There are a lot of posts in here about personnel moves, coaching changes, acquisions and trades. My question is, what would satisfy you as a fan? We have the newest arena in the league, one of the most popular ATHLETES in the world and the nucleus for a playoff team, is the championship the only thing that matters? Or can we be happy with the same crew, new digs and another year of experience with one of the leagues most exciting teams. Both may not be an option...
no, I'd settle for hot new playoff team status for a year or so followed by 4 yearsof title window. Even if they don't eventually win it.
the ring is the thing that matters, and it's important that next the Rockets finally grow up and learn how important every regular season game is, not just the last 30, so they can make the playoff and get that experience.
As long as they make the playoffs, as long as they make the playoffs... All I hope for is a 100% effort every game, no DWIs, drug suspensions, or criminal/abuse charges. Make a conscious effort to improve. That's all I ask. Everything else will eventually fall into place.
I'd be happy with this team as it is....but with the work ethic of a Kobe Bryant or a Michael Jordon. Actually, I'd settle for about half the work ethic of either of those two.
I would not be ok with bringing the same team back b/c I dont think this team as is will make the playoffs next yr or eventually win a ring. The biggest thing I care about in basketball is winning. Watching great athletes make breath taking plays blah blah blah is great and all, but I want rings. There is absolutely no feeling like when your team wins it all. This team isnt far off, just put the appropriate talent around Yao and Steve and things will be fine.
Rocket fans should be satisfied to just have a NBA team that puts up with them. I wonder how many of the bbs 11,913 registered members actually attended a game this year. The Rockets ended the season with the third worst attendence in the league, but..when they hit the road they were 5th best. Sounds like NBA fans like the Rockets more than Rocket fans.
Well that's good criticism for all the rich fairweather fans, but come on, man. The ticket prices are insane. I'm trying to live in an apartment, go to college, and eat. I'm poor. I said it. I'm the biggest fan there is, but there's no way I can go to more than, say, 5 games a season. (I really don't like sitting in the sections where Yao looks like a tall ant. Might as well watch it on TV).
Team growth. Most people will look at the Rockets season and compare it to last yr which shouldn't be the case. If you want to compare it, do it to the 00-01 season. In those terms this team went backwards. Ming replaced Hakeem and pretty much with a supposed improved Francis,Mobley,Taylor and Norris a yr older, we went back 2 games. This team throughout the yr didn't improve or keep its promise of beating the teams its suppose to. My fear is, if this team comes back intact along with the coaching staff, that it will not improve enough to get a playoff berth. I look at GSW and Seattle who made strides during the season and really imprved during the season. The Rockets just kind of fluttered along with no sense of urgency at all. The 2 performances against Portland and Utah really pissed me off. This team kind of flatlined after the Lakers win and just didn't do it for me. I really thing a change in personnel and coaching needs to take place.
It would be hard to satisfy me with a 2for1 trade involving our two biggest trade assets....mobley/griffin. We may not have good trade assets again for several years, once you make that trade. You *have* to be exactly right about that trade, and not screw up. That trade leaves you with no bench...no backup SG and no backup PF, and no trade assets. I'm more interested in turning Mobley into a 6th man with Small Forward minutes in a 3 guard lineup involving a big, sound, veteran PG...about 30mpg. I want Mobley and Francis rested more, and doing 2for1's is not going to help our lack of bench problems. I'd also be satisfied with trading Mobley for more defense and size in the front court...a young PF who you have fully scouted and think he can produce. That would then free up Eddie to get a guard. I am probably the board's most interensted person in trading for frontcourt defense. But these are marginal type things. I am more shy about these than just bringing in veteran guards and limiting Mobley's minutes...and dropping Francis down to about 38 minutes. As for drastic changes, I'm also interested with changing the team drastically by trading Steve Francis for one of 3 (maybe 4) players...if not this summer, hold him.
