Look, we are not going to win it all. We might not even make the playoffs, but it will be fun. We have a lot of new young talent and some of it looks like it will become the type of good role players we need to surround a couple of stars. They are athletic and try hard. Let's enjoy watching some of them grow into future championship role playes and perhaps if we are lucky a star or two. Let's play the young guys and enjoy the fact that our assets seem to be growing steadily and not all is dependent on Yao or T-Mac's health.
Not wanting to "D&D" the definition of "real fans", but I would think every year is a fun season...for me anyways. I just like having a team to root for and am really glad they're above .500 most seasons. My saving grace is not being a fan of the Clippers. I also understand that different seasons begets different expectations begets different degrees of emotions, but never should it take away from the overall year of enjoying Rocket basketball. And I agree, PLAY the YOUNG! But Tracy seems to be our wildcard this year and since we all want to win, a YOUNG might have to sit for Tracy.
I agree, for fans that are more "realistic" or "pragmatic" this could be an enjoyable season. No expectations...... DD
Agreed. Expectations are fairly low. I don't expect them to win a championship but I do expect them to have a winning season and a good shot a the playoffs. Season is gonna be fun and exciting watching the guys hustle and grow. Much better than what some would call "tanking". I do dread "Stacy" coming back and messing with the hustle and chemistry.
I always feel like any team I follow has a shot at great things so while it would be unrealistic to think the Rox are going for a title, I can safely assume they will be fun to watch and will contend for a playoff spot after that anything can happen.
Agreed, but assuming TMac does come back....the Rockets need to trade one of their wings. There is not enough room for: Tmac Ariza Battier Buddinger Taylor This year should be dedicated to getting players that will be around when Yao gets healthy.....and can fit in......get them some chemistry. So, who is our future, who is our past? That needs to be answered IMO. Tmac - past Ariza - future Battier - past Buddinger - future Taylor - future To me, either TMac or Battier or both need to go sometime this year. DD
Call me crazy, but I think this team can make the 8th or 7th seed with McGrady in the lineup. McGrady may have a great year this year because it's a contract year, and I still would rather not resign him and put up with the drama in future seasons here in 10-11, 11-12, etc.
I like the OP's attitude. And while you never want to tank, teams that struggle during a given season are rewarded with higher draft picks. Those top picks are how so many championship teams found their star players (Hakeem, Jordan, Duncan, etc...).
The only real expectation I hold is for everyone to grow individually. Winning will come along with everything this team learns... Hopefully in 2010 - 2011...
Great to see you in the GARM, glynch. I look forward to seeing our young guys develop this season (we don't have much choice!), and I think we'll be pleased with the development of the two points, Brooks and Lowry, and we might have a surprise come from the fellows at the position invited to camp. The numbers game might not make that happen, but we'll see. I'm very excited about Chase and believe he'll have an impact this season far and away greater than his draft position suggests. Taylor has a ways to go to show anything like CB's display of talent during the summer and preseason, but there must have been a reason Morey paid lots of Les's dollars to get him. Not as young (a tottering old man, according to Leeb), but I think Scola will improve and maybe shift into another gear this year. Look for a breakout season for Landry, if he stays healthy. As everyone knows, the 5 is our Achilles heel. Not much confidence in Dorsey showing up. Andersen is really a 4 in the NBA, and thinks a banger is a sausage you get in England. The Pops guy, young enough to be the kid of some of us here (like you and I!), is undersized for the position and pretty unknown to me. Am I forgetting someone? Oh yeah... the new wing, Ariza. With luck, he'll find his shot. Just having him on the team is a tremendous addition to our depth and opens trade possibilities at the deadline. Anyway, it'll be a gas seeing the team develop and I really think we'll surprise the league once the new guys learn Adelman's system, which is perfect for this crazy bunch. And who knows? Maybe McGrady will show up and surprise the hell out of me.
Taylor or Battier. Let's reserve judgment on T-Mac until we see how healthy he's gotten. If he looks slightly better than last year, he jumps to the top of the list. But if he looks much better, like him and Grover are anticipating, then we need to keep him.
