1. I didn't say you would necessarily get back elite level talent by drafting. But if you think you need elite level talent and you think you don't have it ...welll....are you better off sitting on what you have and hoping it's good enough one day? or are you better off rolling the dice? i don't know the answer to that question, but i don't think it's simple. 2. I will be happy if this team gets out of the first round. But that shouldn't be the goal. It's ridiculous that the franchise has gotten to that point.
Max, once you get to the playoffs anything can happen. The Rockets have never been the favorite to win it all....ever. DD
Actually he did. Your memory is short. Tmac took over most of our shots during close wins at the end of the game. Remember the Dallas series? Also, if you look Tmac has some of the most amazing playoff STATS all time. His scoring numbers in the playoffs rank at a historical level. His teammates' numbers in the playoffs however, STINK. I'm not saying Tmac is GREAT, but he did have the ability to control the game at the end.
I think what MadMax meant to say was retooling is not always a bad option. The Astros want to seem to be always in contention when its clear they should trade away a couple superstars to retool their farm system. This 'win now' mode has crippled their chances to actually compete with the best. I dont think the Rockets are in that bad shape as the Astros. Mostly because our stars contracts are not long, and we have good quality depth. What we need to do is re evaluate our stars. TMAC will be dealt / let go. What we do with Yao will totally depend on what type of year he has next year.
Trading Yao this summer would absolutely be the right decision to make this summer from a basketball perspective. The moment it became apparent that McGrady was finished, we needed to be entering rebuilding mode. I think most would agree you would have to be delusional to think Yao can be the best player on a championship team. I can't even remember the last time he took over down the stretch of a single game, so I'm not about to hold my breath thinking he can carry a team through the playoffs. And great players are what win championships. Yao can be a major peice on a title team, but that team needs to be absolutely loaded with talent ala Sacramento/Detroit. If that's the case, that he's merely a peice of a bigger puzzle, then what is even the point of keeping him? You need to somehow add that talent, and most would agree that it's not like Yao is some irreplaceable force. He's also aging as you try to build that talent around him, and you have no idea how much longer he has. You could fetch a king's ransom in a trade for Yao. His value most likely exceeds his on-court production. Given his age, injury history, and our rebuilding status, it's absolutely illogical to hold onto him.
I don't know what you mean by 'closing fast.' The door has shut. The Yao/TMac model is over. We need to be thinking of a new plan.
They had the 2nd best record in the league in 1994 They had the best player in the game and were coming off a title the year before in 1995. Of course anything can happen. But 1995 was special because it's rare. I'd feel a lot better about it if we still had the best player in the game. I can't begin to compare or equate this team to those teams. They're more similar to the 20-something other teams that also weren't favored in 1994 and 1995.
yes i agree, yao for amare or some other guys to build around. yao turned down the max extension twice anyways. we get to rebuild , maybe hope for a great player in the draft or try to nab bosh in 2010. don't think the first tier stars like lebron are coming here anyway but guys like bosh could. and yao gets to try for a championship in other places. rox fans are happy and everyone wins!
ROFLMAO.... Of course it would be great to have the best player in the game, but hey, while we are wishing, why don't we wish for our economy to turn around too? That is absurd.....trading Yao does not even guarantee you get better as a team, or even have a better chance at winning anything. Look, I know you guys do not think Yao is elite......I think he is..... So, we are not going to agree......but at least I can hang my hat and say that Morey agrees with me over you guys. When you wish upon a star............... DD
1. Da Da, you're nonsensical. You're writing in contradictory circles. You use comparisons with Hakeem's Rockets and then laugh as if we're pulling stuff out of our hats when we respond to those flawed comparisons. YOU are the one who found your hope by comparing this team to the 1994 and 95 Rockets who also "weren't favorites to win." I simply pointed out those teams had the greatest player in the league...and this one doesn't. 2. ONCE AGAIN...NO ONE IS ADVOCATING TRADING YAO. They're saying that it might make sense to listen, though. And that we might think twice before giving a 7'6" 30 year old with foot problems a maxed out 6 year deal. 3. I have no idea what Morey actually thinks...because like me, you know that Yao isn't going anywhere primarily because of his value OFF the court. He's the least justified "untouchable" in the league. Teams will trade virtually anyone...the Rockets won't listen when it comes to Yao. And you know why.
