I figured the Rockets need a real PG, so I took a look at the 2006 PG Free Agents List. Who would you like on this team?
you're smokin something if you think JT is going anywhere. or if you think we have the $$ to sign him. (and if we don't, there's no way dallas will s-n-t him to us)
1. who is reefer? 2. none of those pgs shoots less than rafer and is a better ball handler. 3. in fact most of the guys in this poll aren't even real pgs.
rafer is fine. he gets 7 assists a game on a team that cant score at all. that's pretty good. he also gets 4 rebounds a game which we thought we would miss from sura (who got 5). rafer also has the ability to put up 20+ points. the only down fall is that his shot isn't that good and niether is his defense. overall i think we would be good with a backup PG who can shoot lights out. i would sign atkins to play the backup role. i doubt that cassell, claxton, or terry change teams.
Give the full MLE to JT for 4 years. If he doesn't take it, move on. Dallas will not do S&T with us. MJ is already 31, so give the MLE to MJ for 3 years. If he doens't like it, move on. MJ's not worth S&T considering his age. The difference between us and teams like Dallas/SAS is that they find and develop young talents. We don't. All we can do is trade, trade and more trade. It's hard to win every trade and hope to improve your team. Our team is getting older and just plain old, and thus our chips are going down constantly. With Yao and Tmac, we are too good to be in the high lottery year after year. So we need to draft well and develop players. That's the difference between us and those elite teams.
Cassell has stated that he wants to finish up his career where he started. So, don't be surprise of a Sura Cassell starting for the Rockets next year.
Ok Ok Ok Trade Juwan, Rafer, and Sura's injury contract to NY for Francis. Then send Stro and next year's #1 and this year's #2 to Toronto for Mo Pete. Also send TO the trade exception for a re-signed Eric Williams. Throw in Luther if we have to to get this deal done. Draft Shelden in the first round. Resign Wesley for 2 years $5 mill. Resign Bogans for 2 years $4 mill. Bring over Spanoulis. Sign Reggie Evans for whatever is left of the MLE or for a minimum contract if possible. Or get TO to throw in Pap Sow in the Swift/Head deal. See if we can fit Jones from Charlotte or Fred Jones in with whatever MLE is left. Yao/Deke TMac/Jones/Bowen Shelden/Evans(Sow)/Lampe MoPete/Wesley/Bogans Franchise/Spanoulis
I think drafting Luther Head is a good first step. He can develop into a solid backup PG/SG for a championship team, or even more.
They are, but get a SG that can fill that role and we're fine. It's crucial that we have a point guard that can run the offense, and Cassell is the only other poll option that can do that - the others are short combo guards. Rafer was shooting almost 40% from 3 not too long ago (01-04, this is the worst he's shot in a long time), and he may benefit from a season with a complete team. Another underrated aspect about Rafer is that he is the only player on this team other than McGrady that can get into the lane and dish out to others. No one else can get around their man to save their life. Evan
Exactly, how can you expect him to get assists when the team is shooting they way they are. In that stretch when T-Mac and Yao were healthy, people couldn't stop singing Rafer's praises, now people want to get rid of him. He is a good PG, but when you have no one to pass it to, it really doesn't matter.
I think the point is that we don't need a PG that shoots less than Rafer, just one that can shoot better. Rafer has been very inconsistent with his shooting this season. Actually, all of those guys are PGs, except for maybe Bobby Jackson. I don't mind keeping Alston. Like smoothie said, he is doing pretty good for a team that can't seem to make a jump shot for their lives. He really speeds the tempo of the game up and I think that is something we need. Add a healthy TMac and a SG that can actually shoot to the team, and you have quite a set of weapons for Rafer to work with.
