This is the deepest roster we have had in years. Somehow, its still severely lacking... 1. We need size at the SG. This player must also possess any of the following attributes. Shooting, slashing, athleticism, toughness, ability to create for himself. Someone who can take the strain off McGrady, add immediate offensive spark, and move Head into the role of situational player. 2. PG: Our biggest problem by far. Unfortunately also the toughest position to upgrade. Can we honestly make an improvement here? Its going to take dominoes falling into place, like Kidd's situation (Baron Davis?). Or else we will be looking at Chucky Atkins, Hienrich, Ford, one of Portland's PGs, or someone from New York. Best case scenario: Aaron Brooks becomes a reliable asset at the backup PG, Francis returns healthy, thus making Bobby Jackson's expiring contract completely expendable. We use it to make a run at a wing player with size. And a legitimate starting PG somehow falls into our laps via MLE. Face it, Rafer Alston's value is as high as it will ever be. But the sad truth is it still won't bring in anything of value. Like McGrady, Alston simply cannot make an equal return via trade. This is why I feel like McGrady and Alston are both untradeable.
There's a point where McGrady's talent will decline though. And that point might be next year. Then you would be getting close to equal talent. If the Rockets add a legit top 13 point guard I'm fine with keeping the core together.
Other teams would want him only because he'd be an expiring contract in 2009, assuming that Francis picks up his player option for this next season (which he almost certainly will).
Keep the team intact and try to get Mike Miller for expiring contracts. If the Rockets had him out there launching 3's instead of Luther, you think we'd be down 0-2 even without Yao? Trading T-Mac is not an option. Unless the team is looking to rebuild which obviously they won't be coming off a 55-win season. And as much as I'd love to get a quality point guard to replace Rafer, who's available out there that wouldn't force management to gut the team in order to acquire them? Honestly, more than anything it comes down to health. If Yao and/or T-Mac have serious injuries yet again next year, then trade one or both and start over. It's bordering on absurd that in 4 seasons together, they've only had one(their first) where both missed little time.
We have too many holes to fill up just by shoveling crap around. We need a PG. A backup big. A 6th man. If we can somehow grab a guy like Mike Miller and then find any serviceable PG, we'd be set, but that's not the way it happens. T-Mac or Yao has to go in this case, and I wouldn't put money on Yao packing his bags. IF you trade T-Mac + fillers, you have to get a PG, a 6th man, a token starter, and a draft pick.
You CANNOT trade TMAC - people fail to realize how good he is because he hasn't gotten out of the 1st round. Keep in mind we are playing w/o Alston or Yao. All you need is a pure 6'6 (or taller) shooter. Scola will be the 3rd option next year, along with the new shooter. Plus BJax is good coming off the bench. This team is already stacked
You'd still almost have to take the chance trading Rafer. Steve Blake for Rafer just for the change..I see nothing wrong with Heinrich at all if that were to work. His talent when he's good is optimal. His contract isnt though.... I'm wondering who'd take McGrady for 20 mil next season, the Knicks?
We're doomed by too many undersized unidimensional players. Hayes, Alston and Head come to the top of the losers list. Scrubola and Landry are too small too. We need some bigger athletic players with skill. I'd start with PG, but I would also look at PF. Those two positions have been the Rockets' downfall and will continue to be if Alston and Hayes get minutes.
For me I would be scared that the learning curve for another mediocre PG would be too steep to warrant trading someone who controlled the offense through 22 games. But I am a wussy.
I was just saying that we have too many holes in our team to realistically fill up without making a trade between Yao or T-Mac, and I think it's a no brainer which one goes. That's all. I agree that T-Mac is not very shoppable and I definitely haven't failed to realize how good he is, just saying. Something about this T-Mac/Yao combo isn't working. That you have to admit.
