Major Changes Needed This Off Season?

Retain Harden, Howard, Ariza, Capela, Smith and D-Mo( he could have been a trade asset if he wasn't injured).

I like Brewer, he did a lot for us, and Jones got better too despite his limitations, but Corey if he agrees to an S and T /Jones, K-Pap and the picks are our trade assets. Nick has limited upside, but he shows good defensive potential. I doubt if he has trade value right now.

Bev was missed at times, and so was D-Mo. Bev needs to get fit, and re-dedicate himself to defense and shooting, otherwise he won't be of much use to us. Maybe he can be re-signed without having to overpay him. D-Mo will have to work very hard on rebounding, getting fit and stronger.

Keep KJ as a cheap replacement for Brewer if possible. Terry and Prigioni tried their best, I don't see a future for them here. It's sad to say that. Dorsey was too limited.

We will need to gamble on a PG. If Lowry wants to come back, go for him first, Lawson second, Augustin 3rd. Jennings isn't bad, but his injuries bother me.

Kevin Love is a long shot, but I would accept him, despite his lack of defense. He brings elite shooting, rebounding and is a reliable free thrower. He might be able to fit in with Howard, but our bigger need is at the 1.

Veterans who can play and can show leadership along with Harden and Howard will be critical to our success.

Morey, McHale have their work cut for them, but ultimately the final responsibility will fall on the players, especially Harden and Howard. It was improved defense and better rebounding that set the tone in the earlier days of the season. We need to get back to that, but James can't do all the playmaking for this team.

It's hard to accept that our season is over...

Go Houston Rockets! You are our team, and we will always be with you.

 

I guess I don't know enough about basketball to argue a team that earned the #2 seed and advanced to the conference finals with two starters sidelined needs "major changes."

I'll say this: after Bosh fell through last summer, this roster looked like Harden, Howard, a hope and prayer. Then Morey really went to work, and some guys (including Harden) elevated their games. It looks like a much stronger base to work with, at least at the beginning of this summer.

So I say:

1. In Morey We Trust.
2. But Moreyball probably wants a 3-and-D point guard.

 

Jones hasnt been right since the nerve damage but he sucked this series. I would still give him more time unless the right person is available.

 

I actually thought he looked good after coming back from the nerve damage. It was the collapsed lung that he never truly recovered from. Look, I like Jones. He has moments where he really looks like a solid rotation player(albeit not starter material). But he has far too many games where he literally does nothing out there on the floor. At least D-Mo despite his sh-tty rebounding is giving you a lot of scoring and some respectable defense.

 

1. Keep a core of Dwight, Harden, Ariza together...
2. Bring back vet leadership in Terry or consider Paul Pierce...This team needs a mentally tough leaders when times are tough...Harden and Dwight have not shown mental toughness.
3. Time to revise the playbook...far too many times this season, the Rockets struggled to generate offense. They were lucky to have DMo in the post, but if that is not available, they need easier/creative ways to score. They NEED SET PLAYS...
4. Players not named Dwight that can not hit FT's at a 65% clip or higher should not be on this team.
5. The Rockets need a elite handling scoring PG...You want to see how efficient James Harden can be? Pair him with a legit playmaker and watch his stats/efficiency drastically improve. He is a great set shooter, and we just dont exploit this as much as we should.
6. Sense of urgency is a must. This window for a title is open for now...but the Rockets must look to cash in next year...Time to go all in...

 

I feel bad for saying this because he almost single handily saved our season but I don't think we should re-sign josh smith unless it's for an incredible discount. He hurts us way to often with stupid plays and terrible shooting. I just don't see how we can make that next step and beat GSW with our 3 point shooting philosophy when you have no pure shooters on your team let alone 2 downright terrible 3 point shooters in Brewer and Smith.

 

How about adding 3 and D players that can actually hit the 3 and D consistently a la dare I say it The Warriors.

