When it's true,what the **** is goin on with Steve?I think he don't want Jay Will!!!!!!What the hell is he thinking?Perhaps he want Wagner or Dunleavy
Known Facts: Steve cares enough about the team to represent them at the lottery. Steve announces that the only thing they don't need is a PG(meaning he intends to be their PG.) Steve has said that he will sign the maximum contract extension with the Rockets. Steve has been gung-ho about the team, and taking an interest in it. Rumor: Steve will bolt the team if they do Draft Ming. I agree with everyone who's angry at the fans who ignore what we know as fact, and decide to bash Steve based on rumor. Even if Steve does have sentiments that lean in that direction now, that doesn't mean they won't change before the draft. When the Rockets traded for Drexler, most of the team was upset about the deal. By the end of the season, though even Horry, who was one of the deal's biggest critics loved playing with Clyde, and the Rockets won their second championship. So even if Troy is 100% right about his source and the info, that doesn't mean that things won't change. Either way, it's best not to hate based on mere rumor, wait and see what the facts are, and then maybe you people eager to bash will get your chance.
Troy Baros...I learned once not to doubt you with the Dunleavy scoop. I wont make the same mistake twice. Fellas...I think he may be onto something here. Call Troy what you will but the guy has been on the mark more than once with his sources. Until I see Steve signed, Ming in a Rockets practice jersey and Cuttino's mom cooking chinese food before a game, I'm gonna rock the boat a bit and listen to what Troy B has to say.
The Eagle and the Arrow An Eagle was soaring through the air when suddenly it heard the whizz of an Arrow, and felt itself wounded to death. Slowly it fluttered down to the earth, with its life-blood pouring out of it. Looking down upon the Arrow with which it had been pierced, it found that the shaft of the Arrow had been feathered with one of its own plumes. "Alas!" it cried, as it died, "We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction."
Troy, what you've done is basically hung your balls on a rope. If you're wrong about this, you'll be totally clowned around here. But you seem confident about your statement. Francis has already shown that he means business. Remember Moochie's contract last summer? Drafting TMo. It would surprise me however, if JWill is what he wants. Maybe Rudy would play a 4-guard rotation of Mooch, Francis, JWill, and Cuttino. Shoot, it's 9:30. I've wasted my first hour at work reading the BBS.
On the nba.com chat following the draft, someone asked Steve whether he would be happy playing SG if the Rockets drafted Jay Williams. Steve answered he and Cuttino already play SG. But I don't see how the Rockets (RT/CD) can justify drafting and keeping Jay Williams. Will Stevie Franchise buy all the empty seats at Compaq and the new arena?
My last off-season prediction was true, I have a strong feeling we won't end up with Ming...and we will do something crazy and unexpected...
I don't see what the big deal is, if TroyBaros is telling the truth. Cat, Mo, and Mooch, to name a few, seem to be genuinely interested in Ming as a prospect, and think he can help the team. Steve feels opposite, doesn't feel comfortable with him for many of the same reasons many of us have, and thus would like to see the Rocks possibly trade the pick for an established player like Odom, or a known propsect like Dunleavy or Wilcox. Where's the harm in that? Now as far as Steve bolting, I don't know and I frankly don't care. He wants to leave, fine. But I would hope he'd leave for a better reason than the Rocks possibly drafting Ming. If so, GOOD. The Rocks need warriors, not spoiled children.
<i>Troy, what you've done is basically hung your balls on a rope. </i> Baqui99, Let's stop and think about that statement for a moment. Has he really? There's several possible end results here, lets look at them: 1) Rocket draft Ming and Francis doesn't resign - Troy declares that he was correct. 2) Rockets draft Williams - Troy declares that he was correct 3) Rockets draft Dunleavy - Troy's already hedged himself by mentioning this one, so he'll delclare that he was correct. 4) Rockets draft somebody other than Ming, Williams or Dunleavy - Troy will claim that Francis force their hand and therefore, he was correct. 5)Rockets draft Ming and then trade him - Troy's mentioned that one, so again he declares that he was correct. 6) Rockets trade the pick - no matter what the deal, Troy will claim that Francis force their hand and therefore, he was correct. 7) Rockets draft Ming and Steve resigns - Troy simply says that Steve changed his mind. Maybe he got a chance to see some tape of Yao and he liked it or maybe he did it because Cuttino and Moochie were worried about losing playing time if we took Williams. Troy will still declare that he was correct. I guess I'm not seeing how he's really sticking his neck (or other body parts) out on this one. There's alot of variables here and alot of things could happen between now and the draft. Troy's mentioned several different scenarios, so the only real thing that makes his story look bad is if we draft Ming and Steve resigns. Even then he can simply explain it away as Steve having a change of heart.
