It's one thing for fans to think we are closer than we are to a championship than we are, what concerns me is that management has routinely thought the same thing. We need an upgrade at the point, but we could win with Rafer assuming we get a legit 3rd scorer (really we need a 2nd scorer for the nights that TMac doesn't want to "Impose his will"). Problem is to get that scoring option, someone from last years rotation will have to go. My guess is Shane is the only guy that has any value alone. At that point what happens to our defense? Assuming that all works itself out, we still need a solid backup C for the games that Yao is gonna be out. One offseason is not enough to get all of that accomplished if you don't have young talented players that other teams covet or a boatload of money to spend. So no, I don't think we are closer than we think. I hope we are, but I don't think so.
Artest is not just a little crazy - he's absolutely crazy. They need to go after physical players who are still sane and not guys who vacation on the Planet Lovetron (old skool b-ball reference for the kiddies).
Rockets are full of nice guys. They can afford one carzy guy if they keep winning. Just think about how well Denis Rodman fit in bulls. But now Ron is not cheap any more. I don't think Rockets can require him with only expired contracts now. Maybe two or three picks are needed to funidh the trade.
What gives you that idea? We are weak at the point on most nights and we have nobody that can create their own shot except TMac and to a lesser extent Yao.
And what are you and Leebigez going to say when he snaps and attacks Yao, Tmac or maybe Clutch The Bear? "Oops? We certainly did not see that coming?" And show me where it is written that getting this nut will lead to their winning anything especially against the other teams in the West that don't have to go to the trouble of dosing key players with Prozac.
Its not all about talent a lot of times, its toughness. The rox don't have it ,artest does. Plus the guy can flat out play. Its like the incident at the palace will never g away. I'm sure u were a Rox fan when Maxwell went into the stands. On teams when the best players are a little reserved and passive like Tracy and Yao, its ok to have that over the type player. You can't have a team full of them, but one or two is cool. That was the difference between the lakers and celts. Guys like Posey and Brown was playing after the whistle and imposed their toughness on the lakers. It was talent. Even if it was talent, Artest makes sense. If he winds up in La, the rox will never beat that team. Now saying he's going to the rox or la, but he's a huge difference maker.
In risk of sounding like a homer, I think the Rockets would have won the title this year if Yao was healthy, Rafer Alston was healthy, Tmac was healthy, Carl Landry was healthy, and Shane Battier was healthy.
I doubt they'd have won the whole thing. But they certainly would've gone onto the 2nd round and perhaps even the conference finals. Next year it'll be better because Luis and Carl will have improved and acclimatized to the NBA. And Luther Head will be playing for a second contract! Hence, keep Luther as I think he'll be pretty good as he knows he wants another NBA contract. If he doesn't improve, then trade him at the trade deadline as an expiring contract.
