It is my greatest fear that this window of opportunity (having Yao & TMac) will end being squandered because of moves like this and that 3 or 4 years from now, we'll still be hearing the same old same old from this organization while seeing the same results: a team in stagnation.
It'll come down on JVG if they dont come through in a big way. The Rockets organization had been making moves like this years before JVG got there though. And after he leaves will probably still do the same type moves. Unless this Morey guy can figure something out.
even if the rockets make the playoffs...and it's a one and out... JVG is gone, im sorry but I was a staunch JVG supporter, but this year is make it or break it, regardless of injuries...
If TMAC's back goes out this year, I feel he will retire which will allow up to (hopefully) get a Gay-quality player in next year's much deeper draft as well as sign another all-star via free agency. So this is a gamble, but not the death of the franchise if we get burned. Remember, this was a very weak draft, Gay may have only been a 12-15 pick in next year's draft. If TMAC's back goes out I agree we should shut it down, fire JVG and Pray for Oden.
Dude, you just described the 2005-2006 World Champion Miami Heat. We have the best center in the universe. No team wins the championship without being an efficient half-court basketball team, no team. Yeah, they may be able to run, but you win in this league by being efficient in the half-court and running the breaks as the opportunity presents itself. I will not change on that until Phoenix wins the title just blindly running up and down the court. Phoenix will not win a title until they play better defense and until they become efficient in the slower half-court affairs that the playoffs invariably turn into.
I'd also say that nowadays no team wins a championship without quickness that can cause havoc on the offensive and defensive ends. While Miami doesn't have the overall depth or quickness of a Dallas or Miami they do have the great equalizer in Dwyane Wade. That guy gets to the rim at will and we don't have quick guys like that. I'm not saying we need Dwyane Wade, but every team that we face big competition (Mavs, Spurs, Phoenix) has quick guys like that now and we don't. That's a big reason why the trade pisses me off.
You're right that our major competition has quick guys, but look at who those guys are and ask yourself how much Rudy Gay would have helped. Mavs: Terry, Harris are the big problems here, we have no one to cover them and Rudy Gay couldn't have done it. Josh Howard is quick but he's not the major scoring option, Stackhouse is the 1 on 1 player that killed Wesley in the playoffs last year, but if we meet them again Mcgrady, Bogans, or Battier takes him. Nowitzki is going to be covered by Battier and Mcgrady. So Rudy could have helped stop the 2-4 positions on the Mavs, but really Battier can do the same thing. Spurs: Parker and TD give this team problems. We have no one to stop Parker and no one in the league can stop TD. Ginobili has average quickness and athleticism for an NBA guard. He's so good because of his unorthodox style and flopping, it takes savvy and discipline, not athleticism to slow down Ginobili. Rudy Gay can't help more than Battier against the Spurs. Suns: Nash, Barbosa and Amare are the biggest problems. Barbosa causes problems in the open court, so Rudy could have helped there. He can also help stop Amare I think. But we know the main problem is the Nash Amare pick and roll, which takes 2 people to stop. So really if you break it down, we didn't need Rudy Gay's defense vs. the West. We got that type of defense covered with Battier. What we really need is a quick, small defender for the point guards that kill us. I'm kind of sad that we didn't pick up Dee Brown in the 2nd round. If we ever did meet Miami in the finals, I'll give you that Rudy would be a better defender on Wade, but really that's far fetched.
I truly feel the new rules in the NBA favor slashers too much. Why is Houston trying to become the best defensive team at the same time Stern is trying to put the defense at a further disadvantage? We are fighting a losing battle. We want shooters and defenders and Stern is making the game play to the strength of slashers and only the quicker, longer defenders. I'm not saying to throw your old defenders out the door, but I'm saying quickness and length are far more important for defenders now than in the old model where you could use a little body and stronger defenders could body check driving offensive players(within reason). Like I said - the times are a changing.... ...and don't give me that Miami Heat argument - Dwayne Wade nearly single handedly won that series for the Heat and the reason why is the rules favored him at the same time he got on a hot streak. You honestly can't believe they had great team chemistry or veteran leadership - Wade won that series for the Heat.
I didn't think Gay would be great to match up one on one with a Parker, Ginoblli or Amare. I disagree that Ginoblli with you when you say Ginoblli is not quick. He is great at flopping and contorting his body but he's quick too. In general we lack quickness. I thought Gay stood a good chance to be our third option much the way Josh Howard is at Dallas. A young quick, athletic kid that can hit the mid range jumper and also finish.
Look on the brightside.... The Rocket's didn't have to give Head to another team to become a Gay team.
Convert Oden to PF. About time to bring back the Twin Towers concept that was used successfully by the Rockets and the Spurs.
FYI...I live in Dallas now (unfortunately) and they keep saying on talk radio here (man, do I miss 610) that the Mavs plan on offering James their MLE I guess my point is don't assume that just b/c we offer MJ the MLE that he is automatically going to come and play for us.
those mfer's in mgmt. deserve some scrutiny. Ef JVG for the time being and lets get CD and his myopic views out of office. Jeez, if morey is to blame, lets impeach him 2. REVOLUCION!
Management is so stupid that they think they have to win now. I would love that to happen but who else can they bring to this with the money available. Another couple of average players that will help us get the 7th or 8th on the west and the exit in first round lost to SA, Phoenix, Dallas or Clippers. This team as it is, does not have any chance to get to the 2nd round of the playoffs. Even if they get lucky and get Mike James and whoever they think will make this team ready for a championship. CD and JVG are complete idiots.
