I only feel that the Rockets should make a trade if it involves quality people. This includes people who are able to control their emotions on the court as well as off the court. Also, if Cato is so bad how come other teams want him? If he is ssserviceable to the team, why not keep him? He can still be an effective, if overpaid backup.
I agree with the title of this thread completely. Our center position is one of the best in the league, bar none. As Yao gets to playing more minutes, I could see Cato as the inside banger/enforcer at PF for stretches if the opposition has a big PF in. Power Forward is where we are going to need some improvement (notice I said improvement, not trade) if we are going to go deep into the playoffs in the WC. Duncan, 'Sheed, Brand, Malone, and Stoudamire will all try to exploit our weaknesses at this position. Personally, I like the players we have there and just think EG needs to continue playing into the role. He is 21 and I believe that he will be a solid contributor for the Rox for a long long time. Taylor really started to round into shape (no pun intended) at the end of last year and developed a really deadly jump hook that kept us in alot of games in the 4th quarter. Small Forward is a position in flux for us, but I think Posey will be back (I hope so) and I really hope that Boki and Rice can give us some shooting to take the pressure off Yao and Steve. Shooting Guard is a position I would change up by moving Steve here and having Cat back him up. Of course they would play together at times during the season as Steve could provide backup at the PG (easily the best backup PG in the league! LOL). Point Guard is where I think we need some help. I would use the MLE to pick up a Strickland or Snow (is he a FA?) to fill the starting position. Moochie could continue to play backup guard, but I suspect that any minutes the new PG is off the floor, Steve would run the show. That is my take, anyway.
Old News! The bottom line is that even with the addition of JVG, if Les puts the same team on the floor, he will have to put cardboard cut outs or "blow up" fans in the seats of the new stadium. There has to be some meaningful lineup changes. The Rockets desperately need some "old math," some additions and some subtractions. The "young team on the rise" hype has run out of gas. Sub-professional ball has to disappear, the Rockets need an infusion of fresh and new.
Steve Francis/Moochie Norris Cuttino Mobley/James Posey hopefully/Juaquin Hawkins hopefully James Posey/Bostjan Nachbar/Glen Rice/Terence Morris MAYBE Eddie Griffin/Maurice Taylor/Terence Morris MAYBE Yao Ming/Kelvin Cato We also got Malick Badiane...don't know where he's goin. This should be our team next season. If we don't get James Posey.....we are definitely screwed. We need to get him. Just not for $8 million a year. This is our team. I expect Francis to mature and play like Baron Davis of 2 seasons ago or Allen Iverson last season. Mobley should be constant as a consistent scorer and defender. Posey should remain athletic providing us with easy baskets and hustle and defense and exciting dunks. Nachbar should start to play and maybe surprise us all and improve steadily. Griffin should be improving slowly. Taylor will provide us with instant scoring. Yao should be more consistent and solid and know his role better and be more utilized.....Cato should play just like he did last season. This season...I hope we can make it as #6 or #7 or #8 seed to advance to the playoffs finally in 4 years and lose in the first round. Free agents? Malick will be resigned. GLEN RICE and his 9.2 million a year will be gone. Next season.... Same roster.....everyone gets better. Steve Francis starts playing like Gary Payton. Mobley is awesome and does what he's supposed to do and scores efficiently. Yao starts to become more DOMINATING. Griffin starts to get better and becomes more like Al Harrington....Nachbar emerges and becomes like Hedo Turkoglu right now but faster. Moochie starts playing for real... We should make it to the first round of the playoffs. Then another year goes by.......and that's when we will win the championship! That is our peak. We need some additions or somethin..... AFTER THAT....we should be owning the Western Conference. Francis will still be at his peak...like Gary Payton. Mobley will still be playing and will be an excellent starting shooting guard. Nachbar will replace Posey as starter and will be like our Peja Stojakovic...but not as good. Posey will backup Mobes and Boki. Griffin will start playing like Antawn Jamison is playing now...and will be weighing 240 pounds...or maybe unfortunately....in hospital. Taylor will still be with us...declining steadily. Yao will be most dominant center. Cato will be getting old and sucky. That year.....Cato's contract goes bye bye!!! 7 million gone! But all that money will be used to pay for Griffin and Nachbar's contracts. Mobley will also be a free agent. Hopefully he still wants to stay.....he and Francis are still buddies and all...he only asks for like 5 million a year. Both Boki and Eddie are expected to improve and become stars...so they will demand more. Cato can be resigned for MINIMUM. And each year....we will be adding a first rounder and second rounder.... Our core will remain the same! Steve Francis. Cuttino Mobley. Yao Ming. Eddie Griffin. Bostjan Nachbar. James Posey. Maurice Taylor. Moochie Norris. That's what I hope. Jeff Van Gundy will be resigned after four seasons..... Maurice Taylor will be gone! Then happy times are over..Francis and Mobley gets old. Back to rebuilding.....Van Gundy fired. Rudy is back.
