What to Do When Your Team is Loaded in the Wrong Places

Doctor Robert, I was pointing out that it's easy to point out flaws after a loss. But those same flaws are not so obvious after when we win; almost as if they didn't even exist. Even if we played the same way (minus the loss).

Notice the "quotes" around *clear* below...

My point was that is NOT clear. Emotion is getting the best of some of us. It just seems like a loss creates massive criticism, but a win brings over-exuberant praise.

Personally, I like the way the team is playing. Sure, some of the bad calls and botched plays drive me crazy. But I really think that the playing time that Yao is getting right now is invaluable and will playoff. This is good experience for Yao to lead.

 

I just don't think this is an example of someone overreacting. In fact, I desperately wish that every thread was this level-headed and insightful.

I can't remember reading a thread where Jeff was screaming for someone's head because of an isolated incident... as opposed to me.

 

True. I just wish we'd see more level headed post after wins too. It's too much a roller coster. We don't even know what a full season will look like with a healthy McGrady.

 

Who would have thought that Ryan Bowen would have been one of those key athletic role players! I'm really loving his game! And if the guy starts hitting the 3, he'll find a spot on this team for a while. I'm actually rooting for the guy to take a few more shots. His defense and energy is great. Just needs to balance out that defense with a nice 10pt game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3298

Ryan Bowen, the real X-factor?

 

howard, boki, and lue

to seattle for

radmanovic, james, and cleaves


OR

howard, boki

to LAL for

george and rush



radmanovic is a perfect fit at the 3 for us, but seattle is playing well right now and may not want to trade anyone this season. this summer boki and lue are FA's so it won't work then either.

for some reason i like the laker trade. it gives both teams help where they need it most. we could use a shooter like rush off the bench, and jj/george combo looks pretty good at the 3. howard and grant would compliment eachother in LA while odom gets to play the 3.

 

Here's a trade idea that I threw out in another thread.

Houston sends Taylor/Nachbar/Lue/Badiane to Boston.

Boston sends Payton/Welsch/Stewart to Houston.

The trade would be presented to Boston as, they can choose which of our 3 tradeable PF's (Howard, Taylor, Spoon) they'd like & which of our 3 unsigned draft picks (Hill, Badiane, Spanoulis) they'd like to choose from. We might have to give up our #1 pick this year as well, but it's most likely going to be a late round pick. If they choose Howard or Spoon, then they'll have to send Goog's in place of Stewart to make it work.

With Howard moving into the starting role at PF, our retooled lineup would be:

C: Yao/Mutumbo
PF: Howard/Spoon/Padgett/Stewart(IL)
SF: Welsch/JJ/Bowen
SG: McGrady/Sura/Gaines(IL)
PG: Payton/Ward/Barrett(IL)

When Sura comes back, Ward can go on the IL, if we choose to keep Stewart around for cheap fouls.

C: Yao & Mutumbo give us one of the most enviable center rotations in the NBA. Once we start using them properly, we'll be extremely tough to beat.

PF: Howard gives us an all around PF (rebounding, scoring, & a little defense). Spoon gives us the dirty work off the bench & Padgett brings instant offense & energy off the bench.

SF: Welsch gives us a more consistent outside threat & a little more size at SF. JJ brings a veteran presence, solid defense off the bench, & can play SG when needed. Bowen brings a solid defensive presence, some scoring, & a whole lotta energy.

SG: McGrady brings it all. Sura brings an instant energy surge off the bench, plays defense, scores, & can play some PG when needed.

PG: Payton, while not as good as he once was, is still a dangerous shooter, a very good distributor, plays solid defense, & can talk trash with the best of them. Ward would give us the best 2 PG punch we've had since Lucas & Leavell.

 

So who can we get?

Is Charlie Ward sorta like Kenny Smith? Sura is coming back..I guess Ward or Lue will play depending on the situation..
I have heard that Sura has good tough defense..and he is a decent shooter..hopefully he is good.
Jimmy..Padgett..Nachbar..and Bowen. I like all four of them..but we only need like two of them...and both of them would be backups like Ward and Lue are going to be..I guess they are all great practice players. I like Padgett and Bowen because they are good role players off the bench..Bowen ..his little jumper from the baseline on the right is pretty good lol..it goes in the same way too lol..he should work on his spot up shooting.
Mo and Howard are both good backup power forwards and doing pretty well. Spoon isn't that bad either. He's a good third string power forward. I think we need a mobile, athletic, rebounding player who can defend..like Cato, Dwight Howard, Amare, Okafor, Duncan, Garnett..but who can at least shoot..like Doleac?

