T mac has been the best player every year we've had him besides last year, and that was due to his injury. I don't understand why everything that he has to say or he decide to do get flamed. It's crazy that so called intellegent people actually feel that T mac is trying to get back on the court to destory the team.
Well they did say there's a fine line between genius and madness. Considering DD its probably one or the other :grin: Back on topic, while I agree the Rox are ruthless and to be honest if I was an NBA player I would probably stay away from this club (I mean undervalued players sound great if you're a fan but if you're a player you're basically underpaid), I think Tmac is being unfair to the team in creating all this "drama". After last season's fiasco, I think Tmac would be more than happy just to wait until Nov/Dec for his debut. I mean, the team gave you a definite schedule to return, would it really hurt to wait that long? It's just a month away for crying out loud. Its not even after the Allstar break, you still have some time to show everyone that you're back and be an allstar again. The best thing to do would be to continue dunking in pregame and be the first to stand and cheer your teammates on and develop lots of good PR. You're still getting paid anyway, I don't see what the downside is. Instead all this drama happens. Sheesh
TMac is done here no matter what any of us think about the guy. IMO the bridges have been burned on both sides. How good with this team look right now with Amare Stoudemire iso TMac? WOW!! Almost makes me want to cry. I am all for shipping him, Battier and possibly Scola (not because I don't like these guys but because they are the older guys on the team) for some young and upcoming height. Amare, Jefferson, etc... If not hold on to him and lets play our hand in free agency. I think you are wrong on this team not being an attractive place to play though. Especially for guys ywho can still ball. I think given all the injuries to Mac and Yao we have lost our final destination image for "over age superstars with little to no gas in the tank." IMO this team would be alot more attractive to younger FA's than a team like Phoenix who has two starters defying time. IF you are Amare why would you re-up with a team like that iso houston? We are up and coming. This may be their last go at it. This team has far exceeded my expectations. I think that can be said for most people. Imagine if we were getting contributions from an additional two all stars who could actually play in this system? We have been in every game that we have lost. Our biggest needs are size and a go to guy down the stretch. If Brooks or someone else becomes that guy during this season our future just got a whole lot brighter. As for TMac basically I think his mind frame is "look at how good this team is without me, I better get back in there NOW!" You have to think that this is a contract year for him. Given the way he handled last season with management and his injury history how many teams are truly gonna take a flyer on him? I wouldn't. At least not at what I think he will be asking for. He has to get in there and play for a contract. The sooner he can do that, and the larger sample size he can provide to potential takers, the better off he is... in his mind anyhow.
So once you cross 30 you're no longer wanted in the field of sports. I see how that is. When did Hakeem win a championship? What age was he then? How old is Kobe? I'm guessing you wouldn't take Kobe cause hes around the same age as T-Mac. And no mention of Yao who is also 30ish. Explain to me how we will have enough cap room to sign any of them? Yes, as far as exceeding expectations, but no excitement. Put T-Mac in here, Wade, or any high caliber player and it adds excitement. That's why Yao is here, he brings so much $ to the organization. Even if he gets injured on a day to day basis, the organization is making money. It's his contract year. What would you do?
I'm not sure I follow you on players wanting to stay away from the club and how being undervalued means your being underpaid by the Rockets. Who on the Rockets is underpaid? I can think of some players that may be overpaid. In fact, the Rockets have done a good job in the past of overpaying for players.
Off the top of my head: Scola, Landry, Brooks & Budinger (albeit on rookie contracts) are all being paid way less than they are worth on the free agent market.
Interesting interpretation of the post. I'm not sure that was the "bigger point", but I do think there is a certain amount of truth in the low-balling trend. I'm surprised that no one has started a thread explicitly about this because it may come back to bite in the same way that over-paying our players once did.
Right, rookie contracts. Let's revisit this again when the Rockets re-sign some of these guys to their first free agent contract. Paying rookies small contracts until they can prove something is simply shrewd business by the Rockets and is fne by me. This gives us more flexibility to pay the rest of the guys. I don't see a history or rookie contracts equates to what we would be willing to pay free agents. Hell, some people think we overpaid for Ariza and we just picked him up.
Ariza is a good contract, Landry is a good contract (not a rookie one). The overpaid players i think are our 3 most payed players. In this order. McGrady (he was really lucky to get that NY like deal) Battier (and overpaid defensive specialist, produces and is payed like Posey) Ming (even when quality bigmen paid 16 Millions are within "in range" the fact that he cannot play a full season makes him overpaid) Right now the Rox have so many rookie contracts that is difficult to see how great we are at signing at the right price.