On a night when McGrady plays his heart out, we get a borderline trade T-Mac thread? Tough crowd. The biggest thing that stuck out to me about the winning streak was that Rafer was actually shooting the ball consistently. The typical 4 for 13 games were turning out to be 9 for 16 games. He was shooting the ball well from the outside and even finishing drives, getting an occasional tear drop to fall. This kind of shooting from Rafer is pretty much an anomaly though. I would love to see what this team could do with a consistent deep threat at the point guard spot. He doesn't have to be an amazing playmaker. T-Mac is still capable of handling the ball and setting up others. When Yao and McGrady are both in the line-up, there are plenty of wide open shots for the other 3 players. Those players either need to be able to spot up and hit those wide open 3's consistenly, or be athletic enough to beat a rotating defender to the hoop. Problem is right now our role players aren't able to do either. None of them shoot reliably from the outside and most are too small to finish at the rim (referring mostly to wing players here, not scola and landry). I love what Battier gives this team, but I also believe the Rockets overpaid for him greatly. I'm pretty sure he was coming off the bench for that Grizzlies team, which was a borderline playoff squad going nowhere. What makes us think that the same player, a few years older should start for a contender? Maybe he is best suited coming off the bench. Aaron Brooks has shown flashes, but if the rumors are true that he's the reason we turned down Ron Artest, then I don't know what to think. Artest has perennial all star type talent. Does anyone really think Brooks will get to that point? Artest has character issues, but if he's still available or can be signed, I think the Rockets have to role the dice. If a team had both Artest and Battier, McGrady would never have to match up with the opponents best wing player. And a potential line-up of Battier, T-Mac, and Artest could be a terror to match up with. Let McGrady run the point, set up others. I also love the hustle that Chuck Hayes brings, but he's such a liability in the playoffs. Good defender, sufficient rebounder, but is too small, can't shoot free throws, and cannot finish lay-ups. The inability to finish simple plays and easy baskets have killed the rockets more than anything else this series. This is turning into a rant, and I usually don't like mammoth posts, so I'll stop for now. Would like to hear what others think.
I don't like the idea of trading Yao in the near future. Although he's injury prone, good quality centers are hard to find these days.
If Tmac was traded this summer, the rockets would be a lottery team next season. Of course, if the rockets are lucky, they might get a top 3 pick.
Could Francis be our answer...I'm wondering if he will be healthy next season. I dont think Deron could have abused Stevie as easily. Given that, we need a BIG man, more than a PG. Last two games have made it painfully obvious.
Francis can add something when healthy. But he would still get abused by Williams. Who wouldn't? We have a big man...
The only hole I see is a quality SG. The holes you see are because of injury. The people who were in the starting line-up today, would be coming off the bench. You can accomplish that without trading Yao or TMAC. You trade TMAC, you are lottery bound.
Diop becomes a free agent in the offseason. He would be an excellent back-up for Yao. In the draft we should try to pick up a shooter who is less of a liability on the defensive end. I don't keep up with college basketball enough to know who that might be.
I think that is what it is coming down to. Year after year it is apparent that McGrady and or Yao is not enough. People who say if Yao was healthy we would beat the Jazz, but think about the amount of points Yao would be giving up to Boozer. Deke/Chuck have limited Booz in this series, but our lack of guard play is def their. The names do not lie in the WC, Deron Williams, CP3, Baron Davis, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd..... We have to get a legit point who can create their own shot and not let a guy like Deron Williams rest on defense. Rafer has played to his max capability. I commend him for being professional and toning down his game from the streetball rep he had but he is not a championship caliber pg. Now how we are going to get this point guard is the question. There are a number of premier pg's in the draft, however the most obvious solution is seeking that veteran pg. The question is whether or not Tmac needs to be included in the trade that lands us the pg. I proposed a Baron for Tmac swap, but Baron might be too much of a head case for us, however if Tmac is dangled out their out as bait, there are plenty of teams who will bite. No to those who say to keep McGrady, then what? What kind of cap flexibility do we have if Yao and Tmac are eating up 40 million a year in salary. We cannot considerably upgrade at the positions we need if we still have Tmac and Yao on our roster. I think despite his injuries, u cannot trade a 7'6" skilled center. Tmac has given his all, i dont doubt his heart in the playoffs, but it flat out has not been enough. His time as a superstar player is up !
Adleman's philosophy to guarding boozer is different than JVGs. It was apparent during the regular season. Boozer would not go off because of Yao being there. He might go off because he is good, but not because of Yao
