going to be a long post so be warned... Like everyone else I was upset at the loss last night to a team that was clearly out-talented and we let ourselves get outwork in every facet of the game. It was downright embarrassing. We had too many of these "philadelphia" losses this year to explain it. What scares me more is the prospect of rebuilding because it doesnt look like the Tmac-Yao combo is going to work. McGrady doesnt even try during the regular season and when plays All-NBA in the playoffs it changes the way the whole team performs since other role guys who are used to their role of scoring 5-15ppg change since they are playing with a different McGrady. This isn't about Ron he is going to leave after this season if he isnt traded first. I went to bed thinking last night about the whole rebuilding process and its downright scary. Its so difficult to rebuild in this league without a lot of luck, its no surprise that you see a lot of the same teams at the top year in and year out. If you try to rebuild via the draft you need to land a special franchise player to have any sort of success in the future and how easy is that? You cannot build a contending team by getting good players year in and year out in the draft. The clippers tried that they suck...The Grizzlies landed consistently high picks which lead them to a few 50 win seasons but no one was ever scared of them as a contender and ultimately they had to blow that team up too, the worst part was for the Grizzlies the year where they could have made a huge splash their #2 pick was sent to the Pistons in the Otis Thorpe trade in the 03 draft--Melo, Bosh, Wade anyone of these guys could have been theirs but once again---Luck wasnt on their side. We have one franchise player in Yao, but in today's guard centric and athletic league he isnt the cornerstone of the team that he could have been had he came into the league in 92 instead of 02. I am happy that Yao is a Rocket, but he can be that huge piece to the puzzle he just cant be the piece. At this point Yao is 28 to be 29 this year you cannot tank to try to get another franchise type player in the draft (and this years' draft looks to be weaker than last years) so your only realistic option is through the free agent market which doesnt look good because historically the Rockets have always made their "splashes" through trade and also you rarely see franchise players sign with other teams. I cant remember the last time the rockets signed a free agent that was a current all-star or became an all-star. Drexler, Barkley, that ass from chicago, Francis, Mcgrady, Artest, Battier, Scola, ---all these guys were results of trades. Guys that the Rockets signed as Free Agents....well they arent too memorable thats for sure. You can try to trade Artest to get a piece that fits this team this year, but what the heck is this team? Win one night on the road against the defending champs and then lose at home to one of the worst teams in the league in the wizards...Are they that defensive team that JVG always had? Are they the motion offense teams that Adelman had in Sacto? So how can anyone say that "so and so will fit the team" when I dont think the team even knows what the team is. Next year it will be even worse with the bonanza that is appearing to be the 2010 FA class. That will be the Rockets best chance to get a real franchise wing player along with Yao but will that happen? I dont think Houston is on anyone radar when it comes to FA destinations...nor will have the ability to overpay since many other teams are trying to maximize their cap room for that offseason. Can Morey make enough trades to make something happen? You cannot trade McGrady right now without expecting to get back a terrible contract and less talent (even though he has fallen off considerably he is still considered a threat on the court) Trade Tmac then any realistic 2010 plan is out the door if you trying to get one of the top guys. Look at some of the the top teams they all have had some sort of luck in assembling their squad...Lady Luck has not shined on houston at all in the past 10 years save one quick glance in 02. Lakers: After losing Shaq they were mediocre no doubt about it...Bynum was an iffy pick who is starting to turn some dividends for them but he has had some freak injuries. But at the end of the 06-07 season no one was expecting the lakers to contend. What happens? Luck--Fisher lands in their lap after being released by the Jazz and Gasol comes with a bow tie. They were able to land an all-star and a rugged championship veteran/leader...two starters on their current squad without have to give up a single rotational player let alone contributer. Spurs: tanked at the right time and got lucky and landed one of the greatest big guys in NBA history. How often does this ever work? Good international scouting helped them to where they are today..they were ahead of the curve in that regard. Because of the robinson-led team they were able to land