With All The Trade Talk What If We Just Stand Pat?

Honestly, if we don't add any meaningful piece this summer (it doesn't have to be Bosh-elite level) I will be very upset.

First of all, we are not there at level-wise to compete against the Lakers, Mavs, Denver in a playoffs series.

I know we took the lakers to 7th game, but again i don't like the odds.

Let;s take a look

2009 2011
AB/Lowry Same
Tmac/Von KM
Artest/Battier Azia/battier/chase
Scola/Landry Scola/Jeffrey/Hill
Yao/hayes Yao/anderson/Hayes

I don't know to me we just pretty much made even with KM - tmac trade. This was no upgrade but we just didn't lose much. I know we made out like bandits with the picks, but those are for the future.

we are like one to two pieces away from a championship.

 

I think with a semi healthy Yao and an improved Hill we can make huge strides in our defense. I am relatively comfortable with this squad's ability to put up points. If getting Ariza and Lowry back in the fold and getting a serious shotblocking presence in the middle can get us to elite level defense again we can be right back in the fold, even if we stand pat. Even if that doesn't work (I agree with BimaThug) we have to have patience. We're gonna be in a wonderful position the following summer. You'll be looking at a diminished Spurs and Jazz team (Dallas too with Kidd heading into retirement) Oklahoma will be on the rise and who knows if the Blazers and Lakers can stay healthy.

 

We'd depend on the growth of our young players.

Brooks taking the step of being a all-star.

Hill taking the step that Brooks took last year and becoming a hot young prospect.

And everyone just getting better. IT IS POSSIBLE.

Look at the Jazz, what changes did they make last year? Their prospects just got better. That's it. Not that the Jazz are legitimate contenders, but they are a top 4 team in the conference.

Or better example, the Hawks have stayed put for a long time now, and their young players just get better.

 

Well guess what, that's what we're getting. Disappointed? Incredible. Somehow the make believe fantasies inside the heads of fans has created the expectation of getting an elite, or even super elite, free agent and anything less than that would be a failure.

Just incredible. These forums give the illusion that there's a lot of trade talk when in reality, the only thing the Rockets have said is that they don't have cap space but can sign and trade. That's it. So basically everybody is getting these Bosh assumptions from thin air.

Fans like to give themselves the best possible scenario to dream of, but jesus christ, some people make it sound as if we're the worst team in the world without this fairy tale trade. "No chance of a champsionship"? If that's all you care about, go be a Lakers fan. The championship is just the carrot at the end of the stick. If your a real fan, you just want your team to do "good", and that good is relative. It doesn't have to mean get a championship you spoiled brats.

 

Rockets need to add a playmaker to their starting lineup. SF looks like the area to improve.

If Battier got 2 years younger, became a two way player, developed playmaking abilities, could play 1 to 4 and not just defend those positions... His name would be Tayshaun Prince.

 

Sorry, but I am not content on this current team plus Yao contending for a championship.

Bosh is a franchise player, and I could see him carrying this team even if Yao was out, especially with the supporting cast we have out there with Ariza and Martin, and hopefully a good back up C we draft this year.

With a trade of Scola, Battier, and Brooks for Bosh (I'm assuming), this team will get a whole lot younger. Lowry starting would also probably fit the mold better, given all the scorers we would have on this team.

IMO, getting Bosh not only makes us automatic contenders for 2010-11, but it also gives us a talented young core to work with in the future. (Bosh, Ariza, Martin, Hill maybe).

 

I want to go after Al Jefferson. I think his contract is like 15M a year (large but not that big) and he can start with Yao, or with Scola.

I think you could get him in the offseason, probably for cheaper than what Bosh would require.

Jeffries+Battier+Hill + 2012 first round pick. Then if San Antonio decides to not bring Manu back, we sign him with the MLE.

Yao/Jefferson/DA
Jefferson/Scola/Hayes (resigned)
Ariza/Budinger
Martin/Manu
Brooks/Lowry (resigned)


I can see that team being a contender. I don't think we are at a point where we need to gut this team to add another high quality guy.

 

it all depends on what yao can do.

 

I disagree. This team has the ability to win, I can't say we'd be favorites to win over the Lakers.

But IF Hill can emerge as a solid backup PF/C, Hill/Yao combo vs Gasol/Bynum.

And Battier/Ariza can at least hinder Kobe's effectiveness. I honestly believe the Rockets were 2nd best team in the NBA last year, and Lakers were the major concern because of their length, but the Rockets now have addressed that.

