[New York Times] Returning to Houston Bittersweet for Francis

I miss his fire and passion. It sure would be nice to bring him back in 3 years when his contract expires. By then he may settle for the MLE. Of course, he may well be broke down by then.

I expect us to still be contending in 3 years. I suspect Yao will become even more dominant and will be one of the top 3 players in this league for the next 10 years. McGrady may fade a bit, but I think he is still going at it then too maybe taking on more of the point forward distributor role. They would make a nice break. McGrady rebounds and brings it up the floor with Francis and Rafer/Snyder/whoever else on the wing. I would suspect the older McGrady gets, the more like Magic he becomes. He probably won't ever carry the bulk Magic carried the last few years of his career, and he will lose a lot of his athleticism, but he's got the brain and the passing ability to be a great playmaker even after he's lost the lift on his jumper.

After we blow up this year, dudes are gonna want to play here with 111 and Battier because they will know we are always going to contend as long as those two are around and it sure would be nice if Francis still has game at the end of his contract if he would come home and play with us.

 

I keep trying to envision Steve as a 6th man for the rockets, but it still doesn't fit right in my mind. I have no idea where he'd thrive.

 

I never could imagine players like Bob McAdoo coming off the bench for the Lake show or Bill Walton coming off the bench with the Celtics, but they did and they thrived. Happens more often than you think. Once guys get all the dough they could ever spend in 3 lifetimes then they start wanting what they are really missing, which is immortality. You get that with hardward and rings baby.