At least Hakeem had first round exits to build upon... Spare me the water works, Puedlfor. Francis, Mobley, Taylor, and Cato have been together for four years and are each about the same player they were when they came to the Rockets. Yao has made significant improvements since he was drafted, plus he's younger...Thus, you rip apart this underachieving "core" the Rockets have... [quopte]Perhaps this group will never gel together to put a third banner in the raftersbut I dare say that judging them after only two years - years in which the star player on this team has been acclimating himself to a league radically different than anything he's ever played in - is premature in the extreme. [/quote] Well, if there is any doubt, then why keep the team together? The only team in the NBA that has any right to not make any changes is the team that wins the title. Up until this year, minor changes were acceptable. Now, the only thing acceptable is major changes. And no, we're not judging them after two seasons, we're judging them after five seasons of poor offensive execution, dumb play, lack of effort, and late season collapses...
You missed my point. You've got no patience, after only two years of "Francis & Yao", y'all are ready to trade Francis. Ignoring the fact that Yao was trying to acclimate himself to the league in year one, and Francis was trying to acclimate his game to the little gnome's game plan in the second. This is the same attitude that would've had Akeem shipped out in the late 80's and early 90's after we went 45-37, 42-40, 41-41 and either missed the playoffs or got beat down in the first round. That's what my comparison was intended at. What? Are you joking? All four of those players are significantly different players than they were four years ago - some if only for health reasons alone, and some because they've been knocked down a few pegs on the ladder by new arrivals. That only works if you believe this team is underachieving based on the talent on the roster. As far as "minor changes" goes - if only minor changes were acceptable, you must've been thrilled with the major changes we've made the past two years - and after all, teams rarely need time to adjust to major changes like adding a franchise player, or firing the coach. Can we just have one summer where there aren't major shakeups? Can we just let this team work together in a consistent game plan - knowing who'll be on the team, knowing who the coach will be - without having to go through another damn "adjustment" phase.
we can keep everybody but francis. He is horrible, he doesnt get you anything but 5 turnovers a game. He needs to get traded!
Yao = 1 1/2 years in the league. Patience with him? Sure... Francis = 5 1/2 years in the league. Patience with him? No... What you are suggesting when you say "acclimate his game" is that somehow Francis is going to learn fundamentals that he should have learned when he was 18-21, at 27 years old. ISO system he's a clueless PG, structured system, he's even more clueless. Don't believe me? He'll be averaging 3.5+ TO a game when he's 30 years old. Guess he'll still need "acclimation" then as well? Puedlfor, by the way, most likely you'll get your *one more year* with SF. But I hope not. Put aside the "This is the same attitude" for sec... Can you see a difference in their games? Have you seen Francis play. Please tell me you have...
Again - you've missed my point. My point has nothing to do with the players and everything to do with impatience. The Cardinal Sin of any NBA GM is impatience - that is why I made the Akeem comparison. The same attitudes that would tear this team apart after only two years are the same ones that would trade away a hot tempered center on a team going nowhere who you just know - KNOW that he faked that injury that one time, and is that the kind of player you want on your team? huh? HUH?!?
The core of this team being the players that play the most, I voted no to keep them together. I am living in Argentina and have been all season long, so I haven´t seen any games. But from my box score observations and the write-ups on this website, I am convinced we need a true point guard who can distribute, defer to teammates, and can finish fast breaks; a powerforward capable of hiting the 10 footer and tearing down a rebound; and lastly, a leader to emerge who works together with the coach. I want a team that is well run and efficient on both ends of the floor. I want low turnovers, mistakes worked out in practice (not in games), assignments covered, and for composure in the 5 minutes of games. I want Francis and MoT replaced and off the team. This is what I want whether or not it will or can happen.
You are suggesting this: patience + change = smart PG Did you ever hear that phrase about that "dead horse?" By the way, Hakeem would have been traded if he hadn't changed his attitude. He was a selfish player from 88-91. He started to accept that he couldn't do it alone. This is not Francis problem. His is skills, or lack thereof.
So Puedlfor and Da-Glyde...are you really satisfied with mediocrity? I hope you are, because that's what you'll get with this group of players...
Many posters had it with the playground, undisciplined ball and voiced there disapproval last summer. Not enough has changed. Steve may flourish somewhere else. Yao is the future. Build around him and at least you will eventually put fans back in the seats. Francis has had 5 years to do that, unsuccessfully. We really need to get to the playoofs for a taste of the different competition level. If not we risk another year of mediocrity. Regardless, we need to upgrade 4 of the five positions. We have backups playing 2,3 and 4 and a miscast starter in search of his own team at 1. How much longer will it take until Les cleans house. If they want to totally start over, bring in Wayne Embry and Fratello. They had a hell of a run in Cleveland with a VG style game and a succession of successful PG's and big men. They gave MJ and the Bulls a run for their money for lot of years. They aslo drafted well and taught a lot of players the NBA game. I personally am willing to let VG have more rope. CD has run his course and should be let go.
Apparently we are stuck with CD forever, he just got an extension, AND I would not be in the least surprised if JVG just up and quit. If he doesn't get the personnel changes he wants, I bet he will be gone. I think he has "suffered" more this year than his entire career with the Knicks. He is completely exasperated with this group, totally frustrated. Kind of like us. I still amazed at some the personnel and contract decisions this team has made in the last few years, horrible. Right now, nothing seems to fit, a thoroughly "tortured" offensive "flow." Actually, more like no flow. Now they have stopped playing defense, their only hope. I never imagined that the wheels would come completely off. If they lose tonight, the party's over. In fact, I think the party is already over.
What's so great with CD? The only thing he did that is good for us is that we lucked out and got Yao, and that has nothing to do with CD. Can the SOB!