great vet players as FA cheap (horry, barry, finley, thomas) Hornets: landed a franchise player in the draft...how paul slips to four is beyond me that is just plain luck especially when all three teams ahead of the hornets in that draft needed a PG Jazz: landed a franchise player in the draft (williams) and then were able to throw more money than anyone else to land okur and boozer in the FA market. The rockets are not going to be able to offer any more money than the other 10+ teams in the 2010 FA market. Mavericks: to his credit i am sure don nelson knew dirk was a better player than tractor traylor, but i didnt think nelson would have imagined dirk to become a top 10-15 player in the league today. add in that they were able to get a nash and finley for kidd they were able to build a good team off of trades. It also helps having an owner who isnt afraid of making huge gambles and spending money like crazy to help the team. Les doesnt have Cuban type money. Suns: Took a risk on amare and it paid off, took a risk on nash and it paid off big time nash went from all-star to all-nba in phoenix. that doesnt happen to often especially at nash's age. but it went down hill fast from there as you can see now and they look to be just as mired in potential mediocrity as the rockets are for the next few years..at least they have had more recent playoff success Blazers: they are probably the only team that were able to build a team successfully through multiple drafts, but they were able to get a great all-star player in roy, alridge and they were lucky to get the #1 pick and landed Oden. Having Allen as a owner who buys up draft picks like they were nothing helps them immensely and also having an owner like allen who wouldnt be afraid of spending money on his big guys helps a lot. nuggets--landed Melo in the draft, were able to attract others through FA (though through bad contracts) but they were able to offer more money than anyone else in those seasons. Were able to turn Iverson into billups. really only the blazers have been able to build a team through the draft without drafting an elite top 15 player right away out of the draft (though roy and alridge may be getting there real soon) and they have an owner who has no issues on spending money. The rockets never really have been a FA destination and with everyone looking for 2010 trading is even harder now to try to get some sort of talent back. You cannot risk having a lottery season while Yao is in his prime to get another type of franchise player (and there is no guarantee of that...like the nets getting the #1 pick the year when Kenyon Martin was the best player as opposed to possibly getting the pick when Lebron is the #1 guy) Unless they decide to blow the entire thing up and trade anyone and everyone on the team, but I do not see Les letting go of Yao who makes him too much money regardless of his performance on the court. Les isnt the same type of owner as Allen and Cuban are and he I believe has lost a lot of money recently with the economy. Les said he is willing to go over the cap if it means making a winner, but whats his definition of a winner? It seems like trying to go after a proven commodity which is fine but how much over the cap is he willing to go? a million or two? The blazers more than likely will be well over the cap in a few years when they lock up alrdige, roy and oden but it doesnt phase allen who was trying to chase a big name FA this year as well (but is hurt because of the Miles issue) So the way I look at it...there is no way this team is ever gonna get lucky (case in point:injuries), planning to be a player in the 2010 FA class is not a good idea i believe since every other team is planning to be the same. You will not look any different than any other team in terms of cash, players then will look at other factors, we haven't been a winner lately, playing with Yao could be a pro or a con (with another all-star or not being able to be the "man") Waiting to draft an all-star or rebuild through the draft is not possible with Yao in his prime unless you want to trade him. It willl be like the steve franchise years all over again...totally mediocre until we had that one drop of luck and landed Yao. I would rather try to be a player in this year's FA market if possible but that would try to unload McGrady by the trade deadline for either picks or large expiring contracts and keeping artest and letting him walk at the end of the year. I just do not know who is a FA this year that could possibly come here and make a difference. 