Why are people discounting the Rockets Offseason so far?

Nugs gave 3 draft picks.

 

You know actually now that we've had to wait awhile watching everyone else make their move I'm starting to wonder if
we might be in a better position to make a surprise trade.

Something even better than expected.

We know the FA pool is thin, but now that most teams have done something there may be some things JVG and CD see that could bring in a quality player.

I would prefer another very good post player, but we do still need a PG.

even a very good 3 would be a nice addition...

As we wait maybe some surprises are out there.

Wonder if Tyson Chandler or Ed Curry are possibly attainable?
I have no clue.

 

Part of the reason why people are discounting the offseason is because taken by itself, many think the T-Mac trade is only a lateral move for the upcoming season. This isn't w/o merit, because Cato/Mobley/Francis -> Howard/T-Mac/Lue doesn't look like a significant(if any at all) upgrade for us.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that some superstars are worth more than their stats. Because they make their teammates so much better. I feel T-Mac is one such player. The guy managed to take the Magic to 3 playoffs years pretty much by himself. Incredible accomplishment, even if it was in the East. Therefore, I've always felt that even if we do nothing else, just the mere presence of T-Mac and Yao, who we know has more impact on the court than his stats indicate, is enough to make this an incredible offseason.

That said, if you just look at stats, this trade does indeed seem like nothing much. After all, we are replacing Steve with Lue, which seemingly cancels out the upgrade from Mobley to T-Mac.

 

I would like to point out to everyone that keeps crying for a back-up center that a back-up center is a luxury not a necessity. There are very few quality centers in the league to begin with. There is no reason to get locked into another long term deal at a position where all you really need is a srong body and six fould. Remember, we won 2 championships with Charles Jones backing up Dream in the playoffs. The whole back-up center gripe is BS.

 

If we had Dream in his prime I would care less who backed him up, you could use anyone.

In fact if we had Dream in his prime and Tmac in his prime the rest of the roster wouldn't matter to me.

 

Obviously, we will never have another Dream, but we do have Yao. Yao is already one of the best centers in the league. All that I am saying is that that the back-up center gripe is very lame. There is no need to lock one uplong term when we should be able to fit the role on the cheap.

 

Dream didn't need to sit for 15 minutes a game, Yao does, and when he's out the current Rocket team will have ZERO interior defense. Nobody to stop all the PFs in the West, nobody to intimidate all the PGs that love to drive in the West, somebody get Keon Clark's agent on the phone!

Another thing I'd like to add is that the Rockets gave up an average of 8 or so more points per game during the time Cato was out with injury. At the time Taylor was starting, now Howard is starting and neither of the 2 are going to scare the opposition away from the paint.

 

That doesn't take away from their team this year or last year.