I doubt it is necessary to start a new thread for this. There is a couple more CD praising threads on the first page.
There are actually none on the front page devoted specifically to this topic, nor was there one seven hours ago when I started it. But I appreciate your input.
Thumbs up to CD. I had been very critical of him, but I think he and JVG did a great job today. Outstanding!
10. Drafting Jason Collier 11. Drafting Rodrick Rhodes 12. Drafting Mirsad Turkcan 13. Drafting Bryce Drew 14. Signing Brent Price to a 6-yr contract
Just echoing everyone else. What a job he's done -- since last year's playoffs Tmac Trade Trading for Deke Signing Sura Trading Lue for Barry (steal) Trading for Wesley And today's trades So he mixed in a Ward mistake, no one is perfect. CD and JVG could have just sat on our hands, but they took risks and made things happen. Good to be a Rocket fan.
My baby he dont talk sweet He ain't got much to say But he loves me, loves me, loves me I know that he loves me anyway And maybe he dont dress fine But i dont really mind Because every time he pulls me near I just want to cheer Lets hear it for the boy Lets give the boy a hand Lets hear it for my baby You know you go to understand Whoa, maybe he's no romeo But he's my lovin one-man show Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa Let's hear it for the boy My baby may not be rich He's wathcin every dime But he loves me loves me loves We always have a real good time And maybe he sings off key But thats alright by me Because what he does he does so well Makes me wanna yell Lets hear it for the boy Lets give the boy a hand Lets hear it for my baby You know you go to understand Maybe hes no romeo But hes my lovin one man show Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa Lets hear it for the boy Maybe hes no casanova Still his kisses knock me ov-ah Hear it for the boy Lets give the boy a hand Lets hear it for my baby You know you gotta understand Oh, he dont score at bowl-a-rama Still you gotta thank his mama Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa Lets hear it for the boy Hear it for my man Let's hear it for my baby
I just don't know what to think about this team anymore. Getting Mike James was a good move seeing how they were in desperate need of somebody - ANYbody - who could play the point as evidenced last night. But before I'm tempted to get in line with everybody else to kiss CD's ass I'd like to remind folks that all he's doing now is trying to clean up the mess he and the rest of that mysterious "big circle of people" have made with their bad drafts and stupid free agent moves over the past 10 years. The bottom line is that this does nothing to elevate their competative standing in their division vs. Dallas & San Antonio. They still look to be locked on course to be playing the Mavericks in the first round and even after today's manuverings they still don't match up against those guys. For the record, Mike James is an upgrade at the PG spot but I don't expect much from Vin Baker and I expect even less from Moochie. Also, this should tell you all you need to know about Reece Gaines. He's been traded from two teams now that desperately needed help at the PG spot which is theoretically the position he's supposed to play.
The great thing about this is that Mo Taylor would likely have not played another game this season. So anything, anything at all that Baker and Moochie can do for us is a complete bonus. Let's just cross our fingers that whatever they do for us, isn't under the TO stat line.
What Moochie and Baker both bring are two future expiring contracts that may have some value (see all the trading that went on before the deadline). Anything else is an absolute bonus in my opinion. Heck, I would still be happy if they play 0 minutes all year.
Kudos to the Rockets organization for tailoring a system that takes advantage of the rules, and then finding personnel to fit that system. Rules change, system changes, personnel change. I still think CD feels comfortable only going after players he knows about, meaning he only knows about the older players. The case may simply be that we really never went full-blown rebuilding mode, so the focus has always been on experience over expectations. I just wish the rules wouldn't change as often so we could at least give rookies the optimal environment to develop into younger versions of the free agents we have pursued. Maybe the answer is the NBDL or Euro-Minors.
I'm not really sure what the first part is supposed to mean there. Do you not acknowledge a difference between having to build a team from scratch, and just filling in gaps around established stars? Which is easier- having to pick up PROVEN role players to put around ESTABLISHED centerpieces, or having to FIND and DEVELOP centerpieces, while at the same time finding young role players to compliment these centerpieces, when you don't even know if the core is going to pan out, much less the guys you've put around them? Can you see how it might be just a tad bit easier to "immediately set on a trend of acquiring low key, cheaper veterans on short deals" in one situation but not in the other?
This is the kind of Luv I have been hollering about for CD on these pages for many years. He gets NO respect for all the pieces he has assembled over the years. Now even the blindess Francis fanatic HAS TO ADMIT that franchise was a CANCER that was destroying the team. We ALL know how Rudy lost control of the bus, but CD never has stopped working his particular brand of behind the scenes magic, and yet again it pays off this week. The man wears two rings, but never stops working for the future. I think he's one of the top 3 GM's easily in this millionaires league. But it's like they say, "You don't miss the water till the well runs dry." The quotes in particular of Moochie today and T Mac last week about the coach, tells volumnes about what is really creating this momentum back to the top. Seriously did anyone believe that misfit nonsense that got kicked in the playoffs last year was EVER going to progress past the first round? Now we have a nucleus that CAN and WILL take us so much further and with so much style, class, solid hoops and a real TEAM spirit. Sure ther have been some bone head deals, but if you're honest i don't beleive any team has regained it balance and re-written it's chances as fast as the Houston Rockets with CD pulling the trigger. Thank God for CD !!!
One more thing, so many posters here talk and post as though there were NO OTHER TEAMS, agendas or people involved in this league. Like the Rockets can push buttons and just get what ever the hell they wanted, IF THEY ONLY WERE ANY GOOD AT MANAGEMENT. This is so stupid. Most likely comes from lack of dealing with THE REAL WORLD. The only way to break out of a mediocure box is to be DARING and TAKE a CHANCE. CD does do this with a very calculated reasoning, that's why he will be recognized as one of the best by his peers when he steps down. He will never be fired, Les is too smart for that. p.s. I am ready to read the list of GM's who are so much better and have created so many better deals during the same time frame as CD. Who are they ? Oh, don't forget to include the crap they created too !
