58 replies to this topic

[rockets best fan]

pharmag:
in addition to going after washington's or toronto's pick portland owns new jersey's pick (top 3 protected) and the hornets owns minnesota's pick out right and utah owns the warriors pick (top 7 protected) looks like to me there is plenty of room to move up at least top 8

[rockets best fan]

rockets best fan: you had mentioned you saw pistol pete play. how long have you been following the rockets, out of curiosity?

if I told you that it would tell you my age and I would have to kill you. just kidding but I have been following the rockets since I was a little boy and I am almost a senior now sorry that's as close as I can get

[Rahat Huq]

if I told you that it would tell you my age and I would have to kill you. just kidding but I have been following the rockets since I was a little boy and I am almost a senior now sorry that's as close as I can get

Fair enough.

With the overall lack of interest in this team these days, always nice to see a new reader pop up.

[ChinaConor]

Fans here have spent most of their efforts thinking about how to improve the team for future seasons (and rightly so). Since the Rockets have 8 players under contract, 3 free agents they'd like to resign and at least one player to bring in from overseas I think it is likely that they will want to be trading at least 3 (and probably 4) of their current players for either one good player or future assets. As that is the case, I think finishing the season well and playing a competitive playoff series will be worth more than having the 14th pick in the draft (and losing next year's pick).

It would be best if the team rights the ship by winning 4 of the last 5 games and makes the playoffs. Then they'll have a chance for other teams to see their players play. In particular, Patterson, Budinger and Scola had disappointing seasons. A playoff series is a chance from them to prove they are valuable.

It was only a week ago that the Rockets were looking at a sixth seed and a primetime match up with the Lakers. This team has had so many swings back and forth. Just because the last week hasn't been awful doesn't mean that the team would play poorly in the playoffs. If they force the Spurs into a game seven it would great a good foundation for next season and make trade assets seem more appealing.

Further Morely and staff could use more of a chance to evaluate their own players. That will be particularly important in figuring out whether Lowry and Dragic can play together, whether Lee is good enough to start and how much to offer Lee and Dragic. Lee and Dragic haven't started very long. Before offering big contract I'd want as much data to evaluate as possible.

Of course the worse case scenerio might be that Dragic and Lee play greatand then Lee and Dragic get big offers elsewhere, but that everyone else sucks further eroding their trade value.

[rockets best fan]

ChinaConor:
I here ya and I agree, but that pick is looking pretty good right now in such a deep draft.

[pharmag]

pharmag:
in addition to going after washington's or toronto's pick portland owns new jersey's pick (top 3 protected) and the hornets owns minnesota's pick out right and utah owns the warriors pick (top 7 protected) looks like to me there is plenty of room to move up at least top 8

Certainly there is potential to move into the bottom 5 of the top 10, but then that begs the question of who you are going after. I think if you can get Barnes thats a good move, but with Motie potentially coming over and PPat and Scola on the roster, I think Sullinger would be a wasted pick. The other guys in that range are 2 PGs and a center. If you know you are going to lose Dragic or Lowry then moving up and grabbing one of the PGs might be a good idea, and we can always use a 7 foot center. However, then the question becomes, is the player you are picking up worth the multiple first round picks you will have to give up to get him.

[Lyfestyle]

with Motie potentially coming over and PPat and Scola on the roster, I think Sullinger would be a wasted pick.

Let's not forget that Motie might suck in the NBA, P-Pat hasn't shown more than back-up potential and Scola's only getting worse. Not that Sullinger would be the answer, but I hardly think we're "set" at any position besides point guard.

[rockets best fan]

Certainly there is potential to move into the bottom 5 of the top 10, but then that begs the question of who you are going after. I think if you can get Barnes thats a good move, but with Motie potentially coming over and PPat and Scola on the roster, I think Sullinger would be a wasted pick. The other guys in that range are 2 PGs and a center. If you know you are going to lose Dragic or Lowry then moving up and grabbing one of the PGs might be a good idea, and we can always use a 7 foot center. However, then the question becomes, is the player you are picking up worth the multiple first round picks you will have to give up to get him.

I wouldn't touch barnes with a ten foot pole. we have enough wing players. I would take perry jones out of baylor or henson fron north carolina if we could only get as high as 8th, but if we get higher say 5th or 6th I would take terrance jones from kentucky or robinson from kansas. I'm telling you this draft is loaded with the type of players we need. (IMO)if we get into the top 10 we really don't need to make a trade for an establish nba player. this draft is big on power forwards (a position we need badly). so(IMO) unless howard, gasol or cousins become available we need to look to the draft it get help.

[pharmag]

I am not a huge fan of Barnes either, and I think I like Parsons more, but I think the argument could be made that he has more potential than Parsons and Bud. With this all being speculation of course, there is no telling how much relevance this has. As for Perry Jones, I am an Aggie fan and have watch Baylor play alot. Jones does not like to play the PF position. He thinks he is a wing, so he wouldn't help us much as far as replacing our PF position. As for Robinson, I don't he falls out of the top 3 or 4. Jones would certainly be an option, but I have seen several mocks with the Rockets taking Henson with the Knicks pick. Not sure if he has been able to sky-rocket his value or not, but I definitely like that pick and why trade up if we can get him at 15. Of course this all goes back to the fact that we already have Scola, PPat and Motie (maybe) at the PF position. If we draft one of these PF guys, we may end up with another Morris who is a solid player, but can't find any playing time to develop. I am all for taking a PF, but we definitely need to move Scola or PPat (or Motie although I would hate to do that before we see what we have in him).

