I don't think we should pick him up...but most of you are talking like Russell has been a scrub for his career. When Utah was making their runs to the finals Russell was their third best player, and had established himself as one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league. If Morris ends up having a better career than Russell, T-Mo will have far exceeded my expectations. A free agent that I know the Rockets have had interest in in the past is Rodney Rogers...gives you some bulk at the 3-4 and a deadeye long-range shooter. I think he could be a good fit coming off the bench assuming Walt is gone. Unless T-Mo's progress over the offseason can be measured in light years, if he logs as many minutes next season as he did this year, I think it's safe to say the Rockets will be in trouble again.
Off the bench? Nice complement. Worth paying what he'll demand for a bench player? Probably not. As far as starting him, we need an outside shooter to complement our slashers, and Russell is overrated as a three-point shooter. Jerry Sloan doesn't like threes very much, and Russell hasn't been shooting as many as he probably should have.
Morris is going to be a valueable bench player. The guy has a bit of everything in his game. The main concern is his shooting pct. I think it's mostly credited to rookie jitters since he shot well in college, 49.5 PCT & 33.8 3PT. Once TMo finds a groove and gets some confidence, he'll be exactly the type of spark we'll need from the bench.
Hmmm, an overachieving shooting guard/small forward from the Jazz that is "pretty good" at a lot of things, but doesn't excel at any ONE thing... Where have we seen that before?
I agree. T Mo blows and would be a garbage time player for any other team in the NBA. leebigez- Could you name me one GOOD role player off the bench that provided a consistent spark for the Rockets this past season? Hell even Mooch was inconsistent......
Count me among the Morris advocates. I'd much rather like to see the Rocks give Morris a chance to develop than sign Russell. Too much of a quick fix. NO MORE QUICK FIXES!!
As for Russell...didn't we sign him a couple of years ago, overpay him, then trade him for someone even MORE overpaid? I think he called himself Shandon back then.
Another post to support my off-season position of KEEPING BOTH PICKS, i.e. increasing the overall talent level of the team. Injuries or not, the lineup the Rocks ended the season with made me nauseous, and had to be the most pitiful lineup fielded in Rockets' history. That was a NBDL lineup, MAYBE. The Rocks should never be in that position ever again.
1) Russell is a product of Utah's system and wouldn't do much in the Rockets (current) system. 2) Russell made more last season that what the MCE is likley to be for the 2002 season. Unless he takes a wink-wink pay cut.... It's already starting to sound too familiar.
NO way Bryon Russell is another Shandon Anderson with more scoring punch and less driving to the hoop abilities.