The Mavs may give us some trouble also now though. That team is LOADED top to bottom and throughout the bench, but they never have had an answer for Yao and I believe they still have none.

 

Les shells out year-round salaries for like 10 dudes in Morey's office, he's going to take a contract out on Morey's life if this "stand pat" team is what limps into next year's playoffs. Morey will make some moves, there's 0% chance that the team wont be upgraded by the 2011 trading deadline.

The bigger question is how Yao's development goes once he's back on the court. The chances that Houston lands Bosh is very very small, but Morey will surely get at least a Landry-level player from somewhere... a solid journeyman/productive player who's one step below all-star/6th man.

 

OF COURSE you want the championship, but my point is, even if you don't get it, don't start crying and simply stop watching them solely because they're not a ring contender. A true fan wants his team to win, no matter what. I want the Rockets to win and yet I don't care if they're not a real contender. That's the difference between me and you. You only want the Rockets to win if it means they're a contender. I really don't get that because that would mean only the super elite teams are watchable or what? That wins, if they're not from a title contender, are pointless? Like you said, winning is the ultimate goal in sports and competition. But that means any win, not some crap like "who cares if they're winning, they can't beat the Lakers and they can't win a ring"

If you stand by your beliefs, then stop watching the Rockets right now and don't turn them on until next season. Because that's what your saying. The current Rockets are obviously not a contender without Yao.

Also, about Bosh....CMON! Are people never gonna stop with that? Yeah, OF COURSE we'd like Bosh...we'd also like LeBron or Wade or Joe Johnson blah blah blah...I don't understand why ppl keep talking like "No man, Bosh is a franchise player, he's our future." Wtf? Stop talking like this distant sign and trade is a done deal and the Rockets are done without him! Sheesh.

 

The majority of "fans" are front runners. They care about latching onto a winner and riding the feel-good coattails

It's one thing if a team is tanking and management doesn't give a **** about putting out a quality product, but the Rockets are one team in the league where you should feel bad as a fan giving up on. 31 teams very year "dont win something." The Rockets are entertaining to watch and the players all give 100%. Management manages to create excitement EVERY year which has actually been quite remarkable every year for the past 4 years or so... whether it's 22 wins, almost advancing to the WCF with an undermanned team, there's always something to get excited about... imagine being a Clippers or Nets fan, come on people.

Houston fans have been given a lot by the Rockets in recent years. I think maybe the franchise deserves some "stick with em" at this point from the freaking fans

 

As smart a businessman that Les is, he knows he can't afford to stand pat after the dismal showing this season. I think Houston fans have been really patient this year knowing that we are without both of our superstars. But I know I am not going to cut Les as much slack next season.

He'd better have a backup plan in case Yao hobbles back playing like Kwame Brown. We don't need to win it all but I want to see us in the WCF at the least.

 

I'm kinda on the fence on this one. I really feel like a healthy Yao with this current team can be special. maybe they can be championship material, or maybe not. Who knows?<p>Although adding an allstar player would be nice, but it doesn't guarantee a championship. I want people to remember the last time we gutted our team of young players to get an allstar what happened; nothing. Reference to Cassell/Horry--Barkley trade or more recently Francis/Mobley/Cato--Tmac (1 allstar & 2 core players for 1 allstar/superstar level).

 

Sometimes its better to just keep the young players and develop them. I hate to bring this up but what if the Rockets just kept Rudy Gay and develop him? Who knows if he would still be the same player he was today but he could have been a great complimentary piece. But the problem is that over the past couple of years the Rockets have been in "win now" mode and so far its only gotten them to the 2nd round of the playoffs. Aside from this year, I believe that next year the Rockets will also be in the "win now" mode again. I mean how many times do you get to play with a 7'6 center? let alone find someone who's that big and can play at an extremely high level. I'm just hoping that the Rockets can get an all star caliber player like Chris Bosh next year and finally contend for a championship instead of just getting past the first 2 rounds.

 

Yao shoots free throws with one leg better than Kwame Brown with two. I think its safe to say that Yao will still be better than Kwame Brown.

 

Trade for Bosh or Jefferson. That is all.

 

I would personally felate Morey if he got us Al Jefferson or C-Bosh!

Jefferson would add toughness to this team and some much needed rebounding and Bosh, need I explain more?

 

get in line because moes had dibs.