C'mon now guys & gals. . . I've been following this team as long as anybody and it is becoming painfully evident that this team is not going to cut it. I don't care who they put around the "Big 2" - it's not enough. There have been many who have claimed that the era of two superstars on a championship team is insufficient and after this pitiful performance, I am now in agreement. Can anyone tell me which level it was that McGrady and Yao have won on? Was it high-school? AAU? YMCA? Anything? After watching Dream & Clyde bring us to the mountain-top (perhaps a bad analogy), it seems as if the only hope for this franchise is to bring in players that have actually won something in their careers. The more I watch this team, the more distanced I become from it. As many have already mentioned, this team has no heart. . . no soul. . . no inner-drive. Although it was a close game at the end, it appeared as if the jazz wanted the win more than our beloved Rockets did, which in my mind is disgraceful. The pieces that we've assembled are as misguided as the two "stars" that we have chosen to build around. I mean, c'mon, you bring in a player who was a collective 0-12 in the playoffs to be your third or fourth scoring option (yes, I'm talking about Battier - a player I have followed since his freshman year in college), while the rest of the supporting cast consists of a street-ball reject, an undrafted player from a diminished Kentucky basketball program, an over-the-hill backup center, and of course, the most over-paid power-forward in league history, who has yet to redeem himself to any of the franchises that have generously paid his salary. Even if we had somehow managed to win the game, how in the world would we have beaten a Golden State team that has multiple go-to players, when we only have one and a half (it will be a long time before I begin to consider Yao a "go-to" type player). As much as it pains me to say, it is time to blow-up this roster. Three years ago, we all thought that a new era was upon us, but it is now evident that there will be no renaissance for these Rockets. Perhaps it is the coaching. . . perhaps it is the personnel. . . but whatever it is, it has to change. I realize that there are those on this forum that will discredit those athletes who seem to rise-above the challenges of their sport, in order to claim ultimate glory. However, I believe that a great deal can be said about the cornerstones of this franchise who last took this team to the championship - a group who had at least sniffed the ultimate prize several times before claiming it as their own. Ultimately, I am (as I'm sure many of you are) extremely disappointed in the effort (or lack-thereof) that was displayed by this team in game 7. I end this post wondering whether or not any of the players we saw tonight, will be on the next Rockets team to win in the playoffs - and unfortunately, the more I sit here, the less confident I am that this team will ever win anything meaningful. Here's to hoping that there will be significant changes in the offseason. Good luck Rockets, you sure as hell are going to need it. -Turbo
Oh go away with that "they've never won anything" bull****. JEEZ, KOBE DIDNT WIN A TITLE IN HS. LETS NOT DRAFT HIM!! What do you mean "no matter who we put around them" they'll fail. Oh, so if we add an all-star to the team they'll suck? T-Mac did everytign he could. He creates offense out of JVG's non-existent system. Yao is a weakling and is slow. T-Mac is the best mix of scoring and passing in this league.
Here's some Yao trades that work under the cap. Yao is BYC so it makes it very hard to trade him. Charlotte Bobcats Trade: Emeka Okafor, Adam Morrison, Sean May Houston Rockets Trade: Vassilis Spanoulis, Yao Ming Another: Atlanta Hawks trade: Salim Stoudamire, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Marvin Williams Houston Rockets trade Kirk Snyder, Yao Ming And another: Memphis Grizzlies trade Hakim Warrick, Alexander Johnson, Pau Gasol, Kyle Lowry Houston Rockets trade Juwan Howard, Yao Ming
yea lets just trade yao within the division...for one player who recently began playing well...and another who had an injury filled season....i dont get why you want to settle for chandler and west when we cud prob get alot more for yao considering the fan base and everything else he brings in that should increase his trade value too
I think the majority of people have only just started watching the Rockets in the past few years given the comments. How long did it take for them to win the championship? A long time, just like most teams. It takes time to build a roster and you can't keep changing the core components. You have to tweak here and there until you get the right mix. All this pain will make the it sweeter win they do win, just like it did before.
