What The Rocks Front Office Will Begin Discussing on Wednesday

Atlanta trades: C Theo Ratliff (8.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 31.1 minutes)
PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim (19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg in 38.1 minutes)
Atlanta receives: SF Glen Rice (9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.7 minutes)
PF Eddie Griffin (8.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.5 minutes)
C Kelvin Cato (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.3 apg in 17.1 minutes)
Change in team outlook: -6.5 ppg, -1.5 rpg, and -1.4 apg.

Houston trades: PF Maurice Taylor (8.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.0 apg in 20.6 minutes)
SF Glen Rice (9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.7 minutes)
PF Eddie Griffin (8.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.5 minutes)
C Kelvin Cato (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.3 apg in 17.1 minutes)
PG Moochie Norris (4.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.4 apg in 16.8 minutes)
Houston receives: PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim (19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg in 81 games)
SF Andrei Kirilenko (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 apg in 80 games)
C Greg Ostertag (5.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.7 apg in 81 games)
SG DeShawn Stevenson (4.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.7 apg in 61 games)
Change in team outlook: +7.1 ppg, +1.5 rpg, and +0.2 apg.

Utah trades: SF Andrei Kirilenko (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 apg in 27.7 minutes)
C Greg Ostertag (5.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.7 apg in 23.8 minutes)
SG DeShawn Stevenson (4.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.7 apg in 12.5 minutes)
Utah receives: C Theo Ratliff (8.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 81 games)
PF Maurice Taylor (8.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.0 apg in 67 games)
PG Moochie Norris (4.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.4 apg in 82 games)
Change in team outlook: -0.6 ppg, 0.0 rpg, and +1.2 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

Due to Atlanta and Houston being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Atlanta and Houston had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Or take out the Jazz

Atlanta trades: C Theo Ratliff (8.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 31.1 minutes)
PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim (19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg in 38.1 minutes)
Atlanta receives: SF Glen Rice (9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.7 minutes)
C Kelvin Cato (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.3 apg in 17.1 minutes)
PG Moochie Norris (4.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.4 apg in 16.8 minutes)
PF Eddie Griffin (8.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.5 minutes)
Change in team outlook: -2.2 ppg, +0.4 rpg, and +1.0 apg.

Houston trades: SF Glen Rice (9.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.7 minutes)
C Kelvin Cato (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.3 apg in 17.1 minutes)
PG Moochie Norris (4.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.4 apg in 16.8 minutes)
PF Eddie Griffin (8.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 apg in 24.5 minutes)
Houston receives: C Theo Ratliff (8.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 0.9 apg in 81 games)
PF Shareef Abdur-Rahim (19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg in 81 games)
Change in team outlook: +2.2 ppg, -0.4 rpg, and -1.0 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

Due to Atlanta and Houston being over the cap, the 15% trade rule is invoked. Atlanta and Houston had to be no more than 115% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.


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Atlanta gets a true center and Griffin who they coveted. Cato will be great in the East and with Rice and Brandon's contracts up next season they can compete for a top free agent along with what will likely be a top 5 draft pick. Rockets also give them the Bryce Drew draft picks. Griffin with a change of scenery can now excel.

Rockets get a pf that has be playing out of position. We get a pf who is playing out of position. We move them to there correct positions. We can now resign Posey and go after a back up big man like Jahidi White or Vladimir Stephani. SAR will be great third star weapon against other 3's. Ratliff is the hardnose four we are looking for.

Francis/Maddox
Mobley/Pike/Hawkins
SAR/Posey?/Boki
Ratlif/MoT
Ming/White

 

Unless there has been a change I'm not aware of, there is only 12 roster spots. There is a 3 man injured reserve that some teams (I'm sure not the Rockets ) use to hide players with phantom injuries. If the Rockets are really concerned with the luxury tax, IMHO they will not be carrying 3 extra players unless someone has a legit injury that will force them to miss significant PT. The only exception I see is if J Hawkins doesn't make the 12 man cut. Shin splints, anyone?
j

 

oh my god. no one has signed kenny anderson yet. he would make a perfect backup center, to steve franchise. or we could start kenny at the point and move stevie at the 2 guard position.

