This is the summer that this Rockets management team of Les, CD, the new trainee and Van Gundy either proves they can assemble a team of top quality, or that there are some problems - probably multiple with the Rockets being able to improve. I really do expect the team to do well with the 1st round draft pick. I think Van Gundy is a good evaluator of talent. Where we are stuck between a rock & a hard place is we are already maxed out on salaries, and Les has shown no inclination to bust the bank. CD the horse trader has nothing to trade. JHo's contract is a constant hamstringing - probably the best move Weisbrod made for the Magic was sending him along with TMac. And where I really think that the buzzards may come home to roost is with Van Gundy's rep and inability to attract upscale free agents, possibly combined with Les's reticence to pay what is needed. Case in point is Tim Thomas. I still think he wanted to play for D'Antoni, & not for JVG, he marched right out and signed with the Suns, we never stood a chance. He would have been a perfect fit, now here the slacker is hitting 3's, scoring 22 points and pulling down 15 rb's in his 1st playoff game. We needed a backup 3, no. we were desperate for one, even more when TMac went down, we needed someone to hit 3's, we needed length, and I am sorry but Bogans is not a 3 and he can't hit them. I think the attraction has a lot to do with D'Antoni being the new Rudy players' coach of this era. People want to play for him. I think JVG must, he has to prove that people want to come here and play Gundy ball otherwise the case will be made after this summer to quickly look for someone else who can attract the right talent around Yao & TMac in order to win the rings. Les has to prove that he is willing to spend some of his extra money he earns every year from the arena agreement guaranteed parking & concession revenues in order to make up for past Rudy era sins plus Jho's contract overhang. Otherwise sell the team while Yao and TMac are maximizing the value and bring in someone hungry. Rybos and starting Dwes is not going to cut it. By the end of summer we will know if this team has any chance of being a contender. And we will know more about this management team - the will have a track record. Maybe the new apprentice can make a solid contribution. He is the new wild card.
im spending most of my posting summer (well winter here ) in D and D. Calling Kyodis....Kyodis are you out there? If anyones talking to Kyodis can you let him know he might catch me in D and D over the next few months
I don't see how this can be "the summer" when they have so little to work with. A mid lotto pick in a meh draft. A MLE(maybe half if they need to use it to bring over spanooliuous) in a crappy free agency class. A high second rounder. Trade bait that pretty much = Head and Stromile. Shiver me timbers! And criticising the rockets for not bringing in Tim Thomas? Weak. The rockets never stood a chance from the get go because they were a losing team with little hopes for the playoffs, and no player wants to play for a minimum contract on a losing team.
