That's really stretching Morey's intention, by alot. He didn't say point guard. He said guard...Tracy McGrady is a guard, Rafer is a guard, Luther Head is a guard, and Wafer is a guard. Now tell me, other than Wafer, how is this even disputable? Some of you guys are way too sensitive.
http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2009/02/skip_to_my_new_rockets_undergo_1.html (The Rockets don't gain any savings with this deal. I do think the the cap will be reduced. It does not look as if McGrady can be ruled out for all of next season, which would be required to get that exception or the insurance savings. That exception cannot be traded. -- Jonathan) So there is only one reason for this trade: get rid of Rafer as the biggest cancer in this team.
Although I have definitely had my moments of frustration with Rafer during the course of his tenure here I think the way Morey is presenting the trade is quite classless given the fact that Rafer always played to the utmost of his (limited) ability/talent and put forth maximum effort every game. Saying a scrub back-up who shoots 29% from 3 is an immediate upgrade on a team built around an all-star center is pretty 1.) nonsensical 2.) insulting to Rafer. The only reason I think Morey is going out of his way to laud the trade as well as Lowry at Rafer's expense is the backlash is probably worse than he expected and he feels obliged to defend it as a move made both for the present and for the future, and not just exclusively for the future.
Regardless of the output, there is no reason to disrespect and insult a guy on his way out. At the end of the day, regardless of his output, Morey/JVG/Adelman are the same dumbasses who trotted Rafer out there for 40 mins/ game w/out making any changes, so insulting him as he is leaving is pretty unnecesssary in my opinion.
And that was the problem. Of all the small players I have seen in the NBA over the decades, Rafer was the worst finisher at the basket ever. Kids make crip shots, that is why they are called crip shots. Apparently the Rockets think Brooks is ready to roll. With him it seems like a confidence thing. Maybe now he will take off. If not, the Rockets are in some trouble: they have two midget PG's. I actually think things might improve.
Rafer didn't piss off anyone, it was time to move on. Why are we crying over a PG who shoots 38%. To qoute Mike Singletary, "Can't win him, Won't win with him"
We were on a 5 game wining streak with AB starting. Rafer came back and AB was regulated to the bench again and always looking over his shoulder. We now need to see if he is worth it permanently. Let's make sure we gave AB the same amount of space we gave the 38% departed PG.
Knowing how fans would react to a player who's been in the league for 3 years and hasn't played that much, Morey concentrated on "selling" Lowry versus commending Rafer. Maybe Morey has coveted Lowry since the 2006 draft, but I don't know that he can speak for Adelman -- he wasn't here then.
I doubt they were costing the team games for a longshot at a trade. This trade wouldnt have happened if Orlando didnt have PG injuries.
A friend told me the rumor floating around the toyota center is that he was let go because of his Drinking. I have no idea if thats what it was all about, just what a friend that works in the toyota center told me.
Maybe he wanted to ease Aaron Brooks into the NBA. Or maybe he was using him as a spark plug, similar to Cassell.