 

1. Point Guard
2. Offensive Playbook
3. Get Healthy

 

I rather agree with you. I think he was perhaps a bit misused to be a creator when he should be more of a utility guy. Getting another guy that can be a legit creator behind Harden might be the solution to the Josh Smith usage problem. But, I suspect that his mentality is part of the problem -- that his reach exceeds his grasp.

 

Need to add shooting, BB IQ, playmaking and to a lesser degree than the first three, rebounding. Some names on here will be guys that people will groan about because of defense, but as vet minimum guys to come off the bench for easy offense, they are good fits.

Here is my list of targets early on that I think are at least reasonably realistic as either trade targets or free agent signings with the type of money we have. (MLE basically)

Trade targets:
PG: George Hill, Ty Lawson, Kyle Lowry, Brandon Knight (he's a free agent, but no way you could sign him. Have to talk PHX into a trade)
SG/SF: Kyle Korver if available (probably not
PF: Taj Gibson, Paul Milsap (like Knight, he's a free agent, but you can't sign him)

Free agent targets:
PG: Mo Williams, Aaron Brooks, Beno Udrih, Sergio Llull
SG: Wes Matthews (can he be stolen for a MLE deal due to injury?), Danny Green, Marco Belinelli
SF: Mike Dunleavy, Paul Pierce
PF: Brandon Bass, Carlos Boozer (vet min), Kevin Garnett (if he leaves Minnesota), Scola (vet min)
C: Brandan Wright

My ideal?

George Hill, Mike Dunleavy, Luis Scola added with only TJones, Kostas and maybe Nick Johnson out. Better than that would be gravy, but that adds two good shooters and three high BBIQ guys who can improve our offense in minutes they play without hurting us on defense. I'd go bananas to add Wes Matthews, but just don't think it's possible.

 

You wonder though, why both our playmakers Harden and Smith have the same problem with TOs?

Not enough spacing and movement. Players unable to get free. Something needs to be done about our offensive sets, the need for screens, and backcuts.

Really our passing was just to the 3pt shooters, lobs, and off the pnrs. After a while, easy to predict.

 

I'd like him back as a backup behind DMo with another veteran behind him to take minutes. I'd have no problem with a DMo/Smith/Scola rotation for example with Dmo getting most minutes and Scola stealing minutes from Smith when he's off.

That's all dependent on upgrade elsewhere though. You can't have Josh Smith be your third best player and your second best creator on offense. He's just too undisciplined, too inconsistent and too shot happy.

 

Number one priority has to be either a PG or a PF. I love Bev, but I don't think we can go without a playmaking PG to take pressure off of Harden. If a team can game plan for just one guy, it makes it near impossible for him to get people open looks.

 

I don't believe the offensive system is the problem as much as the fact that you don't have guys built for it. It's hard for the system to create the spacing it's supposed the only "threat" to score is Trevor Ariza outside of Harden. We need to replace players with players actually designed to play in a space out design. Corey Brewer for example, is a nice player in transition, but in a set offense is a complete disaster.

 

Have everybody hold down harden and shave his beard. Tell him he can grow it out when he deserves it. Let his goofy ugly ass get a little humble

Whoop his ass everytime he wears a stupid outfit. What happened to footlocker harden

 

Give this team another year to mesh at all costs. Greyhound Brewer saved this team with his fast breaks and steals so many times. He's the only Rocket that could consistently finish fast break opportunities at the rim and not fumble it or shoot it at the 3pt line like an idiot. I think Jones be the only the one that needs to be moved.

 

Smh


I'm not sure what team you watched. But Josh Smith is THE reason we advanced to the WCF. He was also HUGE against Dallas. Yes he makes dumb azz plays. But the reward outweighed the risk this year. If we dont get back LMA or maybe Love, then not bringing back Josh will hurt us.

 

God, watching him and Dwight brick FT after FT must have driven Harden crazy. Hopefully Josh Smith takes another team's offer.

 

DMo needs to be moved and we could get more with him

Jones has been injured all season, is young, hard worker, can rebound, and get buckets. DMo is kind of a p***y I could out board

 

If we could find one of these... Perfect.