Damn...got distracted by somebody and accidentally pushed submit before I was finished. When you look at what they bring to the table in terms of strictly PG skills Rafer is a better fit as a starter and Steve would be better served coming off the bench. I'm sure you disagree because I have seen your Rafer hate on like three different boards, lol. He kills ball movement and I think our ball movement is superb right now. Steve really isn't a good spot up shooter, turns the ball over at an alarming rate, struggles at making entry passes, dribbles like he has an addiction to it, and makes poor decisions. Where he is an improvement over Rafer is that he is a good rebounder and finisher but other than that I would give Rafer an edge.
I think the SF bashers are forgetting that SF is a three time all-star that was a high first round pick. He has much more talent than Alston and makes for an excellent third scoring option. Sure, his assist to turnover ratio isn't as good as Rafer, but he rebounds and scores much better. He averages almost 2 more rebounds than Rafer and 6+ points. His skills are much more suited for SG duties, but he makes a decent PG. He also has the heart to turn it up in the playoffs. Other than one season in Orlando, he has done all his best work here in Houston. I think it would be stupid to pass up on Francis if he could be had for cheap. He's worth alot more than people realize IMHO. His intensity and fire is something that I sometimes feel is missing from Yao and TMac. Age has slowed him, but a few years ago, he was a legitimate first scoring threat in the league, and I don't think that has diminished much. He's just been playing on teams that aren't fit for him and probably doesn't have his heart in the game.
Ah yes, that incessant fixation on individual scoring in lieu of all else. Has this team been having problem scoring since Yao's return? It's not just 'Stevie bashers' that have a problem, but 'Stevie realists'. He still does not make good decisions with the ball, dribbling too much and not passing to the big man. You think that makes sense for a starter on this team? He'd be a great option off the bench.
Steve has been a starting pg his entire career. He is a 3 time all star, he is a good scorer, and a great rebounding pg. He has a ton of heart and wants to win. Sure his assists to turnover ratio isnt as good as rafer's, but rafer doesnt get a whole lot of assists anyway. People forget that Rafer was not a starter before he came to houston (1 year on a crappy toronto team). Steve has a ton more talent and is just a better player than rafer. Skip is a great backup pg, but steve is much better as a starter.
I don't undertstand why there is a debate of getting Francis back. It should be a hell no, I still doubt about the quality of the chemistry on this team (without Francis), people liking each other, supporting each other, roles defined etc., on the similiar level as championship built teams like the Spurs or Pistons, adding Francis back to this team will be a cancer to what little chemistry we have. This is not in particular to him so much as that sounds but . . . Can anyone imagine a marriage between Francis, T-mac and Ming, knowing? 1) Francis has a grudge against being traded for Mcgrady, 2) maybe some resentment over Management decisions to focus the team solely on Ming (when he left) 3) Francis hates Van Gundy 4) Van gundy feels the same 5) Ming will feel torn between his love for his past (Francis) and T-mac (future) -exaggerated for effect but sadly true (sigh) Too much garbage from this reunion. Even though I hate Rafer and Francis is better stat wise than Reefer this move does not make any sense at all from a philosophy of building a quality championship inspired unit perspective. Haven't we learned from taking foolish gambles like Bonzi, Swift, DA must we repeat the same mistakes over and over . . .
Stevie franchise would make a great backup at vet min. If it doesn't work out, then he's good trade fodder.
SF has led his teams to how may playoFfs in 9 years? He makes how many of his team mates better around him? He has shown that he understands why he has been serially traded by improving what part of his game? If we actually had a starting caliber PG instead of Alston, this thread would have been locked to keep us all from harming ourselves again. Steve Francis??????????? Just say.......... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well, the knicks didn't waive him and i doubt the rockets will be in the position where they can blow their entire mle on single player this coming free agency. all this griping is for nothing.
On some level, that is right. But because Francis has a very low BB IQ, I think I'd prefer Rafer over SF3 if I was forced to chose. What scares me about SF3 is that we'd be in game 7 of an important game and he'd get excited and dribble the ball off his foot ...because that is what SF3 does. SF3 is a born loser and will lose on any team that he plays a major role on. All that said, I'd like to have BOTH SF3 (if he comes cheap) and Rafer.
If Knicks were to trade Francis it wouldn't be to the Rockets as a first choice. Why would you give up Francis to a contender. The Knicks are going to try to get rid of him to a Western Conference Bottom Feeder. But barring that, if there is a buyout, then Francis could come here because he's free to do whatever he wants. On whether or not Francis Hates JVG or not they don't. Francis has recanted and said that he realizes that JVG was trying to make him a better player. He spouted off when he got traded which is understandable. On the other side, JVG has always said that Francis is a good ball player. He said that you have to give up something in order to get something. He said it was hard giving up Mobley and Francis but it was what they had to do. So if you ask JVG to his face, I'd bet that he takes Francis back in a heartbeat. Francis is not a bad ball player. Yeah he overdribbles the ball like a pingpong ball sometimes. Ping Ping Ping Ping Ping...but when he goes to the hole he goes strong. He scores, he finishes, he rebounds, he has assists, and he has a good three point shot. I don't see really a lot of downside here. Yao sees Francis like a brother. Francis was the one who took him under his wing when he first got here from China. Yao never wanted to see Francis leave the team. There is no cancer here. Francis likes the Rockets. Rockets like Francis. If you ask me, the Rockets are lacking a vocal leader right now. They don't have the guy with the drive and personality to push this squad. Three years ago that guy was Sura but now they don't have that fiery personality to push the team. They got whiners, troublemakers, malcontents, and low key personalities. Talent we got but even JVG said that T-Mac and Yao were hard to coach.
another complaint about calling him Ming? said it before and i'll say it AGAIN!! look I understand Yao is his last name - but since that is the case - can we not call him by his first name? for example - do you reckon Tracy would be annoyed when we call him Tracy - or can we only call him "McGrady" this is a stupid argument.
