The difference between Solomon's "mediocrity" and a true contender...

And that impact player COULD be Yao.

DD

 

We didn't necessarily need another thread referencing Solomon, but I agree.. an all-star PF/C would help, especially if we got him for peanuts.... that's some quality analysis.

 

Apparently we don't have Kobe Bryant.

 

That's the biggest factor.

Rocket's role players are significantly better than anyone else's in the NBA (imo), but that is all we have at this point.

If Martin or Brooks can become that go to guy down the stretch and make big shots and big FTs, then I agree we are a big away from being true contenders (whether that is Yao or Bosh).

The problem is late game Brooks is a FT choker, Martin disappears, and big men are RARELY the game finisher (obviously Dream was a huge exception to this rule). But I don't see Yao or Bosh being able to fill that role.

We need that go to late game scorer BAD along w/ a big man.

 

lol THIS! :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

Yes, DD, but do you have confidence that Yao could remain healthy assuming a succesful rehab? I don't, and it would be foolish to for anyone to think otherwise.

Morey knows he needs insurance just in case...so I think he will get us a big money to shore up the defense.

 

Morey knows he needs insurance just in case...so I think he will get us a big man to shore up the defense.


Edit.

 

The best part coming out of a 42-40 season is that Yao is back and apparently Rox is going to trade for another starter.

Add in a lottery draft albeit a very low one if the ping pong balls do not fall, its still much higher than what DM usually have in a draft that is deemed as very deep.

Things do look bright.

 

We're a good team with Yao, but we're another good player away from being competitive with the best. I love our role players, but we don't have the luxury of bringing somebody as talented and versatile as Lamar Odom off the bench. The lakers and cavs not only match our depth, but their superstars are two of the best in the game.

Morey definitely knows this. Which is why I'm so glad he's gathered all these assets for a SnT. It'll be difficult to pull off a trade, but if he somehow pulls it off then he's done the best job possible.

 

No matter how many excuses, "ifs", "buts" you have, in the end, it is a comparison like this:

one playoff win VS. 4 championships and one more to come


The difference is huge, IMO. The mediocrity of the Rockets is on the stone.

 

Confidence - no

Hope - yes

DD

 

I think you missed the point of this thread.

 

I haven't viewed the rockets as contenders since the 97 season. I couldn't ever see a team with rafer alston starting as a contender. They have had too many holes and unreliable players to me. The op mentioned adding pau gasol, but didn't mention everything else. Before they got gasol, they were rolling and had the best ecord in the west. Bynum gets hurt and they lose a couple of games. They make the trade and starts rolling again before losing in the finals to the celtics. On sirius, kupchak came on and said they didn't feel they could make the playoffs on bynum went down, so it forced them to go get gasol. Before then, gasol wasn't even in their thoughts. So as you see and you must tell the whole story. They ha they best record in the west prior to obtaining gasol.

 

Before obtaining Gasol, the Lakers had Kobe -- top 3 player in the league at that time, Odom -- a very underrated borderline allstar, Bynum -- a budding dominant big man, Jackson -- best coach in the league, Buss -- shrewd owner who makes good decisions and believes in "you get what you pay for".

We just have a bunch of great role players and a center whose condition we don't know about yet.

If we add another impact player in the offseason and Yao comes back strong, we're a legit contender. Until that happens (or not) I could only hope for the best.

 

Last year Rafer got to the finals as a starter.

 

I certainly hope so, but I am not letting myself think this way. I am going into next season believing Yao will not help us at all, I hope our team has the same mindset, that is to say (if Yao is not ready at the start of the season) we don't overly rely on his healing body, play him way fewer minutes and let him slowly work himself back into game shape...a truly healthy Yao with this team can make a deep deep run, but if we break down again next year we're screwed.

I hope we add a true all star to help cover the void Yao will leave when he isn't playing. Can't wait till the free agency deadline it could be a very interesting off season for the NBA in general so many teams could crash next year and so many could rise.

Here's to future Rockets success and health!

 

I agree with all that, but as of what I know now and what I have seen this is the case.

Just because Yao has been hurt year after year doesn't mean that this year he won't be hurt. These aren't set it stone, they are just what the case is as of right now, and if they change it I think Rockets will be a TOUGH team to beat, if not, we are still very beatable, with or without a superstar big.

 

No we don't. DM has already stated he won't put a premium on "clutch" or late game players, and I agree with him 100%. If you're leading by 20 then you really don't need a late game scorer, do you?

The team this year has suffered from two things prior to the Tmac trade: offensive droughts and defensive holes. The offensive droughts were solved when we got Kevin Martin (and hopefully Yao Ming), and the defensive holes could probably be remedied by having a 7-6 guy clogging the paint. So yes, I agree with the OP. We're not exactly a parallel to the Lakers team, but having a healthy Yao back will make us a contender.