I am nonsensical? Uh, ok, to me I am the one making sense, you guys are saying he can't lead a team, with no data, nothing, just can't do it...why not? And the wanting the best player in the game was in reference to you saying. Max, no offense but you did say. Agreed about thinking on his max deal, but I still think you do it based upon how he plays now going forward. Because they clearly understand what it takes to play winning basketball, that is why. And calling me nonsensical is silly, it is just a difference of opinion, you don't think he is good enough, I do........Nonsensical, when I am responding directly to things you say....come on Max....LOL....who is really being nonsensical here? I have said my piece, we are not going to agree, I think Yao is an elite player and one that can lead a team to a championship if surrounded by the right pieces....several others do not......I guess we shall have to cheer and see. DD
1. It's nonsensical because you said: The idea was...they weren't the favorite in the years they won rings. But...the years they won rings, they had the best player in the game. That's it. So hell yes, I'd feel better if Yao were the best player in the game or even in that discussion....he's not. Neither is Ron. So the idea that we'll pull off another 1995 without the best player in the game....well...count me as a bit skeptical of that. 2. DaDa - from the quote you posted, it's clear I wasn't advocating trading Yao. I said those are the options. Trade him...let the contract expire...or offer him a max deal. Those are still the options whether I say them or not. It appears to me the Rox have one option with regard to Yao, no matter what. 3. Then I've misunderstood you when you've posted elsewhere that you agreed that Yao wasn't going anywhere because of his value off the court to this franchise. I thought you agreed with that. 4. The nonsensical is the circular logic on point 1. The comparison of this club to 1994 and 1995 and then laughing when I say, "I'd feel better about it if we had the best player in the game." Because we did...and we don't now.
The comparison I made was that the Rockets have never been the favorite, and that the MODEL of a Rockets dream type of team will work with Yao, but you would need better role players, but it still works. I think it is the right option, for now. I do agree the Rockets value his contributions off the court and thus would be less inclined to trade him, but I still think they value his contributions on the court and in the locker room just as much. When it becomes clear to me, like it has to you, Rhester, and Cabbage that a Yao centric team can not win a championship, then I will agree, because right now, I think that is still up in the air. To me Yao needs to be even more of a focus.......and let the players play more off of him..... Again, my comparison is in the "anything can happen in the playoffs" variety, and getting there is almost as important as being the favorite. I just don't think it is a realistic goal to say "Let's build the best team", I mean you try to do that, but realistically you build the best one you can and go from there...IMO. I hope I did not come off too strongly, I just think you guys are 100% wrong....about Yao. DD
DaDa, you don't realize it but you are agreeing with us. You agree'd earlier that Yao wasn't elite and thats why we needed to take the Piston's approach and build a team like that. Then you come back and say that Yao is elite. If you truely believe he was elite - like Hakeem elite, then the pieces we put around him wouldn't be as important as you are making them.
It may be confusing, but I think Superstar and elite are two different things. The problem starts when we are all on a different baseline to begin with. I don't think Yao is a SuperStar, but I do think he is elite. And my difference is I think you don't need a Superstar to win, but can get by with an elite player and good role players that compliment and fit in with the team. DD
ok..run down the list of championships over the last 20 years or so and tell me which teams just had elite players and which had superstars. i'll tell you now, that list is going to have a whole bunch of teams led by superstars.
That depends on your definition of Superstar..... I don't give that lightly, for instance, I don't think Boston had one last year....they had 2 elite players and one very good player....but no superstar player. DD
I can see that... ok past that?? the Pistons in 200whenever... who past that?? Shaq and Kobe's Lakers won 3 Jordan's Bulls won 6 Hakeem's Rockets won 2 Wade's Heat won 1 Duncan's Spurs won 3 so really all but 2 years in roughly the last 15 or so were teams that featured a player that was in the discussion for best in the league.
