Draft- Jefferson, Ken Johnson, Haywood F.A. pickups- Webber Marc Jackson Players who won't be back- Anderson, Cato, Williams, Rogers, Bullard. Next Years lineup- Dream/Jackson/Haywood Webber/Johnson/Thomas Jefferson/Langhi Mobley/ have no clue Francis/ Norris Record 55-27, Francis makes First Team All NBA, Jefferson wins R.O.Y., and Webber wins MVP ------------------ President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, and Charles Woodson fan club.
Rockets lose Mo, Hakeem, Mooch, Shandon, and fail to get Webber, leaving them with this lineup next season: Steve-Colson Mobley-Walt Langhi-Bullard draft pick Kenny-Carlos Cato-Collier draft pick Most devastating offseason in Rockets' history. ------------------ Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is the greatest player in the history of basketball. If you disagree, you are not a Rocket fan. Protrolls.com!
Draft: Jefferson Trades: Cato, Pick 24 for Croshere (this should work, even though both are BYC players, because we will be under the cap) And yes, Indiana may have motivation to do the trade-- both have high contracts, but they do have need for a center (Jermaine O'Neal is NOT one, even in the East.) They have been resorted to starting Sam Perkins and Jeff Foster there most of the season. Walt, Pick 23 to team with cap room and role players; essentially a move to free up more cap room for the FA period. Free agency moves: Resign Dream ($4M), Mo Taylor ($6M), Moochie ($2M), Marc Jackson ($5M) Players that won't return: Shandon Anderson, Kelvin, Walt Lineup for next season: Olajuwon/Jackson/Collier Taylor/Thomas/Carlos/Bullard Croshere/Jefferson/Langhi Mobley/Francis Francis/Norris If we have that lineup for next year, we really may be looking towards a 3 or 4 seed. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor, Jason Collier, and draft Richard Jefferson fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! ClutchTown.com
Please ignore ZRB everyone... this is what being a troll is all about. We've proven how illogical, irrational, improbable, etc. that scenario is, and yet he still holds to it, so don't even bother. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor, Jason Collier, and draft Richard Jefferson fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! ClutchTown.com
Cat- have you heard of reverse psychology? Every time I am negative, the Rockets come back and prove me to be a dip-sh**. I actually think that the Rockets will re-sign Mo, Hakeem, and Moochie, and lose Shandon. Webber will stay in Sac-town. ------------------ Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is the greatest player in the history of basketball. If you disagree, you are not a Rocket fan. Protrolls.com!
Predictions? Just let me get my magic, super duper, crystal ball from a long-forgotten realm from a time in antiquity Ah....!!!! What do I see...Hakeem turn around is that a Rockets uniform your wearing... Is that C.Webb flanked by Rudy T. and C. Dawson? Wait for more predictions. ------------------ "The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till the other is ready." -HDT
Draft-Woods, Morris, sleeper. Free Agency-Mo, Shandon, Mooch, Dream(Hopefully) If Shandon and Mo both leave, then I think we could possibly get Antonio Davis. Not much of a chance at C-Webb Leaving this lineup: C-Dream/Woods/Cato PF-Mo/KT SF-Morris/Walt SG-Cuttino/Shandon/Sleeper PG-Steve/Mooch IR-Collier, Colson(Hopefully, because he could help if we run into injuries), Langhi ------------------ Never Underestimate the Heart of a Champion
Random thoughts: If Shandon doesn't come back, we'll certainly owe him some $$$, unless Chicago or Detroit or whomever simply opens the bank for him. So we might have to involve him in a trade to a team he likes (or, at least, doesn't hate). Obviously we want to free up cap room. This would involve the help of Chicago or Detroit (beggars can't be choosers...?) Neither will land a big-time free agent. Each team could use marquee-ish players locked into long-term contracts. Look for the possibility of moving any combination of Cato, Walt, Shandon, Los and picks for players on other teams who are looking to get the hell out of Dodge. These players could be traded for a high draft pick, which, of course, Chicago and Detroit will have. Current disgruntled players: Shareef Abdur-Rahim; Keith Van Horn; Raef Lafrentz. Regarding Lafrentz, I don't want to help a Western Conference team, but I don't want the other two in Houston either; and besides, we're trying to dump salary. Vancouver needs to send a pick in the direction of Detroit. The way things go now, they owe Detroit their own pick...a Top 5 in a great draft! Detroit owes Houston a pick. Houston owes Vancouver but doesn't have to send a pick this year. Still, a possible 3-way could happen here. Whatever happens, we do it to dump salary. We certainly have no need for three rooks next year. From Clutch's post, I gather we want Battier or Jefferson (if we draft). The league thinks Chris Webber wants to go to New York. Either he does or he has put Kings management on that scent (and, therefore, his teammates and whomever they tell) to hide his true intentions. The question is, are we wanting to get a marquee player now (Webber) or get other pieces of the puzzle (Marc Jackson, Shane Battier), re-sign Dream and Moochie, and gradually improve? I'll think about this some more. Maybe someone else has a clue right now. I obviously don't. There's no reading of minds (free agents, GMs, etc.) Hakeem will be back. Moochie, too. ------------------
Those all look really good, however if Dream comes back there is no way we will get Marc Jackson. Especially if we start Hakeem, which is what some of the posts are stating. He has said he wants to be involved and play lots of minutes. Other than that, looking forward to lots of options! :-D ------------------ Greatness is not a singular act, it is a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.
