As sorry as I am to say this - the future of the Rockets is not this year. Now that's not to say it can't be a great year - but the plan is NOT for this upcoming season. Am I mad at all the nitpicking comments that are made at players, draft picks, and coaches? NO..this is an opiniated forum. Therefore, I offer my opinion on the following. However, these could be facts shrouded in opinion clothing. 1.) Collier can FLAT OUT PLAY BASKETBALL! Period! Now, I know most people here hate white players...too bad!! It also seems to me that MANY people PINED for T. Fuller! Well relax, we've got the better player. As for Pryzbilla, this guy couldn't score on a drugged out hooker passed out in a dumpster. You want offense? Collier! He may be a 'role'player for years but geez - how many 25/10/6 guys can we have on one team? Langhi? I've seen this guy in person shoot absolutely lights out. He's got an arrogance about him that I like. From what I hear, he'll be tried more at the three than the four. 2.) People keep saying that Cuttino will be back. When did someone talk to Cat from here? The asst. coaches haven't got him to say anything yet. IT IS IMPERATIVE that we resign this kid. 3.) Cato has been working out...we all know that now. His physique is changing very nicely. Now, he needs hands. He's a 'flow' player. The main compaint from the staff was he wanted to be Dream but they wanted him to be a part of the offense not THE offense. We'll see. 4.) Bryce is being shopped as we speak. Period. He'll be moved as a favor to him. 5.) I hate to see people diss Walt. The guy's always been the one that every team wanted in a deal. It's not easy to play in different cities every year. Walt is a GREAT guy - in and out of the clubhouse. He fits in great on this team. He could be a great bench player for us. One thing is for sure, he'll take his role without causing any disruption. Is there a price for that? Remember the word 'TEAM?' ( See Cynthia Cooper...in another forum, of course! ) 6.) The org. is trying so hard to add to the puzzle is almost weird. I don't know all the moves or the theories behind Rudy's delimna. Inquiries have been made regarding Fizer - that is something that I do know. Hou wants to pick up _________ and keep Cuttino - and there you have it. There are more happeings on the way. Sorry for my Rant! ------------------ Wait, there is another...
Welcome back Doc! Good to hear the Fizer stuff. He just makes so much sense for this team, especially if we keep Cato. (DaDakota will be thrilled to hear this) Any thoughts on the Croshere business that you can share? What about any thoughts of Lewis signing to a 1 year deal in Seattle, knowing Houston has the room to sign him the year after? Please tell me Walt's "role" is as trade bait? I'd be dandy with that. If Cato wants to be Dream, at least he's got aspirations. I'd be much happier if Cato tried to overexert himself, in contrast to how he played last year. ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better. Collier is Seven Foot and Left Handed. How can you go wrong? Trade or bench Kenny Thomas. [This message has been edited by NIKEstrad (edited July 16, 2000).]
I agree for the most part, Doc. I don't, however, think that resigning Cat is absolutely imperative. If we lose him, we'll get over it. I would love to see him sign, don't get me wrong....I just don't think it'd be the end of the world if he didn't. A lot of our ills will be solved with time, with the development of some actual (gasp) chemistry. (There's a new notion!) Admittedly, for impatient fans such as myself and, I think, most everyone on this web-page, that's hard to swallow. Next year won't be our year to win it all, but hopefully it'll be our year to shine. (Sorry, that was cheese, but it was cheese from the heart. ) ------------------ "I'll take a Dream Shake for two, please."
Hey Doc, Thanks for the update. I've been wondering where you were. I couldn't agree more about the rebuilding process taking longer than 1-2 years. Cap wise, we have very little room to move this year & still the team makes moves that help for the long run. If just 1 of the 2 picks from this last year make an impact, then we are that much closer to being back on top. You have to build a solid foundation with role players first & add the special players when you can. I'm still not sure about Walt's consistency over a whole season, but I trust our proven coaching staff & front office's decisions. By the way, was that blank supposed to have Croshere's name in it? He'd be another great piece to the puzzle.IMO ------------------
Thanks Doc for the info.. It's nice to hear something positive! I agree we probably won’t win the Championship next year… and if we don’t sign Mobley and Hakeem doesn’t have any game left we may even be a lottery team. In fact even if we do sign Mobley and Hakeem shows a portion of his old game we probably still can’t break into that upper echelon group of LA, San Antonio and Portland. But I too feel this team is moving in the right direction… And if Cat does sign, Hakeem finishes his last season with half of the fire and heart he had in his championship years, Cato becomes stronger and learns his role, Rudy proves us wrong again in his ability to pick draft choices, Francis improves even more than he did last year and the whole team starts to get the offense and really jell together… we will at least, be one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch, and at best we may be the darkhorse team of the playoffs… I mean think about it even last year with all the injuries to this team when the Rockets offense was clicking who could stop us? Noone! Well except for ourselves. And I suspect we will definitely improve. Francis will become the real deal, a bonafide NBA star. We will run even more this year than last and by the end of the season there will not be one team who will want to face us in the playoffs. WOW… I just got myself excited about the Rocket’s in the middle of July! Now if we can just resign Cat. ------------------
We all know that Cuttino is just visiting other cities to divert the NBA front office from the fact that an agreement was made prior to July 1st. He's a Rocket. Of course, what do I know? ------------------ Bad spellers of the world: UNTIE!
