I'm becoming persuaded by the pro-Rice posters that we didn't have a better plausible alternative acquisition available to us in the next two years. The players who might have filled our more obvious needs either didn't want us, or we didn't want them. I'm still not persuaded, however, that Rice's talents make up for his generally agreed defects (age, injury, defense, personality/chemistry, insufficient help under the basket). It sounds more and more like both sides are right: The acquisition of Rice leaves the Rockets seriously flawed, and there's no better alternative for us on the horizon. In that case, I see no realistic prospect of our team becoming strong and balanced enough to beat the Lakers (as presently constituted) in a 7-game series for years and years. Have a nice day.
Barring this lame foot thing turning out to be serious... I think overall the Rice acquisition is a slightly/moderately better deal then keeping Anderson. I believe the real X-Factor on our team will be Cato. If he can show up, and there is a chance since he will be starting and there is no Olajuwon shadow any longer, then we will be Rock solid. (sorry pun intended) I think with a rabid Cato and a 90% Rice we have a legitimate shot in a 7 game series against the Lackers...
I don't think we can take la to seven as presently constituted. Shaq will get his, but if Kobe has a bad game (see game 1 of the finals) the lakers can be stopped. Unfortunately we have no one who can guard kobe with much effectiveness (seeing that tmo would probably match up best against him and won't be in the game)
7gm series against the Fakers?? I was just hoping to make the playoffs in the next couple yrs. Not that we have that bad a team as presently constitued, I still think a lot of ppl here are underestimating other teams in the west. Even Denver, Seattle, and the Paper Clips will not go away easily in trying to get one of those last couple playoff spots. And I still say Marbury will keep Phoenix a winning team.
<b>Now, WAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIITTTT a minute!</b> <b>I love Will's posts.</b> They are insightful, and extremely well written, and I find myself often jealous of his humor and ability to turn a phrase. Usually, Will is calm in the storm. But, hey buddy. One trade does not a franchise or championship make! We won't be done rebuilding UNTIL NEXT SUMMER... This summer was a major success because we got a potential superstar in Griffin. That was a huge piece to the puzzle. If that's all we did, we scored a huge coup. Now we have 2 superstars in the making and maybe even a third in Mobely. That's a wonderful foundation for a future championship. But we also locked in Taylor, will probably lock in Norris, and will probably pick up a backup 5 before we are done. What center of significance was available besides Jackson? I just don't believe he was the final piece to our rebuilding plan. Anderson didn't fit on the team, so we traded him for someone who is. WE AREN'T DONE REBUILDING! Here's what Rice brings us: <ol> <LI> A starter at the 3, which WAS our weakest position on the court. Agreed, now its the 5, but for the last 3 years, the 3 has been weak. With Rice, it is no longer a weak spot on the team. <LI> One of the best and most consistent long range shooters in the game. When our offense clicked the best was when either Wiz or Dream were on their game. Rice stays on his game. Its like having Wiz hot all year long. <LI> A way to beat the zone. In the last couple years, we took advantage of the rules and the quickness of Francis and Mobely with ISOs, now we'll use them to penetrate, and kick out to Rice, who can nail the shot. We are adjusting to the new rules. <LI> Experience in the playoffs. I know I wavered for a little, wondering if we would be better off visiting the lottery one more time, but I think it's more important for our young blood to get experience for a few years in the playoffs before we make our championship runs. Rice will be the difference. With Rice, I believe we'll win 5-10 more games, and get into the playoffs this year, which will be invaluable experience. <LI> Trade material. In 2 years, he'll be valuable in his last year for someone to get under the luxury tax, and trade his 9 million for a center who has a lot of years on his contract. This is better than either Anderson, or room under the cap. <LI> Balance. We have a lot of youngsters. There is value in some maturity on the team to balance them out when they get out of control. <LI> A man who needs to prove something. Rice didn't fit the last two places he was at, due to being a victim of bad trades. Now he should be hungry to prove he just needed to be in the right place. Rudy is a master at getting the most out of his players. I believe Rice will bust out this year. He will fit perfectly on this time for the next couple years, until Griffin, Morris, and Langhi fill his shoes. <LI> He takes the heat off Griffin and Morris to come out of the gate too fast, so they can learn the game. Now, one of them doesn't have to start. They won't win ROY, but it will give them time to develop, while we still win games.