Juwan for MJames. Sura, Snider, JLIII, Novak, and Head for Rashard. Sign somebody like Mo Pete with the MLE. Sign P.J. Brown to the LLE. Re-sign Lil Chuckie and Deke. Sign Darius Rice from the D-league. James/Rafer/VSpan McGrady/Mo Pete Battier/Rashard/Rice Yao/P.J. Brown/Deke Rashard/Chuckie/P.J. Brown Primary Rotation: James/McGrady/Battier/Rashard/Yao/MoPete/Rafe or VSpan (whichever one plays best)/P.J. or Chuckie (whichever one plays best)
pdiddy's right. We shouldn't be moving the big pieces. They're fine. We got Hakeem in what? '84? It took them until '94 to win a championship. We swapped other players in and out, from the twin tower era to Drexler, etc. So big pieces can move, but we shouldn't be initiating it. We probably swapped coaches too (dunno, I was too little to be much of a fan until 94), so that's not out of the question. I say keep Yao, T-Mac, and hold on to Battier. He's a keeper too, despite his non-superstar status. Everything else is free game, but I think Deke, Alston, and Hayes are also good role players worth keeping.
umm guys yao is going no where. He is a 25-10-2-2 guy on a nightly basis. No team trades a guy with those numbers and who is still only 26. Anyone who thinks it will happen have ZERO idea and are saying this bullsh*t because your emotions arent in tact atm.
Sean May would be great but please stop with the trading Yao and Tracy ****. It's a waste of space and not going to happen whatsoever. Those guys are the cornerstones and were far from the reason's why we lost.
Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 9.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 apg in 26.6 minutes John Lucas 5-11 PG from Oklahoma State 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in 8.2 minutes Incoming Sam Cassell 6-3 PG from Florida State 12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.7 apg in 24.3 minutes Change in team outlook: -0.7 ppg, -3.8 rpg, and +2.4 apg. L.A. Clippers Trade Breakdown Outgoing Sam Cassell 6-3 PG from Florida State 12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.7 apg in 24.3 minutes Incoming Juwan Howard 6-9 PF from Michigan 9.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 apg in 26.6 minutes John Lucas 5-11 PG from Oklahoma State 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in 8.2 minutes Change in team outlook: +0.7 ppg, +3.8 rpg, and -2.4 apg. Successful Scenario Due to Houston and L.A. Clippers being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston and L.A. Clippers had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Sign Gerald Wallace for the full MLE. Sign PJ Brown for the vet's minimum. Re-sign Mutombo and Tsakalidis. PG: Cassell (10) Alston (30), Head (8) -> in the playoffs: Cassell (30), Alston (10), Head (8) SG: T-Mac (38), Head (8), Snyder (2) SF: Battier (38), Wallace (10) PF: Wallace (24), Hayes (16), PJ Brown (8) C: Yao (38), Mutombo (10) IR: Tsakalidis, Spanoulis, Novak (somehow develop him and give him minutes as a spot-up 3 point threat, though!) This would get us leadership and fire (Cassell) as well as athleticism (Wallace). Who to draft? I have no idea. Acie Law? And let him be tutored by Cassell so that he can then take over from Alston?
Get over it! We ain't trading the number one center in the NBA away. What we are going to do is get more out of the players we have and maybe add a real power forward and guard.
i'd have to agree NOT to trade yao or tracy. WE NEED A BACK UP POINT GUARD AND A BETTER PF. you can't allow rafer to stay out there for the minutes he plays and expect him to shoot drastically better. he would be much more efficient if we either got a better pg and he becomes back up, or actually get a back up pg and allow rafer to rest for at least 10-15 minutes a game. trading a yao would be a mistake, him and tracy did enough it was our other players that didnt step up to win. (putting aside that yao wasn't able to rebound enough..)
The nba has changed. Is the guard league now. If the rockets were to trade, i think they should trade Yao. Trade Yao/Vspan for Dwight Howard and Ariza. Why Magic will do this? Because with Yao, they will got low post presence and be a contender. There are no big men in the east plus yao bring instant revenue which the magic organization needs. The trade Juwan with his expiring contract to whichever team draft Yi Jian Lian. Yi is a prospect, I think team will accept the trade because of Juwan expiring contract which they can use to trade for veteran player then waiting for Yi to develop. Rockets new roster: D.Howard/Deke Hayes/Yi Battier/Ariza T-mac/Head Alston/ 1st round draft pick Les get Yi to replace Yao so he can continue to be a billionaire from chinese markets. With this new roster, the team is more athletic and incredible at defense! Howard may not be low post threat but his rebounding is the KEY. The rockets can run like when the period yao's out replacing old deke with D. howard! It will be a great team!
Luther needs to be traded, besides shooting the 3 in the REGULAR SEASON and [insert last name] , what else does he do for the team. He can't pass, dribble, defend, or finish above the rim consistently...hmm don't those sound like fundamentals
