Steve Francis signs on with Houston. This has suddenly become a very deep team, though it would have been a more likable one without this signing. I feel like he should have gone to Cleveland.
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Rocket Depth Watch
19 Jul 2007 04:32 pm
Comments (32)
I have to say that recent posts in this vein have been a second revelation to me. The first revelation, during NBA season, was that there are indeed still NBA fans extant; this revelation is that there are NBA fans who are the equivalent of MLB fans counting the days to when pitchers and catchers report and speculating on trades in November.
Wow!
I know everyone hates on Stevie, but he's a helluva lot of fun when he's on. It's like watching Iverson with half the talent.
Now all the Rockets have to do is to somehow pry JCN away from the Bullets. Then they can field a roster of 14 guards and Yao.
I feel like he should have gone to Cleveland.
Gawd, yes. Somehow, I don't like him on the Rockets.
It's hard to see how at this point in his career Steve Francis makes any team better.
UUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
Oh well, I suppose he's coming cheap. But then, there's a reason for that.
Francis won't add anything to this team--he'll subtract. He just doesn't work in the NBA. He dribbles off 20 seconds of the shot clock on every possession and couldn't throw a penny into the Grand Canyon if he was hanging off the edge.
He plays an iso, ballhog style that really only works for "special" players with a real killer edge (Kobe, Iverson, Arenas) and a knack for actually making a jump shot now and then.
Didn't they already run his ass out of town for Yao's sake once?
Davebo beat me to it, but Franchise coming back?!?
ARRRRRGH!
"I know everyone hates on Stevie"
As stated above, I was sorta aware. But I didn't realize everyone hates on Stevie.
I guess this blog has a large Vancouver readership.
Fun player. Obviously has some issues. But big heart. As stated, he doesn't have Iverson's talent, but similar game. Gets to the line. Plays clutch ball.
Like Bonzi, as long as he accepts his role, he's a big plus for any contending team. Y'all are crazy if you don't get that. You'll love him next May.
Adelman's going to play lion tamer. But why wouldn't it all work? Surround Yao with talent.
And I'll tell you, Darryl Morey was really highly hyped based on being a spreadsheet geek. But he's making his mark the old fashioned way. Go and get 'em.
And I bet Morey's not done dealing yet. Overstocked on the perimeter.
Put a gun to my head and make me bet on a team to win the tile next year, and I pick Houston today.
They've got McGrady, Yao, and they're fucking loaded. Healthy, how do you not win a title with that?
Y'all are crazy if you don't get that.
Shut up.
First: fuck off, Fred.
Second: I was starting to think the Rockets knew what they were doing. Then this. Adding Francis makes them worse. Adding Francis makes almost any team worse. He's a shoot-first PG who doesn't shoot very well and doesn't play any defense. Last year he just stopped playing when he didn't feel like playing anymore, and pretended to have some injury or something. Sure, it was an understandable reaction, since if he was playing, he'd have to play for the Knicks. But if he's on the Rockets, he's probably coming off the bench, and when he's on the floor, he's the 3rd option, at best. I can't see him trying very hard under those circumstances. Every time he takes a shot instead of giving to McGrady or Yao (or, in some cases, Bonzi or Mike James or Battier), he'll hurt the team. Anytime he's on the floor guarding a 2-guard when McGrady or Battier could be guarding that 2-guard, he hurts the team. In short, Petey's lost it.
You ain't seen nothin' yet/ Bbbbbbbaby no you ain't seen nothin' yet/ HHHHhoney...
Houston's depth chart at PG now looks like:
Rafer Alston
Mike James
Stevie Francis
John Lucas Jr.
Aaron Brooks
Aren't they all pretty much the same player? How could you possibly put two guys from that list on the floor at the same time? Matt's right; Francis would have been a great fit in Cleveland.
Like Bonzi, as long as he accepts his role, he's a big plus for any contending team.
That's rather the issue, isn't it? Franchise increasingly seems like a locker room/floorboard cancer. I don't see this ending well.
Too bad. They really did look better.
Do I smell a Rafer Alston & Mike James for Nate Robinson & Starbury trade a brewing? I'd like to see Petey tie himself into knots defending that one!
They now have 20 players(!).Lucas is gone for sure, that was likely even before the Francis deal. It's likely Francis actually plays backup shooting guard.
C Yao
PF Hayes (provided he gets resigned)
SF Battier
SG McGrady
PG James
Mutombo is likely to retire, Tsakilidis is gone too. Wells, Alston and Francis give them good guard depth, my question is backup power forward... Butler will be good backing up Yao.
