When I asked Stern about his decision to overrule Hornets general manager Dell Demps, he said that he hadn’t ‘overruled’ anybody.  I responded that he had ‘revoked’ the trade.  Stern then remarked that he hadn’t ‘revoked’ the trade, but rather merely had not ‘signed off’.

If the Rockets are to be believed, Stern’s account of the events yesterday was a bald-faced lie.  In this December piece, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports that a source with knowledge of the talks stated that Stern had been informed of the negotiations throughout the entire process.  In addition, from that same article:

Say it-”-the CP3 deal would have been an unmitigated disaster for the Rockets.”

On the contrary, with the season having transpired as it has, of one thing I am more sure than ever: had the Gasol trade gone down, the Rockets would now be competing for one of the, if not the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Rockets currently sit just outside the playoff picture at 12-10 yet were it not for some monumental collapses against lesser opponents, they would now be occupying the 4th seed.  For the sake of evaluation, because those were uncharacteristic losses that should have been won (ie: they beat themselves against bad teams), we’ll take the middle ground and say that this current cast is a 6th seed.

How would adding Nene, Gasol, and Hayes in place of Scola, Martin, and Dalembert affect this lineup?  I think the output would be significantly higher.

Let’s first take Martin.  After a slow start, he’s put up a ton of points, and done well, to his credit.  But the team plays just as well with Courtney Lee who, while not as potent offensively as K-Mart, makes up for it at the other end.  There’s also the unexpected contributions of Goran Dragic who has been phenomenal at the 2-guard in closing games next to Kyle Lowry.  I would argue that because of their defense and grit, increased time for Dragic and Lee, in place of Martin, would make this a better team, but at the very least, I think they would replicate his net production.

Then you move to Scola/Dalembert vs. Nene/Gasol/Hayes and it’s not close, really.  The only downside you could even point toward for the latter group is diminished minutes for Patrick Patterson.  When factoring in his atrocious defense, Scola of late has been giving the team close to nothing with the aforementioned Patterson looking far more effective.  Dalembert would be a huge, huge loss, but the surplus contributions of Nene/Gasol/Hayes would more than outweigh that.  What you’d lose in shotblocking, you’d gain in positional defense from Hayes and Nene.  At the other end, you’d replace Scola’s output with the combined skillset of Nene and Gasol.  You’d also have a fresher Lowry with both Gasol and Hayes able to operate from the high post.

When the deal went down, I said that the team’s chances relied on its small forward play.  With rookie Chandler Parsons, despite recent shooting struggles, playing out of his mind in filling the ’3′ (playing ‘D’, cutting, bringing energy), the former problem would have been solved.

With the Knicks in turmoil, the Rockets could have been looking at adding a mid-range lottery pick to a core of Gasol, Nene, Hayes, Patterson, Morris, Parsons, Budinger, Lee, Dragic, Lowry, and Motiejunas.  That lineup is absolutely loaded and maybe the deepest in the West.  Depending on how Gasol aged, they would have had a three or four year window to compete in the West.  Painful.

The Rockets still have the Knicks pick due, and still own the rights to promising youngsters in Lowry, Parsons, Morris, and Patterson.  But short of a miracle Dwight Howard acquisition, it’s hard to see management putting together a team better than the one they had had for merely a few hours last December.

Only if Yao himself agrees that he is done. I haven’t read everything related to the latest, so I just don’t know. And more importantly, trying and doing are two separate questions.

But a couple things…

1.) It’s not going to be easy. Trading 17+ mill in expiring contracts is actually really difficult. Sure, you could get some trash, or 2nd tier players paid like stars. But what good does that do? Martin+Hill+a draft pick (the pick swap is now virtually worthless) was a great haul, but NY at least saw the slightest bit of potential in a TMac return.

2.) Yao is not Tracy in the sense he hasn’t worn out his welcome.