Especially fans of the Rockets. Have we been spoiled? Maybe. I'd say lucky, not spoiled, to have such a history of great big men, the envy for 90%-plus of the teams around the league. Maybe luck will be with us again, and someone will either rise to the occasion, or get aquired by Morey. There is still time.
I think its going to be a long season this year. There will be nights against the contenders where they don't stand a chance. Boston,Cleveland,Orlando,Sa,Dallas,La,Portland,Utah,Denver. Just in that group, I see 26 losses. There will be other nights when the play fast against teams that have young talent like the rockets like OkC,Clipps,memphis,phoenix, and others where they will probab ly split. The inside height is going to be huge and speeding up good defensive teams will make them better. What DD said earlier is pretty much what I've been saying all summer. It seems like management don't want to say what we already know. I also agree with DD when he says either battier or tracy needs to go. If it were me,both would be gone, but i'm not sure management think the way I do. If they want to make a good attempt at the playoffs and develop players, they really need to get a big guy in. I still have my crosshairs on camby as a guy that can help this team right now. How to get him is another story. Overrall, I've been through this before and I'm ready for it. Management don't have to sell my false hope because I see what going on like the rest of the fans do. Just do it already and move forward. Adelman is a good enough coach that will keep them kinda in it a little, but when the smoke clears, this is a 40 win team which will put them in 10th place or so.
We have been spoiled. Not lucky. If we were lucky Yao wouldn't be out for the season. I agree though I think coming up a Rockets fan made me love post play. Its tough for me to watch college basketball with no defensive 3, bad spacing, and few big men. I think the Rockets ruined it for me. I will enjoy Scola's play, watching the grit, toughness, and hopefully defense. But the hole at center is going to keep me up nights.
Taylor - future? You sir are the eternal optimist. I hope he has fun in the D-league and learns defense and the team game. Ariza - future? This guy is going to have to show up before I label him the future. T-Mac - Past? agreed but he will play a role for the Rockets this season. Battier - Past? don't want to agree. I really hate to see Shane leave because I think he can train some of our young guys to be professionals, but I would like to get something for Shane before he has no value as a player. I don't think Shane leaves this season. Buddinger - future. agreed, I think this kid will become a fan favorite this season. Chase seems to be amazingly comfortable on the court and it doesn't appear that the NBA is too big for him. I'm having trouble predicting his ceiling but depending on his work ethic I think it's pretty high. 5 players, 96 min. of PT Shane - 22 - Starting to show his age and spend time in the shop too. TMac - 30 - Like owning a Lamborgini tmac will be in the shop a lot. Buddinger - 12 Ariza - 32 Taylor - tons of PT in the D - league The minutes will be a little short especially with Lowry stealing minutes at the two but it's going to be interesting. We really only have 3 positions on this team and each player in a position should be completely interchangeable according to match-ups. Guard - Brooks, Lowry, Conroy Wing - Shane, Ariza, TMac, Buddinger, Taylor Post - Scola, Landry, Hayes, Anderson, Dorsey, Pops
I surprisingly agree with you, IMO, Stacy and Shane will be traded by seasons end. DM will of course be scouring for good deals around the league for Tracy and if someone were to come along with a great deal for Shane consisting of young talent and high draft picks I'm betting he'll jump on it. We'll just have to wait and see.
Deckard, As a old school poster, I hope every mention of scola, u bring up that I want to trade him. I would trade scola only because he's prooductive,cheap, and could get us something younger and trending upwards in return. I like scola a lot and would like him better if he was 25 or so on this team, but he's not. So what winds up happening is the rockets pay him 6m or so for 4 yrs. No again, I'm not saying he's not worth it, I just think Landry is younger and has a higher upside and scola has a contract coming up. Now I do understand the rox or fans view of letting scola play his contract out and if the can't get who the shoot for,resign him at that 6m range,bring yao back and see how that goes,I get that. I personally think scola can be a starting piece on a ring team, I just don't think that team is the rockets anytime soon.