Doc, Thanks for the post. It's always nice to scan the new threads and see your name beside one. Glad to see your opinions on the draft. I thought the Rockets did pretty well, all things considered. I have a question. Am I reading something into your post that is not there? It seems to me that you're almost saying the Rockets could be doing more to re-sign Cat. Are they not limited to matching the best offer he gets and hoping it isn't more than the 4 million figure I've seen? If he is offered 5 mil by some team, do the Rockets have any options at all? ------------------
"As for Pryzbilla, this guy couldn't score on a drugged out hooker passed out in a dumpster." I found this line quite amusing. ------------------ I Hate Every Bone in Your Body But Mine
Thanks, Doc, for giving us a topic worth responding to. It's been a little dry here lately. By the way, I had posted <a href="http://bbs.clutchcity.net/ubb/Forum3/HTML/007463.html">a topic directed at you,</a> hoping you could answer a few questions, in case you didn't see it. I personally think the Rockets did great with this year's draft. They not only got 2 role players that meet specific needs that Rudy has, but they got a pick in next year's deeper draft, when we'll really want a couple key players. Hope you don't mind, but I'd like to ask you a few questions: (I know, I know, I do this every time ... but I sure appreciate your answers) <OL>[*] Who are we looking at trading Drew for, and who is interested in him? [*] How did things go with Croshere? Is there any chance of landing him? [*] That's great about Fizer. Are there any possibilities of trading for Maggette, Miles, Kandi, Jerome Williams, Jermaine Oneal, or anyone else, you've heard about? [*] Is there any word out regarding Lewis? [*] Are the Rockets interested in Leon Smith, and if so, what is the status of negotiations? [*] Now that things have gone the way they have, do the Rockets still want to use their 4.5m exception, or do they want to save the cap space for getting a key FA next year? [/list=a] Thanks for making things more interesting. ------------------ the more I know, the more I know I don't know...
My bad Doc, Rocket, but my opinion remains the same. We will try to win it this year just as always. Houston has never looked to the future. Not when Hakeem was drafted. Not ever. We play to take it all every season and I expect nothing less. By the way, I respect everyone here equally...even the Lawyers! ------------------ humble, but hungry.
Who are we looking at trading Drew for, and who is interested in him? *** Drew is not being shopped to one particular team but to several. Things will become more clear after the 1st of August. I can tell ya that I REALLY hope Cat resigns..it'll be close. How did things go with Croshere? Is there any chance of landing him? *** Things went really well with Austin from what I hear, now that is from what I hear not from what I know. But my guys are SOOOOO high on this guy. That's great about Fizer. Are there any possibilities of trading for Maggette, Miles, Kandi, Jerome Williams, Jermaine Oneal, or anyone else, you've heard about? *** I have heard nothing whatsoever regarding the Clippers. I mean nothing. I've never heard anything to substantiate anything regarding a tradd with LA. Is there any word out regarding Lewis? *** No Comment regarding Lewis... Are the Rockets interested in Leon Smith, and if so, what is the status of negotiations? *** There are no current negotiations regarding Leon that I know of. Now that things have gone the way they have, do the Rockets still want to use their 4.5m exception, or do they want to save the cap space for getting a key FA next year? *** From what I hear, the Rox WILL USE THE EXCEPTION THIS YEAR. And that means....squat!! After August 1st, we should know more regarding the FA situation. PHI SLAMMA JAMMA - I'm not saying that we don't want to win the trophy this year. I'm saying that the groundwork that we're laying is not designed to bring a championship to Houston this year. There's a BIGGGGGG difference. ------------------ Wait, there is another...
One quick question Doc. I'm not saying that this is in any way likely, BUT... If Rashard Lewis were to become available or if he basically told Seattle to sign and trade him to Houston (I know the chance is .0001% guys so don't jump on me for this), would the Rockets prefer to use their exception to bring in Croshere or Lewis? Which do they value higher? Just something I had been wondering recently. ------------------ Member of the pro-Collier/Langhi movement. IN RUDY WE TRUST!!
Doc Robert, I've got to disagree. The goal has always been to win the championship and I've got to believe everyone is onboard. We may have some non-believers along the way, but we're together to the end. The plan is to win it now. Period. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
Phi, Doc Rocket and Doctor Robert are two different people. No offense to Robert but Doc Rocket has about as much credibility as anyone on this board, maybe more. I'll stick with him on this one. ------------------ "Stranger things have happened, but none stranger than this" - Commentator after a parachutist landed in the ring of a Holyfield fight
Doc I gave you credit, but I'll have to call you on one point. "We'll resign Mobley and he's better than any guard in the draft without question." - Doc on May 23rd. I know that the summer can really screw with even the best basketball minds so I'll let this inconsistency slide. ------------------ "Stranger things have happened, but none stranger than this" - Commentator after a parachutist landed in the ring of a Holyfield fight
Doc- Good points but I disagree on one thing. Collier will not be a beter player than Pryz. I honestly do not believe that. We made the trade to get an additional draft pick not get a better player. Also as far as 25/10/6 guys I don't see any on our current roster. Dream was but isn't now. Cato could be if you combine 2 or maybe 3 game statistics (yeah he can occasionally get 6 blocks in preseason games, and maybe 1-2 games during the year he gets excited and scores a few points, and maybe a few balls falls into his hands for rebounds). If we go with a linup of Cato, KT, Walt, Anderson & Francis, I would honestly say our best rebounder is Francis. KT could end up getting 7-8 a game, Cato may get 5-7 which is not enough for our starting PF & C. As you can tell I am very frustrated in trading Pryz. Pryz will become a 18/10/3 guy fairly quickly (within 3 years, IMO) and Collier can become a solid role player who can create matchup problems but I would rather have a solid starting player at a position we are weak at (C) than a role playing PF, where we legitametely now have 2 role players (with KT & Collier). ------------------
I bet there will be a big trade this offseason. Rudy does it every year. I really just wanted to keep this thread going! ------------------ Fuggetabout it
