[State of the Rockets 08-09] Everything you need to know

IMO, Athleticsm, 3rd scoring option and perimeter height is all-in-one. I personally feel no need for a PG. Rafer is a top 10pg in the league.

I'm only looking at realistic players, guys like Elton Brand and Josh Smith are as likely as Mutombo leading the league in 3pt made and attempted.

Starting with a backup Center based on the free agency list:
D. Diop
Melvin Ely
Patrick O'Bryant
**all 3 see little to no game time on their current teams**

Backup swingman
Ron Artest (we should do everything short of selling our souls here)
Josh Childress (the Josh Smith near-max deal will free him up)
Matt Barnes (falling out of Nellie's favor)
Mikael Pietrus (the Euro Jordan has developed crazy range)
Bonzi Wells (no hard feelings, it was a business decision)
Jamario Moon (though I don't think he going anywhere)

I won't have a problem trading Bobby Jackson and Luther Head for anything positive.

For the draft we'll just have to wait and see what's available at the time.

 

What about Beno Udrih? That guy has some potential as a good ball handler and made enough of a difference in Sacremento that they thought that Bibby was expendable.

 

exceptional blath

I totally agree with everything you just posted.

x3 the vote to sticky this and allow longer editing time on the intial post.

edit: you could also link patricia's site for contracts and Coon's CBA FAQ to backup what you got from wiki

 

T-mac just got arthroscopic surgery on his knee and shoulder today just heard it on ESPN... hopefully he can come back healthy next season along with Yao! Also, the biggest need we have to address in this offseason IMO is adding that third scorer. I think we should try and go for a Cory Maggette depending on how much money he will want. It will add a reliable third option for the Rockets to go along with Yao and T-mac. Battier is an offensive liability

 

Maggette has a player option for 8.4M.The only way we can acquire him is through a trade which is going to be tough. You're absolutely right about Battier being an offensive liability.

 

The 3rd scorer is a must and is something we've lacked every year we've had T-Mac. Last year, it was supposed to be Bonzi or MJ or Francis (then BJax), all failed due to age, inconsistency, injuries or a combo of any of the 3.

Personally, I'm done playing undersized at multiple positions and done with the combo guards. Maggette would look GREAT next to T-Mac, but is too expensive and too frail to add to this already cash-stricken, injury-laden team IMO.

I'm also done with the poor FTs. Having Yao shoot like a PG helps, but let's get extra, extra reps in or hire a FT coach or something...

 

if your measure of who isn't a "offensive liability" is "someone who can create their own shot" then you and the other guy are right


otherwise you are mistaken

The main problem with Shane Battier's offense is he wont use it more, he has shown to be a good shooter off of curls and screens, from behind the arc and can take it to the basket against slower defenders. He is more than capable of hitting every shot he takes, but you have to FORCE him to actually take shots.


there *is* a difference between a Deke or Chuck who could take those shots all day but cant hit most of them, and a Battier who CAN do it but WONT.


the way most of yall talk, Battier couldnt hit a shot inside the arc if you left him wide open.

 

I agree with this but still on Beno Udrih, he is a free agent and a pretty good guard too. He could run the point easily as he did in Sacremento. Think about it..the Spurs would have in a roundabout way given us another key piece. I am not talking about replacing Alston but getting Udrih as an additional piece. I don't care about Luther Head or Novak. Both of those guys can go and I agree Harris is much more valuable than Novak. Novak is a luxury. Now if he were the second coming of Brett Barry, that's another story altogether but he's not.

 

Wanted to bump this in response to Calderon saying he wants to play for a contender as a starter

How much is he worth do you think?

 

I have to disagree with you due to generalization, because applying your quote then TMac was not necessarily a good player in Orlando or Kobe was not good in LA last year. Artest was a solid player on a good Pacers team.

 

ASK Tmac to have pay-cut, free some budget for a decent player!

 

I'm not comparing him to Deke and Chuck. He can't create his shot,is slow on offense and like you said you have to force him to take them.I do think he can make most shots that he takes because he is an intelligent player who plays within himself but on a team that desperately needs points in addition to defense,we need every basket that we can get.His unwillingness on offense is a sign of a lack of confidence to me. If he open on the corners he can make his 3 pointers which is his main scoring shot,but a good perimeter defender can take that away from him. He is a 9-10 point game player on average and that's not enough.

 

Didn't TMac go to the playoffs with Orlando?

1 year out of the playoffs doesn't = a 'bad team'

People who put up big stats on bad teams (that is, continually bad teams) are very often not good players.

But I think the sample size of those players is pretty small - you're talking about Shareef Abdur Rahim, Corey Maggette, Eddy Curry - those sorts of players.

 

Totally agree that there are exceptions (Elton Brand?)

But I'd say Wade and Garnett haven't had the 'bad team' plague..

You need to look at guys who put up numbers, but whose teams always stink! And I guess I'm saying there aren't too many of them!