Given what we have so far, what'll it be? Yao Scola Shane Tmac Rafer/Francis ^ That looks like a super solid lineup to me And just for fun, the 2nd unit: Deke/Butler Scola Hayes Bonzi Francis/Brooks ^ Super solid 2nd unit too don't you think?
Yao Scola battier McGrady James/ Fancis (tough call. I think they will share mins equally until one proves themself... Rafer will be gone) 2nd unit. Mutombo Hayes Wells Head Francis/James/Brooks (i really can't pick at the PG position man) @nd unit is really small but really quick (minus deke).
Here's my projected depth chart: PG - Steve Francis / Mike James / Rafer Alston (if kept) / Aaron Brooks / John Lucas SG - Tracy McGrady / Luther Head / Steve Francis / Kirk Snyder SF - Shane Battier / Bonzi Wells / Tracy McGrady / Justin Reed PF - Luis Scola / Chuck Hayes / Carl Landry / Steve Novak / Mike Harris C - Yao Ming / Jackie Butler That's way too crowded. I got a lot of flack for saying the Rockets should have looked for a center with their late first round pick, but with the way this roster's shaping up, I still stand by that.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Here's my projected depth chart: PG - Steve Francis / Mike James / Rafer Alston (if kept) / Aaron Brooks / John Lucas SG - Tracy McGrady / Luther Head / Steve Francis / Kirk Snyder SF - Shane Battier / Bonzi Wells / Tracy McGrady / Justin Reed PF - Luis Scola / Chuck Hayes / Carl Landry / Steve Novak / Mike Harris C - Yao Ming / Jackie Butler That's way too crowded. I got a lot of flack for saying the Rockets should have looked for a center with their late first round pick, but with the way this roster's shaping up, I still stand by that.</div> Crowded indeed.. but I believe Morey's not done with the roster. Also I think we're fine at the C position. We'll have Yao, Butler, and Deke (assuming he resigns). It might be a little risky if we only have Yao and Butler, but I think Butler can improve nicely. He's still very young.
<div class="quote_poster">SupraJames Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Crowded indeed.. but I believe Morey's not done with the roster. Also I think we're fine at the C position. We'll have Yao, Butler, and Deke (assuming he resigns). It might be a little risky if we only have Yao and Butler, but I think Butler can improve nicely. He's still very young.</div> Butler would be good in a reserve's role, but the problem is that Yao has had injury problems these past two years, and what if they continue into next season? Is Butler really ready to step into a starting role? Even healthy, Ming only plays around 30 mpg every season because of fatigue and foul trouble, leaving Butler to play around 18 mpg. I wonder if Scola can log time as a five.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Butler would be good in a reserve's role, but the problem is that Yao has had injury problems these past two years, and what if they continue into next season? Is Butler really ready to step into a starting role? Even healthy, Ming only plays around 30 mpg every season because of fatigue and foul trouble, leaving Butler to play around 18 mpg. I wonder if Scola can log time as a five.</div> Well, Yao gets 35 minutes on the regular now. Last season, he got 34 a game. Nowadays, fatigue doesn't keep him out of games as much as foul trouble. With the additions of Francis and Mike James, our perimeter should be less penetrable. Alston used to gamble a lot, so with him out of the starting lineup, Yao figures to save a few fouls. It's very hard to picture the three-headed monster at point guard co-existing though, and it seems Alston will most likely be gone. Brooks needs to develop, too. Most think that James will start over Francis and have Francis fill an instant offense role off the bench, but James was that guy in 2005 and he did a great job with it. Francis came off the bench last year for New York and was much less effective than when he was a starter.
