Let's see, we missed the playoffs by just 1 game, because we weren't good enough to beat out any of the teams that made it & you want us to stand pat? Okay, we've added a new coach which we hope (don't forget that he's also a veteran's coach) will motivate/teach our team enough to win 2-5 more games & get us into the 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs. What if the players resist the change? Imagine having a real cushy job for a couple of years where no one disciplined you or forced you to do what you didn't want to do, then, all of a sudden, they bring in a real hard*ss that totally disrupts your world by instituting rules that you have to follow. Then, add to that the knowledge that it's easier to fire the coach than the players, & players like Francis & Mobley can just refuse to do what he demands. With no depth behind Mobley & Francis, will JVG have the guts to bench the only 2 quality players he has at the guard spots to get their attention? Or, will he be faced with the same problem that Rudy had? Bench your 2 best players & lose, or let them keep doing what they've been doing & remain mediocre at best? Tough call to make, if we remain pat. I'm not saying this will happen, but it could & has happened before to other coaches. Why did JVG have to go to Francis to talk to him? How much time has Mobley spent with JVG? Finally, if we weren't good enough to make the playoffs last year, do you really think that just adding a coach is the answer? Will all the teams that made the playoffs stand pat & let us catch up with them? With the exception of Sacramento, every one of them have a 1st round pick this year in what is considered a deep draft. Seattle, which was only 3 games in back of us, has 2 picks in the 1st round (#12 & #14). So, I ask you, can 1 new coach overcome the addition of one new prospect? In the world of business & professional sports, if you're standing pat, you're going backwards.
Bostjan Nachbar stands, dusts off the bottom of his shorts, trots onto the court and blazes away -- the ZONE BUSTER, buster!
if we dont get rid of the logjam at the 3, we may never see him, Posey, Rice, and T morris......Something has got to give here
I'll agree with everything the original poster said except for this, the future is over for this team. Their time is now there should be no more talk of the future in the context of potential. If this team can not win with this cast then they should be broke up but as far as I am willing to look into the future is this season. Playoffs or bust, last year I felt the same way but with Rudy it just wasn't going to happen and I love Rudy T but that's the simple fact.
While I tend to agree that we're not in bad shape and should give the current team time to jell a bit more. I can't help but look at how we should improve the team. I think JVG will do his due diligence and after weeks in the film room and summer league games make recommendations to Les & CD on what he thinks the team needs. We have questions, but maybe a different coaching approach can provide some answers. Like... Can MoT, Grif & maybe some Cato/Yao time together answer our PF issue? Will Steve settle down and become a true point or is SG his natural position? I really think he'd be a great 2, with Mobes playing 6th man. If we could find a natural point this would be ideal, but these two could work if JVG can harness their potential. Can Rice & Boki provide us a legit/consistent "zone busting" capability? Rice's health and Boki's development will be key. While I think we can improve with our current crew, it'll be up to JVG, CD and ultimately Les whether we stick with what we got or make a splash. Like one post mentioned, the pressure will be on to bring in a big name...I just hope we don't pull another Pippen or Barkley deal.
Please understand that this is Les's Team and he expected the Rockets to make the playoffs. No if's ands or Buts
If the Rockets would have taken care of business during the season like beating the teams that should beat. They would be in the playoffs.
You could say that about any other team that missed the playoffs as well. How about the Clippers, Memphis, & Golden State? Those teams are loaded with talent & they didn't make it either. If we stand pat, we'll be looking at their tail lights as they pass us up.
I can't believe there's talk of the Rockets' future with Glen Rice in the 9-man rotation. You must be thinking of the near future like now... and now... and wait... now! no... NOW! In other words, he's going.. going.. gone!
