Before this season began, I, along with most of you, was optimistic about our prospects. After a four season playoff drought, I thought that this would be the year we actually make it in. However, I don’t just want to “make it in” to the playoffs. I want to know/feel that the Rox are on a steady trajectory to win the championship within the next 3-4 years. I want to see growth and progression. I want to see player maturity and team chemistry. And although I’ve seen flashes of brilliance from various Rocket players so far in this short season, few players have been consistent and the team as a whole has been unpredictable. We haven’t been on a championship path over the last 4 years, and I don’t think we’re on one now. I firmly believe that coach Van Gundy and Rox management has to take some drastic steps before the February trading deadline for the Rockets to get on that championship trajectory. 1) Trade Francis for a consistent scorer/leader: Steve has had over 4 years to prove himself and mature. His progression has been disappointing. Reading his quotes in the paper, it is painfully apparent that he is concerned about only himself, and is unwilling to make the necessary changes for the benefit of the team. His image of himself as an NBA player is wildly inflated and he is not the vocal leader that the Rockets need. We need a consistent, scorer to carry the team night in and night out. We also need a vocal leader that the other players respect and follow. I’m not sure exactly who we could trade Francis after that last Spurs game, but we need to get another franchise player and team leader (e.g., McGrady, Brand, Kobe). 2) Shift Yao’s role from focal point to 2nd option: I do think that Yao is the center of the future, but he’s not there yet. I think he’s being asked to play that part too quickly, and that is seriously costing the Rockets, and it’s hindering his development (e.g., Larry Brown is only playing Darko a few minutes each game; Darko is the future, not the present). The addition of a consistent scorer would take some burden off of Yao until he becomes dominant enough to be the 1st option. 3) Get a true point guard: Ball distribution is the key to a smooth and efficient offense. Unfortunately, the Rockets have point guards who shoot first, pass never. You have to have a point guard who always looks for his teammates first, and will only shoot the ball himself as a last resort (e.g., Jason Kidd can carry his team in scoring, but will only pick up the burden when his teammates are not hitting shots). All of these ideas have been surfaced before, but these are the moves that I feel the Rockets have to make in order to become world champions, once again. Sorry for the long post, but just wanted to hear the thoughts of other Rocket superfans...
I'm getting tired of watching an offense without a passing point guard. Rockets have survived without one before back during the Hakeem years, but they need one now. 8 points in a quarter? Les Alexander should speak out about this garbage. He's actually the one cutting the checks for this roster.
calm down people we just played of the best defensive teams in the leauge and dont forget the fact that we just played the defending champs, we really do need a true point guard but i dont think trading steve is the answer hes really good but he cant work in this system
Wow... we know situations are dire when someone posts for the first time in a year and a half. Those changes would all be okay or good even, but I doubt we can get more or even one done by the end of the season.
I think making it in the playoffs is a pretty good sign we are on a trajectory to win a championship.
Making it to the playoffs would a big step forward in eventually winning a championship but right now we are far away from even reaching that first goal.
I think that we shouldn't expect results immediately, but we should see steady growth. I don't want Houston to be like the T-Wolves (just good enough to get into the playoffs, but not good enough to advance past the first round). Agreed, our first goal should be to make the playoffs, but with the current roster, I don't know if we can even accomplish that.
I really think it all boils down to moving Steve to SG. I dont understand why they keep trying to see if it will work. Its obvious that its not. I wish we could just get a good passing point guard. WHY????
The criticisms you apply to Steve here are correct. They're also precisely why we will not get good value for him in a trade. If you trade Steve (for whom we will not be getting a superstar in return), who will be this new #1 option? I agree that these moves would be really great, but the bottom line is that they're just impossible. Trading Francis for TMac, Brand, or Kobe is not going to happen. And then you'd still want a Jason Kidd-level point guard after that? I also agree with other posters, in that I would regard making the playoffs this year as a #6 seed or so would show progress towards the ultimate goal. We've been in first place a good part of the season- this is above and beyond what I expected. The bottom line is, although the record this year is similar to last, I think there's been some improvement. Let's wait until we stop making improvements before we say the sky is falling.
I agree but I dont know about trading Francis right know. I dont know what we could get for him. He just hasnt shown all that much progress. It just seems to me he would rather be in commercials and be famous than be a winner and team player. He needs to find out when you win that will get you more fame than any commercial can !
Just making to the playoffs is sufficient this year. Not making the playoffs for 5 straight years is a reason to burn the roster.
Yeah! Blame everything on the point guard. Sorry .. there were turnovers by the entire team .. missed open shots by everyone on the team .. You act like switching the point guard is going to make JJ and Yao shoot conisistently. Changing PGs is going to keep Cato from shooting 17 footers. Changing PGs is going to cause the Rox to make late game FTs. Sorry, you can put some blame on the PG for turnovers, but Steve is not the whole problem. If Yao can't hit his open shot and keeps getting blocked, while Cato keeps shooting from the outside, while JJ and everyone else doesnt hit open shots like they are now ... IT DOESNT MATTER who is playing PG.
I never said Steve is the problem. CD and Rudy T made the wrong decision to put him into the role of playmaker for the team. Management's mistake does not mean Steve is the problem. Steve playing point guard is a problem. Look at the Jazz with Raul Lopez. Would Kirilenko be such a great player without a good passing point guard passing him the ball well? Would Jerry Rice have been such a great wide receiver if Joe Montana wasn't there?
Would Karl Malone have been the best power forward in the history of the NBA without John Stockton being one of the best passers in the history of the NBA? Great passers make other players better.
Yea. and now that Stockton is gone Karl absolutely sucks in LA? The system isn't conducive to fluid offensive plays with a point guard as the key presence. This offense needs a major fundamental rethink, not just a PG.
this offense needs to learn how to put the damn ball in the damn basket. that's what this offense needs.
