You seem to be thinking that the Rockets are a talented team who only needs to add role players to be a championship caliber team. I really want some of what you're smoking. Because I don't see the stars on this team you seem to allude to.
No we shouldn't tank we should come out and play hard every night no matter whos on the court. But I will say this if its March and we have nothing really to play for losing a few mores games wouldn't hurt.
First, free agents will go where they generally always go: where the money is. I don't see how a 35 win team vs. a 22 win team makes a huge difference there. Second, it's pretty abundantly clear that absent extraordinary circumstances, the Rockets aren't going to have the cap room to land a franchise unrestricted free agent till Yao and Tracy are off the books, that ain't going to be 2010. Third, for the third time, you people need to stop using the word "tank" and start using the word "rebuild" . Nobody's really proposing that the Rockets let Clutch the bear run the point while DaDakota calls the plays from the sidelines.
Since when Tanking or Not-tanking is a question that worth a poll? Its obvious Morey wont add any veteran force to this current team anymore, and its unlikely to get any young talent before the summer of 2010. If this team is not good enough to make the playoff, so be it. Its called rebuilding not tanking. tanking is pointless, for last 20 years, only 3 teams with worst record got the top pick, so it is not guaranteed anyways.
No one said anything about their being stars on this team. AB could very well be, becoming a star player but he'll have to work on his defense and court vision which I believe he has, he just needs to become a patient playmaker. I'm not delusional like others saying Ariza will be going to the All Star game or dropping 50 on the Fakers. But I do see that we have enough talent to stay in contention. We need another star I agree but that doesn't mean we should throw away the whole season as soom have said and just hope that we get a chance at John Wall. We need a star and I'm sure that will come thru a trade somewhere. Not from tanking. And you don't want the sh** I'm smokin' this stuff will knock you on yo ass!
I'd say we win 45-50 and make the playoffs with the development of all our players; AB, Scola, Ariza, Landry. It's going to have to be a collective effort, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. But.... I believe!!! And I'm stingy I don't share the good stuff.
45-50 wins will be tough I could see if we were in the east, but the west teams are just loaded. I like the way you think hell if we could somehow get that many wins that would make this season one to remember for a long time if you ask me. And by the way the bible says share.
This team doesn't have to "tank". Cause as currently constructed, they're not good enough to win more than 35 games. I cant recall a team without any go-to offensive players (ie..someone who has actually been double-teamed before) AND an interior defensive presence actually being successfully in the NBA. Yes, in the short term a team can scrap its way by but over the long haul; you cant survive without those key elements....elements this team currently doesn't have. The 99-00 Orlando Magic scrapped and clawed its way to a 41-41 season but still missed the postseason. Thats about it. That season was so unique that Doc Rivers won COY while missing the playoffs. Yao's defense is just as important if not more important than his offense...and I dont know how this team is gonna hold up defensively without being able to duplicate his presence on that end of the floor. His importance defensively cannot be understated. McGrady coming back isn't gonna impact any of that.
screw tanking. whoever said a team needs star talent to win the finals needs to go back and watch some lakers vs pistons. Pistons didn't even have a real center. Or hell even our last series with the Lakers. We can win if we have chemistry. Our talent is good enough. I think w/out our "star" players, it's more on the coach than usual. Over half of the teams in the league are way worse off than us.
You're right about the tanking part we shouldn't do that. But lets not get carry away because that Piston team had a lot of talent a lot more than what we have right now. They didn't have one superstar but they had four all stars we're no where close to that.
Tanking is for losers, in every sense of the word. The Rockets have too much talent to tank effectively anyway. Take the high road.
Precisely. Now if only people can give this team a chance. Its way to early even to discuss about tanking. The roster would not be set until October and Morey is probably still doing his stuff to improve further this team.
Agreed. Yao is done as a franchise player, which means that the Rockets have zero elite level players and aren't going anywhere until that changes.
Too soon to count Yao out. When the day comes that He admits that he can not play again then and only then can anyone say He is done as the franchise player or simply a player.
lol daym you serious? too much talent for tanking?? haha I wish we actually did. now lets compare our so-called "2-much-talentz-4-da-tankin'" to da 15 win to da nba worst sacramento kingz: point guard: aaron brooks --- ricky rubio(oops I meant beno udrih...but they are alike ya know) sg: chase budinger --- kevin martin (2nd round dude who never touched nba to nba allstar) sf: battier to salmons (salmons is full of win...mmm...) pf: scola to JT (ok we win here I gotta admit!!!) C: chuck hayes to hawes/brad miller (6'6 no hops cant dunk to 7 footer. nuff said) so if they win 15 games...we could maybe win 5games?
Last year's 45-50 win teams Atlanta: Joe Johnson/Maurice Evans/Holford/Josh Smith/Bibby Dallas: Kidd/Dirk/Terry/Dampier/Josh Howard NO: CP3/West/Butler/Peja/Chandler Utah: Millsap/Deron/Okur/Brewer/Ak47 Yeah. Those lineups are nothing comapred our vaunted group of Brooks/Ariza/Battier/Scola/Anderson.
OK - I'll watch that series - the Rockets don't have a single player who would start on the 2004 Pistons. In fact, aside from Battier and maybe Scola, they don't really have a guy who would crack their rotation. So I'm having a very hard time seeing the parallels here.
