Not true his #s are quality #s crappy team or no crappy team. However, Jame's problem here was as you suggest taking shots away from T-Mac and Yao, it was the same reason the Bucs traded him, took shots away from Redd. Still I would take James over Alston. FG% 3P% FT% .472 .437 .833
James fit this team as a #6 guy, coming off the bench and providing scoring when Tmac/Yao rested. But we needed a PG and that is Rafer. I look forward to the rest of the season with Rafer feeding Yao and the entire team learning to pass & cut together. And others like Luther filling in the 6/7th man role off the bench. As stated before, this roster has been so weak for so many years - in order to fill one hole we have to borrow from another spot. We are not deep and have not been since we gave up players for Clyde and Barkley, and then didn't refill the barrel from the next couple of drafts. Mooch and Wesley's money becomes available next season to pay some young talent. If Hayes/Baxter/Head and even Swift can develop some consistency by season end, then we can focus our money where needed.
The only way we can get a player for Moochie and Wesley is in a trade. We have no salary cap room next year.
In the long run we lose. There's no way we could re-sign him. Some team is going to go all out and overpay this guy. We dont have nearly the cap room necessary to get a guy like him. At least we've locked up our point guard of the future at a more reasonable rate.
In the long run, the trade will pay off. But earlier this season, we really could use Jame's scroing a lot.
I didn't want to see Mike James go, but I guess CD and JVG were "looking after the best interests of team." The deal so far has been leaning towards Mike James as the better half, but once Rafer Alston gets into the flow of JVG's system, he'll be all right. Alston seems better equipped to run an offense and keep the ball moving rather than a scoring guard like James. The game last night against the Clippers and the past few Alston has shown flashes of brilliance. He won me over as a fan with the And1 mix tapes before he became a Rocket.
I wish Rafer was playing this way all year, we would not be on the outside of the playoffs looking in.... DD
After last nights game against the Clippers, now i understand why Alston is differs from the rest of Rocks ex-point guards. Dished 13 assist!. WOW!!!!
Well, to be fair to Rafter, he can't as get many assists if: 1. ...the ENTIRE team was in a shooting slump like at the start of the season. 2. ...your #1 and #2 options are hurt. 3. ...he was hurt himself.
People want to talk about how we could have used Mike James when Yao and TMac were hurt. The team shouldn't make moves or center their personnel decisions around when people are hurt as much as they should find people who fit around T-Mac and Yao...b/c well, that's when we'll win, when those two are healthy. Who fits better when we are making a Championship run? Say it with me fellas/gals...Skip, Skip, Skip to my Lou Sometimes you gotta give people time. Cases: Yao - steadily getting better and better Skip - finally is showing us why he is the PG we have been seeking T-Mac - once JVG released the reigns on him last season, he's been T-Mac Wesley - After the surgery and a shooting funk, he is money. Swift - he still has a way to go, but damn, he's doin a hell of a lot better. Anyway, I realize patience is thin in these matters, but I always believed in giving people a chance to work their way in and have a chance to really show what they can do. DA wasn't given that chance...Barry was just last night given that chance, even if it was garbage time. Go Rockets.
Rafer has to have shooters and cutters for him to play well. Now he has time to get his shot off with Yao and Tmac in the lineup and looks really confident now. There's no way this could happen without Yao and Tmac out of the lineup. Plus a point guard take a little longer to get comfortable awith the players and learning where they like to get the ball.
13 assists and 1 turnover, I think you'd have to go back to John Lucas Sr. for the last time a Rocket point demonstrated that kind of ball control and decision making. I'll take that over a shooter with this squad.
I was very excited about Mike James as a Rocket until the latter part of the season, but I didn't think Alston would make a good fit for the Rockets. I'll admit I didn't give Alston a fair shake. But I'm starting to really believe that he'll make a decent Rocket PG afterall.
mike james is a solid scorer. rafer is what we need at the point. It was a good trade. Now we need to get a solid 4. CASE CLOSED
