has peaked but needs to be surrounded by an offense beast big which we currently dont have all our players right now if they were put on our team when we had 2 superstars would work but at the moment we are above the bottom feeders but not playoff worthy either. Id love to dump C lee and hill and jeffries to memphis for OJ and thabeet and dump yao and martin to a team like New orleans for okafor atleast we could then have a 2 guard with the ability to create and who has potential and a big who can score if allowed who also plays defense. def dump battier to a contender for a pick or something and if need be play twill heavy minutes with chase backing up or vice versa if we can trade brooks for a high pick id do it, def if we can get a 1st from the kings for him id do it. time to break up a team with everyone already maxed out on talent and potential and bring in some new blood. /rant
I feel optimistic about our team for NEXT year. By the trade deadline we might be out of the playoff hunt (28-31) but spend the rest of the year clawing our way to try get an 8th seed. I appreciate that this team has been to the playoffs 5 of the last 7 years, though we probably won't make it this year. Even with a star player acquired in a trade (Melo?) we're nowhere near contending for a title. The best teams in the league either have superb talent from drafts (SA) or trades (LA, BOS). Even if we managed to get two superstars by next year we'd still need time to gel to be a contender in the playoffs.
I feel good long term, very uninspired short term. However, I do understand that it's hard to reload from both your super stars being unable to stay healthy. For starters, Yao is just 17 million sitting on the bench. That is hard to overcome. I think DM has the franchise on the right path, he just can't control that our players were super fragile.
At least when we sucked in the past....we believed the future was being developed....Stevie Franchise days....we sucked. But we had a "core"....so we thought....to make it entertaining. We have nothing now. Really hope we can get something for a Yao package.
Indifferent. That's probably the worst feeling I can have though. I've never been indifferent about the Rockets in the past but this year they're just so, plain.
Let me make sure I understand this. The GM that gave us Shane Battier for Rudy Gay 4 drafts ago now needs 3 more Lottery Top 5 drafts to right the ship? Excuse me while I barf on the mere thought of this. If Morey walks on water as much as you propose? One more Lottery ought to be his max limit. After that, he can take his $Balls somewhere else. Excluding this whistle stop...the whole Rockets thing just makes me tired.
That's because the residents of New Orleans HAD to show up at that game to meet an attendance benchmark because if they didn't the Hornets had an out to flee to another city. If not mistaken a bunch of local businesses purchased the tickets and distributed them cheap/free around town in a push to keep the franchise as long as they could. http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi...125/hornets_meet_attendance_marks_keep_lease/
Gater, your point is well taken NOW, but Battier was brought in to play along side a healthy Yao and Mac. I have my doubts if Morey would have made that same trade if he suspected that our superstar tandem would unravel as fast as it did.
So far the season has been a FAIL. Players, coach, front office - everyone gets a FAIL. We havent shown any signs of domination niether have we groomed any young talents. (IMO - Hill and Bud are a FAIL). There has been no positives signs or any sign of hope. That's only SO FAR though. If we are like 2 games out of the top 8 by trade dealine and Morey pulls off a stunner of a deal, then we can make it. So I am not ready to give up yet, thats why I am still whining and screaming, because I know we can get there but we arent trying. But if the situation changes and we fall out of playoff contention, I would like to see us start grooming Pat Pat and T-Will. If that doesnt even happen - then this whole season will be a FAIL.
