Got to agree with DD, i have said this before, no matter who we pick up this offseason, unless we somehow pull lebron or wade out of thin air, the title hopes of next year rest on Yao Mings shoulders. We can bring in a Chris Bosh, we can add a veteran center, we can trade up for the 2nd or 3rd pick, if Yao is not healthy we will see an early playoff exit. If Yao can get healthy and we add a legit center who he can split time with, we are contenders as is or with any of the aforementioned. Back to the reason this thread was started, Morey has done a great job with what he was given, 2 fragile superstars and team full of over the hill vets. Superstars dont just fall in your lap.
youre talking about the same guy that broke his knee playing 55 games to come back and play 77 games the next year
I Disagree with they ney-sayers here. I think we will do what it takes to get a splash name player. Kevin Martin was a great pick up for us. I highly doubt DM goes for more "Value" players. I bet he plans on picking up someone amazing. Les Alexander wants it..... bad.
Don't be foolish. This isn't a championship quality team with a healthy yao and of course thats the biggest if in sports. I don think he's done a good job, but he plays the p.r. game like a champ and the fans bite like Jaws. We will see in time. When he got the job most said these next 3 season are so will shape the rockets future, but it sems like we say that every summer.
No it isn't. We're in good shape, but we have to add depth. We need a versatile PF-C and at least another good defender at a guard position.
Didn't we rout the Jazz WITHOUT Kmart and Yao? Didn't we start off 18-9 WITHOUT Kmart and Yao? For all the Yao doubters, don't. Age won't affect Yao as much as you think - he plays with his skillset much more than his body. Meaning that he won't just magically lose his shooting touch, his post up moves, his bball IQ. He may lose a step on the defensive end, but as far as his offense is concerned, I think we can still rely on him for that.
The way this team has been assembled, i'll go as far as to say that any decent move that Morey makes this off-season will net us a championship in the next two years.
Also, you have to keep in mind that, this team without a superstar went 42-40 in a stacked western conference. I apologize for being so repetitive, but we must not forget that most important fact.
Age effects every player even skilled players. Age effects duncan and he's a very, very skilled player, but he's not coming off a lower leg injury and he doesn't have slow feet. At some point, a player can become too slow to kepp up in a regular game and it will effect the team. now I'm not saying Yao can't contribute, but at what level can he contribute? We know defensively he can contribute there by clogging the lane, but he also clogs the lane offensively. He's a great fre throw shoot and a really good mid range shooter when he don't hesitate. I think yao's biggest adjustment will be playing without the offense running through him. I keep telling people this and they don't believe me, but adelman isn't turning back offensively. Yao is going to be more play finisher than a play creator. He will get shots on pick and and pop, offensive rebounds, and some post ups. He will not be rooted on the blocks anymore and clog the lane up. This will keep him fresher,elongate his career, and make the offense better.
I will go as to say this team has never been a real threat even with yao and tracy at their best which is better than any player combo they have now. They need big time improvement from hill,chase,and marginal improvement from brooks and ariza. The draft pick needs to have a role this year, but an even bigger one next year.
Howard has no offensive moves, as he proved again this offseason. Not hating on Howard, he is what he is but that team lives and dies first and foremost on 3 point shooting. Regardless of his foot, there's nothing Howard can do to get Yao's shooting touch. Yao is stronger than Dwight in the legs where it counts and can move him at will. Your post doesn't make sense at all. What aspect of Howard's game has improved in the past year? His free throw shooting? His mid ranged game? His game with his back to the basket? The main thing you can say about Howard is that he displays uncommon maturity even in physical series with the Celtics and wasn't drawn into more than a couple of altercations which could have cost his team. But when his team was down he pretty much looked like he was sleepwalking through the end of that series a la Lebron. I'm glad to have Yao... someone who we know will run through a brick wall or literally walk back onto the court wounded for his team. The pieces are all there. Houston is as close or closer than any other team not named the LA Lakers. For example is Cleveland a "championship team"? Everyone was saying so a month ago and now that team's about to be imploded. Houston is very close (and is in a great position to get even better by the trade deadline). Yes Les' organization does string along the fanbase every year but hope isn't unfounded. As a Houston fan you're logically looking at one of the better teams in the league next year and the best legitimate shot this franchise has had in 15 years... realize what you have.
Never said that it won't affect him at all: As I said, he may very well lose a step defensively, but as for offense, age won't affect Yao nearly as much as Yao haters think. You give a prime example in Tim Duncan. Sure, his stats dropped and so have his defensive presence, that's to be expected from any aging player. But his fundamentals is still there, and as a result his point average hasn't taken too steep a fall. You can't lose fundamentals (let's not delve into memory-related injuries, shall we?).
Duncan has always been a better fundamental and a quick thinker. He also has quicker feet than yao and hasn't had the lower leg injuries. Duncan can play at a high level till ghe's almost 40 because he's always been a great rebounder and a threat from anywhere inside 20ft. Yao efectiveness is really limited to baseline and when he wants, pick and pop. He will be even slower than what he was and he was slow last year. That does matter and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
The rockets are no closer than ok city,utah,portland,phoenix,dallas or sa. Its the lakers and everyone else. The everyone else isn't really that close unless ok city gets bosh or sa gets jeeferson, or other teams make a move like the rockets. What some of those other teams have on the rockets are high end players. They have players who are on a hogher tier than any rocket player.
If I'm not mistaken which of those teams have all of this: 1. Young players (Brooks, Lowry, Hill), or players who are about to hit their prime (Ariza, Martin, Scola)? Immediately you can count out SA, Dallas, Phoenix. 2. A potential top pick in the upcoming draft? Count out all but Utah. 3. 2 potential top picks in the next 2 drafts? NONE. 4. The best GM in the history of the NBA in Daryl Morey who can make THE MOST of those picks, who has the potential to land us a HUGE one in the free agency / trade? A owner who's willing splurge money for any potential gains? ONLY US.
