Everyone is talking about how the Rockets management/coach does, and I was wondering myself how do they get to where we are now, and where do we go next. So I think a thread to summarize the moves Rockets made would be useful in evaluating what we did so far and shed some light into what can be expect for the Rockets next move. Starting from the 2002-03 season, in which Rockets drafted Yao: Significant member of that group: Francis Griffin Yao Mobley Posey Kenny Thomas Mo Taylor Cato Norris Rice Nachbar (only in so far as he's the 15th pick) 03-04: Padgett Oakley Francis Yao Wilks Jackson Nachbar Cato Mobley JacksonM Piatkowski Norris Taylor Weatherspoon Griffin Gone is Thomas to 76ers, Rice to somewhere, Posey to FA. Added major pieces: Jim Jackson, Padget, Piatkowski (never really played much). Got Weatherspoon (with soon to expire contract) in a trade. And we start to old gangs to help the veteran savvy: Oakley, Mark Jackson. Griffin turns out to be a major fiasco that season. 04-05: Yao Barry James Padgett Mutombo McGrady Weatherspoon Bowen Sura Strickland Wesley Barrett Ward Jackson Taylor Howard Lue Gaines Norris Nachbar Baker What a Hectic season. Gone in the off season for blockbuster trade, Francis, Mobley, Cato. In from trade Mcgrady, Howard (with his untradable contract), Lue, Gaines. Lue will later go to Atlanta. Gaines turns out to be Mike James. Jim Jackson and Nackbar will later be gone for Wesley after a dissapointing start. Mo Taylor goes to NY for some ciggar. Norris will be traded multiple times. Major addtion from FA: Sura (castoff from detroit), Barry, Ward(who never really played much), and later Mutombo. We went to playoff for an exciting first round, with major collapse in game 7. Little did we know then this was the last special moment for that group. 05-06: Ming McGrady Hayes Baxter (only because he's used to trade for Bogans) Swift Anderson Bogans Alston Mutombo Head Wesley Barry Howard Lucas Bowen Brunson Head is drafted. Padget is let-go. Weatherspoon and his expiring contract is relieved with Amnesty rule. James is traded for Alston before season starts. Major addition is Swift and Anderson, who later is traded to Miami for...nothing. Barry is also waived midseason. Sura, Mcgrady and Wesley are currently injured. Now after going through is, a pattern emerges. Most of moves Rockets made involves PG and PF position. We were in searching of a PG (and his backup) from day 1, unfortunately, Ward never played much, Sura played about half of a season. We are also trying to solve the messed-up PF situation along the way. Now, after these seasons, the PG search is likely over, for better or for worse. The PF search though would not likely over, yet. The SG patch does't work out too well, and now becomes a major concern. Now, why is it that Rockets haven't been able to put together a solid supporting cast around Tmac and Yao, why is it seems slower compared to say, cleveland. The answer (aside from miscues along the way) is mainly because the Rockets contract situation was messed up before Yao got here. The Rockets isn't your typical team who got the number 1 pick. The year they got Yao, they already got huge long term contracts and throw-away picks. They are trying to solve the past miscues along the way, but haven't solved it yet. Looking forward, the biggest hinderance in building the team in the future is Juwan Howard's huge long-term contract.
My only hope for this organization is luck, smarts are out of the question. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then. I am counting on it.
Tmac prob has only 3 good years left in him. With the way they try their luck at the PG and PF position, I'm not too encouraged. The mangement has to improve for Rockets to have a chance in contending.
