Steve = Oil, Ming = Water

And that's still not enough difference to warrant a straight-up trade. Steve gives you much more all around.

 

Who cares who gets the shots as long as a decent percentage of them actually go in the basket? If Ray Allen could shoot from outside off passes from Yao like JJ is doing now, does it really matter if he takes more shots than Yao? Yao gets the assists.

 

BTW, Brent Barry has an incredible 57.2% adjusted field goal percentage for his career.

 

So many of the members on this board are about as fickle as they come.

I don't even understand what you people are rooting for... Just the name "Houston Rockets"? (Not referring to the YOFs - we know what they're rooting for) When I was a kid it would have been unimaginable for me to WANT to trade away a star player on any team I rooted for, and for the most part it still is... but that's besides the point.

You would all live to regret the day we traded Steve.

Wow, that couldn't have sounded more Yao-Onlyish if you tried. Are you implying that Yao's stats are your primary concern? You'll trade FG attempts for assist attempts?

 

Clearly you have never seen Ray Allen play. Stats dont tell nearly the story here.

 

Do you truly believe a team modeled like the Hornets/Knicks/Sixers/Wizards can win a championship? Each one of those teams has one thing in common. Each has a combo guard being the top dog. Also, each one would get destroyed in the Western Conference with none of them making the playoffs in the West. Steve Francis/Baron Davis/Gilbert Arenas/Stephon Marbury are the exact kind of players. I'd put Allen Iverson in that group too even though he doesn't play point. At least this franchise has utilized the inside-out offense before to get 2 rings. I've never remembered a Rocket team with a combo guard running the show getting anywhere in the playoffs. Do you?

 

That's the kind of thinking that only works in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference, you better be able to put the ball in the basket. What the heck does Peja Stojakavic do besides shoot the ball from outside? He's being considered an MVP candidate. Look at Bibby. He shoot the ball with great proficiency too. Don't tell me you think Steve Francis is better than Bibby. That debate has already been decided with the last few rounds of Francis vs Bibby.

 

One more point on Allen. Remember, he was added by the COACHES to the All Star team this year....AND he was injured for 28 games, yet they still added him. I think that pretty much shows one how valuable the coaches in the West feel about Ray Allen. I am a Francis fan, but no way in hell does he get added to the All Star team if he is not voted on.


Allen's scoring is solid and he has never had the benefit of a good low post player to give him more open looks. I can't imagine how effective he would be with wide open shots on this team. Just look at how many times Jim Jackson and Cuttino Mobley shoot 3ptrs because of the collapse inside on Yao.

 

Ah, right. Stats only tell the story when they show Francis in a negative light.

 

Those who argue that Steve Francis should remain because he is trying to adjust his game have a very weak case.

Trying is not the same thing as getting it done.

Even the statement that he is trying is itself debateable when in the recent Dallas game, Yao Ming only got 10 FGA, making 7 of them. I know that is just one game, and I know Yao Ming had foul -trouble that game but we've seen too many instances of this throughout the season. Even broadcasters are saying the same thing: Give Yao the damn ball!

I think Pro-Steve Francis fans are too emotionally attached to the "Franchise", and this clouds their judgement.

Let's look at this objectively.

Assuming that he is sincerely trying to change, Can Steve Francis be a true point guard? Based on what everyone here have been saying, in effect, they are saying NO. Nobody here has said Steve Francis is a point guard with a high basketball IQ, and with gifted passing skills, and wide on-court vision. He is in fact, a terrible point guard.

He dribbles too much, causing too many turnovers.
He has poor vision, consistently failing to see open players.
For a point guard, his passing skills are terrible.
His basketball IQ is suspect, always taking the high risk shots.

Everyone will agree he makes for a better shooting guard than a point guard. However, even is this position, Steve Francis is not the ideal shooting guard.

He is too short.
He lacks a jumpshot.
The Zone defense takes away his primary skill: Playing ISO and driving to the hole.

So, what do we have here? We have a short guard who is atheletic and a fantastic ISO player, but cannot shoot the ball reliably, or pass the ball. We have someone who is prone to making turn-overs, and his Basketball IQ is definitely questionable.

Based on this, why do some people have such strong arguments for Steve Francis? You guys are acting as though Steve Francis is Michael Jordan. If the right opportunity or trade appears after the season ends, you have to make the trade. He is not untouchable.

The ONLY player on this team that is untouchable is Yao Ming.

We've seen last night that Yao Ming is the only sure thing on this team. We've seen glimpses of this before, and the statistics don't lie. Yao Ming has the highest FG%, and top scorer despite only taking the 3rd most shots. He is the one that draws most of the opposing team's attention, creating open shots for his teammates. He is the most talented player skill-wise, not necessarily the most athletic or hase the highest stamina. But he is the only one who is 7'6.

Why therefore do you guys (steve francis fanatics) act like he is untouchable and exremely against making this trade?


You guys are too emotional that's why.

 

How well did his teams do in the East?

 

yaowsa_rules - Welcome aboard. It is great to have an intelligent, knowledgeable, and insightful poster added to the board. We need as many as we can get. Personalities don't mean anything to me, just make the pieces fit; the team has some missing parts and some wrong parts. I hope the Rockets remedy these problems in the offseason. Right now, I am anxious to see how the present "hand" plays out.

 

And that was a pretty good season, but the previous seasons, 33, 36, 28, and 42 wins. Then the season with 52 wins and one win away from the Finals, and the the chemistry completely collasping the next year.

 

Sam Cassell was on those teams too. I think Tim Thomas and Glenn Robinson were the reason they were bad in the other seasons.

 

The big negative on Ray Allen and Brent Barry is that they do not like to play defense. I'm not sure how much Steve and Cuttino play defense anyway as seen by Sura and Jason Terry last night, so this might not be a big deal anyway.

 

Exactly, Robinson and Cassell were pretty good players those years.

 

I pulled this paragraph from a RealGM.com Message Board thread. I cant find the link to the exact Dallas Morning News article to prove that it is accurate but I have no reason to doubt it.

With the above in mind, if the Sonics are thinking about moving Allen, perhaps the Rockets should look into it.

How about a Ray Allen + (S&T Brent Barry) for Steve Francis + Mo Taylor. Give them a low post player they are looking for plus a fan favorite guard in Francis. I am not sure how the math works on this one but since we are doing a S&T for Barry we could make it work to match salaries.

Even after doing that move we would still have our full TE and our MLE to work with to add another PF.

 

So then, Mr. yaowsa, what is your proposed solution? Shall the Rockets waive Mr. Francis? Cut him outright? Put him on IR? What would you have the Rockets do? No true Rockets fan would be against trading Steve if the deal would make Houston *significantly* better.

But let me once again be clear: THE TRADE DEADLINE HAS PASSED.

Say it after me: THE TRADE DEADLINE HAS PASSED. I'm sure the board will be chock full of absurd trade proposals from the moment the season ends. (I'm convinced that even if Steve and Yao lead Houston to postseason success, people will still call for Steve's exile.) Can't you save your drivel until then?

You, my friend, have the weak case. It's not a matter of arguing whether or not Steve Francis should remain—the simple fact is that he will be Houston's starting PG for the remainder of the season. Perhaps I'm asking too much, but maybe the BBS can have some constructive discussions, rooted in REALITY, about what this UNCHANGEABLE roster can do to work together and make a serious playoff run.

But I know I'm asking too much. So hey, Steve sucks. Let's trade him.