I am just curious, but how does everyone here feel it best that we rebuild? I am Australian, and we don't have drafts etc in our sports here (well, not in NSW anyway) Thus, the notion of being 'rewarded' for being crap is foreign to me. I am not ignorant of it however, as I have followed the NBA etc closely for a long time. It just seems to me that the best possible scenario for us as Rocket fans in THE LONG TERM is that Cuttino leaves...Steve gets injured...Cato goes down...and we finish with the number one pick in a super strong draft. We pick that kid Ed Curry or some other stud...thus giving Francis a legitimate running mate and a reason to stay long term...and we build around him and Francis for the next ten years. Think about it...San Antonio NEVER wins a Championship without such a season. The other way is obviously free agency...but there's no one available REALISTICALLY for a long time who'd make us a contender. I know some of you keep dreaming of Webber, but if you have read anything at all from him you'd know he isn't coming here. Today's words on New York just confirm what I have thought all along, that he'd force a trade to a contender. Soooo...what to hope for? It really is a contradictory position and it feels unnatural. I want the Rocks to win every game...but I also want us to be stronger in the long term. Losing helps that. Think about this: Remember that little run we went on towards the end of last season? Man did I feel good. We beat Portland, took on LA etc and really showed something as a team. Now...how many of you here, retrospectively, would swap that 'run' for a ten game losing skid and the number 3 pick in last years draft instead of that short term pride and the number 9? My guess is, just about everyone. As I said, I don't know what to feel... ------------------
If Cat does leave then I do think we will already be near the top of the draft without injuries. Also I honestly don't think an injury to Cato matters either I don't see him as a difference maker on the court, but yes an injury to Francis would devastate us. However I would never wish any type of injury to Stevie, so if Cat leaves we will just have to deal with another lottery season, and hopefully a good pick next year. ------------------
I would actually have taken the winning streak instead of the losing streak. Becuz of that lil winning streak, everyone became optimistic for the future, and it offered hope for better things to come. I mean, the team really bonded. If we had been losing a lot, then the team would have gone into the offseason all depressed and sad. This team knew that they had potential, and you could tell that from Steve and Cuttino's comments every now and then. With that winning streak, they finally proved to THEMSELVES that they could win. And I think if Cuttino resigns with us, that major winning streak would be one of the reasons why. Cat wants to win, and he knows he can do it with Houston. All that plus, Shandon and Walt found their grove towards the end of the season. Of course we'll be better in the long-term if Steve gets injured and we get the #1 pick or something, but that willl also hurt us becuz losing will hurt team chemistry. I'd rather just play out the season and try to do well... whatever happens, happens. ------------------ treasurer of the moochie norris fan club
Steve gets injured? You WANT this to happen? I'm sorry, but I would never wish an injury upon an opposing player, let alone Steve... The thing about injuries is that you're never sure if they are fully healed. Sure, it may SEEM like only a sprained ankle, but it could get worse during the rigors of an NBA schedule. Or maybe you would rather have Steve just tear his ACL, miss the entire season, and possibly affect the rest of his career... It's OK, though....we got that high draft pick!! I don't care what ANYBODY says. The only positive effect that losing a game has on a team is when a team learns from their mistakes made during that loss...Tanking games to get a high draft pick is and always will be pure BS. Losing a player due to injury has absolutely NO positive effect on that person whatsoever. If he's injured, he can't play, which means he won't be able to develop his skills What happened to San Antonio was luck, pure and simple...I believe that Boston had the worst record that season in the NBA, not SA, but the Spurs simply had the ping-pong balls bounce in their favor. The best way to build has always been through the draft...Chicago, Houston, Detroit, the Lakers of the 80's, and The Celtics of the 80's AND 60's were all built through the draft... BUT Times are changing, and free agency may be the way future teams turn into contenders, although it hasn't worked recently (see: Washington Wizards) The key for teams now isn't so much good draft picks as it is keeping their draft picks. With more and more players declaring for the draft early, they usually don't develop for 2-3 years, which is around the time their first contract is up. This means that the good players are picked up by the team that didn't draft them... LA might just be the first team to win multiple championships that was built through free agency and trades....We'll see... A-Train ------------------ If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!!
My perfect rebuild team: Francis Shandon Mobes (resigning him this year) Rashard (resigning him next year) Cato Curry (trading our Orlando, Houston, and Detroit pick) Another big man with the Milwaukee pick. Now that team would kick serious ass for the next 15 years. ------------------
