Orlando Sentinel: mentions the Rox trading SF for TM

McGrady would definitely bring alot to the team. He'de free up Yao ming a great deal. We also have better outside shooters than the magic and still Mcgrady has some good assist numbers through the years.We can never land him though. I'de bet walking through downtown naked we dont get him.

 

Pippen aint' no McGrady bro. The man is right.. Kobe wants to win with only good players around him.. not great players. Pippen was a good, solid role player. He didnt average 30, 6, and 4. end of story.

 

This is similar to what I have been saying for months,but here's the twist. The Magic throw the Rockets pay Charlotte to take Taylor ,then the Rockets throw 1/2 the mle at Etan Thomas and 1/2 at Alston. The veterans minimum is used to someone like Campbell or even Vin Baker just for back up. Once you have McGrady and Ming, role players are all that is needed. Guys like Lue who knows how to feed the post and hit the open shot as well as Jackson ,Thomas and guys like that who are going to be content playing their roles.

 

Francis for T-Mac is the only worthwhile trade I've heard thus far.

 

Very interesting. I'm still 100% behind Stevie and would love to see him back next year ... but IF he's going to be dealt, then (1) I hope he goes to the Eastern Conference so he doesn't come back to burn us all the time (which I think he would), and (2) I would add whatever other players it took to get McGrady if that trade is even really a possibility.

McGrady is a proven performer. Elite all-around game, and he is particularly strong in an area that has plagued the Rockets all year long. McGrady can create his own shot even when people know he is going to take it, and he is one of the best at getting off a decent shot attempt on his own with the clock winding down. (I think Kobe is the only one who's better at that right now.) That's been a problem for the Rockets all year long, and in the playoffs. Anyone else notice how often the Rockets failed to score when they had the last possession of a quarter?

McGrady and Yao would be an impeccable foundation on which to build a dynasty. McGrady HAS to be double-teamed. Frequently. Add him to the Rockets, and we can look entirely to him to be our undisputed franchise player. Yao could then be relied upon as a rather excellent 2nd option. I just think we couldn't go wrong, which is precisely why I think there's no chance we'll end up with McGrady and Yao together. It'd just be too good to be true.

 

Having McGrady and Yao doesn't guarantee anything in the West. A team built around Yao, a true stud PF (Brand, Okafur, even RWallace), and defense has a chance to win any seven game series. A team with TMac, Yao and a lot of second rate role players is the Lakers last year.

With Brand, we wouldn't have to gut the team to get him. He is almost an even swap for Francis, meaning we lose one starter and keep the exception to sign Steve's replacement. In the other scenario, we would have to take Hill's contract along with Tmac, meaning Steve, Cat, and Cato or MoT will have to go. Doing that would cost us three starters and only bring in one.

Once Hill came off the books, we could reload with a good supporting cast, but until then, we could stay right in the 7-8 range in the West, and with the depth in the conference, could even sink back to a lottery team with a little bad luck. Could you imagine how one-dimensional we'd be if Tracy or Yao was out for any extended period?

I would still rather have a young, star-caliber PF next to Yao, keep Cuttino at SG, AND add a decent veteran at PG than TMac at SG, no PF, and Mike Wilks at PG.

 

though i agree with you completely on the Elton Brand...

i feel compelled to say that the Lakers of last year were still a lot better than us this year. i think we should improve one step at a time.

 

So, Okafur is already a true stud PF in the NBA before entering it?
Rasheed wallace over T-mac? Just to keep Cuttino and Mo-tay?
You gotta be kidding me.

And uh, the lakers of last year? Yao has more skills than Shaq, much better passer, much better jumpshooter, much better range and actually better driving skills from 10ft in the key. T-mac as Kobe, would thrive on such a talented big man.
So we'd be better than the lakers of last year, if you only counted that fact.
However, there's another. We'd have a much more balanced starting roster and better talented starting roster than the Lakers of last year, if you add Brent Barry, start Boki, sign any decently balanced PF with o and d. And you have JJ in the books.

The PF, all we'll need from him, is 12-14pts a game, with a decent shooting countable percentage, and to grab 9-10 boards while playing decent defense. That aside, you have Yao, a big man with shooting skills, driving skills and very good PASSING skills, surrounded by three more than adequet slashers AND jumpshooters, one who is an excellent role player and knows his role perfectly and smart, one who COULD be a GREAT third option who has incredible hussle in clutch time without forcing things (meaning hussle + smarts, of course i mean BOki) who also doesn't hesitate to do what is asked of him, even picking up a foul or two when needed. Btw, with his desire and smarts he could develope sound defense. And finally the main guy T-mac, who has all you could ask from a two gaurd and a go-to guy, all the tools, well rounded player and a superstar, offense and defense, rebounds, few assists and all this while being completely consistent. Again I reiterate, this guy has DESIRE and SMARTS.

And you're telling me that team around such a talented big man, would be the equivilant of last years Lakers?

 

On a final note, Elton Brand over T-mac?

T-mac has the killer instinct, and Elton doesn't. Who would you rather make your go-to guy? Yao? Not gonna happen next year, possibly not in a few years. All people ask of him on his third year, is atleast 20-10. That's all he needs to do, and if we get T-mac and such a consistent and smart team as the one I proposed, who should atleast average 5 assists per game.

 

He*

Not "who".