"That's rather the issue, isn't it? Franchise increasingly seems like a locker room/floorboard cancer. I don't see this ending well."
He wants to be there. He's chosen them from a bevy of good teams. Unlike Bonzi last year, he's already gotten his check. Unlike Webber, he can still play.
What's not to like?
While I freely confirm that Francis has issues, y'all confuse situations with players. And with Bonzi, he's not even the most toxic guy on the team anymore, so he'll have to start acting good.
"Aren't they all pretty much the same player?"
Surround a dominant center with shooters, and good things happen.
Put Yao, Scola, Battier, McGrady, Francis, James, and Alston on the floor at the same time, and you'll be able to fucking swamp the opposition.
-----
Tongue out of cheek, y'all are obviously crazy if you don't see the beauty in this. Seriously, what's so complicated with surrounding Yao with an talent? In the proper role, you don't think Francis adds value?
(But then again, I don't understand why folks don't see the beauty in the current Knicks. These are the fun teams.)
"my question is backup power forward"
Scola, no?
"Put Yao, Scola, Battier, McGrady, Francis, James, and Alston on the floor at the same time, and you'll be able to fucking swamp the opposition"
That's true, unless the opposition also gets to put 7 guys on the floor at the same time.
I've got no problems with guys who smoke dope and go to strip clubs and whatever else -- I'd certainly be a hypocrit if I did! -- but I don't understand what Petey finds so appealing about guys who don't play hard.
"I don't understand what Petey finds so appealing about guys who don't play hard."
Here ya' go.
And really, I don't think Francis didn't play hard. I think he's got some issues, and was in some bad situations for his personality, his talents, his game, and his contract.
Hoops is about redemption and second chances, among other things.
Mikki Moore was a feel-good story this year because he'd been a ne'er-do-well his entire career, he fell into a situation where his talents finally fit in, he stepped up, he was redeemed, and he got paid.
Did Mikki never play hard? Or was he just never in the right situation to shine?
Everybody is a star, y'know.
And finally I saw a few Knicks games last year where it was apparent to me that Stevie can still ball.
Seems to me that this move is likely not a big deal. As mentioned above, Francis dublicates Alston and James. Petey, I think, belives that this is the Francis of four years ago, not the Francis of today.
Seems to me that Houston should rather get an active big. Maybe Scola is that guy, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Ballhogging combo guards need to be really elite to not hurt your team.
The Stevie story is much like the Stephon story. Once they lose a step, they can't dominate any more. And once they can't dominate, they really don't help you win more than you lose.
Who said that?
Why, it was Petey! Just a few weeks ago.
Petey's next move will be to berate me for having misread him.
Henry Abbott at TrueHoop had an almost daily Francis-watch, where his injury status would magically change based on how much playing time and how many shots he was likely to get. That's what I mean by only playing when he feels like it.
He can still score the ball. I don't quite feel he's right for this team-- they don't need more shoot first guards-- but, for the one year deal, why not take a chance? As a franchise player, he sucks. As a backup point guard not making a ton of money on a year flier, why not take the chance?
I couldn't wait for Francis to get out of town the first time, but I'll wait and see on this one. Adelman is pursuing the players he really wants (he had his eye on Brooks for two years), and Stevie is one of them. According to reports, both Yao and McGrady pitched in to recruit Francis. It's a short deal in money and term, so it will be apparent pretty fast if it's working. Clearly, the Rockets are not done dealing.
"Why, it was Petey! Just a few weeks ago."
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
Or put another way, I don't think it'd be wise to have Francis with the ball for 38mpg as the main offensive option, but in a more constrained role, he can really help a team like the Houston.
On a good team, different kinds of limited players can bring positive things to the table.
"Petey's next move will be to berate me for having misread him."
No. I'm actually impressed that you were able to come up with the correct gotcha quote in short order.
I must have missed this part of the story, but what's up with Portland trading real value for him and then paying him $30 million not to play?
It was addition by subtraction for Portland. They wanted Randolph out because he's a bad influence and would detract from the low-post development of Oden and Aldridge. Also, Francis's two-years-remaining contract is better for Portland than Randolph's four years remaining.
Why? You hate Clev.? Francis is awful. Houston will cut him sometime this season. He couldn't take Marbury's job and proved useless as a backup. I imagine it will be the same in Houston.
Comments closed August 02, 2007.
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Heads in the Sand
I can't see this signing helping the continued improvement of Yao. Although if Mcgrady's back pulls a Mcgrady's back, it'll be nice to have his offense.
The crazy thing is that Steve Francis was once valuable enough to be the primary piece in a trade for Mcgrady.
Posted by Freddie | July 19, 2007 4:40 PM