SI.Com-Rox one of five teams that have taken a step backwards this offseason

Unfortunately in your article I cannot read what you don't write. Clearly you are informed. But on my behalf I cannot read what you don't write and you would be amazed at how many people donot understand how dominant Yao has become. And how could we not improve by just replacing Brunson and Bogans with almost anyone who could hit an open 3 on occasion. People are now double and triple teaming Yao and with Battier, Snyder, Tmac and Novak (off the bench) parked out on the 3 they will pay dearly for that mistake. And finally I know you see Battier as a wing player but I see Battier as our starting PF so no conflict with Tmac and a great improvement over JHO.

So I stand corrected for everything else. You have answered all of my questions. And I apologize for my insults. I thought I was responding to an uninformed reporter. Clearly you are not that.

 

If McGrady can stay healthy and play 70+ games, it was a good offseason. If not, it was (so far) a bad offseason.

I really hope the part about Shane being an insurance policy if TMac goes down isn't true.......

 

Actually, you can.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/search.php?searchid=42797

 

I'm writing under the premise that, of course, this year's team will be heaps better. Any player is better than Bowen/Brunson/Howard, while Yao and T-Mac are extremely unlikely to be that snakebit again. That said, it's time to move past that premise and start to expect something special from this team again -- I don't like them wasting a year until Morey finally takes over to get going.

 

But that is conjecture. You don't know if the team in 2005 is better than the current Rockets team, because this current team, obviously, hasnt played one damn game.

The current Rockets team seems more versatile and athletic than the 2005 guys.

 

What was out there for the #8 pick plus Swift that is better? I don't see it. We needed a young vet who's smart, can hit a shot and play defense at multiple positions. Battier fits the bill.

 

It's okay if you don't like Rudy but please don't try to compare JVG to him it just makes you look stupid.

Rudy 2 NBA Championships, the last US Olympics Gold, the US world games Bronze with scrubs.

P.S. In spite of what you might think it's not personal with JVG I just want to win. And I think we have the best chance to do that this year because he has been taken out of personnel decision loop and been given an ultimatum. Win or go home. If he can just stick to his coaching which I don't think he is terrible at we should have some success this year.

 

The SkI is falling... the SkI is falling!!!

 

Well everything is conjecture then so maybe we shoudl just ban all Rockets discussion during the offseason.

The key word is "seem". The 2005 rox cast were proven palyers, who proved themselves again.

Spanoulis? Head? Snyder? John Lucas III? Steve Novak?

All projects - the odds of all panning out are slim. Not to mention the baggage that an older, worse Howard and never-has been like Alston.

 

I loved Rudy for what he did then, obviously he wasn't capable of doing it now which is why he took himself out of coaching.

Maybe we should call up Lenny Wilkens then if success this century is not a priority for you.

 

While i am quite pleased with the offseason moves, there hasn't been one move that's made me say, "Now it's on", i'm still iffy about having two starting caliber SF's who really shouldn't be playing any other position.

I think we've definately upgraded over last seasons team, the team has tried to take a much more conservative approach unless there were no other options (eg Snyder). Lack of minutes for Chuck worries me so we'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out for him.

KD, while Yao was tearing up the league, the rest of the media wouldn't give him his props, i'll always remember that article, it's almost as if you were taking our fustrations and letting them be heard on a bigger stage.

If Battier at the 4, or T-Mac at the 2 can work then thats great, but nobody can guarantee how this will work out chemistry-wise and that's why some people just aren't convinced. Yet.

 

I would say my first thought about the trade was exactly what Kelly expressed in the article -- TMac and Battier plays the same position. I was mad, really mad...

But I guess time changes, now I really don't have such strong doubts as then. I think there is a wrong conception that when we talk about lineup, you have to play same position on both offensive and defensive end. Which is not true! TMac will have problem guarding off guard on the defensive end (not he can't, just too much load on his back...), but look the way he plays on the offensive end, shooting guard is exactly the position he like to play!

My point is that I think Battier and TMac can be on the court at the same time, and that does not mean Battier has to be PF. What's wrong with TMac playing SG at offensive end, Battier at SF, and Battier guarding SG of other team and TMac guards SF??

 

Well, you are simply wrong.



Battier fits in with a Yao and Tmac team, and adds a very good complimentary player to our starting lineup, which in turn takes pressure off the rest of the people on the floor as well.

I think the Rockets are assuming that Yao and Tmac are completely healthy (and they should assume this) and are continuing to build.

The Yao at the end of last year, and the Tmac from the year before gives you a GREAT tandom and you add in role players and away you go.

I see Dallas as much weaker and San Antonio as the team to beat, but if Yao continues to improve.....we have the best 1-2 punch in the league, IMHO.

DD

 

By the way KD, I like your stuff and I appreciate your posts here.

However, I hate, detest, abhor, loathe, and generally dislike your employer for not putting the WORLD CHAMPION HOUSTON ROCKETS on the cover of their magazine while knowing they would have quickly bumped soccer (Soccer!) for the Knicks. From the very late 1960's when I was a little kid until 1994 I dreamed of finally picking up that SI with a Houston Champion on the cover. Your fetid editors ruined a lifetime of anticipation for me. (I know it's childish, but it's one of life's little slights I will never overcome.)

I do wish you the best in your employment with the vile, petty, Knick-sniffer operation that is SI.

 

Why? Past history?

 

lets not forget the Juwan Sucks and Calvin Murphy is not employeed by a franchise he helped put on the map.

 

While the two play the same position, they serve completely different roles. If you want to fill in for Tmac, guarding the opposing team's SF doesn't really do much.... Bowen can just about handle that. Filling in for Tmac means offense. James would have been a much better insurance policy for Tmac.

 

first time ive ever heard someone say tmac is unselfish...i love this guy

 

I feel your pain, rimrocker, though not to your extent. They treated my Bulls pretty well, but put Richie Parker on the cover when the 72-win team won it all.

And DD, again, I REALLY hope my initial reservations about the deal are wrong. I'm not predicting Shane as unable to play alongside T-Mac as well as the Rockets hope, I just see it as a better possibility than a perfect ham-and-egg situation. Battier didn't play a single minute last year at shooting guard, and look at T-Mac's horrible stats (though I submit he was working through injury, still, a -15.4 PER is pretty horrible) at shooting guard last year.

 

Kirk Snyder is not really a project. But, this is getting away from my point.

For the Rockets to have taken a step backwards they would have had to make off season moves that took away from the "cast of proven players" without adding others.

The Rockets did not remove Bob Sura or Jon Barry.
The Rockets did move Mike James.

The Rockets added Shane Battier and Rafer Alston.

If the Rockets are worse than they were in 2005 (on paper) then you would rather have Mike James than Shane Battier and Rafer Alston.

Another way the Rockets could have moved backwards from 2005 was to not replace their older players (like Barry, Sura, and eventually Howard) with younger players with potential. They have also done that with the Spanoulis, Novak, Hayes, Head, etc. They may be "projects," but all players with little to no experience are, and you can't keep recycling other "proven players" without ever finding new ones. The Spurs' Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Speedy Claxton were "projects." The Mavericks' Josh Howard and Devin Harris were "projects."