 

If you start Rice or Williaams we will only have 4.25 players on the court .

 

First things first: we need a starting caliber SF. And if not...then start Boki and see what happens. I mean, BOTH of our first round picks in the past 3 years can't suck after they've been given PT....right? Boki can't turn out like EG...right? Right....?

 

Only the Jacksons are better than Rice, and Jimmy is pretty much a Pike in age and skill at this point who wears out his welcome fast.

I agree all are better than Boki right now. But I'd rather resign Tmo than Ham or Gill. Gill is even smaller than Pike and JJ, about as old, and can't shoot near as well, Ham just flat out is less talented than the younger Tmo--who himself isn't that talented though he is an OK 10th man.

 

Travis Best would be a good guy to have come off the bench.

 

"Ten-year vets bide time on market
By Roscoe Nance, USA TODAY
Steve Smith and a legion of other free agents with 10 years or more of NBA experience sit and wait. Teams want their services but aren't setting speed records or breaking the bank to sign them. They are forced to play a waiting game while the marquee names, who in most instances are younger and less experienced, sign early and get big paydays.

Spurs F Steve Smith, a 12-year veteran, was an expensive reserve last season at $9.9 million.
By Eric Gay, AP

Smith and others like him will get their turn when teams look to complete their rosters with players who can provide leadership and won't command a large salary.

"Waiting is not tougher than what I went through last year," says Smith, a 12-year veteran who earned $9.9 million last season with the San Antonio Spurs in the final year of a seven-year, $50.4 million contract, won a championship ring but played little.

"Back in the day, I would have had more teams knocking down the door. Now I have teams tapping. I knew one day it would be like this."

On the high end of the pay scale, Smith can expect to earn $4.9 million, the midlevel exception, this season. But he could end up signing for $1.1 million, the minimum for players with 10 years' experience and the salary most players in his category will earn.

Frequently, these players are bargains. Jim Jackson, who is on the free agent market again, earned $791,341 with the Sacramento Kings. But he was one of their most consistent reserves.

"They're important to teams," Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld says. "Winning teams have a good contribution from them. Their leadership is important. They provide good chemistry. They've been there before. They've been in pressure-filled moments. They don't make mistakes."

Although Smith cannot name his price, veterans with 10 or more years sometimes have options in terms of where they play if not how much they will earn. Even though he is coming off his poorest statistical season, teams value him because he can play both guard positions and small forward and for his reputation as one of the league's good guys.

"Do I pick a team where I can go and play, or do I pick a team that has a chance to win it all? That's my dilemma," he says. Having won a championship lessens the difficulty somewhat.

"The thing with me is I'm in good situation," he says. "I got a chance to get a ring, and I got to make more money than I ever thought I would. I still feel good. I have the hunger to play and the hunger to win.

"Financially, I'm OK. Egotistically, I want to go out and play again. It would be real hard if we hadn't won a championship. I was a starter a year ago and at the start of last season, but they (Spurs) chose to go in another direction. I'm still a starter in this league. Others might not see me that way."

The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks, teams that Smith has played for, are said to be interested.

"There are so many ifs and ands involved for guys in Steve's situation," says Charles Tucker, Smith's agent. "Teams try to get a person who will go along with the program and help develop young players. But sometimes guys don't want to be part of rebuilding. They want to be part of a championship team."

Smith says he prepared himself to handle his situation by observing Ty Corbin, his teammate in Atlanta from 1996-99.

"Every year they said he was too old, too this and brought in younger guys to replace him," Smith says. "But at the end of the day, he was the starter. He signed for whatever he signed for and ended up starting. He didn't give up."

All Smith has to do is sit and wait.