I don’t subscribe to the theory of Yao’s impact for Les in China being the reason he won’t be moved. As someone who actually does business in China, it’s just not that simple. But he’s a pretty chunky contract to try and move, and there are sentimental attachments as well. With Yao out of the picture, the return has to include some pretty attractive pieces — that begs the question why the other side is dumping them for salary reasons. There are no LeBron/Wade/Stoudemire/Bosh sweepstakes.

The only players last season to assist on 20% or more of teammate field goals (AST% > 20) and grab 10% of the rebounds on the floor (TRR > 10%) were LeBron James and Terrence Williams, the rookie. This is misleading, though, as LeBron assisted on nearly twice as many field goals as Williams. Their rebounding was about equal. It is important to note that Williams did this as a rookie. His rookie rebounding numbers top LeBron’s rookie numbers, and their rookie assist numbers are far more similar.

36.8% of his field goal attempts last year were at the rim. For comparison, LeBron shot 33.6% of his shots at the rim. Williams is not the greatest shooter, however, with an eFG% of .425 for his career. His free throw shooting is not great at 70%, so I wonder if his shot selection or his shooting ability is to blame for these numbers. Chuck Hayes is topping Williams in both measures this year, by the way

I’m not saying that Williams has the potential to be the next LeBron. What he does have is a rare combination of offensive lane presence, rebounding, and passing ability. His shooting is bad. His turnovers are bad. And he doesn’t draw enough fouls.

We will have to wait to see how he develops. If he works on his shooting, his shot selection, and his turnovers, Williams has the potential to be a unique player.

The Rockets have suffered an unexpected slow start to the current season, and examining the team as a whole reveals several interesting stats. By basketball-reference.com stats, the team offensive stats are a near duplication so far this season compared to last year, 107.5 points this year compared to 107.6 last year. Defensively, we have slipped slightly this year to 109.3 points allowed compared to 108.0 last year.

Thus, the Rockets are performing similarly to last year. So, why is this year’s record a dismal 3 wins and 8 losses? By statistics from basketball reference, we should be at 5 wins and 6 losses. The following stat may explain graphically what has changed so far this year, and is surprising.

Our stats for the C position are better this year than last using Yao and Miller as centers. Their offensive performance is up from last year’s 108 rate to 113. Defensively, they are allowing 108 which is up from 105 with Hayes. Overall, a positive differential of +3 points per game. No problem there.

Power forward position is a bright spot. Last year’s defensive stats are unchanged at 107, but offensive performance has improved from 108 to 118 using Scola’s stats for both years. That plus 10 is a significant number. PF is a positive aspect of this year’s team.

Small forward also shows a statistical dead-heat defensively for both years at 109. However, both Battier and Budinger are down from last year’s offensive production, down from 113 to 104. One more made 3 point shot between them per game would eliminate the offensive lack of production. Since Bud is shooting less than 20% from the 3 point line, this shortage will likely disappear as his shot starts dropping.

Shooting guard production has slipped slightly from last year’s team, from 111 to 113. However, the offensive production has improved from113 to 118, for a 5 point gain. Net result is a positive 3 points per game, which is good.

The point guard area is a statistical shocker. Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry have performed defensively to an approximate tie of allowing 110.5 points both last year and this year so far. However, their combined offensive production is down from last year’s 110 points to about 87 points per game. Brooks is averaging 19.9 points per 36 minutes this year, compared to 19.8 per 36 last year.

Lowry has dropped from averaging 13.5 points last year per 36 minutes to 6.8 points per 36 min. this year. Part of that decreased performance is found in his shooting fewer free throws, currently 3.8 compared to 5.7 per 36 min. last year. In addition, his success rate has diminished to scoring 2.4 free throws this year in 36 minutes compared to 4.7 last year. That loss of 2.3 points per 36 minutes via free throw is aggravated by committing an average of 1.1 fouls per game. Added to that, Lowry has gone from averaging 2.5 turnovers per 36 minutes last year to 4.3 this year.

Some of the statistical depreciation suffered by Lowry may be blamed on his back problems. That being said, it is easy to see how this season’s team has been losing games that might have been won last year. Try adding 6 points per game to Houston’s favor in the games that Lowry has played, and compare that record to our current one.