I think we should be less concerned on how Troy will come out looking and more concerned that his source may very well be correct and what will eventually happen over the next 30 days.
Ditto. I could care less if TB is right or wrong. I am much more interested in seeing how all of this plays out in the upcoming weeks.
<i>I think we should be less concerned on how Troy will come out looking and more concerned that his source may very well be correct and what will eventually happen over the next 30 days</i> I view the probablity of this happening about the same as us trading for Garnett. It's ridiculous, why worry about it? We've got a team option on Francis for next season. So what, he's gonna do, threaten to walk in a year? Even if that were true, so what? We would still have plenty of time to deal him. Would it really make any sense for him to do that? He'd end up having to play and extra season under rookie scale and cost himself millions, then he'd still need us to do a sign and trade or he cost himself millions more. He's spent the last three years trying to repair the damage to his image that his post draft manuevering cost him. So, what's his other option, pout and threaten to not play for us even though he's under contract? That would be professional suicide for him. He's smarter than that. Even if he doesn't think Yao is a good pick, he's not going to threaten to leave over it. Now factor in what Troy said about how he looks out for teammates. Ok, now he's going to threaten to leave unless we draft a guy that will take away playing time from Mobley and Moochie? Francis is first and foremost about winning. He's seen the NBA West, he knows we're not playing in a 6'5" and under league. Adding Williams makes no sense what-so-ever. It's obvious that the Rockets still intend to draft Yao, assuming they can reach an agreement with the powers that be in China. So, what does that mean? Well it either means that Francis didn't issue and ultimatum or the Rockets are willing to call his bluff on it. Either way it doesn't affect the draft. They're putting way too much effort into Yao Ming for it to be a smoke screen. George Postolos, the Rocket's PR/Markenting guy was on 610 today and he was practically drooling over getting Yao. Everybody already assumes that the Rockets will take Yao, they don't need to put on a show to convince people of this. Worry about the red tape in China, that's a valid concern. But, come on, do we really need to worry about Steve Francis getting mad and leaving for the Knicks in a year? Francis has no leverage here. If we don't get Yao, it will because we got a great trade offer or we aren't comfortable with the terms of the deal from the Chinese officials, it won't be because of some alleged ultimatum from Francis.
aelliott, I'd treat what he said with less skepticism if he wasn't such an arrogant, disdainful $h!t towards anyone who finds it hard to believe. Maybe he's like the "mall-guy" and thacabbage about the Francis trade, and got some legit info (which may ultimately be proved wrong, through no fault of his own, which didn't happen in that case!). TB, you just rub some folks the wrong way... me included. Lighten up and keep adding to your list of scenarios. If you throw enough stuff on the wall, something is bound to stick, and then you say to everyone- "See! I was right- ha ha ha ha ha!!".
Well, get a taste of this. Either you're a liar, or your friend is a liar, or you're a cocky, strutting Knick-lover with a legit scoop about a player who (assuming now that your quote is correct) is either an a****** or a fool. Win now? We'd be lucky to get out of the first round if we spent that pick on yet another short guard or athletically unremarkable SF. The point is not to squeak into the playoffs now (and not make it to the conference finals for the next five years), but to win a championship. If that takes three years, Steve should suck it up. If he won't suck it up, there are plenty of teams content to go out in the first round every year, and we should ship him to one of them. If your story is true, and Steve is more impatient than ambitious -- or just too dumb to understand what true ambition is -- then what he said at the lottery was wrong: We do need a new point guard. We'll find out soon enough whether the jerk in this story is you or the player whose alleged comments you're defending.
aelliott, you forgot this one: 8) Rockets pick Ming and Francis insults China like he did Canada, so China pulls Ming back home, and we end up with no pick. Then both MadMax and TroyBaros can claim they were correct.
Hey...don't get me wrong!! I'll claim no victory if the Ming thing doesn't work out. I'll be pissed. Once he's in a Rockets jersey, he'll be my guy, just like the rest of them are. I will take no victory in the Ming thing blowing up!
Some options in trading Francis: Andre Miller plus lotto pick(s) Lamar Odom plus lotto pick(s) I'm happy if he stays, but not crying if we get two very good players to replace him.
