Now that the 2003-2004 season is over, what should the Rockets do to improve?

really? you don't think it had anything to do with the turnovers committed by our whole team, the inability to hit wide open shots or the fact that Yao Ming played horrible?

 

Those are Rockets' personality. They can still win with francis and Mobely turning the ball over, and Ming playing bad. THey have proved that they can win a game against a legitimate team with 30 turnovers. (Dallas w/ 30 turn overs i think?)
Francis' turn overs are expected already. I am sure that everyone expected Mobley to make boneheaded plays time after time. We can still win when Yao sits in the bench. We just cant let a role player like Jim Jackson to make plays. We already have enough play makers and Jim Jackson isnt one.

Cato did his job by rebounding and playing hard D. Mo Tay did his job by making mid range jumpers and scoring when we needed him. Boki brought energy and Mark Jackson sorta protected the ball well while he was in the game.
Jim Jackson shot poorly from the field. he missed game winning shot, turned the ball over, and contributed everything he could to help lakers to win.

Yes.. I blame everything on jim Jackson.. life is easier that way

 

I was talking about the CBA either, I'm talking about the moves Yao used effectively in his first season in the NBA.

I disagree with the notion of Yao being a pu$$y. Pu$$y is David Robinson who shakes in the lockeroom facing Hakeem. Yao isn't like that, he is just in a slump in this series. That has many reasons to do with it. Yao isn't afraid to challenge Shaq in the final minutes when the game was on the line in game 4. He bumped into Shaq three times to where he launched a left hand hook shot and made it. How about telling me who played Shaq straight up with such a power move before? And who held Shaq (along with Cato) under 20 points a game in a series? When Yao was on Shaq he has frustrated Shaq with better individual defense each game, causing Shaq to miss hook shots that he usually makes. On offense Yao worked his butt off by setting all the picks, fighting for position then watch the ball being swung over to the other side of the court. On defense Yao has to constantly rotate and cover for penetration allowed by his teammates, and I'll further contest that without Yao in the middle Houston's team defense isn't worth much. You want Yao to simply bulldoze over people, that's what he tried to do in this series and failed because he simply can't do it on a consistent basis. Yao is a finesse center until he gets the body strength and stamina to go along with his skills.

 

Not those who use English as their second language.

 

First Choice:
Trade Cato for Mashburn
Sign Rasheed Wallace
Trade Mobley and Taylor for Ray Allen/draft pick
Sign backup center (maybe toraye braggs)

pg: francis/jackson
sg: Ray allen/jj
sf: mashburn/nachbar
pf: Rasheed/clarence
c: yao/braggs


Second Choice:
Trade Cato and Cat for Al Harrington, Tinsley, Pollard
Trade Steve for t-mac
Sign Brent Barry

pg: barry/tinsley
sg: t-mac/pike
sf: jim jackson/nachbar
pf: al harrington/clarence
c: yao/pollard

 

lol I WISH...I think your second one would be more realistic..I like the first one more. -.- With that team..it wouldn't even matter if Braggs..6-8..played center! Even Mike Wilks could play center for a few minutes..that team would be awesome.

 

Yes, finally! Someone other than me talking about bring T-mac to houston

 

Get Yao Ming to play more than 33 minutes a game.

A team is as good as its best player(s). Yao was pretty good this year ... maybe even top 10 in the league - if he was able to play more, he'd have more of an impact.

I seriously believe all the talk about upgrading this and that minor periphery position is irrelevant. Remember how everyone thought Moochie was killing the team? The team's record was probably better with Moochie than without.

What is a 'quality' power forward going to bring? Certainly not more defense than the team is already getting. What then? Scoring? The team has plenty of scorers. Rebounding? I think they have enough rebounders. As long as Gundy is here, the offensive rebounding is probably going to suck, since he sends everyone back on defense after every opponent shot.

Improvement from its best player is what this team needs the most. Turn him into a top 5 player, and this team wins a bunch more and becomes a contender. With or without Steve Francis.

 

I don't see this infatuation with trading Steve for a Power Forward. We need to stretch the defense...I'd rather have a small forward like Matt Harpring + a good role playing PG, or a star SF like TMac or slightly worse.

 

I agree Freak. But I wouldn't mind seeing Rasheed Wallace join the Rockets and play alongside Yao.

 

Get a boxer like Lennox Lewis to beat up Yao Ming. Charles Oakley could do.

Scoring just ten points in a critical game 5 and showing that he doesn't want the ball just is UNACCEPTABLE from your franchise player.

Someone should somehow get a mean streak in Yao Ming started. Something should happen that will make him hate those bully him like Karl Malone.

You never saw Hakeem Olajuwon or Otis Thorpe get bullied did you? I remember when Hakeem had fight with Mitch Kupchak, or even Michael Cage. Previous Rocket starters were never soft.

A good beating in the off season. That's whats needed.

Hire some thugs.

 

TheFreak, I agree. This team will win or lose with our franchise....Yao Ming. Everything revolves around his development into a force in the NBA. In the meantime we need to do what we can to surround Yao with players that augment his game, make it easier for him and allow him to dominate. But yes, personal growth from Yao Ming is probably the biggest factor for this team in the offseason.

Yao has come along way already in 2 years. If he continues the same rate of growth then next year should be very special.

 

Post of the year TheFreak. If Yao had been more consistent throughout the season and into the playoffs, this team as currently built would be playing for the series right now in Houston. Some people are making the argument that a better supporting cast will make Yao more consistent but I don't necessarily agree. Fatigue seems to dwarf the effects of his teammates.

Yao needs to play better for this team to go anywhere, unless we get another Superstar.

 

Hopefully, Yao will have the same epiphany that Hakeem had after his first playoff encounter with Shaq. Hit the weights and gain more strength.