In a word, or perhaps far too many of them, this is in large part why Houston hasn’t been winning games that were there for the taking. Point guard performance has to be improved before success will replace failure, if stats don’t lie. And, in this case I don’t think that they do….

i prefer RA. team is more fun to watch. Van Gundy has never won anything either. I care more about watching a fun team that plays hard and makes the postseason regularly than winning a title.

It’s a topic better suited for Scientific American than ESPN TrueHoop but one of great personal interest nonetheless: what drives our passion to view sports?

I’ve always been one to prefer the sense of ‘true contention,’ holding that three seasons of total irrelevance followed by one with serious title chances is a more desirable scenario than four seasons of mid-seeded playoff berths.  But with this worldview, haven’t I reduced sports to something extrinsic to its essence, pursuant of a cynical end?  Is the point of sports winning or enjoyment?

The latter scenario is probably better for business…until total apathy sets in.

I just read the Bill Simmons piece about the Team USA gold medal game. One particular paragraph caught my attention:

“One of the frustrating things about this tournament: (Andre) Iguodala has been a revelation as a fourth banana/swing defender/energy guy/uber-athlete, which really should have been his NBA destiny — mega-glue guy on a great team, like a much more devastating version of Trevor Ariza on the 2008-09 Lakers — only we don’t have nearly enough quality players to fill 30 NBA teams, so instead he’s forced to carry a lottery team, take terrible shots, play with inferior teammates and do everything that the Basketball Gods never meant for him to do. He’s like Roger Sterling in “Mad Men” — you don’t want him carrying the show, but in short doses, harnessed correctly, he can be a weapon. I had given up on Iguodala as a meaningful basketball player; now I think he’ll be reincarnated on a contender within the next two seasons. He’s one trade away.”

I’m thinking that Simmon’s assessment is pretty spot on here. If Iguodala can do for the Rockets what he did for Team USA, would he be the “missing piece?” What does everyone think?

I’ve said for some time that Iguodala fits the culture of this team so well it’s sickening.  With that said, is adding what amounts to a super-glue guy, and blowing all of our assets in the process, enough to take this team over the top?  I’m not so sure.  By virtue of Simmons’ observations, Iguodala would undoubtedly improve this team.  Having said that, they still would be without an alpha dog, something which I still feel is the main missing ingredient.

In Part 1, I wrote:

Calculated risks are a big element of team management. This Houston Rockets team had a nucleus last year which, if healthy, could have realistically contended for the championship. If Daryl Morey felt that the probability of Artest’s presence pushing the team into the elite outweighed the odds that Donte Greene himself ever became elite, then the trade was justified. And I do think this was the case.

As we know, Omri Casspi is what that other pick included in the deal became and he is a legitimate NBA player, certainly making the merits of the initial deal a bit more open for debate.  But I still stand by my earlier stance.  That Houston Rockets team, as composed, if healthy, had all the ingredients for a title run.  For a stronger chance at a championship, in ammunition in the person of Ron Artest, dealing two late first-rounders in an era when they can be bought for pocket change was a no-brainer.

Just wondering if you’ll be addressing the recent news of the 76ers and their willingness to trade the 2nd overall pick (most likely Turner) only along with Brand. I’m curious on what your thoughts on it would be.

Thus far, I’ve refrained from commenting on the draft.  As my exposure to these prospects is limited to scant tournament coverage and online clips, I just don’t know enough about any of these guys to feel comfortable passing any judgment.

I can say a few things, which will come to most as, I think, fairly intuitive.  First, there seems to be a misunderstanding of that ESPN report regarding the pick.  The cost would not simply be absorption of Brand’s contract.  (ie: you could not just offer Jeffries and Battier and satisfy Philadelphia’s demands.)  Taking back Brand is merely the stipulation that would drive the remaining cost for a #2 pick down to somewhat reasonable levels.  You would still need to include plus-assets to get this done.

Daryl Morey values flexibility.  It’s what allows a club to get the most out of its salary cap.  At the same time, it is undeniable that moreso than any other team sport, the preponderance of one individual can have immeasurable effects.  And the draft is invariably the cheapest route to obtain greatness, if even in its infancy.