I know that is the popular sentiment, but I'd have to disagree. I want Hakeem back as much as the next guy, but let's be realistic. If you want him to hold up for even near all 82 games, you can't have him average more than 23-25 minutes per night. So that will leave Jackson a solid 25 per game with Hakeem fully healthy, which he probably won't be all year. Plus, with a young player like Jackson, you have to look toward the longterm. If he has confidence in his game, and he gets the money, he should be fine with playing just 25 minutes instead of 35 per game until Dream retires after one more or possibly two more seasons. If the Rockets give him money, I think he'll come. He can get a solid 25 minutes per game next year easy, even with Dream, and it can better acclamate him to our system. If you are a guy like Jackson, you have to look longterm with his age, and he'll be hitting his prime right when Dream leaves and right when Steve, Cat, and Mo are entering theirs. And he'll get his 35 minutes per game on most likely a championship capable team. If the Rockets make him a reasonable offer (5 mil per year) for a long-term contract, I couldn't see him playing just 25 instead of 35 minutes per game for a year or so being a huge problem. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor, Jason Collier, and draft Richard Jefferson fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! ClutchTown.com
PG Francis SG Mobley C Olajuwon SF Battier(trade all our picks to move up) PF Mo Taylor Beanch: Norris, Bullard, Langhi, Thomas, Cato, Collier, Williams IR: Colson ------------------
Shandon - gone [hopefully part of a Sign and Trade that helps us] Moe - resigned Moochie - Resigned Hakeem - Resigned Cato hopefully part of a sign and trade. Rocket River ------------------
Draft: Jefferson, Ken Johnson F.A. pickups: hopefully either Webber or SAR Non-returning players: Shandon and please Cato and Walt Dream will stay! ------------------ "I may be mistaken, but I'm never wrong" -Barkley
I would love it if we could resign Dream and sign Marc Jackson for next year. Both would get plenty of time, and, as I understand it, Jackson's biggest flaw is that his defense isn't stellar. At least a year under Olajuwon's tutelage should partially change that for the better. This is assuming that Jackson is willing to learn... we will see (hopefully). But it sounds as if Jackson has a very good game suited to the Rockets style of ball (pre-zone... don't know what post-zone style will be). If we could land him, I think he will only get better as Rudy and Dream teach him how to be a great center. ------------------ President of the Anal Retentive School for Jerks Hey, I wanted to be president of something, and I swear everyone took every other presidential position already.
What are the chances that we might could package a couple of draft picks and either Cato or Walt to send to Minnesota for Wally Scerbikadkfe...? I really like this guy... he seems like an ideal 3 for our system. Anyone think Minn. would give him up so they could get some vaunted draft picks, of which they will have little in the coming years? ------------------ President of the Anal Retentive School for Jerks Hey, I wanted to be president of something, and I swear everyone took every other presidential position already.
KidRock, It isn't about us finding a superstar. It's simply about filling a couple of key roles. If that happens, we can make up a 10 game gap easy without landing the superstar. If we can add Croshere, Jefferson, and Marc Jackson to this nucleus, I can very easily see us in the 3 or 4 slot. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor, Jason Collier, and draft Richard Jefferson fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! ClutchTown.com
Bskball (I know, I know, don't believe bskball) suggests trading Cato and a pick or Mo for Croshere. I know Croshere hasn't had a great year but that's due to his own overexpectations and the makeup of the team. Roles on that team are even less defined than on the Rockets. I would bet you Indiana would take Cato and a pick for Croshere. Jermaine O'Neal and Kelvin Cato blocking shots would be a sight to behold (Cato on another team would be a sight to behold). I know some posters here are leery of Croshere's contract but at least he works for a living. We could use his toughness at the 4/3 slot. Then use a later pick for Terrence Morris. Sign Marc Jackson. Re-sign Dream and Mooch. THAT would be a team. I like Croshere. Can't help it. The guy's tough. I remember last year when someone tried to give him some **** and he gave them a face-to-face staredown that reminded me of "Private Pyle's" just-gone-over-the-deep-end expression in "Full Metal Jacket: "Hi, Joker." Do ya'll know the scene? "Seven six two millimeter. (click) Full. Metal. Jacket." Earlier this year, Croshere was forced to guard Shaq, and even though Shaq basically just shot over the top of him, he never got backed down, despite giving up eighty pounds or so. ------------------ [This message has been edited by ROXTXIA (edited April 19, 2001).] [This message has been edited by ROXTXIA (edited April 19, 2001).]
Trade #1- Cato/#24 to Indiana for Croshere and a 2nd round pick Trade #2- #13/Walt/Los and a future conditional 1st round pick to Denver for Raef Lafrentz, starch and a 2002 2nd round pick. Trade #3- #22/Kenny Thomas move up to ~15. Draft ~15 Loren Woods (or Haywood or K. Johnson) 2nd rounder: Terrence Morris, a defensive swingman, European Renounce everyone except Moochie and Shandon, current salary: 26.313966 mill, approximately 16.7 mill in salary cap left. Resign Mo to a multi-year deal starting at 7 million. Resign Hakeem Olajuwon to a 1 or 2 year deal at 5 million. Sign Jerome Williams (Player Option) to a contract starting at 4 mill. After other actions, resign Shandon and Mooch to Early Bird deals. Resign Bull to veteran (1 million) minimum. Hakeem/Lafrentz/[Woods]/Collier Taylor/Williams/(Croshere)/(Lafrentz) Croshere/(Anderson)/Langhi/Bullard Mobley/Anderson Francis/Moochie 13 man roster, 1 person starts year on DL. [Woods] means anyone one of the college senior centers in Jones, Woods, Haywood, or Johnson. Parentheses are secondary backup positions. ------------------ "That's been a lifelong dream of mine." -Vince Carter, after laying it in on a breakaway, much to the Vancouver crowd's displeasure.
Wish it was a way we could get Mike Miller. ------------------ President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, and Charles Woodson fan club.
