I think they were looking for a wing player after JB got hurt and Rafer is coming back soon, so need for 4 point guards.
He is nothing like Lonny Baxter. First of all he, is a SG/SF. He can shoot the ball and some people think he is more athletic than his brother.
A try-out is NOT equivalent to signing him. Maurice Baker also got a try-out. No difference to Stephen Graham getting a try-out. They also mentioned right after Dion Glover got waived that Chuck Hayes is going to join the team. But nothing happens. Nothing will happen until middle of the month, I guess.
There is nothing wrong with Baxter. I was just saying Graham and Baxter are different type of players.
I'll confirm the signing then. HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets signed G/F Stephen Graham, General Manager Carroll Dawson announced today. Graham, who had been playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the Continental Basketball Association, will join the team prior to Sunday's contest at Portland. Graham will wear jersey number 24. Graham (6-6, 215 lbs.) played and started in eight games this season with the Skyforce and ranked second on the team in scoring average (21.0) and assists (30). Prior to his stint in the CBA Graham played two seasons at Oklahoma State University along with his twin brother Joey-a member of the Toronto Raptors. The Rockets roster now stands at the full complement of 15 players: Rafer Alston, Derek Anderson, Jon Barry, Lonny Baxter, Ryan Bowen, Graham, Luther Head, Juwan Howard, Tracy McGrady, Dikembe Mutombo, Martyn "Moochie" Norris, Bob Sura, Stromile Swift, David Wesley and Yao Ming.
stephen graham is a poor man's version of.....joey graham. great athlete, good defender, not much else. lacks nba level skills for a wingman. not a good ballhandler or shooter. it's kind of like and stonger and more athletic ryan bowen too kinda. not seeing how he helps us.
All I can say is this guy is very atheletic. I remember him slamming one down in the preseason game between the rockets and the spurs.
Rikesh316 is right - Stephen is definitely more athletic that Joey. And f course he does not play the same position as Baxter - neither does his brother Joey. I am not sure what geeimsobored was talking about.......maybe it is bordom induced rant. Talking about Stephen - he is not necessarily even a decent player - I do not see him sticking. I believe he was also in Phoenix' camp as well. The interesting this here is that Joey and Stephen worked out for the Rox - but it was reported by IC2000 that the later did not impress at all in the basketball department. So why did the Rox invite him back then? Hmmmmm.....
Dosent sound all that Promising. personally i would have liked to see baxter see a few extra minutes. .. lets hope he turns out to be a good. it's a win-win situation really, he turnsout good, e gott him cheap, turns out to be rubbish, we didnt spend a bundel on him.
I hope I'm wrong, but I do not see this making any difference one way or the other....--Means nothing..
I’m just glad it appears the Rockets are actually starting to scout some young unknown players instead of going the over-the-hill veteran route. Imagine that. The Rockets actually scouting. If we sign Hayes and Graham and trade away Wesley, we may actually have a roster with an average age under 30.
Use as much red as you want, when Faos has reported something, it has always been correct. This is not the first time that he reports something to us first. I think Faos=Free Agent=Feigen...not that that matters .
I saw the Graham brothers in a few games when they played at OK State. For a G or SF, Stephen is not much of a mid or long range jump shooter, his strength is running the fastbreak, defense, rebounding and short jumpers after rebounds. He has a very strong NBA body (like a Drexler) and overpowers average players at his position. Not a lot of ball handling skills either.