There is also the rumor, recently tweeted by Larry Coon, that the new collective bargaining agreement may include some form of one-time grace provision for undesirable long-term deals.    We don’t know so it would certainly be a risk.

Are either of Evan Turner or DeMarcus Cousins worth sacrificing that flexibility?  I don’t know, so I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.

I’ve thought for a while Houston seemed like a very logical landing place for Chris Bosh.

It’s close to his home, but not actually in Dallas, where he would face tons of distractions.

They have all kinds of pieces to entice the Raptors to pull off a sign-and-trade.

A 1st round pick from the Knicks, the right to swap picks with the Knicks if the Knicks are worse than the Rockets, decent young players like Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger and Kyle Lowry, plus reasonably-priced vets like Shane Battier (though he’d probably be bought out so he could return to Houston) and Trevor Ariza.

via Houston makes sense for Bosh | Courtside | Blogs | Toronto Sun.

Found this interesting for a few reasons:

• I had never considered the possibility of a Battier buyout, which would really be a great situation for the Rockets.  However, I see next to zero chance of that happening – you would figure that Battier would hold at least some value for a subsequent deal at the deadline, perhaps to a contender such as Portland.
• Kyle Lowry is not a “decent young player” but rather, perhaps the best player on the Houston Rockets.  Rest assured, he will not be included as some sort of inconsequential afterthought as is seemingly being implied.  If he’s in the deal, it’s because it morphed into a bidding war with other suitors upping the ante (with the likes of Beasley and Jeff Green.)  Even then, good luck convincing the restricted free agent guard to agree to the deal.  Kyle Lowry will be a Houston Rocket next season.  I can almost guarantee that.
• Final note concerns the distinction between playing at home and playing close to home as Wolstat articulates what I had earlier implied to the confusion of some readers.  Bosh allegedly does not want to sign with Dallas due to the existent distractions.  But this aversion does not mean that the proposition of being nearby would not hold some appeal.  That one does not want friends and family constantly around does not mean that having the option of the occasional drop-in wouldn’t be attractive.  And with that, it’s safe to say we’ve ventured entirely too far in micro-analyzing Bosh’s alleged requirements…

None of these pieces were available to Houston last season: Jordan Hill, a lottery pick, the rights to flip first round picks with the Knicks in 2011, a 2012 Knicks first round pick, Chase Budinger, the expiring contract of Jared Jeffries and Sergio Llull.

Add Shane Battier (expiring contract and desired by contending teams) and Aaron Brooks (rising star at a bargain price for one more year) to a considerations list and look out — it’s not a matter of “if” the Rockets acquire a bigger name star but “when”.

The “who” is another story altogether. Free agent Chris Bosh and potential free agent Amare Stoudemire will get the most attention, but the Rockets are actually better positioned to acquire a player already under contract to a team looking to get out from underneath the financial burden, as they did with Martin. While not the ideal fit in Houston, Timberwolves power forward Al Jefferson could find himself in that exact position. It’s a stretch right now, but depending on the direction Boston heads after these playoffs, the declining Kevin Garnett may as well.

Whoever they target, you can just about guarantee the Rockets will make a big trade before the February 2011 deadline.

Dave Hardisty, founder of Houston Rockets message board Clutchfans.net, writing in his annual season recap, mentions Minnesota Timberwolves forward/center Al Jefferson as a potential offseason trade target for the Houston Rockets.

While not Bosh, Jefferson would be an enticing addition.  While the injury history is frightening, I have for some time considered Al to be the most offensively gifted center in basketball.  The 25-year-old would immediately become option A in the Houston offense.

Viewing the numbers at 82games, it immediately caught my eye that Jefferson shoots 57% from the floor in 4th quarter or overtime with under 5 minutes remaining and neither team ahead by more than 5 points.  For a Rockets team that often struggles scoring in the clutch, that late-game dominance could be attractive.  (Unfortunately, Jefferson shoots only 68% from the stripe which greatly mitigates that prowess.)