 

Just saw best damn sports show, and they had jalen rose and peter vescey and they commented on the trade. Dont know if we should believe him or not but he has "sources" close to tracy and he said he didnt think tmac was goin to be in orlando next year. I think that was his opinion and not from the "sources", but the sources did say that he was going to make his decision and tell the orlando magic after the nba finals. He basically said tmac is going to choose teams that he would like to be on and orlando would have to choose from the best offers. He also commented on the reported phoenix offer and said that was not the case and phoenix would not be willing to part with joe johnson and the number 1 pick.

 

All I can say is Steve Francis better be in Houston next year, or the Rockets as a franchise are screwed.

 

Roc Paint, I'm starting to suspect you're blindly stuck to Steve, just no matter the reasonable argument, or logic or anything that is truthful. Just no matter what, stuck on Steve, tossing out any REASONING and having a heaping tub full of irrationality. My god! Wth is the matter with you people? Francis stays or we're screwed?? Might aswell say, Mo-tay stays or we're screwed!

Un-freaking=believable! No matter what, all the freaking flaws and endless, unchanging repetativeness of stupidity that could go on for his entire career..., those damn near triple doubles are just too damn good for you, that if we don't have em, we're freaking screwed!!

Screw consistency! Screw what could really help this team! Screw intelligence! Screw anything reasonable! Gotta have them near triple doubles! Oh and, he plays great against the Lakers!! GOD HELP US IF WE LOSE HIM!!

THE GREAT SAVIOUR OF THE ROCKETS!! AN ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHT REEL STUPID PLAYER THAT DOESN'T GROW! Or show any SIGNS of having the capicity to GROW over a 5-6yr period! That still does ROOKIE mistakes, yes freaking ROOKIE mistakes after 5yrs!! Which is the only feat in his "arsenal of talents" that can achieve any CONSISTENCY!! Can't lose that, cause he's good against one freaking team and once led us to the playoffs when there was no ZONE and he was allowed to do all the Allen Iversion plays to his heart content! Ya know, back in THE PAST!

SPARE OUR GREAT SAVIOUR!!!

For he shall rise!!! And stumble us to glory!!

NOT STEVE FRANCIS!!! He'll always be YOUNG and ADJUSTING!!! YES THAT'S IT!!! Even if it's his 10th season and still doing the same crap! ALWAYS YOUNG AND ADJUSTING!!

But, yes! Eventually! He WILL lead the way!! And if he doesn't, well.... YOUNG AND ADJUSTING!! Who knows, might trade for ONE player again. Or change coaches! I know a coaching change doesn't affect the rest of the team! But this is FRANCIS!! HE IS YOUNG AND NEEDS TIME TO ADJUST!!!!

BLAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Through all of the trial and tribulations this team has withstood over the last 5 years, I would most certainly say that I am a Steve lover. The guy brings it night in and night out, without him the Rockets wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs this year.

To me the guy has stood up to every challenge that has been handed to him and has exceled in everyway. I am sorry you can't see that, but I'm not suprised.

 

My good.. 'man'.

The Rockets wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs this year, if it hadn't been for Yao, JJ, Cat and Cato. Incase you were asleep all season(like steve) until our backs were against the wall (like steve and thanks to Steve), Steve could've had that game he had against denver all the same, but it would've meant nothing, had we already been far out of the running.
Which we would have, with Steve's play throught ALL season, if it hadn't been for those players I named above.

To you, im sure standing up to every challenge equates to a monkey throwing itself at it's cage's bars without give, at a frequent rate, no matter how futile, inconsenquential and stupid.
Because, that is basically what Steve does, that's the majority of his "offense". You point to his heart as his "good", which without a brain, does just what I described, which is "very bad".

And, to name a few "challenges" that have been handed to him, and he has not "excelled in every way" at. Have been the "challenge" of "handling the ball", the challenge of "consistency", the challenge of "defense" and the challenge of "maturing" and the challenge of "acting like a growing 5yr vet with intelligence, and not still doing those rookie mistakes at a consistent level". And the challenge of "intelligence".

5yrs, and all those "challenges" evade his "victiorious" and "excelling" grasp to the date.

However, I'm sure you won't be able to see all this.
And I, would not be surprised.

 

I love all the Rockets, but will you admit you were a bit dissapointed by the season Francis had? He plays his heart out, that's obvious, but dumb mistakes and a mediocre shot plagued him this season. I fully expect him to come to camp next season determined and show us why he's a max player.

 

This was a transition season for Francis, that's all. I thought he played very well, and showed he was trying to keep "the team" concept in mind most of the time.

 

The only transition Francis is making is to the Eastern Conference. Hopefully, there's not a Super Bowl anytime soon in any of those cities or that teams' management may balk.

The only reason Francis will be a Rocket in 2004-05 is if the Rockets can't get anything reasonable in return for him. Francis's faults as a PG are well documented on this board. The flat out truth is this years Rockets won in spite of Francis not because of him.

Francis is an athlete and not a natural basket player. If he were 5'7" he'd be Spud Webb on steroids with less court sense. Francis's primary appeal is playing the game 1on1 and that is inefficient and will never win in the West.

I strongly feel he's gone this summer, but on the unusual chance he's still here....the Rockets will never get out of the 1st round as long as Francis is playing 35 or more minutes per game. The Rockets will be much further ahead to obtain 2 or 3 solid players who already know and do instinctively what you profess Francis is "transitioning" to do.

 

I guess you are pretty loyal to your wife no matter how dumb or ugly she is so long as she works on you every night.

 

I would hope so . . . .

Rocket RIver