Ok so do we give Tmac another year, or shop him this summer?

You're wrong about most teams being over the cap, while most teams have a total salary over the actual ~63 mill cap, most of those teams are ones that are resigning players with bird rights and veteran minimum players that can be signed without penalty. Less than a third of teams paid the luxury tax last season and most franchises painstakingly avoid it (why in the world did SA just hand us Scola for nothing?). So I'll have to agree with the origianl poster.

As for the MLE? Name one really good player that has been added to any team with MLE money in the last three seasons. Antoine Walker? Stromile Swift? Mike James? Jared Jefferies? Even guys like Mo Williams turn up their noses at MLE money. Guys like Finley and Brent Barry have been signed for the minimun after being bought out, so they don't count. It basically exist in a no man's land of value, to much for average talent, and not enough for a really good talent. MLE is all well and good but the fact remains, that you're at the mercy of the available talent pool.

 

That's a good way to look at it. lol.

 

Well which is it? Break the bank and get quality players, or "lure in those good old vets for cheap"?? You're saying two different things. And I think the last thing this board wants is "old vets" - we need to get more athletic, not older.

The Rockets split their MLE in past because they were trying to cover more than 1 hole in their lineup. They used the full MLE on Stromile. Next year, the MLE was split amongst VSpan and Bonzi. Next year they used most of their MLE on Scola, then signed Francis with the little remaining.

Spending or "breaking the bank" isn't the problem.

 

if we can get a good pg, then let's go for another year.

 

Time to make a change: I agree with Magic, this experiment has failed. Even if the Rockets win three in a row and go to the second round, I still think that the Rocket's future can not be invested in two very fragile stars. One has to go, likely TMac, and the other becomes the centerpiece (no pun intended) of a hopefully quick rebuild.

 

...

If T-Mac and these Rockets somehow get out of the first round, there's no way you trade him or anyone. You just add a piece or two, and get Yao back healthy, and then we're legit. If we can get out of the first round without Yao, imagine what we could do with him!!!

 

T-Mac's best assets at this point in his career:

1) His length and ability to shoot over anybody.
2) His exceptional court vision and passing ability for a SG/SF.

Everybody knows T-Mac needs to stop settling for long jump shots. We need to get T-Mac closer to the basket and that won't happen often enough with him handling the ball on the perimeter, starting most of his attacks from beyond the 3-point line. He simply isn't quick enough any more to beat perimeter defenders off the dribble, especially when that perimeter player is getting help and he has to get past two guys. T-Mac can usually find the open guy when he sees the help defender come out on him, but I don't think this is the most effective way to use him. Once he passes off, he is usually out of the play and we have to rely on somebody else to score.

Solution: Whether he likes it or not, Tracy can't continue to be our acting PG. Let Tracy come off screens for mid-range jump shots or post up 10-15 feet from the basket where he is most dangerous. From this area of the court, T-Mac can:

- rise up over just about any defender in the league and get a clean look
- make a single move, get to the basket and score or make a quick pass to another guy in scoring position (at the rim or on the perimeter)
- use his court vision and passing ability directly from the high post

In order for this to happen, we need shooters around him and guys that aren't averse to cutting to the basket. Battier's spot-up shooting isn't enough.

We need a backcourt mate for T-Mac that can shoot more efficiently than Alston. This is essential if we want to keep opposing defenses from focusing almost entirely on shutting down Tracy. A guy that can shoot and cut would be even better. I think Ben Gordon would be a great fit. He has the right combination of PG skills and versatile scoring to fit perfectly in Adelman's system. He is also a great FT shooter and an improved defender. He is quick and built like a running back so he shouldn't get outmuscled very easily on the defensive end.

Gordon would be that third scorer we so badly need and would allow McGrady to be much more effective. He is a great outside shooter, can get to the basket, make FTs and hit clutch shots late in games.

A player like Gordon would solve a lot of our backcourt problems all in one package. He has speed, strength, youth, athleticism and scoring ability. He is far from a pure PG, but he may be exactly what this team needs.

I don't know if and how we could afford him. I imagine he will be asking for right around $10 million per. All I know is he seems to be the right guy to correct much of our offensive woes and he may be available.