My guess is there a good chance some teams were glad we didn't make the playoff's since we matched up so well against them that we virtually owned them this season. Regarless of the hype, Yao Ming was not an NBA ready player. He will be great someday, but last year when they started double teaming him, his % fell and his rebounding fell, because he was always pushed just a little out of position. Give the guy this coming year to get his feet on the ground and let him make his charge the next year. Even Hakeem didn't dominate the NBA his first two years, and even the refs won't let you. SF and Cat are ready physically, but need the discipline that JVG wil give them, and Eddie Griffin needs a few pounds and a little agression while Mo Taylor's game is coming back to where it was before his injury, which if I recall was, pretty damn good. He was a 20ppg PF in his day even if he wasn't Bill Russel on defense. With Yao in there Mo will just have to learn position. There is a guy from Wyoming, Uche ????-Amari, who sounds like a great fit for the Rockets and may be available at 44. Get him!
This is so funny. Hottodie is getting nervous with a serious thread about NO TRADES for the Rockets. He's losing his mind. What will he do? Where will he go? NO TRADES? THAT'S PROPOSTEROUS. Don't worry Hottodie, it's just speculation. There will always be trades. I want to chime in on the thought of us making the playoffs: 8th seed won't cut it. This team is playoff material. If we had made 8th seed last season (which we should've based on talent), then the expectations for this year would have been 5th seed. But we were 8th seed MINUS one win, so expectations this year are 5th seed MINUS one win, which is still 5th seed. Basically, plans are bigger, and this 4-year playoff drought must be overshadowed by a surprising run from no playoffs to 5th or 6th seed, which is entirely possible if the trades we make: 1) Actually improves the structure and role of the team 2) Are approved by Van Gundy I always hear people say we should stand pat. But if a trade increases the talent level, all other things equal, why not do it?
The teams that you mention above were not in the playoff race, with the exception of Golden State. The rockets had about 10-12 games that they lost by 1 or 2 pts. Under Rudy these guys wasn't learning nothing and it reflected on the court. Now turn that scenario around with coach that's going to teach these guys the game of basketball and how to play tough D. This upcoming season you will see the difference, I guarantee it.
I would stand pat under the new coach. Even though I'm not a fan of some of our players, if I were GM, I would give them time (trade deadline to 1 year) to see if they would improve under the new coach and system. Then if they don't - trade them.
Mo Taylor a 20 ppg scorer? I know some teams platoon pg's or sf's or other positions, but I think one or the other will have to step up and take the pf job. Both are incomplete as players and neither doesn't seem capable of handling the job full time. Griffin is the young undeveloped player whom is more of a defensive player than anything while Taylor is the offensive player weak at rebounding and defense. Unless they want to keep Taylor making 8 mill per on the bench or risk Griffin leaving at the end of his contract, this position need resolve.
There are at least 1000 posts on the BBS detailing reasons why the Rockets SHOULD NOT stand pat! Do you really think that it was all Rudy's fault? Can JVG work a miracle and turn a bunch of streetballers into a well oiled machine? Expect major personnel changes, guaranteed.
I just can't understand the people on this board who think it's not Rudy's fault. Those 2 championship are still blocking the brain upstairs. Don't worry, treatment is on the way.
In all due respect, do you really think Rudy told his players: Hey Griff, I want you out there shooting threes, get it, no post up game o.k.! Hey Mooch, get out there and dribble the living hell out of the ball, got it? Hey Moob, throw up as many wild shots as possible, we are ahead by two so it doesn't matter. Franchise, listen up, go one on five whenever possible, when you see Ming wide open under the basket, ignore him, he's tired, and no defense please, it wears you out. Now remember, I want the guards to walk the ball up, run out the time clock as you look like you have no idea what you are doing, and throw up a low percentage circus shot, I really like that. Listen guys, try to avoid patterns, plays, or any form of organization; I want you free styling out there, allright? Yeah sure, Rudy was the whole problem. I am surprised Rudy didn't have neck problems, as many times as I saw him shaking his head after unbelievably stupid plays.
All the stuff that you just mentioned above shows a team that lacks discipline. It all falls back on the coach.
That is part of the responsibility of a coach...not put up with boneheaded plays over and over and over and over.... If anything, instead of shaking his head, why didn't Rudy yank their asses out of the game or at least get in their face and tell him that those were stupid plays instead of trying so hard to be their buddy?
