<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">1) Stromile Swift - Houston Rockets This incredible athlete has been playing behind Pau Gasol and Lorenzen Wright in Memphis for the past couple of years, itching for the chance for more playing time. For his career he has averaged 21 minutes a game. With Juwan Howard's heart ailment and Vin Baker's effectiveness dwindling, Swift will be handed the starting position on a silver platter. Assuming his production is proportional with the minutes he will be getting, and being surrounded by such talent as Yao Ming and Tracey McGrady; look for Swift to breakout to the tune of 15-16ppg, 8rpg and 2bpg and be a regular on the plays of the night. Also look for Yao Ming to benefit from having a legitimate PF who will relieve him of the constant poundings opposing defenses dish out on him. </div> Link
yup that is to be expected. Andre Iguodala should have a good year as a starter as well. he seems to be swift's best compition along with some others on that list. good find
yeah I think Swift will give us 14 ppg, and 8-9 boards per game, and thats a vast imporvement over the 9/5 that he averaged last season...
Nice read Trip. I agree with everyone else so far, Swift is looking at the possibility of one heck of a breakout season. The Rockets finally have a legit PF next to Yao that can capitalize on the double-teams Yao and T-Mac will face. Swift could easily put up 15 ppg, 8 boards/game and a couple blocks a game. Considering Juwan's stats from last year, like Houston said, this alone is a drastic upgrade for us. Swift should thrive in both the Rockets' offense and defense this year.
..One question. Where's my NBA Season. I want to see the home-opener sooo bad. As for the Swift deal. I can't wait for his first offical game along with DA.
Swift could very well have big numbers this season. Last season was a bit of a drop from his career, so in a good 35 min -which i would like him to play- I see him giving us 16, 10, and 2.7.
i think 16 10 2.7 is to much for him. Even though were asking alot from him and expectations for the team is high but thats way to high
I really think that Swift will do AWESOME this year. He has that awesome weak side blocking ability, and I can already see the oops that are gonna be thrown to him. Either way, the only time he'll posterize Yao now is in practice
Don't mean to dampen everyone's spirits, but Swift is a player who has never averaged more than 6 rebounds a game. I don't think he would be good enough to average any more than 8 in his first season, as this is a guy who does not box out very well and depends solely on his leaping ability to grab rebounds. Also, since Yao will definitely play more minutes, it's only reasonable that he get more than the 8.4 rebounds he averaged last season. Couple that with the 13 boards that Sura/McGrady get, Swift might even have to settle for 7. That being said, I do think that Swift will help the team with his role of weakside shotblocker, and if he can work on his defensive game, he might just be Kelvin Cato with more offensive skills.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Don't mean to dampen everyone's spirits, but Swift is a player who has never averaged more than 6 rebounds a game. I don't think he would be good enough to average any more than 8 in his first season, as this is a guy who does not box out very well and depends solely on his leaping ability to grab rebounds. Also, since Yao will definitely play more minutes, it's only reasonable that he get more than the 8.4 rebounds he averaged last season. Couple that with the 13 boards that Sura/McGrady get, Swift might even have to settle for 7. That being said, I do think that Swift will help the team with his role of weakside shotblocker, and if he can work on his defensive game, he might just be Kelvin Cato with more offensive skills.</div> true Trip, but he did average 5 in the 21 minutes he played for memphis last year, so its reasonable to think he can give us 8 or so in 25-30 minutes...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Houston:</div><div class="quote_post">true Trip, but he did average 5 in the 21 minutes he played for memphis last year, so its reasonable to think he can give us 8 or so in 25-30 minutes...</div> The problem is Swift's inconsistency. He is some who can get 13 rebounds one night in 20 minutes then just 3 in 34 minutes. Just looking at his game by game stats from last season, you could tell. Over a stretch of games, his rebounding numbers can be 8, 8, 3, 1, 4, 3, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 4, 4. When he's committed and playing with intensity on the court, Swift can get 12 boards no problem, but he hasn't been able to maintain that intensity for five seasons with Memphis. I just believe it's a bit premature to think that he would suddenly be so much more concentrated.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TmacGarnett:</div><div class="quote_post">i think 16 10 2.7 is to much for him. Even though were asking alot from him and expectations for the team is high but thats way to high</div> Yeah, i might have exagerated a bit, but he is capable of putting stats close to that. If we make him into a third option, i think he could give us over fifteen. Swift is only 25, he is capable of playing big minutes, unlike most people on our team, i think if we see him double his minutes than there will be a dramatic increase in stats. Rebounds are spread around, but the PF is always going to have teh best shots at them, and swift is a good rebounder, no reason he cant give us a double double in big minuts. With the rockets, swift could come in with a more positive attitude. HE was never really happy having to play behind gasol and his minutes arent garunteed that he can take it easy. I guess we just have to wait to see how he turns out.
I think alot of you guys are over estimating this guy , kind of like what laker fans are doing with kwame brown. At best he should be a good role player, its known he lacks a killer sense. Some of u guys are making it like he's gonna get better numbers than yao.
You also have to imagine what he'll be like playing with Yao and T-Mac and playing under JVG. If he doen't try, Jeff will have absolutly NO problem benching him. I think stro knows that and I think he'll work his ass to make sure he plays his best every night.
plus we have the best coach for defense to coach stro to greatly increase his half court defense on other PFs and we have patrick ewing to mentor him into an offensive machine which is very possible with his athletism
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If he doen't try, Jeff will have absolutly NO problem benching him. I think stro knows that and I think he'll work his ass to make sure he plays his best every night.</div> He also supposedly knew that with Mike Fratello. I think a lot of you guys are way too high on him. He's a good player no doubt, but he won't be averaging the numbers you guys say he will. Swift had two great disciplinary coaches in Fratello and Brown and yet, he hasn't been able to keep his intensity level up. Some nights he's lazy while others he goes off. And yes, those two really had no problem sending him to the pine. Just take a look at those rebounding numbers Trip posted. Really, only him can change this problem and maybe McGrady and Yao will get him pumped up. But really, thats no different. He had a slew of great players in Memphis, yet he underachieved. Anyways, we'll see.