The team has benefitted most recently (since T-Mac) at least, from having the 2 core pieces in place that they need. Regardless of who they played, etc. when those 2 players have been healthy, the team has been highly competitive. As pointed out, they almost beat a very good Dallas team last year. Unfortunately, this year, too many injuries, too many things not panning out. The team has tried to use its MLE to add the right pieces. Unfortately, I think everybody has been so focused on win now at all costs, and given JVG's coaching style anyway, those role players have tended to be older, safer, slower players. They were suppossed to be smart, cagy veterans. Some of them were (Sura, Barry, Wesley to some extent). But they have also been what they are - old, prone to injury, deficient athletically. The team has attempted to reverse this trend with Stromile. As poorly as this year has gone for everyone, including him, he is on a very friendly contract. He was paid for what he's shown he can do. The disspointment was that he hasn't done more. Still, imo, it was a step in the right direction. The team clearly needs to upgrade athletically at the 2 guard. The team can certainly continue to improve at the PF. I'm not as dissapointed with Swift. He's at least done what he should. Maybe when chemistry improves he'll provide more. The problem is Juwan, who is no more a starter than Swift, yet is getting paid like he is. They have 2 backup power forwards. Unfortunately, one of them has to start and one of them is getting seriously overpaid. The team needs to improve at the backup SF position. Its clear that McGrady can't play as much as he has been. Ryan Bowen is horrible. A solid back-up SF would also allow you to play tall (with a PG, 2 SF, PF, C), or play small (PG, SG, SF, SF, PF/C) more effectively. They could probably use another solid backcourt bench player, though if they accomplish the above they would potentially have Luther and Wesley already at the backup PG/SG positions. Needs, in order of importance. 1a. Starting SG 1b. Starting PF 3. Athletic, tall Back-Up SF 4. Backup PG/SG I think if they stay healthy next year, and are able to accomplish either 1a or 1b AND either 3 or 4 through the draft or FA, then there is no reason to once again have high hopes for a solid season next year. EDIT: My thoughts on potential acquisitions. Bonzi Wells would be a good starting 2 guard. Matt Harpring would be a good backup SF/fill-in starter at SG. Al Harrington would be a pipedream, unless Atlanta is willing to take back Juwan in a sign and trade (why would they?). Radmonovich would be good.
I pretty much agree. Unfortunately JH is prob untradable. It would be nice if someone can take him off our hands, if that means parting with Head, so be it. It would be nice if we can use Sura or use his medical exception. One way to grab talent is to get on the action when some franchise get on the firesale mode (possibly Warriors), or trade with teams who are glutted with young talents.
I actually wanted Troy Murphy last year, but people laughed me off because of his defense. I'd still like him. Stro and something for him, seriously. Speaking of teams glutted with young talent, I'm still praying for the outside chance of us landing James Jones with the TE right before it expires. The suns are on the books next year for 57mil with Barbosa, Diaw, and House all up for extension. I think they're all more valuable to the team than him. With Amare coming back PT will be an issue. And if they want to keep Tim Thomas, Jones is even more expendable. His minutes have gone down to 19mpg this month compared to 24 on the season, so I can still hope.
One of the observation I have regarding dealing with trades of this franchise is that it most times gets "fair value", but not "excellent value". Rarely do you go, brilliant, how do they do that? And since JVG is here, trades are more on the "safer, fit-in" side than "talent" side. It also seems to me, the use of expiring contracts and trade exceptions can be better. When they want to get rid of someone, they just let him go. Let's review some of the trades in last couple of the years: * Kenny Thomas + future 2nd --> Posey. Thomas is currently starting for Kings, Posey is playing for Miami. Rockets? Supposedly outbid for Posey's service. Not <b>too much</b> to complain about, a 2nd for half a season of Posey, but the let-go of KT was an product of Rockets PF syndrom. * Rice + 1st --> Manboob + 04 2nd (v-span) Manboob + moochie --> Weatherspoon (and this is NY we are talking about) Rice's contract expires 03-04, Moochie 05-06 (team option next year), so does Weatherspoon, except Spoon's contract is bigger. So, a first rounder + some ended up to be V-Span, and I'm not sure V-span will accept second rounder's money. Good thing there is Ishia in NY, so later Mo Taylor --> Moochie + Baker + 2nd (06) So, in that sense, we used a 1st in deep 03 draft, just for clearing up one year of MoTay's contract. * Jim Jackson + Boki --> Wesley Largely a good trade. Wesley has been solid, Boki hasn't proved anything in the NBA. Only thing is that, Boki is better known as the 15th pick since he hasn't played much then. It's a fair value trade, not "great" value. * Eddie Griffin. One of the biggest blunder. * Even in the Tmac trade with that stupid Magic GM, with Tmac wanting to play with Yao, we only managed to a fair trade - saddled with JH's horrid contract. The last time an NBA team go on a firesale, the Blazers (with Hawks joining the act), Wells --> Wesley Person + conditional 1st --> Bobby Jackson + Ostertag; Patterson --> Voshon Lenard, Rockets was expected to be kind of Franchise to join the action. That's why we don't have assets right now. We used our assets to clear up the past mistakes. We are pretty much fair-traders, and my-type-traders, so that doesn't help accumulate assets as well. Thank God we have Yao and Tmac.