Utilizing the Synergy Sports database, I found that Jefferson shoots 56% in pick&roll situations, boasting a very fluid jumpshot, something which could come as a serious boon in this offense.

However, what I find most interesting was that Big Al has three years remaining on his contract, the same number as Kevin Martin.  With the window on Yao Ming’s prime closing, the Houston Rockets could set themselves up with a timely escape route in 2013.

click to enlarge

Chris Bosh should still be the primary target this summer for the Houston Rockets.  Jefferson’s overwhelming preference in the paint is a concern – not nearly as many options as would be provided with Bosh.

Still, if the Bosh route fails, Al Jefferson would be quite the consolation prize.  Given the concerns over his compatibility with Kevin Love, and Minnesota’s purported preference for the latter, I do think Jefferson could be available at a palatable cost.

As much as Chris Bosh seemed to be the obvious target for the Rockets, there was a sense that they would be trying to hit on a long shot with so many teams having the cap room the Rockets do not.

That no longer seems likely to be too much of a hurdle. It might be simply about winning the recruiting battle. That is challenge enough, but it does seem the Raptors have accepted that Bosh will be leaving, and that he will go in a sign-and-trade deal.

In quotes in Doug Smith’s blog this week, Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo sounded as if he was getting ready to negotiate with Bosh’s next team, rather than with Bosh.

“The other thing that you should know is that there is a whole other universe of teams out there … teams that are over the cap, and would be interested in Chris Bosh and may have assets that we may have interest in,” Colangelo said.

“Assuming that Chris would rather play somewhere else and he gives us a list of teams with which he would be agreeable to go play then we can delve further into the topic of, okay, what would we want to get back from that team.

“I just have to tell you that that’s being evaluated, it has been evaluated, it will continue to be evaluated and we will try to maximize our opportunity in the event that that’s the course of action.”

In other words, Bosh is out of here. Get your offers ready.

via Of Brooks, Bosh and (again) the Rockets season that was | NBA | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

Confirming what we thought we already knew as Daryl Morey has been saying since the deadline that he thought there would be opportunities available via the sign&trade route.

I have been saying for some time that Houston Rockets fans should be hoping for a Cleveland championship this postseason as the value of our Knicks picks depend on it.

But you should add another wish to the list: hope that Lakers center Andrew Bynum has a strong performance this May.  At least strong enough to make LA balk at dealing him.  As it stands, Bynum is probably the most enticing trade chip likely to be available in Bosh sign&trade talks.

Dallas will also be a favorite, not just because it is Bosh’s hometown, but because of the nature of center Erick Dampier’s non-guaranteed expiring contract.  Oklahoma City could offer guard Eric Maynor or even forward Jeff Green.

There will be no dearth of suitors.  Ultimately, the decision will be in Bosh’s hands.  It does seem he will not be returning to Toronto.

I see Houston as the Texas team that has the best shot at Bosh, because (A) I know that the Rockets have serious interest and (B) there are concerns in Big D that Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki are too similar. – Marc Stein

via Free Agency Dime: Chris Bosh – ESPN.

Check out ESPN’s feature on Chris Bosh where all six experts slotted his chances of remaining with the Raptors at 10% or under.

I’ve used this same space to explain how Chris Bosh would be a dream fit for the Houston Rockets. The challenge will be convincing the 26 year old All-Star to that mindset.

I must ask: which other destination gives Bosh the chance to contend for a title while claiming all the glory as the man if that feat is accomplished?  I can’t think of any one other than Houston.

Chris could go to New York, Miami, or Chicago, and team up with Lebron, Wade, or Derrick Rose, but he wouldn’t be the man.  He could force a sign and trade to LA, Portland, or Dallas, but again, those teams have superstars entrenched as the resident alpha-dog.

If Chris Bosh comes to Houston, he will find a young, deep supporting cast that almost made the playoffs without its best player, and one of the smartest front offices in basketball.  He’ll join Yao Ming who, while making things easier for him inside, will be relegated to a reduced role going forward, taking enough of a backseat that this would indisputably be Chris’ team.