[Lyfestyle]

What about Al Jefferson? Couldn't we plug him into the middle? I know Favors and Kanter haven't shown much, but would Utah consider parting w/him?

[rockets best fan]

pharmag:
I agree. I would like to see what we have in motie b4 we make a decision on him. also henson may fall to 15 in the draft. that would be great, but I don't think he will. we must find us a big man this off season. I am not impressed with anything we have (camby is good but to old) at pf or center. I think this team is heavy on wing players. we have no one to protect the rim. now if the rockets decide not to move up I would look at meyers out of illinois or tyler zeller from north carolina.

[rockets best fan]

What about Al Jefferson? Couldn't we plug him into the middle? I know Favors and Kanter haven't shown much, but would Utah consider parting w/him?

my problem with big al is he can score with the best of them, but he doesn't protect the rim . I do think utah is going to trade him tho, because next year he is entering the final year of his contract and he is not in their future plans. same situation may also happen to milsap who is like entering his last year. since they already have young big men and possibly 2 top ten draft picks expect to see utah active.

[pharmag]

pharmag:
I agree. I would like to see what we have in motie b4 we make a decision on him. also henson may fall to 15 in the draft. that would be great, but I don't think he will. we must find us a big man this off season. I am not impressed with anything we have (camby is good but to old) at pf or center. I think this team is heavy on wing players. we have no one to protect the rim. now if the rockets decide not to move up I would look at meyers out of illinois or tyler zeller from north carolina.

Agreed. If I was to list what we needed to do this offseason, it would be the following:

Resign Dragic.
Trade Martin and find a young SG to back-up Lee.
Bring Motie over and trade PPat.
Release Dalembert and draft/sign a young Big to share time with Camby.

There are some other things I think need/could be done, but these are some definite needs.

[rockets best fan]

Agreed. If I was to list what we needed to do this offseason, it would be the following:

Resign Dragic.
Trade Martin and find a young SG to back-up Lee.
Bring Motie over and trade PPat.
Release Dalembert and draft/sign a young Big to share time with Camby.

There are some other things I think need/could be done, but these are some definite needs.

hey we got it worked out between us now if we can just get the rockets to do it. for that sg to share time with lee what do you think about making a run at mayo

[pharmag]

Depends. He is kinda pricey (albeit a cheaper version of Martin), but I do like him as a 6th man kind of player. This would make Bud expendable since he has kinda been that 6th man player. I like Bud, but he is a streaky shooter and he doesn't offer much else to the team. If you could resign Lee, Dragic and Camby, trade Martin and Patterson, snag Mayo and bring Motie over, release Bud and Dalembert, and draft a big, I would really like that two deep.

PG Dragic/Lowry
SG Lee /Mayo
SF Parsons/Morris
PF Scola/Motie
C Camby/Draftee

I'm not sure how the money would work (or if it would), but that would be a young, talented team.

[rockets best fan]

pharmag:
also on that last post. I would also make these players available for trade ( scola, martin, and bud). I give playing time behind parsons to morris so I could find out what I have in him. if we don't make the playoffs and end up with the 14th and 16th picks in this draft. I would try to trade a combination of these 2 picks with previously mentioned players and get as high in the draft as I can. draft the best big man I can get my hands on. bench any of martin, scola or bud that I didn't trade until I do find a trade for them as they have no future here. I know a lot of people don't like patterson but I do. he can be a nice role player, but not a starter.

Depends. He is kinda pricey (albeit a cheaper version of Martin), but I do like him as a 6th man kind of player. This would make Bud expendable since he has kinda been that 6th man player. I like Bud, but he is a streaky shooter and he doesn't offer much else to the team. If you could resign Lee, Dragic and Camby, trade Martin and Patterson, snag Mayo and bring Motie over, release Bud and Dalembert, and draft a big, I would really like that two deep.

PG Dragic/Lowry
SG Lee /Mayo
SF Parsons/Morris
PF Scola/Motie
C Camby/Draftee

I'm not sure how the money would work (or if it would), but that would be a young, talented team.

I was just writing this post when I saw your post. I think I am going to have to put my helmet on because you have somehow tapped into my brain waves

[pharmag]

rockets best fan, I like Patterson too, but I think it will be virtually impossible to find a trade partner for Scola with the years he has left. Also, if we are bringing Motie over, I would like for him to get a little tutelage behind Scola. A Scola/Camby pairing, although aging, would actually be a pretty solid front. Scola's rebounding has slipped and he has never been the greatest on defense, but Camby still excels in those two areas to offset, and both guys are solid offensive players in both the low and high post.

[Lyfestyle]

You guys seem to be putting a lot of thought into assembling a team that will win 45 games a year.

[rockets best fan]

pharmag:
I could live with that lineup. on a temp basis of course, but would still move scola asap. we can do a lot better in that position. I don't question scola's heart he just doesn't have the skill level necessary to compete in the west.

[rockets best fan]

You guys seem to be putting a lot of thought into assembling a team that will win 45 games a year.

if the rockets are not able to trade for a super star player, these are just moves too keep us moving in the right direction. besides I think you are under estimating how good this team can be.