<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font size="4">James thinks he's right for Rockets</font> Free agent wants to return to where he now calls home By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle DALLAS - When the Rockets weigh their free-agent options, one will stand out. He is not the perfect fit. He might not be the first choice. But he is in the books as the first to make his preference clear. Mike James, whom the Rockets sent to Toronto before last season to get the more traditional point play of Rafer Alston and because they did not want to lose James this summer as a free agent, wants to come back. More than that, he believes the Rockets should want him as much as he wants them. "Houston is my first choice," James said. "Seriously, Houston is home. My wife is from Houston. We just bought our house in Houston. I want to go home." James can even argue he would be a good fit, believing his shooting range and ballhandling would be ideal to take defenders away from Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and pressure off Alston. "I definitely could see myself on the court with Rafer," James said. "I think I could help him out a lot. And could you see me, Rafer, Juwan (Howard), Yao and Tracy on the court together? Teams could not double off anyone. "Everybody talks about my point-guard play, says I'm not a pass-first player. I'm not. I'm a make-the-play player. Whatever it takes to make the play, that's what I'm going to do. Whether it's scoring or passing, I'm going to make the play." Though the Raptors were among the league's worst teams, individually, James had a career year, averaging 20.3 points and 5.8 assists. He was fourth in the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 44.2 percent. That, however, could make him a hot commodity in an offseason short on point guards. Atlanta, in particular, has money to spend and a need for a point guard. The Rockets have a mid-level exception, likely worth about $5.4 million to start, but James will be 31 next season. This could be his last contract. He will look for more than mid-level. The Rockets, if they are to give their mid-level to one player, rather than split it among several (perhaps in a run at younger former second-round pick Vassilis Spanoulis) would likely look for younger and bigger help than James. But he made it clear who he believes would be the right choice. "I would love to go straight from my home to the arena," James said. "If I can do that the rest of my career, that's what I want to do. "I'm back in the gym already. I'm back working out with John Lucas already. I know if I want something better, I can't do the same things to get different results. I have to do different things to get different results. Now I'm boxing this summer. I'm training in different ways because I want to be better. "This season, every part of my game got better. Now, my main focus is coming back to H-Town." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3861692.html</div> I would love to see Mike James back. I don't want him running the offense, because that's why we got Rafer. But I do like his scoring ability, and for that I'll welcome him back. Van Gundy did say he wanted more PGs. We'll here's one that can score and is familiar to the system.The only problem I see is money. But being that he wants to come back, maybe the Rockets can work something out. Get it Done Rockets!
why would a player who got traded by a team go back to the team? wouldnt they feel like they werent welcomed so i dont see it happening.
Mike James is just saying this to generate some interest. The Rockets won't want him back for the MLE, and he won't settle for anything less than that. We got rid of him for a reason, and putting him at the two guard would mean a very undersized backcourt. I'd rather get a true shooting guard than a combo guard who will jack up even more shots at shooting guard.
I understand where hes coming from, but I would want him back...He was that spark that we lost off the bench. No one did that for us this year even with the injuries. Bring him as our point gaurd off the bench. As for signing him. Don't waste your MLE on him because we can get half of our MLE to Spanoulis to come play and still have more money for more role players.
God I would love to see Mike back......not only for his play, but also cause I miss saying "Mike James BEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOTCH!!!!"
Didn't he bash the houston organization and coaching staff? Now he wants back? Whats going on? I think right now if he did come back the only way he helps us is as a scoring spark when mcgrady is on bench and energizer but is a cancer like him really worth it?
I wouldn't mind having Mike James back on the Rockets if Sura is certain not to come back. Otherwise, I believe it would take too much to get him back. He is probably looking for a long-term contract at more than the MLE. It seems like the only possible way to get James would be through a sign and trade. Having him on the Rockets would help the Rockets offensive problems. The Washington Wizards proved in 1995 that you could have a team with three players taking the majority of the shots. In that year, Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, and Antawn Jamison averaged 25.5, 22, and 19.6 ppg. If James does come back to the Rockets, he needs to make adjustments to his game so that he is taking shots away from the other two players and not Yao or Mcgrady.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">God I would love to see Mike back......not only for his play, but also cause I miss saying "Mike James BEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOTCH!!!!" </div> ^ True that. Mike James is a scorer, and I think he will be a great fit back. He was simply amazing in the Houston-Dallas series last year (with the exception of game 7), and if T-Mac continues to have problems , James can take over. He was 4th in the league last year in 3-point percentage?!
He's a phenomonal talent, and scorer. But we need a REAL shooting guard. We've tried to play too many midgets at shooting guard, it's a recipe for disaster. I think it's time we get an athletic wingman that can finish strong and slash.
I can't make up my mind, but I can say that if he can moderate his shooting to be only a open shot shooter or scorer for when T-Mac and Yao are out then I think he would be great, BUT if he plays selfishly and shoots like none other....than no..
if he really wants to come back.. i think that he should take wat rockets offer him.. if he asks for more than mid level exception..he aint coming here.. but i would love to see him here.. i'd rather have him come off the bench and backup and alston than have a start at 2.. he could be a quick scorer off the bench and thats what we need.. he can also shoot the ball good too. with him averaging 20 ppg.. he'd be averaging 15 or 12 ppg off the bench.. i'd still take him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Umair15:</div><div class="quote_post">if he really wants to come back.. i think that he should take wat rockets offer him.. if he asks for more than mid level exception..he aint coming here.. but i would love to see him here.. i'd rather have him come off the bench and backup and alston than have a start at 2.. he could be a quick scorer off the bench and thats what we need.. he can also shoot the ball good too. with him averaging 20 ppg.. he'd be averaging 15 or 12 ppg off the bench.. i'd still take him.</div> Paying the MLE for a backup, is that really viable option though? I know guys like Brian Cardinal got the MLE, but James's ego has him thinking he could be an All-Star. Just because he gets to Houston won't mean he'd accept coming off the bench. In the article, he specifically states wanting to start at the two. If he doesn't get it, would he want to stay still?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">Paying the MLE for a backup, is that really viable option though? I know guys like Brian Cardinal got the MLE, but James's ego has him thinking he could be an All-Star. Just because he gets to Houston won't mean he'd accept coming off the bench. In the article, he specifically states wanting to start at the two. If he doesn't get it, would he want to stay still?</div> ey he is begging to come over here. I think watever rockets offer him, he will probably accept the offer since he wants to come over here really bad. But if he is that desperate to starr at 2, i wouldn't take him. We would have yet another undersized 2. I wouldn't take him then. But if he wants to come here that bad, be ready to come off the bench or dont come here at all.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Locke:</div><div class="quote_post">Paying the MLE for a backup, is that really viable option though? I know guys like Brian Cardinal got the MLE, but James's ego has him thinking he could be an All-Star. Just because he gets to Houston won't mean he'd accept coming off the bench. In the article, he specifically states wanting to start at the two. If he doesn't get it, would he want to stay still?</div> I think he would take whatever contract he can get as long as its not horribly low, this man was our 6th man last year and boosted our offence. He can take less than the MLE, his house is in Houston so he most likely will take it. He also would come off the bench for Rafer because he was injured for lots of time last year.