It’s funny you say that, because I was thinking about it. I was just looking at what people say and it’s like, ‘Chris is going to go here and play with him or this, this and that.’ I’m like, ‘Wait a minute.’ I feel like I should be built around. And maybe that’s just my ego talking, but I feel that I’m a very good player in this league and I’m only going to get better. – Chris Bosh

Perhaps I’m making too much of Bosh’s comments.  But if his ego is a consideration in this process, the Houston Rockets make too much sense as a final destination.

Guard Kyle Lowry, who will be a restricted free agent, said he wanted to find a starting position, but would be happy if the Rockets match any offer he receives as general manager Daryl Morey said he plans.

“I want to be a starter,” Lowry said. “I want to play. I want a chance to be that guy. Playing behind Aaron (Brooks) this year was great. I think we work together well. I want a chance to expand my game and experience new things. But I’d be happy to be back.”

via Rockets notes: Lowry weighs leaving for starting spot | NBA Basketball | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

I don’t think there’s any way that Daryl Morey allows Kyle Lowry to leave.  The numbers show Lowry’s importance to this team – Morey will match any offer.

Still, call me crazy, but if I’m the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m making Lowry an offer, tax implications be damned.  The Lakers absolutely must upgrade the point guard spot this summer.  They’re cheating themselves if they continue on with Derek Fisher.

With a quick glance at the list of this summer’s free agent point guards, restricted and unrestricted, we find that Ray Felton, TJ Ford, Shaun Livingston, Randy Foye, and Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry are at the head of the class.

Among that group, Ford, Livingston, and Foye, despite their offensive skills, would not make for good fits in the Lakers’ lineup.  The utmost concern for the Lakers at the ’1′ should be defense and either Felton or Lowry would provide just that.  With his ability to push the ball on the break, Lowry would also add a different dynamic to that team.

Lowry will be back, but he makes great sense for the Lakers.

“If it don’t happen this summer, I’ll ride off into the sunset,” McGrady told reporters before sitting out the Knicks’ season finale, a 131-113 loss at Toronto.

“If I could go through another offseason of working my [butt] off, and I don’t feel I’m getting any better, I can’t see myself coming back playing the way I’m playing right now. I just don’t see it happening,” he said.

via Tracy McGrady of New York Knicks says he’ll retire if he can’t regain form – ESPN New York.

You have to really hand it to Daryl Morey and Rick Adelman on this one.  They knew all along that former Houston Rocket guard Tracy McGrady was finished, held him out before that became abundantly clear, and extracted a king’s ransom through his banishment.

At the same time, it should be clear that Donnie Walsh and the Knicks were not duped.  That trade was never about McGrady the player.

I shudder to think of the state wherein we would lie had T-Mac not been dealt.  The Houston Rockets would be facing the prospect of certain mediocrity while also being capped out.  Instead, they’re in position to realistically contend next year and have the assets to make a run at a Class A free agent.

I really hope it is fully appreciated just how much was at stake, and just how much was accomplished on February 18th.

Since Martin arrived, Ariza has been taking far less shots per game. He has also cut his amount of long two-point jumpers per game in half, and has slightly increased his number of three-point attempts per game. This is a good thing for the team – less shots from Trevor, period.

So, while having Martin on the court hasn’t necessarily made Ariza a better shooter (perhaps he would have more open shots with Kevin playing), Martin’s presence has limited Trevor’s wild shooting, thus benefitting the team. Yes, it’s a small sample size, but it’s also a step in the right direction.

via MythBusting: Does Kevin Martin Make Trevor Ariza Better? – The Dream Shake.

Tom Martin of The Dream Shake has compiled the numbers on Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza with and without Kevin Martin and there are some interesting findings.  In my opinion, what’s most significant, more than the reduced number of shot attempts, is the reduced number of long two-point jumpers.

With Ariza, the critical gauge is, not shot attempts, but usage. If Trevor takes 20 shots in a game, but they are all open 3′s or cuts to the basket, that’s acceptable.  What hurts the team is when he attempts to create his own shot off the dribble.