Free agent veterans waiting for call

Some of the more prominent unsigned free agents with at least 10 years of NBA experience:

Player Team Age NBA experience 2002-03 salary
Mark Bryant Boston 38 15 years $1,030,000
Bimbo Coles Boston 35 13 years $1,030,000
Walt Williams Dallas 33 11 years $1,030,000
Jon Barry Detroit 34 11 years $3,175,000
Danny Manning Detroit 37 15 years $1,030,000
Tim Hardaway Indiana 36 14 years $12,589
Reggie Miller Indiana 37 16 years $12,046,473
Kendall Gill Minnesota 35 13 years $1,030,000
Rod Strickland Minnesota 37 15 years $1,030,000
Kenny Anderson New Orleans 32 12 years $9,185,000
Shawn Kemp Orlando 33 14 years $1,030,000
Derrick Coleman Philadelphia 36 13 years $9,380,000
Tyrone Hill Philadelphia 35 13 years $1,030,000
Jim Jackson Sacramento 32 11 years $791,341
Steve Smith San Antonio 34 12 years $9,900,000
Kevin Willis San Antonio 41 19 years $1,030,000
Mark Jackson Utah 38 16 years $1,030,000
Charles Oakley Washington 39 18 years $1,030,000
Bryon Russell Washington 32 10 years $1,400,000 "


Hmm..I like all of these veterans! Too bad we can't sign them all. But every player listed would be a good veteran to have on our team and can still play a bit...all of them EXCEPT Tyrone Hill and Danny Manning. Mark Bryant is THAT old?!? I can't believe it..he looks super strong. We could sign him for the minimum as muscle. Charles Oakley is probably a good pal of Ewing and we can get him....although he is kinda mean.

I would love for Kevin Willis to return here again! We may need Walt Williams...Jon Barry...Jim Jackson...Steve Smith...Reggie Miller...Tim Hardaway...Kenny Anderson...Derrick Coleman...or Bryon Russell. They are all old veterans that we could use...

 

I totally agree!!!! Jimmy Jackson and Derrick Coleman would be great. I can't believe the Kings aren't going to resign him....I think they are going to.....are they? If not..we should definitely pursue him and Derrick Coleman. Does anyone know if the 76ers are interested in resigning Coleman? If not.....we should get him as a veteran...he was a #1 overall draft pick...
I think all of the guys will affect the Rockets positively but not greatly impact us....EXCEPT for Tyrone Hill and Danny Manning. They are pretty useless to me. All they do is rebound...but maybe they can teach Mo Taylor how to rebound.......
Jimmy Jackson is who I really want and he would fit with the Rockets fairly well...he plays good defense....he is a very emotional leader...he is super strong...he kinda looks like MoT...he can make 3's occasionally...and he's cheap. I hope we can get him.
All the other ones will also be good pickups but they won't make us into contenders.
I would like a veteran point guard to teach Steve and Moochie some basics though...and a power forward to teach Griffin and Taylor.

 

Why not Joaquin Haekins at backup PG? He would be perfect. Van Gundy loves him, he will play anywhere, so I would prefer he get Moochie´s minutes than Pike or Cat minutes.
He have ball control, and he can defend point guards. I want him better than Mark Jackson, Anthony Johnson (pfff)...
Or we could sign Jon Barry like our PG backup. I'm sure Rockets are interested in him.
For the SF position we know Jimmy will sign with Kings, so there out are a player who can shot, make points, play defense... he have talent and potential (on the Rockets line) but he can apport things right now. He's the most likely type of SF for this team. Like the team, like cat, like Mo, like Ming, like Boki, like Griff, like Moochie ... with great future hopes, BUT apporting things NOW too. Other good players at SF availables? For me, only via trade. I prefer Boki playing, than a mediocre player getting his minutes. I think Rocks are thinking that also. QUit RIce. Van Gundy don't want him. Or a sign and trade with POsey if we get Battier or Wesley Person. Battier would be a great player for us.

But I still think that with this team we have great possibilities since this year.
We are championship contenders already. WIth FRANCIS, Cat, MING, Mo, Griffin... are any team with this talent??
Don't worry with the defense, for that Rockets have Van Gundy, a total garantie for the defense. He is capable of get this players and make they play defense, they have the age, and the physical conditions to do that.

I'm OPPTIMIST, I will can see 22 games from SPain next year!!!!!
¡¡¡Tomaaaa!!!