</ol> So, what's left in the rebuilding process? Well, obviously, if Cato could get turned around, and we picked up another solid contributor, such as White or Miller, we'd have the pieces in place. If Cato can even have a half decent year, he could at least become trade material. But everytime Cato senses he's up for a trade, he injures himself or plays poorly, so he keeps himself stuck on this team. When we got Griffin, we no longer needed to sign Webber. Griffin is a better deal in terms of everyone hitting their peak together. If we could have somehow pulled of the Curry deal or LaFrentz, then we might have been set. So, now the next step is to get into the playoffs, gain some experience, and next summer, (or even the following summer), pick up a center, either in the draft, or in trade. By then, hopefully, Cato, Thomas, Collier, and Langhi will be trade material we can use. As <i>Nugsfan</i> continually pointed out, we didn't have the tradeable commodities this summer to get LaFrentz. But next summer we might, with another year of experience under their belts. And, Rice (in a deal where we took LaFrentz and Wahad to get him off their books, with Rice fulfilling their deficit at the 3) and could be used to help us get a center too. So, I think we will be taking the Cato experiment one more year, either to make him the missing center-piece or able to be used in trade. In the meantime, Francis will grow in his leadership, and continue building team chemistry working with Rudy, and be a fun team to watch. RUN'N'GUN! And next summer, we should pick up the missing 5 piece. And then, after another couple years of gelling, I believe we will be headed to the championship games. (and Shaq will be a few years older...) I believe our future is: new guy Griffin Morris (maybe Taylor) Mobely Francis Everyone else will be depth and tradable commodities to get the other pieces, including Taylor. Besides, the right players are only the first part of rebuilding a team. Then the work is in building TEAM, and equipping them with the knowledge and heart to win a championship. And STEVE BELIEVES!
Somebody said as Rocket fans we're spoiled, now I completely agree. People are talking about being unable to compete with the Lakers for an NBA championship, we haven't even been to the playoffs the past 2 years. And haven't won a first round playoff series in <b>5</b> years. Getting to the playoffs and taking a shot at it beats not going to the playoffs and dreaming about winning a championship. This team has to take baby steps. The first step was improving 11 games. The next step is getting to the playoffs. THEN we'll work from there. To worry about competing with the Lakers is fruitless when you haven't been to the playoffs in 2 years, and there are doubts we will make it THIS year!
I don't know that anyone was worried about beating the lakers. Other than Will, I think we were just pointing up the implausibility of someone else's claim-- taking the lakers to seven games this year. And anyways, I think Shaq will start slowing down, if not at the end of this season, then at the end of next season. Although he's only 29 right now, he's going into his tenth season, and banging around @ 300+ has to start taking a toll on the joints, which should start losing some of their fluidity around now to begin with. Explosive ability will be the first thing to go, and once shaqdaddy loses some of that the lakers won't be able to count on him for 35-40 when that's what they need (which is surprisingly often).
These are actually the first points made by a Rice supporter that actually made sense to me. Of course he could be injured for good and ruin most of his trade value, but those are valid points. And I agree with the fact that he has something to prove. It looks more and more like he will be staying, so I guess i'd better get used to the idea... I can only hope that he doesn't prove to be the cancer I make him out to be.