Im curious how one would go about getting a sound veteran PG w/o dealing away any of the tradeable assets? Eric Snow or Andre Miller cant be had for free yanno. Also, if Mobley is going to be limited to 30 MPG off the bench, you better be damn sure of two things. First off, that veteran had better be able to effectively play 28-30 MPG. If Steve Francis is not being run into the ground and plays say 38 MPG to go along with Cuttino's 30 MPG, that means that there are still 28 MPG left in the backcourt. If the Rockets ever went 3 guard, then the vet had better be able to play even more than that. Sorry, but getting a "sound" veteran PG who can play those kind of MPG effectively is difficult w/o losing a tradeable asset. A 30000 yr old Mark Jackson or similar player is not going to cut it. These are the types of vet PGs avail to capped out teams on the FA market. One other thing which is being assumed here. Would Cuttino Mobley be happy watching his role drop to what it was during the early stages of his career? A 30 MPG third guard that averages less than 13 shot attempts a game? I seriously doubt it.
offseason checklist : Move Steve to the 2. get : Lamar Odom P.J. Brown Alvin Williams hire : Van Chancellor, assistant coach hire : Big man coach for Yao hire : Larry Brown '=================================== There are other acceptable options. Brand. Kurt Thomas. An SAR deal. Cat must go. Need a pg. Need a pf. Need a new offense. Need a new approach.
I can top most of you who live in Houston. I went to 3 games this year in Houston and I live all the way up in North Carolina.
Me things to do list: -Get a tall true PG(Crawford) -Get a good back up(Draft BORIS DIAW!!!) -Get a vet at the 4(Morning?Grant?) without trading EG(Am I the only one that still believes in him?!) -Get a new coach -Trade Cat,MoT and Moochie From the above mentioned,I'd just be satisfied with the first option and the first part of the last one. ALA
What an opportunity!! I would be happy if in 03/04... 1]The Rockets play team defence and offence. 2]The Guards move the ball up the court by passing rather than by dribbling. 3]The Rockets get Moses Malone to coach Yao Ming so that he can play the NBA Game. 4]The Rockets get rid of the trainee coaches, generally refered to as Assistant Coaches and get professional experienced coaches as Assistants. 5] The team make up its mind that selfish play will not be tolerated by either Management or the Players. 6] The Management tries very hard to improve the Roster with 'young experienced players' that can contribute to the Game for many years. My favourites are Elton Brand and Lamar Odom. 7] The Rockets find another home for Moochie and Rice.{Such a mistake which should not be repeated]. No Grant, Horry,Malone, Davis or PJ Brown!! 8] That Nachbar plays all off season in Houston and in the Summer Leagues. Next season if he has shown what the Coaches have been looking for he gets his chance to play. 9]That Les quickly makes a statement about the Head Coach and if it is Rudy T [I hope] he makes a very strong statement of support. 10] That Yao Ming has all the opportunities to develop into a great Rocket Center and that Steve Francis fulfills his every dream. 11] That the Rockets make a major step forward in the 03/04 season by becoming a serious force to be considered with in the NBA. 12] Mo T and Eddie work hard this offseason to get in playing shape and improve their defence. Also James Posey comes back as a Rocket. I like his pace of play. PS. I would like the Rockets to think that the game is played with a balance between Big and Small men and not either having an unfair advantage.
Simply making the playoffs would not make next season a success in my mind. Real improvement, record-wise, would be 47-50 wins and a possible 6th seed in the West(which is something they realistically could've done THIS year). Also, they better install some sort of offensive system that doesn't rely exclusively on ISOs and commit to playing defense the entire season, not just the first 30 games. And I wouldn't mind seeing Eddie Griffin actually develop a post-up game next year. Turning him into another Matt Bullard is not what I had in mind when the Rockets gave up 3 first-round picks for the dude. But quite honestly, I don't think any of this will happen. Rudy's past his prime as a coach and his refusal to hire real assistants has only made matters worse. This group of players is way too comfortable with their current situation. They never play with any sense of urgency, which is what leads to all the losses to crappy teams. They still believe in their minds that they have so much youth and athleticism and that this is all they need to be winners in this league. You'd think they would've learned by now after 4 straight lottery seasons that there's more to it than that.
