this is some interesting material i found in nbadraft.net, Houston Rockets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Josh Redetzke 4/13/05 2005/06 Houston Rockets Payroll: $53.4 million 2005/06 Estimated NBA Salary Cap: $45 million Roughly: $8.4 million over cap Tracy McGrady Photo: AP/Mark J. Terrill The Good: The Rockets will get Yao Ming's services for at least one more season at a very cheap $5.5 million. Yao will then be due for a big payday, but all signs indicate that he will be in Houston for a long time. Once Shaq retires, Yao will most likely take over as the best center in the league. With Tracy McGrady already signed up with a long-term deal, this superstar duo will be together for quite a while. It worked pretty well for Shaq and Kobe, didn't it? The Bad: However, Yao and Tracy are not Shaq and Kobe. While improving, Yao still doesn't rebound well for a player of his immense size, averaging just 8.3 rebounds per game. He also hasn't figured out how to stay out of foul trouble, something a superstar needs to do. Despite the fact that he shoots 55% from the field, Yao only gets about 12 shots per game in Houston's offense. Why is that? Because McGrady takes most of them (21.3 a game), even though he only shoots 42% from the field. Lately, his shooting has become even more atrocious. In March, he shot 4 for 22 against the Wolves and then followed that up with an 8 for 27 night against Miami. McGrady will make roughly $100 million dollars over the next five years in Houston, and he will put up lots of stats, but when the end of the season comes, the Rockets will not be playing late into the post season. McGrady apparently is simply not the leader or competitor that they need to win a title. We'll see if he can learn to make his teammates better, namely Yao. With Yao and McGrady taking up most of the salary cap in the future, there won't be a lot of room for any help. The Rockets have no young prospects to develop and are burdened with a lot of dead wood. David Wesley has been a major disappointment and has shot the ball terribly. Juwan Howard has played well in stretches but doesn't put up the numbers or stay healthy enough to earn his contract. Bob Sura and Mike James are serviceable point guards with small contracts, but neither one is going to help you win games in the playoffs. Clarence Weatherspoon will be the Rockets second highest paid player next year at $6.3 million. He is currently averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds a game. Did I mention Moochie Norris and Vin Baker are rotting on the bench and will use up a combined $8 million in cap space next year? The Future: The first priority of this franchise will be to sign Yao Ming to a reasonable contract extension. As long as he is on the team, the stands will be full and the team will be decent. Houston is pretty much stuck next season with the team they got. With no cap room to spare, they can only hope to lure a player with their mid-level exception or possibly package some of their smaller expiring contracts into a trade for a good player or two. Weatherspoon, Wesley, Norris, and Baker all come off the books after next year, which will give the Rockets a chance to retool their complimentary players around the two superstars. Houston has the best one-two punch in the league. They just need to figure out how they can best utilize that talent. Bonus Points… for giving Dikembe Mutombo a chance to contribute. The old man can still rebound and block shots in spot minutes off the bench. Who doesn't love Dikembe? Grade: C so i hope we can trade some expiring contract for a real pf like nene or tyson chnadler
McGrady apparently is simply not the leader or competitor that they need to win a title. We'll see if he can learn to make his teammates better, namely Yao. I don't have to argue his points to discredit him. How do you put the words "apparently" and "simply" together? What does "apparently not a leader" mean? Does it mean that he thinks T-Mac is not a leader, but if he happens to be one, then this guy will change his mind? If you are making the statement "simply not a leader", that's pretty convincing right? So why would you say "apparently"? Is it because he doesn't know WTF he's talking about? I think so
i believe that t-mac is the ;leader we need to become a contender, and yao is the big man that all the contender need, so we just need to put some good defender that do dirty work i the other position to be a better team in contrast i think that the isuue of tmac is taking a lot of shot can be true, he should star to share more shoots with yao
Nobody ever accused Hakeem of being "a leader." He just stepped out on the court and killed people. Enter...TMac.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't the Rockets have a really good cap situation after next season? And if they don't, it's likely because they traded those expiring contracts for better role players. What the hell is this guy smoking?
looks like this guy just looks at the box scores he doesn't even go in depth on expiring contracts, Moochie and Vin will be gone soon b
As we've all seen from the fact that some of the writers "contribute" to this board, it doesn't take much to get a gig writing these things.. [article] While improving, Yao still doesn't rebound well for a player of his immense size, averaging just 8.3 rebounds per game. He also hasn't figured out how to stay out of foul trouble, something a superstar needs to do. Despite the fact that he shoots 55% from the field, Yao only gets about 12 shots per game in Houston's offense. [Tom] Who cares how big he is? The simple fact is that he's a center that averages 18 & 8 and that's more than almost any center not named O'Neil is doing. [article] ...but when the end of the season comes, the Rockets will not be playing late into the post season. McGrady apparently is simply not the leader or competitor that they need to win a title. [Tom] The guy's been on the team less than a year and even then we're talking about a team that has had major roster changes several times during that one year. It's way too early to state whether or not TMac will lead the Rockets to a championship. [article] Bob Sura and Mike James are serviceable point guards with small contracts, but neither one is going to help you win games in the playoffs. [Tom] Interesting take given that Larry Brown specifically went out and got Mike James to win in the playoffs. All they did was win it all with James being an important part of that. [article] The Future: The first priority of this franchise will be to sign Yao Ming to a reasonable contract extension. As long as he is on the team, the stands will be full and the team will be decent. [Tom] Decent? Lemme see. They've had something like the 4th or 5th best record in basketball since January and despite a horrible start will probably win 50 games. All of that despite the fact that roster has had considerable changes made to it and this is everyone's first year together. I'd call that a little better than decent. [article] Houston is pretty much stuck next season with the team they got. [Tom] And about 26 teams (give or take) would love to be "stuck" like the Rockets are.
I stopped reading right there. Obviously he only looks at the box scores and strictly offense and/or has only scouted him recently. Wesley has been a great addition to this team. The rest of what he said is hogwash. The Rockets have expiring contracts to throw at trades next season and the marketability amongst other players to attract free agents that want to win. Enough said.
the article also mentioned that juwan howard coudlnt stay healthy long enough to contribute...last time i checked besides his season ending illness he wasnt on IL all season long
Yeah, Juwan is such an injury risk, always getting those annoying heart infections. This has got to be the most out-of-the-blue negative article ever written. Are we not on pace to win 50 games for the first time in god knows how long? Did we not just beat two division winners on the road? The least he could have done was publish the damn thing immediately after our little losing streak, to avoid looking like a complete ass.
God, when the heck are you guys going to stop reading this CRAPPPPP? You are simply making them more money by hitting that site. What a bunch of bullsh*t
welll... since there isnt a link posted....I dont see how we are hitting the site...or are you referring to the original poster? Which reminds me.... When postin articles from other sites....it is a MUST that you include links. Im really surprised a mod hasnt mentioned this yet...so I will. now....as noted by others already...it is more than obvious that this guy has very little clue about the team or how things really work in the NBA...at least 5 expiring contracts and two of the more unselfish stars means that we are a good FA destination if you want to win on a real team and not just be some guy standing on the same court while the stars win games for you.