 

¡hola! do they say hola in spain? Well anyways.....what does apporting mean? I aprendo or entendo much of what you said...but not really. Juaquin Hawkins is a decent player but he cannot handle the ball primarily. I don't think he is good enough...he was a Harlem Globetrotter...but I don't think JVG will make him backup point guard. Moochie isn't THAT bad...Mobley could also play backup point guard. I agree that Jimmy Jackson will be resigned by the Kings since he helped them a lot and Hedo Turkoglu is now gone...which is too bad for us. We can't sign and trade James Posey. I wish we could sign and trade him for Battier or Person or Miller but we can't. We lost him! And I wouldn't mind seeing Boki get some exposure a little bit. I want to see him play! How can you see that many games from Spain next year? That's great! Fantastico! Muy bien!

 

yeah, what does APPORT mean? apport? like, whoa.
anyways, cool to see we got spain representing here too. rockets fever is spreading all across the globe...soon everyone will be infected! hahaHAA!

it would be interesting to see from how many countries rockets fans are posting in this forum...hmm...

to the matter at hand, i think we need veteran backups to add experience and basketball IQ to our game. Here are my picks from the above FA list. We can sign them all to the vet. min. (2 with the remaining MLE and 1 to the vet. min.)

PG - Mark Jackson - top playmaker (2nd all-time assist)
SF - Jim Jackson - why not two Jacksons? it could get confusing! how fun.
PF - Kevin Willis - come on back big guy. should have another year in him. he is cut up! for a young or old guy.

assuming we sign hawkins (he good) and release posey (he good, contract bad), that should bring our total roster to 14. bang, that good. i say bring back Tmo, we got 15, and we got gravy.

that's it.

 

Remember we only have like 2-2.3 left to spent at the maximum for a FA--that prices us out of some guys ranges.

PROMISING LIST
Tyrone Hill Philadelphia 35 13 years $1,030,000
Jim Jackson Sacramento 32 11 years $791,341
Kevin Willis San Antonio 41 19 years $1,030,000
Charles Oakley Washington 39 18 years $1,030,000
Bryon Russell Washington 32 10 years $1,400,000

Oakley, Hill & Willis provide the banger/enforcer. Hill is the youngest--I'd prefer him or Oakley. I'd hate to route for Oakley and have to hold my nose seeing him in Rocket uni--but he might bring some things the team needs.

JJ or Russell would play a lot of minutes. I prefer Russell, more legit 3 size and doesn't wear out his welcome like JJ does. If we lose Posey, Russell could be the biggest help out there period.

NOT PROMSING LIST
Mark Bryant Boston 38 15 years $1,030,000--too unskilled and not as savvy as Hill, Oakley or Willis.
Bimbo Coles Boston 35 13 years $1,030,000--can't shoot a lick and not as good as Mooch
Walt Williams Dallas 33 11 years $1,030,000--poorer, less versital, version of Rice/Pike
Danny Manning Detroit 37 15 years $1,030,000--has absolutely nothing left
Tim Hardaway Indiana 36 14 years $12,589--too big of ego, we think we have a problem with SF/CM's shot selection
Kendall Gill Minnesota 35 13 years $1,030,000--can't shoot that well and too small for the 3, might as well groom Hawkins instead
Rod Strickland Minnesota 37 15 years $1,030,000--also wears out his welcome, doesn't play D, and doesn't have much J range
Shawn Kemp Orlando 33 14 years $1,030,000--talk about the worst possible influence on MoT, EG and Cato
Steve Smith San Antonio 34 12 years $9,900,000--ditto with Walt
Mark Jackson Utah 38 16 years $1,030,000--ditto with Strickland

UNREALISTIC LIST
Jon Barry Detroit 34 11 years $3,175,000--cost to much with what we have left to offer, besides, we went after the bigger Pike instead, now he would be fairly redudent.
Reggie Miller Indiana 37 16 years $12,046,473--cost way too much for us to be in the picture
Kenny Anderson New Orleans 32 12 years $9,185,000--will look to be a starter probably and with starter money, besides we more need another vet 3 or 4 right now much more
Derrick Coleman Philadelphia 36 13 years $9,380,000--similar to Kemp factor (do you really want him teaching our young guys) and will probably get a much better offer than we have.

 

Other guys who are not 10 year vets but are seasoned vets nonetheless of potential interest include:
Lee Nailon
Gary Trent
Adrian Griffin

 

does anyone notice that tim hardaway's salary last year was only $12,589? is that a typo?? must be. it couldn't be 12 mill, could it???