2011 is too far to really make any plans then. The team can try to rebuild through trades, but they have no assets outside of Yao when it comes to getting an all-star type player. Artest can be traded but any team will not want to trade an all-star for him with his potential to just walk at the end of the season. McGrady is a mere mere mere shell of his former self 2 seasons ago let alone his time in Orlando. He isn't going to fetch you an all-star. I wish I had a chance to go into the Rockets locker room and speak to the entire team and try to talk some sense into them because realistically they have this year to make some sort of noise. If they can succeed in the playoffs the teams image can improve and be more a desirable place for future FAs. But if they let themselve implode like they are this team is going nowhere in the near future. I dont know if its the curse of trading away the Franchises' greatest player or some sort of jazz voodoo hex that was put on the team but this team has been anything but lucky lately. its almost ironic really the bits of luck we do have...getting yao and tmac, well that was lucky a lot of franchises do not have that happen to them, but then whats the point if either player is always injured? its like going to the club and getting the phone number of the hottest girl there only to call her and have her husband pick up. bittersweet. so thats all that was flying through my head last night going to bed. this team is probably going to be stuck in mediocrity the next couple of seasons if they dont find themselves real soon over this all-star break. its going to be the francis years all over again, but at least those teams were entertaining this team is not even entertaining in the wins or the losses. sigh /end rant
He owns Bynum like his step-child but I WOULD LOVE YAO to come to LA. Yao would flourish under Phil Jackson's tutelage and the triangle.
In the end Magic Johnson had right all along Yao and TMac do not go well together. I hope the Rockets get something at least that will jolt this latter part of season into gear. Trade TMac please, can't have another year like this if we don't trade him.
PJ named his offense the "triangle offense" while Adelman calls his the "corner offense". Other than that they look eerily similiar.
Only if JVG didn't want to win meaningless games a few years back. That Denver win still gives me nightmares. Brandon Roy should be a Rocket
The main difference is that Jackson has the respect of his players and will do the proper hard cuts to get the offense clicking right while Adleman let's the inmates run the asylum.
yeah, a recent example is that he let odom play from the bench. don't see adelman or morey can do that to #1.
You try to scarf up as many top five picks as you can and hope to get lucky. Then you avoid the safe draft choices and take a chances on players with upside. The upside strategy means higher risk, of course, but I'd rather be a lotto team every year than a first round flop every year. The worst approach is to simply be good enough to win 50, but not good enough to win a championship. All that results in is several years of playoff disappointment.
The op made some good point and I think its important to understand what kind of team you want to become. Personaly, I can rebuild with or without Yao. It doesn't matter to me. I think the guys in pro scouting has to be able to read player curves to successful rebuild. I'm telling you, the carrot to win now undermines a lot of teams and short circuit their bulding through the draft. I wouldn't do anything major till this summer. After the post season success or failure, then I would drop the A-Bomb on it. Its not that bad really. I mean the worse thing you can be is mediocre. Even if the team wins regular season games and go out like ho's in the playoffs, it doesn't matter. That window is quick and no matter how big a team thinks their window is, its probably closer to shutting than they admit. Look at the kings,mavs,suns,heat in the last few yrs as examples. The nba is about impact players and when a team gets one, they can rise very,very quick. Like I've sai, I got ideas on how to build around yao and I got ideas about how to build without him.
I am very confident that if Les were to give the keys to Morey & Co. and allow them to completely overhaul this roster, we would have a much better team than we do currently. With two caveats: 1) Les must allow the basketball team to be simply that, a basketball team. No decisions should be made that arent in the best interest of winning basketball games over the long-term, within the framework of building a successful organization under the salary cap. this means no more tmacs just to have a superstar to get your merchandise sold. this means if trading someone like yao is in the best interest of winning over the long haul, it should be done. 2) The coach and philosophy should be consistent and long-term in nature. No more hiring and firing coaches mid stream. It is much easier for a team to be consistently successful when there is a plan in place and a strategic/tactical direction to be pursued in decision making. I would LOVE to see what Morey & Co. could do if given the reins and those two foundational elements to work from. I think the rebuilding process would be really interesting and much more entertaining than a team that consistently overpromises and underachieves.
