Eddie hit a wall as soon as he came into the league. Eddie does not deserve to be the starter right now and should only see about 10 minutes a game. I would rather see MoT starting but that's still not much better. A trade for either Rahim or Grant would help out a ton. Rahim might be soft but so is Griffin and Taylor, and with Rahim we would be getting 20 points and 10 rebounds from him.
Griffin needs to really work hard in the summer. I mean, he needs to lift weights like a madman. He needs to gain a solid 15lbs between now and the coming preseason. He also needs to work on his post moves and be ORDERED not to take 3-pters. It may be difficult to get his shot off against bigger PF's, but he'll adjust at some point. If these things don't happen by next season, they never will. This summer will be the most important summer for him. Hopefully, Mo will lose some more weight and add some extra jump to his game. That way we'll have a very good PF tandem. Right now, they both have real huge flaws.
So we have the worst PF in the league, a ball-hog shooting guard who is the VETERAN of the lineup, a point guard who doesn't know how to play point guard, a brand spanking new small forward who can't shoot and likes to start fights, and a rookie center from another country who missed training camp and pre-season...and people are wondering why this team may not make the playoffs? Somehow this is the coach's fault?
I'm for moving MT to starter and Griffin to the bench, but I can see Rudy's point that that adds a problem in that your second team doesn't have a true scorer. I wish the Rockets would trade Griffin and ? for a real PF. Ideally I'd like them to trade Mobley and Griffin for a enforcer PF and a good SG. ps. I will post in the appolgize thread once Griffin becomes the star all you Griffin patient people think he will become.
I don't neccessarily believe that EG will become a superstar or even an all-star but he certainly can be good enough for us (a playoffs team and a contender). You simply don't give up a young player so fast. History tell us that you should never trade young players with upside for peaked veterans because you would definitely regret it. There are so many examples that all those impatients were kicking themselves now. We are not going for the championship this year or next year anyway (Yao is not developed enough), so why the desperate need for veterans? Why not giving time to what we have (especially those who are young)?
Lately I've been wondering, Even if Griff fills his potantial and becomes what some expect him to be...Is that what we want? He will never become a ROUGH PF who will do the dirt work and grab rebounds and play defense for fun. He will never be Elton Brand. So we might as well trade him now, since he'll never be what we need to play with Ming and Francis.
Don't you remember the article in the Chron at the end of last season? That's exactly what he promised to do: bulk up so he could play inside. It didn't happen.
I don't believe that EG has the potential to become a good starter. Not now, not in 10 years. Trade your new Daewoo now while the miles are low before someone realizes that the the car they are buying is a lemon. The longer you drive it, the more you lose. Pretty soon will be looking for a second round pick for him - and lucky to get it. Do you really think there is a gm out there that would take him for a future 1st rounder? I don't mean to bash - just my honest assestment.
Griffin shouldn't be the starter. He shouldn't even be getting 30 minutes a game, but we have no other pf. MoT off the bench as instant offense for the second team is perfectly fine, he should probly play on average 15 minutes a game, much more on games when he's hot, but less on games that he's just completely off. It seems like he's coming around though. EG should be concentrating more on adding lbs., he should play maybe 10 minutes a game. Then we need to get a pf who can play D and rebound in for the rest of the time (some offense would be nice too). I still hold that Kurt Thomas would work well, but I'm also coming around to the idea of getting Grant. Hopefully maybe then Griffin will have a good example to follow and learn from.
Exactly Sane!!! It is clear that we need a thug type PF. We dont need him to score much just rebound, play rock solid d, get lots of garbage points and if he could hit the wide open 10 footer, all the better. I do not doubt that Eddie will improve. I see him becoming a Rashard Lewis someday. But his strengths are not needed on this team (3 pointers etc.). Therefore, I agree with you.
I would say it is more like this... PACIFIC Lakers-Samaki Walker (arguable) Seattle-Radmonovich (arguable) Golden State-Antawn (NOT a PF) ATLANTIC Boston- Walker (not really a PF) Philly-Van Horn (not a PF) Washington-Laetner (arguable to me) Orlando-Garrity (not really a PF) New York-Weatherspoon (arguable) Miami-Malik Allen (who?) CENTRAL Milwaukee-Mason (old-timer) Atlanta-Rahim (questionable PF) Eddie is not as bad as you say, but he definitely needs work. He has been a dissapointment this season.
Another fabulous performance by the twinkie forwards. two free throw attempts, mostly jump shots, five total rebounds, and getting abused by yet another power forward...Hell, TERENCE FRIGGIN' MORRIS had 10 rebounds tonight... Bench Taylor and Griffin and start Cato at PF...
I would be for starting TMo or maybe Cato. Someone who can get some boards and hustle. MoT is good off the bench, Eddie needs to earn his playing time...
Actually, you are right about Jamison. Troy Murphy is their PF. He is averaging around 12 pts and 10 boards. So he too is better than Eddie. Malik Allen is a rookie who is playing pretty well. About 11 pts and 7 rebounds. So he is currently doing better than Eddie as well.
Bring back Chilly Pete. Or don't. Bring back Mark Bryant. Or don't. Bring along, at an expedited pace, EG. Do. Bring in (overpriced, aging) Antonio Davis. Do (for MoT and KC?). That'll buy time for Yao and EG.
If I dont go by stats and go by purely their effectiveness based on their role for the team (screens, defense, hustle, smarts, movement away from the ball etc.), I sadly say that I DEFINITELY rank Eddie the WORST PF in the league. But on brighter note, he is probably one of the highest ranked PFs in 3 point attempts and long ass jump shots Frankly, from that aspect, there are several bench PFs that I think would fit the Rox better such a Popeye Jones, Fortson, Brian Skinner etc. Again, my statement is not based on potential. It is based on current performance. If we are playing our 82nd game of the season against the Jazz and if we win, we go to the playoffs and eliminate the Jazz. Who would you want starting at PF and guarding Karl Malone? I think the 3 bench players/scrubs that I listed above will do a MUCH better job than our Eddie. Sad but true.
I'd have no problem with EG starting at 4 IF the Rockets have one or two veterans in the lineup. But they don't! I believe the Rockets wanted G. Rice to be that veteran; unfortunately he is an injury prone. Even when he is not injured, he was not the good candidate for that role. With no stable veteran influence in the lineup, the Rockets are just like Chicago & Denver, all youth and talent, but not experience. The end results will be just what you expected, up & down, excitement & frustration. My point is that we don't really need another 4 if we can have a veteran in the line up, who can act as a calm & stable force for all the young guns we got. A PG like B. Shaw, or E. Snow will be the idea choice, but a 10+ minutes a game from a guy like H. Grant will do the job, as well.
Trade: Griffin + Rice + Cato for Antonio Davis + Hakeem + Morris Peterson Rockets would make the playoffs for sure !
