Honestly, i think Mike James wouldnt have been able to help as much as people think. The main problem with the Rockets back court has been height and quickness. Mike James doesnt add to any of that. I know his numbers in Toronto but the fact is that it was in Toronto. Other than Chris Bosh and on certain occasions Charlie V, Mike James was their other option for offense. We lose Mike James to Minnesota, big whoop...that still doesnt throw Minnesota into playoff contention. Ideal Rockets lineup: PG: Alston/Head/Lucas SG: T-Mac/Sura (assuming hes healthy) SF: Battier/Novak/Bowen PF: Hayes/Howard C: Yao/Mutombo Do not resign David Wesley. Hes becoming too old to compete with more youthful SGs, and his strength is no longer a factor. Hayes over Howard because Hayes provides a spark and aggressiveness. In addition, you have a more reliable player coming off the bench. Hopefully, The Rockets can make more additions to the roster.
Right now we will get our butts handed to us by Phx or Dallas because they are too athletic and too efficient offensively. I think we should go hard after Fred Jones, and hope between Alston, Jones and Head at least one of them shoots like Mike James did last year. We run a much greater risk overpaying for Fred Jones or Marcus Banks than we did with James, but they seem like the best targets to me. Buckner or R Butler, DerMarr Johnson, Stevenson and Jumaine Jones are fall backs to me. Someone who absolutely can't hit a 3 (Flip Murray, Ariza, Dupree) has to have everything else (defense, smarts, some spots they are offensively effective) going for them or they are going to be too limited to have much of an impact.
I would say our backcourt problems were #1 inadequate shooting efficiency, #2 lack of quickness, and #3 lack of size. Mike James was the best option to address the 1st two issues and no option for an MLE addresses all three. I think Jones and Banks should be in the que now, neither have shot as well as James did last year, but both are athletes who have some promise as perimeter defenders and offensive players as well.
Even with a healthy T-Mac and Yao, this team will struggle to make the playoffs. Yes they're capable of winning 45-50 games, but that doesn't guarantee a spot in the postseason, especially with the West as stacked as it is these days. And even if they make the playoffs, they don't have a prayer of winning a first round series barring a lucky matchup(like the Sonics would've been in '05). About the only positive from this upcoming season will be the inevitable firing of Van Gundy and hopefully the rest of the front office. What's gonna suck is that we'll still have lost out on Rudy Gay because of this inane "win now" mentality.
This is incredible how the tide of opinions have changed within a season. Last season, Rockets was touted as a contender but unfortunately injuries befalled on our two stars and a no. of our role players causing a setback in our quest for the Championship. Now even with our players healthy, it is to the opinion of some fans that we will struggle to get to the playoff. Let me remind you again as some posters had already mentioned, Yao is now a better player and I really believe McGrady will be at least 80% heathy next season. Rockets has also acquired a good role player in Battier. Head will improve from the experience he got last season. Some of our rookies may even sprung a surprise or two. Nobody will be certain what will be the outcome of next season but at least I have confident in my team and I really believe Rocket will do very well next season. We still have 4 months before the season commence, anything can happen within this period. It may not be the offseason everyone agreed with, but the important thing is we still love and support Rockets.
Given what we have and what is still out there on the market, I think we'll be around a #6 IF TMac and Yao stay healthy the entire year. Then we'll get crushed in the first round by Phoenix, Dallas, or San Antonio. If either misses significant time, lotto.
A LOT more. WAY, WAY more. That guy's just the complete package that anybody is qualified to say that Carroll Dawson is either insane, or purposely screwing us. We aren't anywhere near the West elite. If we miraculously make the Playoffs, we'll be making a quick, quick exit whoever we face. The consolation is that if we're a lotto team, the coming lotto is loaded. But, damn it, Rudy Gay. That's just a loss that I can't see any way of making up. My mood's so sour. I mean, to think about the next draft when this year's has just finished. Sigh... West is actually sitting on us. Jerry West that is.
When I assumed Mike James was coming, I said the Rockets were a 55-win team. I would guess he was worth 3-4 wins. So now, they're a 51-52 win team. I think that would put them 4th in the West, with a better chance of winning it all than either San Antonio (no center) or Phoenix (no defense). Dallas is still sitting on top. This assumes Yao and McGrady each play 70-75 games. My regular season rankings: 1. Dallas 2. Phoenix 3. San Antonio 4. Houston 5. Clippers 6. Utah 7. Denver 8. New Orleans The Lakers were barely a playoff team last year, did nothing to really improve and watched other teams get better. Memphis mortgaged the present for the future. Seattle is a wild card. Their performance is based solely on how well their two centers perform.
I don't see Denver making the playoffs. That team is imploding, and they still have no outside shooting. Unless they make a big trade splash this summer, the West is too strong for two teams to make it out of the Northwest. And if I had to pick one team from that division, it would be Utah.
The following teams failed to make the playoffs in the West last year: Portland, Houston, NO, Seattle, Utah, Minny & GS. As things now stand, they are most likely competing with Utah, Minny or NO to make the playoffs. This team as it stands today is not ready to dethrone Dallas or SA in their division. If everything holds to form like last year with Dallas, SA & Memphis making the playoffs, then the Rockets won't have a shot unless there's a surprise like Denver, LAC or LAL failing to make it in. I feel that of the 5 teams in the Southwest Division they (Rox) are currently the 4th or 5th team depending on how well NO does.
I agree that they are not improving. But you underestimate Carmelo Anthony. He's plenty to keep a mediocre roster in contention.
You forgot Battier- I think he will be the 3rd guy, frankly I do like him. Where is shooting help that we were supposed to get? These idiots could not get Mike James- so all we can do is wait for miracles. Maybe Steve Novak will prove amazing. So much for logic!
With Yao and Tmac we are always a Play off bound team. The reason for the general feeling of disugst is the way the front office is going about 'adding' to the team. It is not just us getting better- just look at the competition, even NOK is formidable now. And Portland - who would never have figured in anything positive- is now looking pretty good. I wont even talk about Dallas, San Antonio, Suns - we have to beat one of them to go to conference finals. Fans cannot be taken for granted all the time.
Everything still counts on our 2 stars Look at the Lakers, they had Kobe...Shaq, and NOBODY. Battier>Fisher, Horry>=Novak, Hayes>Samaki Walker? All our role players need to do is play defense and not make mistakes(sorry Juwan). We'll be a 50 win team
T-Mac and Yao are two of the NBA's elite players, Battier is one of the NBA's elite role players, we don't have much after those three but that should be enough to have a 50+ win season if health permits. Compared to the rest of the West we're the only team with two elite level players (assuming Amare doesn't get there this season), that's saying something in a sport that one elite level player can make a huge difference. I'll give those two guys a chance against anybody in the NBA.
Generally, i agreed with what you said. But to be disgusted with the front office should not in any way caused us to lose fate in our players. Remember, we still have two of the best in League. Sure, we still have to beat Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix but it not impossible. Last season Rockets does not have regular starters so there is no chemistry among the players. Next season, if our players are healthy and the chemistry is there, anything can happen. Chemistry play a big part in winning.
You need more than just 2 superstars and 1 quality role player. Who's gonna knock down outside shots when Yao and T-Mac are double-teamed? Who's gonna rebound for them? Who's gonna play perimeter D? Who's gonna finish on the fast break? This team has major holes at 3 positions. They have no depth. You thought they were bad last year when T-Mac and/or Yao went down? They'll be 10 times worse this season if there are any major injuries.
