Rockets will hold on Trades. Piaksowski and Daniels expected to sign!

I hope this is true about splitting our MLE for Daniels and Pike. Clearly one of the biggest areas of need on this team is in the backup positions in the backcourt. I look at Posey as more of a 3 than a 2 so we were really thin at the guards. Francis and Mobley play WAY too many minutes AND if we ever wanted to move Mobley we would need someone to come in and be servicable.

Pike is a tremendous 3pt shooter (nice size at 6'6") and would do WONDERS on this team. He would stretch defenses for when the defense sags down to Yao and is a veteran leader and plays very smartly. Just the kind of player this team needs! I think Pike is a better player for this team than Job Barry because he is a better 3pt shooter.

Daniels has nice size at the PG position at 6'4" and is a nice "combo guard" that would be able to play both guard spots. It would allow Francis time at the 2 guard spot when we wanted to go to that look. Daniels would be a SIGNIFICANT upgrade over Moochie. Of course who wouldn't?

If we get these guys for split the MLE and the contracts aren't much over 4 years then I think we can consider our FA period a huge positive!

No these guys aren't flashy or sexy but they are quality role players adding nice depth to a spot on this team that needed depth! They would be factors on this team!

Francis/Daniels/Moochie
Mobley/Pike/Hawkins
Posey/Rice/Nachbar
Griffin/Taylor
Yao/Cato

With that kind of quality player depth that leaves you with nice wiggle room if you wanted to make any trades concerning Rice or Mobley.

 

We don't need both these guys. Just one can take significant minutes from Mobley and let Steve rest more. Why would we sign a 2nd backup guard for so much? Moochie sucks, but he's enough for a 4th guard.

Get one of them and save the rest for a big man.

 

IMO, both of these signings would be very good for the Rockets. They would get a legit shooter in Pike, and despite what others say, a potential superstar in Antonio Daniels. With the Rockets coaches on his side, he could easily develop a consistent jumper. Plus, he's not too shabby from beyond the arc. The thing I like best about his game is his ability to run the ball and literally fly to the basket. The "statue of liberty" dunk is always nice.

We should be proud that the Rockets are looking for some quality players, and not handing out ridiculous contracts to future Stanley Roberts.


PS...I'm glad to hear, for the moment anyway, that Cat is staying.


Cod

 

Well if this is true here is my take on the 'Big Splaaash'! CD put Mobleys name out , that he could be available, sat back and waited by the phone. No real effort was made by the Rockets Organisation to significantly upgrade this Team![Its their choice of course] They are throwing all their 'Errors'and'Mistakes" on the shoulders of JVG to sort out and remold. The big battle is looming between Francis and JVG and his Staff and their efforts to change the reality[not just perception]of a selfish team, controled and dictated by a shoot first Point Guard. I believe JVG will win this contest because Les is backing JVG to turn this bunch of wimpering overpaid ballhogs into a first class Basketball TEAM Boot Camp will start very soon!

I expect by the end of the 03/04 season to be very proud of Steve Francis and the Rockets Basketball Team, when they win 54 games and are in the Playoffs!

 

You guys are freaking dreaming if you think they are going to start Daniels, move Francis to the 2, and bring Mobes off the bench....

Two solid pickups if this happens..... Oh yeah can anyone else confirm this RUMOR?? because it sounds like a bunch of smoke and mirrors to me.

How the hell does Les expect to sell tickets??? Van Gundy? Ewing? The "ok" recieved logo and new unis? The addition of 2 veteran role players? I dont think thats enough to boost sales before the season starts.

Pardon the pun, but something BIG has to happen in order for people to start gaining intrest in this team - and to sell season tickets before the season starts.... Not enough buzz going around yet IMO.

Something else has to be in the works.......

 

I think winning more games is in the works. That creates interest.

 

The lineup would be more like

Francis/Daniels/Moochie
Cat/Pike/Hawk
Posey/Rice/Boki
Griffin/MoT
Yao/Cato

We need a biggie for our pratice squad next to Hawk or Boki.

 

With fickle fair-weather Houstonians?? Puhlease....

We havent proven anything. Does anyone recall back in '94 when Vernon Maxwell b****ed because we didnt even sell out a 16,285 seat arena for our opening round playoff game??

I rest my case.

 

I am getting the hunch that JVD intentionally does not want to change up the roster that much, so that when we take Utah's place in the playoffs, the "improvement" will all be the result of JVD's coaching. If he makes trades to take on overpriced veterans, then he might fear that people would associate the improvement with "mortgaging the future", not his coaching genius.

The "big splash" is JVD's hiring.

 

What?? Daniels starting? No freakin' way. I like Daniels, I like his game and it would be awesome if we get him (man I suggested getting Daniels last year, it would be nice if we got him) but Daniels cannot start.. at least not yet. And I doubt we get Pike.

Francis/Daniels
Mobley/Hawkins
Posey/Nachbar/Rice
Griffin/Taylor
Yao/Cato

And maybe Badiane fits in there somewhere. His hustle is something that benefits every team.

 

Daniels at 4-5yr, $10m is a nice bargain. For his skill set and ability, it's more than worth the contract investment, moreso than other contracts out there (Ollie, KT, etc). Piatkowski is drawing so much interest because he can shoot the rock - something the Rockets lack. If he'll sign for ~$3m, then it's worth it too.

But, take the report with a grain of salt...

 

Man, you guys are talking like this is a done deal! I haven't heard anything else about this "report" all morning.

I'm skeptical...

 

Its the only way some people can get the attention that they crave ..............

 

Yeah, the Rockets start winning, the fair-weather fans come back. This team won't get much THAT much of a instant fan boost if it signed juwon howard or even elton brand.

Winning will get the team noticed. Yeah, even in the best days it wasn't perfect. Thats just Houston. Deal.

 

Not to state the obvious, but if we did that, we'd need to get a backup for Yao...

 

This was posted in the Eric Piatkowski thread earlier, but I thought it was relevant here as well, from si.com:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2003/06/30/fa_guide/

It's not much, but at least its been mentioned in places outside of Houston.

 

So let me get this straight, you're ripping Rockets management for not picking up a big name and thus improving attendance, and you back-up your point by mentioning how Maxwell complained about the Rockets not selling an opening round playoff game that had Hakeem on the Rockets at the time? How is signing or trading for a big name going to improve attendance if that didn't!?

 

That doesn't make any sense because Clutch and others have sad that Van Gundy is turning over every rock to improve the team, and Ewing said we need a banger in the paint. I know there are people who don't like Van Gundy but this is reaching.

Hopefully this Piatowski and Daniels rumor is true. Daniels is a veteran and he has a championship ring. He would be a great boost off the bench.

 

Brian Grant would be a banger; grotesque contract, but do we want to win or what.