something isn't right. all of those options at PF are FA's. what are they planning on doing with all of those guards. there has to be a trade for a big guy.
It would have to be a SnT offer that benefits Seattle. Maybe Shane, Rafer and Sura (plus one/two of either Snyder, Luther or JLIII)? From the Sonics standpoint, Shane would be a great addition to their team, plus they could throw Ridnour into the trade because he is dead meat in Seattle. If Rashard and the Rockets agree on a contract, there might be a SnT scenario that the Sonics would accept. I give this about a 1 in 5 chance of going down. If Morey makes this happen and uses the MLE to get a starting PF, you'd have to say the roster has been upgraded big time. I'm not the biggest Rashard fan but the guy can ball.
If we somehow get Lewis and still have Battier, I dont care if the other Power Forwards go kobe on us.... They ain't winnin' no gamez yo!
Some of those players are targets at backup C like Alan Henderson for example. Several would be signing either for the LLE or the vet's minimum. It's obvious from that they are going to go extremely hard after Lewis like they did with Mike James last year. Whether fans can deduct it or not. However James spurned them because he was traded by them before and he wanted that trade kicker and it was a sticking point. Lewis also has a negative history from draft day 1998 with the Rockets. Once again it will be in the player's court and once again if he asks for something extra like say a trade kicker we will see if Houston has learned its lesson yet. Maybe they have now that they traded for James and ended up actually paying the trade kicker, costing them 8 percent more than it would have to just have signed him.
I, for one, dont want Rashard Lewis if it means giving up Battier. I know, I know, Battier is a role player and Rashard is a star But without Battier we have no perimeter defensive stopper and ALL top teams have perimeter defensive stoppers. Spurs: Bowen Mavs:Howard Suns: Marion/Bell Jazz: Kirilenko Pistons: Prince Bulls: All their young guards are good at D If we trade away our glue guy/defense guy, we'll digress to an undisciplined offensive-minded no-D team that will do good during the regular season but get destroyed in the playoffs. SAY NO TO RASHARD AT THE COST OF BATTIER
An update in the article "In fact Morey tells FOX 26 Sports he went to Lewis' house at 11:01 p.m. Morey says Rashard was not there so he left a Rockets jersey. Morey also says Lewis' agent, Tony Dutt, has set up a meeting for early Sunday morning with the Rockets." http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/p...n=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=6.1.1
It's much easier to find a designated defender than it is to find a 3rd option on offense. I'm not saying the Rockets can find anyone even close to the all around player Battier is, but the idea that a guy that is just a defensive stopper cannot be found is just uninformed. Heck there was talk about Lucas for Singleton on this very board. In other words not an excellent all around player like Battier, but if you need a defensive stopper at the wing for a critical stretch then there are players out there who can do that.
The problem is obvious.No one wants our guards or for that matter anyone else apart from Yao or T-Mac for a above average PF.
Sportscenter reported that Portland is interested and Rashard likes New York. I hope he will realize out of all the that are going to contact him, Houston is the best place for him. PG - James SG - McGrady SF - Lewis PF - ? C - Yao
Smokescreen? I don't think that by mentioning Rashard by name there is any doubt they are serious...especially by mentioning that if Rashard is motivated they can do a sign and trade...all Rashard has to do is call their bluff to see if they are building a house of cards....
if rashard wants to win, he wont go to ny. portland, i can see....but not ny. houston is his hometown, the rockets will be uptempo, plus he'll get the money through a sign n trade. its a no brainer, rashard will be a rocket...if not in real life, then he will be on my nba live!
I like the idea of signing joe smith for the vet minimum. he can score and has a nice shot on him. if we get Rashard through a sign and trade(battier would have to be included in the packiage)and sign joe smith for the vet minimum, we'll still have the entier MLE to get a backup center and a swingman. even a brevin knight would be nice if rafer is gone. James/Knight/Brooks Tracy/Wells/Snyder Rashard/Wells/Reed Smith/Hayes/Novak Yao/Deke/Big jake
slowmustang posted that update already, but I just got word of that 15 minutes ago also ... Morey went there tonight. Don't think this is a PR move. Rashard-Houston thing though is not likely a brand new development to those inside the Rockets brass or Rashard Camp ... so what the heck is Rashard doing not at his house? Eh, I guess Mike James did the same thing to JVG
Oh yeah because we have really been lighting it up in playoffs latley. Face this team is going no where without some sort of key change. Rashard is our best and only option. I believe that when Morey says he is gunning for Shard he will do everything in his power to bring him in because he knows that would be a huge move.
I've been saying for a while that the Rockets would likely look into signing PJ Brown, Joe Smith, Malik Allen and Melvin Ely. I really think that people are underestimating Joe Smith. He would be a good fit as a fifth starter, assuming that the Rockets were unable to acquire a PF via trade. He is a good defender (6-10 with long arms), has a decent mid-range game and is a good locker-room guy. Think of a better, more athletic Juwan Howard. His numbers don't show his true value, as he is willing to take a back seat to the team's stars. He's also not as old as some people think. He was only 20 years old when he was the #1 overall pick in 1995. He's only 31 (turning 32 next month) and has plenty of good basketball ahead of him. He managed to average 9.2 ppg and ~7 rpg in only 25 mpg after being traded to Philly in the Iverson deal and was a major reason why that otherwise pathetic roster finished with a winning record in the post-Iverson era (30-28). If the Rockets could get him for the vet minimum or the LLE, I'd be ecstatic. If we can't find a significantly better player for the MLE, then I wouldn't have a problem with the Rockets using a portion of the MLE on him. Just my two cents.
Oh yeah guys I am sure alot of GM's pull out smokescreens by going to players houses like stalkers. He is for real when he says Rashard is our guy.
In the nba, nobody wants to play defense. The NBA dream is to be like Allen Iverson and shoot 45 shots a game and flop whenever someone touches you. I cannot think of any trustworthy perimeter defenders who can be had either by FA or trade. And also, having a third scoring option is much less important now under an Aldeman system than it was under the JVG system (althought JVG ironically never addressed the problem). Aldeman system stresses much more movement, meaning that players who cannot normally creat thier shot via isolation can now more easily score via motion and cutting. The likes of Head and Battier and Hayes should be much better off. And not to mention we still retain the services of Bonzi (although he might end up being a ballboy again... not cuz he fetches balls and doesn't play but cuz hes round like one xP) as well as the fact that we added mike james (who i still dont like but recognize the fact that he can score). Thus IMO keeping the defense of Battier is more important than getting the expensive and injuryprone Lewis.