Our team is good with Tmac..everyone is fine..as long as we win..hmm..but we should get more athleticism.

Payton is okay..Welsch can shoot? Is he a good defender..

 

If it would be a late first then this is the deal to put Rox way up there? Or, would it be late first regardless? So why make a deal?

BTW - This year's 1st cannot be dealt, next year's is already dealt. It would have to be 2007. I think that is correct?

 

That would be Kelvin Cato, Cutino Mobley and Steve Francis. We gave up a lot to get T-Mac and so far I don't think the trade has been a clear winner for us. I know Orlando is happy with the trade, they have a winning record and I would have loved for the Rox to get off to a 7-0 start to validate this trade instead I still read articles like the below from the Chronicle along with a mediocre sub .500 record.

Press row view
The problem is that the Rockets, even with Tracy McGrady, are not that great. Few teams are. Few teams can send teams to the line, commit turnovers and lose on the boards and still win. The Rockets aren't close. McGrady can cover up problems. He can do many things so well that the Rockets could do the same things that beat them without him and find ways to win.

But they won't do it often. And they won't win that way against Western Conference playoff teams

 

Paddget has range, but not much of rebounder. Taloy isnt much better, but with 275 lbs body he could do some damage inside. And we could line up other shooters with Yao. I guess this is why Padgget is seeing minutes. But right now spacing is definetely a problem for us.

 

Well, if your just basing your opinion on just a snippet from a newspaper column and thier record, then you are obviously missing a whole lot. They haven't played great so far but they still need another week or two before we really see how this team looks like once they gel. They almost pulled off two wins against legit Western Conference playoff contenders, and this is without thier "best player". The sky is not falling.

 

IMO

the player we should keep an eye this year because become free agents next year are stromile swift and antonio daniels


swift can hit the open shot,very versatile and efective defender

antonio daniels can pass,less to's and can hit the open shots

imo with this team and only those players add would be good


question ?

we can buy out the contract of Gains this year or we have to wait a year to do that?

and if weatherspoon still have one more year in the contract or are finish at the start of the next seson?

 

I would not be surprised to see Boki starting Monday night with TMac and bringing JJ off the bench. Boki is canning the 3 right now, and JJ just isnt. Id like to see this move. Besides I think Boki and Yao really have chemistry on the offensive end. Boki is tall and gets the ball into him as well as anybody on this team.

 

Refresh my memory. When, & under what conditions, did we trade away next year's #1 pick?

 

I don't think we did. At least not yet.

 

I could see a JJ for Nene swap.

 

I like the analysis, but I agree the Sura isn't gonna be a savior at the point. He'll back up 3 positions and cut down on Ward's and Lue's minutes, and hopefully improve the position...but I don't think he'll start at the point, much less stabilize it. You're right in that most of these things will sort themselves out by the offseason--mostly by default, since there's not a whole lot you can do with it right now.

 

I agree that some moves need to be made, but also feel that we wont make any moves until the offseason unless the wheels come off the wagon.

Nevertheless, I feel the priority is for this team to get more "athletic" and especially at the forward spots. Guys like Josh Howard and Stromile Swift are the types of players I feel would be great additions.

I know GATER feels this way and I am converted, I feel that what we need most from our PF is not necessarily a "bruiser" but an "athletic" 4 in the Swift, Chandler, Bosh, type mold. Someone that has energy and can run the floor and block shots. I think that compliment would work well with Yao. Getting another SF that is athletic would also be ideal and there by moving JJ to the bench in a 6th man role. That athletic SF can be one that can take the tough defensive assignments and also rebound well.

I think this team will have to address these issues but we might not be able to fully solve them at least until we have a few more FA offseasons / drafts to build depth on this team around the foundation of Yao and Tmac.