I think Yao has shown tremendous progress, but I believe more strength will lend itself to more dominance. He hits the floor way too much.

Del Harris being installed as the new coach in China will help Yao during the offseason as a teacher and by allowing him to rest.

Other moves: JJ to the 2, insert Boki as the 3, bring Cuttino off the bench, and acquire the oft-mentioned enforcer PF.

 

I don't expect the Rockets Management to be brave enough to make the major moves which are needed to begin fixing the Rockets.Two years ago I pointed them out and of course nobody would support me or even listen to what I had to say.
I repeat, the Rockets have had a disfunctional team. Their direction, at least in principal, was to move towards a Center Oriented Team, they did this by obtaining in the draft a Center from China who had great potential but didnt know how to play the USA/NBA Game.The Management knew that it would take time , at least two or three seasons for him to become cognizant of the game as we play it. Not only this but they didn't know the mind set of their pick at this time, I will mention this again later on.
The Management hadn't bargained with the fact that Rudy T had become very lazy with his coaching of the Team over the last couple of years of his tenure. During this period Rudy had allowed Steve Francis full control of the Team and in the open court game that was being played Steve Francis shone like a bright Star. We must try to understand Steves mind set at the point of getting the first pick in the Draft. It was his team and the team played his style of Basketball and the other players fitted in and some were buddies or good friends.Steve was the 'Man' and what he sad was done. [ at least he gave this impression in his public perrsona].
During Rudy's last year the status quo was maintained and the game was played with Steve doing his thing and Yao Ming getting the obligitory opporunities to show a touch of his Game, but the stlyes of play adopted by the team was undefined during the 02/03 season and again we didn't make the offseason,which was a repeat of the conclusion of the previous three seasons.
Management began to take notice especially when Rudy T became ill and was unable to continue in his position as Coach. They realized that this is their chance to begin a new direction that would be in conjunction with the opening of the new Arena, the Toyota Center.They hired a new Coach 'JVG'.
This coaching change was a big change because Steve Francis was no longer in change. As JVG was a strong Coach who took charge of everything from A-Z, when it concerns his Team.
We weren't going to be playing the open court game either and Francis needed to become a passing and defending Point Guard, abilities which were very weak in his game and were directly opposed to his great abilities as an open court offensive player.
Right at this point one would have expected the Coach to have made the adjustmewnt in his Roster to accommodate the direction of his teams style, but no! JVG wanted to work with the same group that Rudy/CD had assembled and have a full season to make his mind up about them and their ability to fit his intentions for the Team.
During JVG's first year of tenure not very much has changed! Yes for the firtst half of the season he had them playing a much improved defensive game but this slowly melted into oblivion by the time the playoffs arrived. Our Team has remained disfunctional for two seasons.A gentle Giant who is still being forced to imitate the position of Traditional Under the basket Center. [when he is not fitted to such a defined style of play, both phisically and philosophically (mind set)].Steve Francis a great open court Player reluctant/ unable to become the traditional playmaker of the new Team's direction.
The Rockets need to think very deeply and carefully about how they are going to develop their team because the parts are not complimentary to one another and they need to be, if the Coach is going to get his Roster to play with chemistry and show us Team Basketball next season.
IMHO I would like to see JJ move to Shooting Guard and Mo T [if not traded] step down to the Small Forward Spot. Cato [if not traded] is a back up player and should come off ther bench to back up Yao Ming or be brought in for defensive purposes.We neeed a POWER FORWARD, a PLAYMAKER STARTING POINT GUARD and a consistant
SHARP SHOOTER. We don't need stars, we we need complimentary players that know how to adapt and play their function[role] when called upon to do so. No player needs to be added based upon reputation alone, each must be fully tested before he is signed. ie:- no more Piatowski mistakes!
No more dead wood like Glen Rice, No more overpaying for unproven Potrential like Cato and Mo T. etc.

 

I disagree with the Chronicle totally focusing on Elton Brand and the power forward. I go back to the bottom line with the Rockets. They need a player at the 1, 2 or 3 who can make the big shots and take the big shots. You can't lock up all your money into 2 big men like Brand and Yao. Inevitably, that's what you would be forced to do when Yao's big contract will kick in. San Antonio got lucky with the little guys they have right now. Parker and Ginobilli came in as instant good decision makers and big shot takers... taking the big shots and making them (and doing at a bargain basement price). The Rockets would never find guys like that (especially without #1 draft picks). It's also worthless to have 2 guys making big money who both rely on using the post to score. Don't get me wrong. I think getting rid of Francis for a player like Brand might make the Rockets better... but do I think we can win a championship with that lineup? NO!!!!

I still go back to McGrady. That's the guy who you can combine with Yao to win the championship (if he's available). I'd also look into Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards are pathetic and might try anything at this point. Francis is a homeboy which owners always feel is decent box office. I also have one other big suggestion for the Rockets. If you can find somebody at the 4 who can get up and down the floor and add a pt guard who can push the ball (combining all that with Boki playing bigger minutes). All of a sudden, you have a fastbreak at times and you can get some easy points instead of going these long stretches fighting for 2 points. You also have a guy like Yao who should be able to start fastbreaks with his passing the way Kareem and Walton did.

 

Let's see,

Steve & Cat had too many TOs, so they are gone;

JJ had some costly TOs, so he is gone;

YAO had many of his ball stripped, and he is gone;

Everytime Cato through up a shot 4ft away from the hoop, it's TO, so he is gone.

Do we still have anyone left?

 

Is it just me or does Carlos Arroyo not get enough pub? I think he is just what the doctor ordered for the rockets if we could get him. He is an excellent ball handler, a pretty good defender, and a good shooter. He also happens to be a free agent this summer. Although, I do think he is restricted free agent. He is a definitely a guy the Rockets could bring in for a very reasonable cost.