Why is there no CAT talk?

Actually, he averaged 3.4 assists in Sacramento, which is about the same Joe Johnson, a player that most consider and excellent passer. His assist numbers for the season was dragged down a bit by his stint in Orlando.

I do think that this being a contract year might have played a big part in him looking out for himself a little more than usual. If think if he gets a nice contract that will give him some security, he'll go back to playing unselfish ball under Van Gundy.

His shooting percentage for the season was excellent. If I were his coach, I probably would have told him to continue looking for his shot more.

 

Just Say NO to Mobley. I don't want players with no basketball IQ on this team. It makes me throw up everytime I think of the time Mobley fouled the other teams player shooting from half-court with no time left in the game. I don't want to have Cat on this team thinking he's an all star and waving off Yao and Tmac to shoot ill-advised off-balanced shots. Mobley is not a good fit with this team and he is way overrated by some of the posters here.

 

The writing was on the wall for Mobley when he was traded to Orlando. Knowing that he had an option be a free agent at the end of this past season, if JVG and CD had any desire to possibly resign Mobley to the Rockets this summer, they would've massaged his ego and cozied up more when they traded him to Orlando. If the idea of having him back was a strong desire for the team, they wouldn't have let it get to the point where he felt "his girl was cheating on him." They would've let him know how difficult a decision it was and that they'd like to have a chance at resigning him this summer.

But let's be real. This is a whole new team and philosphy. A whole new air surrounds this team in comparison to the days of cat, steve, and mo taylor. I doubt there's any desire to revisit that feeling again in the slightest. Not for me certainly. And it appears the same for Van Gundy and Dawson.

 

That never happened. It was Voshon Lenard, and it was a three pointer from the corner, not half court.

He might have done that in Sacramento, but I don't remember him ever doing anything like that here. He cut down on his bad shots in his last year here. Man, we need to get Smeg in here to back up some of us Cat fans

 

I hate cats.....

 

To me Cat looked pretty pissed at Rox when he came back as a SAC king last year in that win ended by Webber's buzz beater. He sounded that was a revenge for him. Even if he does want to comeback, you gotta question him about those sentiments. However, I do think Cat could be the 2 guard we need that can shoot treys, create shots when inside option is not there, IF he can be bought into the system. If the price is right and no decent PFs left, I wouldnt mind taking him with MLE first and wait till the trade deadline for a PF using our expiring contracts. We can afford to use Howard/Spoon to man the 4 for half season before the playoffs.

 

Yes as a matter of fact I do remember. I remember Kobe averaged more in that series then he did for that season. What are you referring too?

Cat early in his career = no different last year with Rox. His game did not progress, He still made the same bonehead plays he always did. He still tried to take over games and usually was no where near the player HE thought he was. He rarely fed the post or gave up the rock for that matter. Look at how he demolished the Kings offensive flow. Any wonder why they arent trying to keep him around?

His Defense was not good at all. Overrated by himself and his "quickest first step in the NBA" LOL. He has a lifetime .430 shooting average which isnt amazing by any stretch. He does indeed like to go to the basket, your right about that, but he is a terrible finisher at the rim. Mostly, his decision making and stupidity and ball hogging make him undesireable.

 

Cat is the bottom of the heap of the better 2s out there, and the others are garnering the attention. He desperately needs an SnT, or at least Denver to come through, or fallback plan to Hughes?

 

Of course Kobe averaged more in the playoffs...most superstars do, especially since the playoffs have so much more meaning and much fewer games. I'm not really referring to Kobe's numbers though...he's going to get his points no matter who guards him. What Mobley did pretty well was contain Kobe and make him take difficult shots when the team needed a crucial defensive stop. For example, I think it was the overtime loss in game 3 that Kobe had a chance at a game winner and Cuttino forced him to take a tough fadeaway three rather than get a little closer for an open look.

I can understand some of your problems with him on the offensive end, but defensively the bottom line is he is as good a one on one defender as anyone we have besides Mcgrady...Wesley might be as good, but he is too short and he isn't as good offensively as Mobley. I also beg to differ on Mobley not being a good finisher...I always thought he was solid around the basket, especially because he was left handed which makes it a little harder to stop. Steve Francis on the other hand was a terrible finisher.

I'm really not dead set on Mobley either, but I feel like getting either him or Simmons is as important as anything we do this offseason. We can survive with Howard (if healthy) and a decent backup at PF.

 

There is plenty of "CAT talk" - you just need to know where to look !!

 

I remember Cat's time here vividly and especially recall how his game changed over the course of the years. During his rookie year, he played point and was very good playing alongside Dream. He deferred, dumped the ball to the post, and took spot up threes.

When Dream left and Steve came, Mobley's game changed because the Rockets needed it to. I saw him get sucked into Steve's mentality and fall into the same trap Steve did in thinking that dribbling is the best way to get a good look.

Once Yao got here, I was disappointed in Cat and Wink because neither of them seemed to grasp the huge advantage they had at center, though I truly believe that was mostly Steve since Cat was able to coexist and even thrive with Dream.

When JVG came, I was impressed with Cat's adjustments on the defensive end and really hoped that both he and Steve would be willing to get on board with JVG's offensive game plan, which they never fully did, resulting in the TMac trade.

I would be thrilled to have Cat here for his defensive presence, his three point percentage, and to give him a chance to buy in to JVG's scheme without having to worry about Steve and their friendship. I think that Mobley could go a long way to putting us over the top.

 

Ummm I see his average per game agains the rox as 25.5. Just over his season average that year of 24 PPG.

 

andymoon you are correct about cat. he's a great team player who does what is needed of him. he has become such a complete player over his career in order to help his teams. but i don't think we can afford cat though. he deserves a lot of money because he's earned it over his career as one of the most complete 2 guards in the game. i don't think houston could offer him $7 million plus a season which i think would be the minimum he would be searching for on the open market.

 

Actually our guard play in the playoffs was ok considering

1. Wesley was never an option on O other then a last minute kick out

2. Mike James was, what a half a season addidition?

3. Sura's Injuries.

 

I wouldnt mind Mobely back. As someone said earlier, he was good his first year, ok under JVG and kinda boneheaded in between. What messed him up the most was the year Steve was out with migranes. I think Cat averaged like 21 a game that season, so I'm sure he got accustomed to shooting the ball as he wished.

I like Simmons as much as the next guy, but he'd really just be Jim Jackson all over again for this team. (Hear me out) Yes, he's 6'6" but he's like 230ish and he doesnt have the quickness to guard 2 guards. He can shoot wide open 3's, but creating really isnt his thing. He's a nice guy, hard worker, good defender, and I'm sure JVG would LOVE him, but he just doesnt fit.

The guy we shouldve pursued is Raja Bell. Did he get over-paid? Maybe, but not by much, plus you know exactly what you are getting. Good D and 39% from 3pt land.

 

Maybe there's no Cat talk because he doesn't want to talk. I for one would love to bring him back, I think his shooting, his athleticism, and his defense would be a big addition to the team.

Cat may not want to talk because he still has hard feelings (which I kinda doubt) or because he wants his payday, in which he knows the Rockets cannot provide.

 

from what i've read cat doesn't have the same hard feelings steve does, and probably would actually like to come back to h-town but i think and he probably does as well, he deserves a nice payday. he's earned it and the rockets really can't provide that type of money.