I would love to start next season with this rotation:

Gordon
McGrady
Battier
Scola
Yao

Brooks
Novak
Landry

Our starting five would have three potent scorers, the ultimate glue guy and a scrappy, relentless PF. Brooks would be a change-of-pace, scoring PG backing up Gordon. Landry is our Paul Millsap/Brandon Bass and he should be be 100% healthy by next season.

Plus, we will be able to make another deal that includes Jackson's contract before the trade deadline. That could likely bring us the backup SF we also need, especially if Novak continues to be a massive defensive liability. We will still be able to use Novak in certain situations like Adelman did this year.

The bottom line is that Ben Gordon should at least be among the discussions of possible upgrades for next season. He may very well be the piece to turn our offensive struggles around.

 

Dude, Brooksball, if you can find a way to get Ben Gordon on this team without giving up McGrady or anyone important, let me know...and sign me up.

 

i don't think we need a good pg, beside we can't find any available out there. Alston may be as good as we can get.
what we need is a player that can score. A guy like artest would help against Jazz.

Think about how artest thug less style would give jazz a piece of their medicine.

who's gonna guard tmac without considering artest threat?

problem is how do we get a guy like artest?

 

I think we shop him and see what we can get for him . T-mac has peaked and it's better to get some value back for him now while we still have Yao playing at a reasonable level (when he's healthy). But we shouldn't trade out of desperation. Look at Dallas and Phoenix. Neither of their moves worked out well. If Rox want to go somewhere, they need to change the culture of mediocrity first (the same way KG immediately changed the culture of the Celtics).

 

The Bulls qualifying offer for Gordon next year is $6,404,749.

I believe that means they hold the right to match any offers. I'm not sure if a sign & trade scenario could come into play.

I don't have a good grasp of NBA trade rules. Many others here do.

I just think Gordon seems like a good fit for the Rockets. Considering Adelman's success in the past with scoring PGs and our deficiency of scorers and guys that can create their own shots, we don't need necessarily need a true, playmaking PG.

What we clearly do need is another scorer as well as a better PG. Gordon may be both.

 

If we had Bonzi Wells still then I think we could get Gordon here. But we have no one the Bulls would want other than Mcgrady or Yao.

 

i've thought about this too. that's why i am kinda on the fence on this one. plus i think morey has already had his mind made to give the yao-mcgrady duo another try. so the discussion here is kinda moot.

but, i've got another concern. if we don't extend mcgrady's contract next year (with the intention of trading him in 2010 as an expiring), he might want and demand a trade himself. looking back, we extended his contract too early last time (it was right after the mavs series).

 

Theres no way we shop TMAC. Not only will we not get a good return, but you have to remember this guy is average 20+ and almost a triple double in the playoffs. You can't put it all on TMAC. You really can't.

With Yao healthy, this team is going to the finals. Period.

 

With T-Mac and Yao healthy, we are a very good team but I don't think that is enough if we keep all else the same.

We need another perimeter scorer that can create his own shots, plain and simple.

 

KEEP HIM ONE MORE YEAR !!!!!!

bring in a 3 or 4 that can average 17-19pts a game and that is physically relentless to get to the bucket...this person would need to shoot at about 46% <--- doesn't have to be Artest, but does anyone else out there know of a player like this that "could be" available for the Rockets next year !?!?!

seriously, bring in Artest to be the bad guy...let Artest do the dirty work and let Artest carry the team on his shoulders in the 4th quarter...

Yao, T-Mac and Artest on the same court would be a dream come true...

 

Gordon's contract is expiring but I believe he is a restricted FA. We don't necessarily have to trade with the Bulls. We can outbid them but we would have to have money to spend and I'm not sure we will have that unless we somehow free up dollars through other moves.

Honestly, unless Les is willing to pay luxury tax, it's hard to see us doing anything big before next season. We may just have to wait until the trade deadline.

I really would love to get Gordon though if we could get him for $8-9 per.

 

Im calling it right now.....YAO WILL BE THE MVP NEXT SEASON

 

who? and how?

 

Done that before. More than once. Time to move on. I'm tired of his self-pity