As I explained earlier, due to his skillset, Kevin Martin’s presence drastically alters Ariza’s usage.  The numbers on those long 2′s are indicative of this.  Trevor Ariza does not come off screens for long 2′s like Ray Allen or Chase Budinger, nor does he pump fake the kickout 3 for closer 2′s.  Long 2′s are also never of the spot-up variety because players space out behind the arc, not in front of it.  For Trevor Ariza, long 2′s almost always come off his own dribble, in his attempts to create for himself.

So I agree with Tom.  While Ariza’s shooting hasn’t statistically improved, the difference is benefiting the team.  You can live with Trevor Ariza missing open shots.  What kills you is when he uses up clock and possessions to do it.

With just 17 games remaining, Brooks is by far the Rockets’ most viable award candidate. The Rockets have not won an individual NBA performance award since Steve Francis was the Co-rookie of the Year in 2000, and if Brooks becomes their first-ever Most Improved winner, it would be a breakthrough for a team that has not had an All-Star, player of the month or player of the week selection this season.

via Improvement is ongoing for Rockets guard Brooks | NBA Basketball | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

Not that it matters, but I have always found this award to be so inaptly named.  It’s true that Houston Rockets guard Aaron Brooks has improved this year – he’s made huge strides with his interior passing and overall decision making.  But the irony at play is that the considerations are being made on the basis of his scoring increase.  As is almost always the case for recipients of this award, that increase has for the most part been a function of increased usage/opportunity, not actual improvement, in the literal sense.

I suppose it would be too difficult to objectively evaluate improvement from a league-wide scope.  Still, at least change the name to Breakout Player of the Year or something of that ilk.

Rockets rookie Jordan Hill moved into the rotation in the three games with David Andersen out, but Luis Scola averaged 42.5 minutes per game. Andersen’s perimeter shooting could allow him to play with Hill inside.

“I think Jordan can play the four and David the five,” Adelman said. “Like I told the team, we have more guys than we had before. Now guys have to play hard all the time the whole time they are on the floor. You’re probably not going to play extended minutes so the time you’re out there you got to go hard, you maybe have to do more than you were before.”

via Rockets notes: Andersen ready to return to court | NBA Basketball | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

David Andersen makes his triumphant return to the lineup tonight for the Houston Rockets, admittedly, much to my chagrin.  I have been a solid backer of Andersen since his signing, even despite his struggles, but it’s common knowledge that Jordan Hill has the far greater upside and potential to impact this team.  I worry that Hill’s minutes will be reduced – it is well known that with Rick Adelman, players do not lose their spot in the rotation over injuries.

Whether for his development or for the building of his trade value prior to this summer, it is imperative that Jordan Hill is given a healthy dose of minutes for the remainder of this season.

If you’re bitter at him, don’t be. I’ve been around plenty of bad guys, and I can tell you McGrady is a good guy. He may have a big ego, may see himself as the equal of Kobe and Michael, but there’s no sin in that.

via Justice: McGrady’s time has come and gone | NBA Basketball | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.

This was a very classy piece by Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle.  Few things are greater cause for embarrassment than a bitter attack after a bad breakup.  It happened when Tracy left Orlando.

With a divorce this messy, there was a lot that could have been said.  I’m glad we took the high road; I’m glad we’re better than that.

I always try and see into the future, as we all do, but through the lens of how different things looked five years ago from where we are now. Seeing Wade tear it up his rookie year, we still didn’t know he’d become this. So we wonder where these guys we now see as “great” but not superstars will end up. Not everyone winds up in the top five players of their generation,but that doesn’t mean they weren’t terrific in their time. Perhaps no team embodied that more than the Rockets, who had one all-timer and then a bunch of guys who you wouldn’t call awesome, but you definitely didn’t want to meet on the floor for 48 minutes.

You don’t want to run into Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry for 48 minutes.

It’s always interesting to get an outside perspective because our own can often be clouded by subjective emotion.  These past few weeks, with this most unanticipated of transformations taking place before our eyes, I too have begun to wonder what will come of Houston Rockets forward Carl Landry.  Will this be remembered as the moment when the unlikeliest of stars was born or will it fizzle as the product of an eager opportunism?