<div class="quote_poster">Locke Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, Yao gets 35 minutes on the regular now. Last season, he got 34 a game. Nowadays, fatigue doesn't keep him out of games as much as foul trouble. With the additions of Francis and Mike James, our perimeter should be less penetrable. Alston used to gamble a lot, so with him out of the starting lineup, Yao figures to save a few fouls. It's very hard to picture the three-headed monster at point guard co-existing though, and it seems Alston will most likely be gone. Brooks needs to develop, too. Most think that James will start over Francis and have Francis fill an instant offense role off the bench, but James was that guy in 2005 and he did a great job with it. Francis came off the bench last year for New York and was much less effective than when he was a starter.</div> I don't care if you've got 7% body fat; full-court basketball is fatiguing, and Ming will need a better back-up than Butler for the 10-20 minutes he's on the bench. I love his potential, but right now he's just too lazy and raw defensively to crack most teams' rotations, and even on offense, he's slow (although it's not like Yao's any quicker), and he sort of just floats through the game at times. As for James and Francis, what does James provide to the starting lineup that Francis won't? I don't see the benefit of bringing him off the bench at all. I'm not sure if many Rockets fans caught James with the T-Wolves last season, but he looked old, to put it bluntly. Just like Francis, he's past his prime and has lost a lot of his explosiveness.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't care if you've got 7% body fat; full-court basketball is fatiguing, and Ming will need a better back-up than Butler for the 10-20 minutes he's on the bench. I love his potential, but right now he's just too lazy and raw defensively to crack most teams' rotations, and even on offense, he's slow (although it's not like Yao's any quicker), and he sort of just floats through the game at times. As for James and Francis, what does James provide to the starting lineup that Francis won't? I don't see the benefit of bringing him off the bench at all. I'm not sure if many Rockets fans caught James with the T-Wolves last season, but he looked old, to put it bluntly. Just like Francis, he's past his prime and has lost a lot of his explosiveness.</div> Well no, I'm not saying that Butler would suffice as the sole backup to Yao. He's got potential and all, but he'd be better as a third-string guy. Hopefully with the trade of Alston someone who can be a 4/5 backup will be brought in. I think you also misunderstood my James/Francis part. I'm saying that James should come off the bench, not Francis. Just read this about James btw: "The deal is reported to be for four years, with a player option on the last year, and with a trade kicker clause, which would raise his salary by 15% automatically if he were to be traded." Ugh.
<div class="quote_poster">SupraJames Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> And just for fun, the 2nd unit: Deke/Butler Scola Hayes Bonzi Francis/Brooks ^ Super solid 2nd unit too don't you think?</div> Anytime Hayes and Mutombo are on the floor together, I cringe. I would much rather Scola slide to the 5 when playing with Hayes. I also think they can go really small with Scola at 5, Bonzi at the 4, T-Mac at 3, and any 2 of Francis/James/Brooks in the backcourt.
When I meant 2nd unit, I meant when we're forced to have Yao & Tmac off the court for whatever reasons (injuries (*knock on wood* god plz no...) or foul troubles). I figure we can have Scola, Bonzi and Francis/Brooks be the scoring option on that 2nd unit while Yao/Tmac are out.
hmmm how about this Pg-Aaron Brooks Sg-John Lucas Sf-Steve Francis PF-Mike James C-Luther Head. i think we can be contenders with this lineup....
<div class="quote_poster">drunkenbarden Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">hmmm how about this Pg-Aaron Brooks Sg-John Lucas Sf-Steve Francis PF-Mike James C-Luther Head. i think we can be contenders with this lineup....</div> Yes, what a sick line-up Mine PG - Francis SG - Bonzi SF - McGrady PF - Scola C - Ming Bench 5: PG- Brooks SG - Alston SF - James PF - Battier C - Mutombo
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> Yes, what a sick line-up Mine PG - Francis SG - Bonzi SF - McGrady PF - Scola C - Ming</div> No way man, you gotta have Shane over Bonzi at least..
<div class="quote_poster">SupraJames Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">No way man, you gotta have Shane over Bonzi at least..</div> True, but I think it will be Shane over Scola, but I want Scola to start.
Pg: Rafer/James Sg: Tmac/Francis SF: Shane battier/Bonzi PF: Scola/Hayes C: Yao Ming/Butler We need that distributor who doesn't take the shot first. I'd rather have Steve backing up tmac..so when he comes out, we still have scoring. James off the bench is an amazing thing.