Sherlock, you are right about Will, in general. But you forget that he is the champion of tanking. imo, Will really thinks we blew it for not tanking. Will's idea of reaching the promised land is to get the #1 pick (if not once then twice). Think about it, aside from Jordan as the #3 pick while considering Bird a #1 pick (he was taken the year before forcing the NBA to outlaw that famous Red Auerbach maneuver), every team since 1980 has had a #1 pick, and often another #1 pick or #2 pick to boot. <pre><font face="courier"> 1980--Jabbar/Magic 1981--Bird 1982--Jabbar/Magic 1983--*footnote 1984--Bird 1985--Jabbar/Magic 1986--Bird/Walton 1987--Magic (also led them in scoring) 1988--Magic 1989--Aguirre #1 / Isiah #2 1989--Aguirre #1 / Isiah #2 none for 3 years 1994--Hakeem 1995--Hakeem none for 3 years 1999--Duncan/Robinson 2000--Shaq 2001--Shaq</pre></font> <font size="1">Footnote: The 76'rs are a strange anomaly, because Moses Malone was a historical free agent who bypassed the draft or likely would have been a #1 pick. Plus, the only reason Dr. J fell in 1972 was because he was already playing ABA....and at 20ppg and 20 rpg his final year at UMass, he likely was a #1 pick in the 1971 NBA draft..</font> Do you see Will's thinking here? You either need to draft the best player who ever lived, or you need a foundation around a #1. Detroit needed both the #1 and #2 pick of 1981 to pull it off. The Lakers needed two #1 picks in the '80s; the Spurs did, too. So, Will's thinking is you better get a number pick from free agency (Jabbar/Shaq) or from the draft. Further, Francis at #2 and Griffin at #8 is not going to cut. You need a #1 pick or the best player who ever played. Plus, Will apparently is impatient. He wants a quick win like Magic, Bird and Duncan delivered. The long Piston wait and the Shaq wait and the Dream wait is too frustrating. poor Will. We are never going to be able to tank again or trade for a #1 pick. We are doooomed!! btw: SamCassell, my list makes me feel smart
http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20971 I refer you to Dr. of Dunk's post in the above thread. No can forsee what Rudy and company might do in the next several years. Don't get depressed just because you can't forsee getting that player that puts us over the edge. It very well could happen.
Since when did Karl Malone or Vince win a title! and all your etc. etc. etc's Also, do you not see me mention Jordan as the one anomaly....which he always is!!
So you are playing devil's advocate here, crispee? Looks like our only hope for an NBA title is to trade for Olowakandi or Joe Smith. Is Pervis Ellison still playing? I think there's a good point to be made that it take a great player, a true HOFer, to make an NBA champion, and those guys are often drafted #1.
Yes Sam, Will and the tankers have a point. what gets me is how a negative tanker can have such a positive moniker like Will. Shouldn't it be Wont, instead? just curious.
I slightly disagree with Will. I think that Rice does comes with flaws. But healthy, nobody shoots the ball better in the NBA. This is what I am hoping for. I am hoping that Griffin develops into a major stud PF. I am hoping for developement in the mold of Antonio McDyess. At worst a Robert Horry. And, AND, AND, AND, AND....IF, IF, IF, IF, IF Cato decides to play 12pts, 10rebs, 2blocks in 35 minutes along with the explosion in the back court, I think we present ALOT of problems for LA. This is what I see. Kobe and Shaq get their 30 or more. But, except for Shaq, EVERYONE will have to play defense to stop our weapons. Who can guard Kobe? No one. Who can guard Shaq? No one. And then what? Who can guard Francis? No one. What about Mobley when he ain't jacking up those bad shots? No one. Rice when healthy? No one. Eddie Griffin in a couple of years? Well, unless LA gets a PF, what they gonna do with Griffin? Mo Taylor? Can't forget him. I know that this is pure fantasy. But lets fantasize a little for a moment. Can you imagine the problems Cato AND Griffin would cause if they show up to block shots? I would put Griffin at the 3 just to f**k with their minds and put Taylor at the four to abuse them inside and out. I won't even mention the damage that Mobley and Francis cause in the backcourt. And the wildcard is that even with Glen Rice, we are WAY more athletic as a team and WAY faster. Neither one of those attributes take days off so just running the team out there and running will cause the Lakers to hustle more than they want. Half court game? Different story. But we would have to dictate the tempo. Just like the Lakers needed everything to break right and they needed to be firing on all cylinders to win titles, I say we get our V-12 clicking, they won't wanna see us this year or in upcoming years.
If Kobe & Shaq have big games the lakers win 9 times out of ten. When they're on & clicking, things open up for the role players, and so they're on too. One of shaq/kobe has to at least shoot poorly from the field for a team to have a chance in primetime, & it won't be shaq.