“of course pay attention to t-mac. but the article commences when he enters the game! that is over the top. they have been taking out top teams without him. why do you think adelman was reluctant to put him on the floor? you are reinforcing the AP press outlook on the rockets by constantly harping on about t-mac and understating the other players (noteworthy) achievements.”

I want to reiterate, as I had said in my introductory post:

“Overall, my intent is to take a greater macro approach to my analysis of the Houston Rockets.  I’m not particularly concerned with the outcome of each game but rather the factors that are conducive to future growth.  What do we observe in the present that will bear impact upon tomorrow?  That is the lens through which I will proceed.”

Readers will note that I rarely make mention of the outcome of any particular game or even of any of the more obvious factors which impacted its decision.  This may come as odd as it is certainly not in accordance with the normal scope of a sports blog, but it is with good reason.  Game summaries can be extracted from any of the numerous other venues providing coverage on the team.  Red94 is not replacement reading; it is supplemental reading for a targeted ‘die-hard’ audience.

My purpose is not to cheer on the Houston Rockets in their game by game advancement through the 2009 schedule.  My intent with Red94 is to examine the greater overall trends that are germane to the team’s future potential for contention.  If the Rockets win at the buzzer on a Chuck Hayes ‘3’, that has very little predictive value, and thus, is of very little interest.  But if Chuck Hayes suddenly begins shooting 50% from behind the arc, that is a significant development in that it would drastically alter the team’s dynamic.

My day-to-day selections on focus may appear arbitrary and to the exclusion of many relevant factors.  This is simply due to a lack of feasibility.  It’s just not possible to conduct simultaneous assessments while giving each their due diligence.

Thus far, I’ve looked at Trevor Ariza’s skillset, Carl Landry’s ability to score in the post, and Tracy McGrady’s potential role in this offense.  More themes will be discussed in depth as the season unfolds.  Their present omission does not imply disregard.

“Point being, we are now bound together by a common hope: that our two talented and beloved big men can come back to fill the void their absence has left behind; that we can watch them go head-to-head once more, unburdened by the pain of the past and instead enjoying the sight of two of the game’s premiere big men battling each other at the height of their powers.

Their cities deserve such a sight. So, too, do their teams. But more than anyone, this Promethean pair deserves it. Thus, it is for them, and for all of us, that I hold out hope. I know they won’t give up. Neither, then, will I.”

As Jason Friedman so eloquently put it, “we are now bound together by a common hope.”

The Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers seek solace in the comfort of company.  From an unspoken rivalry in management and their 6 game battle upon the hardwood floors, to their newfound common consternation, it truly can be said that misery acquaints strange bedfellows.

With that said, I can’t empathize at the level which has been assumed of our fanbase.  Frankly, when Yao Ming was ruled out for the year, I only felt a calm numbness; his injury was the realization of a foregone conclusion.  Luck had simply run out, the odds merely validated.

In my eyes, Yao’s 77 game ’09 campaign was house money; a suspension of inevitability.  The 21 year old Oden seemed past his problems, finally displaying the defensive prowess for which he was so widely heralded.  For Greg, only greener pastures had lay ahead.  Greg had a future.  Yao, to me, was already nearing the end.

This apparent belittlement of my own grief may come as odd.  It is true that Yao’s injury abruptly thwarted an outside hope for the title.  This is clearly significant.  But it did not carry the long term ramifications that make this blow so crippling for Blazer Nation.  It did not plant angst of the unraveling of a dynasty foretold.

Time will tell how Oden recovers from this latest setback.  He has youth at his aid and by all accounts, an unyielding resolve.  But I can’t feel the pain of the Rose Garden for lack of similitude; I can only sympathize and offer condolence.  I wasn’t there when Houstonians wondered if Ralph would ever again be the same.  I was only there when for Yao, the writing on the wall became legible.  To me, the latter cannot compare to the case of Greg Oden.