This should put it all to rest as to why we traded Mike James for Rafer Alston. http://youtube.com/watch?v=FIXwkkZyi9k He's full of himself like you wouldn't believe, and he is obviously far more concerned with getting paid and getting "respect" than he is with winning. He even went as far as to say that he's been "jacking up shots" his whole career and isn't changing for anybody. Says he doesn't get respect because he went undrafted. It's obvious to me that he doesn't give a crap about actually being on a team with chemistry or a chance at winning a title, as long as he gets paid. Especially since he already rode the Pistons' coattails to a ring. Anyone still think it would have been a good idea to keep him?
A helluva lot of us. Why don't you show both sides of the story and get James' interview with NBATV? He is even now still pained by the trade from Houston. He wanted to be here and was hanging out with McGardy last summer. There's a reason James and Alston have met 8 times on opposing teams and James in 7-1 is games where they've each played 10+ minutes.
Congratulations on your opinion, as well as anyone else who agrees with you. We will have to agree to disagree, however, because I don't prefer to keep guys on the roster that run their mouth so much about how good they are and how they don't get enough respect through their paycheck. It's childish. Let people see your game and they'll pay you based on that.
UH.... he missed TWENTY shots.... do you want Rod Tidwell on your team? "show me the money" "im ALL heart muthaf@#$%er!"
I'm glad we got Rafer instead of James BUT...I new he'd be a good scorer on Toronto from watching him last year so I picked up in the late rounds on fantasy and have been happy the whole year.
He had 10 assists. What did Rafer have? Oh yeah, Rafer was also playing with Yao Ming. Did you see Rafer out there yesterday? He was a f-king joke. He could not carry Mike James jock with a steam shovel. A crap game from James is better than Rafer's lackadaisical going-through-the motions effort and his panicky lateral dribbling.
MJ is a better all-around player than RA. He would have been perfect for Rockets this season given all the injuries. But if everyone, or at least Tmac, is healthy, I am not sure he would be a better fit than RA. Nobody KNEW Rockets would be plaque by injuries, JVG even said there would be problem to distribute playing time if everyone is healthy. And next season Rockets only have MLE to work with, would MJ accept that given his stats this season, especially Rockets could have been to playoff with him?
I prefer productivity and winning over your delicate sensibilities, which apparently are so offended so as to subject us to yet ANOTHER Mike James thread. Good call.....
well, you've got to admit, the guy is motivated. If Stromile had half of James' drive, we wouldn't even think about taking a 4 in the upcoming draft.
So offended? More like impressed by James' ability to make himself look like he's off his rocker. I wanted to share and figured it'd be more noticeable here in the NBA Dish. Are you that offended that I made this thread? By the way, if Mike James hasn't been winning with Morris Peterson, Charlie Villenueva, and Chris Bosh, are we supposed to believe that he'd be winning with Yao Ming and...well...Yao Ming?
With a healthy TMac and Yao, Rafer fits this team better than MJ. Knowing what we know now, MJ would have done the Rockets better this year. However, with a healthy lineup, I take Rafer over James...better fit.
Yeah, he did last year. What is Alston doing with Yao this year? Pretty much the same he did last year - nothing special. Of course, Bosh has magically gotten more touches despite playing with supposed ballhog James (who plays both guard spots - but we can't be bothered to mention that. Well I guess it's important because Alston says the right things. He was contrite in his interview yesterday - "Yao should have had 50 points". Of course, Rafer said that, but during the game he ran sideways like a drunken sailor when dribbling yesterday and jacked up a fair share of his patented "blocked by the rim" layups and brick city treys. Of course you can't fault his defense, only because Kobe took every shot.
How about we take a look at his game vs. the Suns on 3/31 -- he took 25 shots -but- he scored 36 points and dished out 10 assists. He was 66% from behind the arc as well - with 10 for 10 from the foul line - and 4 offensive boards.
This is a bunch of crap. Everything he has said is right. He's exactly like a poor man's Stephon Marbury (minus the cancer/loser label) and people act like he has no right be considered on the same level as players averaging similar numbers or people payed half of what those players are making. James was no McDonalds All-American. He didn't go to a basketball powerhouse in college (I should know, considering i'm an undergrad at his alma mater). He wasn't some 1st-round draft pick that was handed an important role with a team on silver platter. None of that. He's had to work for everything. From being undrafted, to bouncing around from league to league, to finally being given a chance by Miami, to helping Detroit win a championship, to being a key contributer as a Rocket only to be traded away in a panic move, to having a career year in Toronto. The guy has come a long way. All he is saying is he wants a team to believe in him and respect him enough to bring him on board and actually committ to him. He wants to stick around with a team and help them win a championship.
It's funny, Mike James is EXACTLY what we need. There is no passion on this team. Mike James has it. We need another scorer. Mike James is that. We need a penetrating guard. Mike James does it. We need a good 3 point shooter. Mike James is that. As a matter of fact, I'm willing to go out on a limb and say he is better than Rafer Alston in every aspect of the game. For those concerned about him jacking up shots, he's shooting 46.8% from the field and 43% from three point land. I think his shot selection is just fine. Speaking of jacking up shots, what do you think about Rafer going Steve-O lately?
i've watched so many raptor games and i have to say MIKE JAMES STINKS AS A PG! the only reason he gets assists is because the guy eats up the clock by hogging the ball and then passes it off at the last second to force someone into shooting...dingding..he gets his assist. i can't stand Mike James. Though he would look great in a Rockets uniform since he actually CAN hit shots, unlike anyone on the Rocks.(excluding Yao )
