Should the Rockets tank the season?

If you think about it, it's completely logical decision. Mcgrady will be just 27 years old at the start of next season and Yao 26. If they decide to go that way, they would have the luxury of letting the duo to relax and wait for their injuries to heal. And they could start playing Stromile Swift as a starter to see if he'll become more consistent this way. And what is even more important, they would get one of the top pick in the upcoming draft with which they could fill their needs. They urgently need another guy who can create scoring opportunities for himself as for the others. Rajon Rondo would provide playmaking and D from the PG position, but he wouldn't give them the much needed size at SG/SF, so they would have to decide between Gay and Morrison or simply pick whoever it falls into their lap. Morrison would fit well into Houston's structured offense with him being the SF. His shooting would punish the double teams on Mcgrady&Yao and he would prevent many of them with him moving off the ball a la Hamilton. He wouldn't give you a lot on D, but he's probably going to turn into a decent team defender. Gay on the other hand is all about potential. He isn't as raw as people thing he is and he could be a regular contributor as a starter in his rookie season because of his size/length and athleticism. He could also learn greatly from Mcgrady as his mentor and could very well become that second superstar T-Mac needs to win. Imagine - in his third year Mcgrady would still be only 29 years old. He's my pick if available and if Houston really decides that this season is lost.

Yao Ming/Dikembe Mutombo
Stromile Swift/Juwan Howard
Rudy Gay/Ryan Bowen
Tracy Mcgrady/Derek Anderson
Rafer Alston/Luther Head
And they would still have Sura and others plus a MLE to spend on role players in the Reggie Evans mold.

Tank the season?..you say that like its some sort of option. The entire organization would be severly punished if they tried that.

No. The Rockets were about .500 when most their players were healthy. It's just the injuries that have gotten them down. So, no. Plus, Jeff Van Gundy would never comply to it.

thats such a dumb idea

it isnt even guarenteed that they WOULD get the #1 pick, they will probly be around the top 5-10 anyway, and thats WITHOUT losing respect, fans, and interest of players. who wants to play on a team trying to lose? or for it, for that matter. good luck resigning players, good luck signing FA's.

San Antonio did it.

oh ok, houston can do it then


in fact, why doesnt every team do it, because rudy gay (or whoever they would decide to pick) is really worth it isnt he!
lets face it, the #1 pick isnt quite tim duncan...

But they all aren't quite the Olowokandi

The point is, they're probably not going to make the playoffs. And even if they do, they're matchup will be SA. So why not keep losing and get another piece for the future? Sure, there are no Duncans in this draft, but this team already has its own in Mcgrady. They need Ginobilis and Parkers. You know, top notch role players. I've seen enough of Morrison and Gay to say that they're certainly going to be just that (if not more) and based on my reading of scouting reports, there's probably going to be a player for every position they need to fill.

to call theyre season fucked is an understatement. they will do bad, and probly wont make the playoffs. that doesnt mean they play to lose.

People have pride you know, there is only so much losing one can take.

Tank the season?..you say that like its some sort of option. The entire organization would be severly punished if they tried that.

Is there a rule that doesn't allow you to 'lose games intentionally'?

Last edited by Mikki on Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

I don't think any team in history have tried to lose a season intentionally. There's too much pride.

Tank the season?..you say that like its some sort of option. The entire organization would be severly punished if they tried that.

Is there a rule that doesn't allow you to 'lose games intentionally'?

you wouldnt make it public

don't worry, T-Mac is a pro @tanking, and with the rest of the team = ass, they won't win.

Yeah. The last time he didn't really object. He simply won the scoring crown and took it like a woman (->demanded a trade).

San Antonio did it.

I don't recall any time that San Antonio has tanked the season, at least not that my memory knows. They had one season where David Robinson was hurt for almost the whole season so they completely blew ass.

Why is this? When T-Mac is on the team then this team sucks and i don´t think that it´s T-Mac´s fault.

The Rockets don't have to try to tank the season intentionally, they do a great job of it even when they're not trying.

If the Rockets did intentionally tank the season, T-Mac would have to time have surgery and recover for whatever is causing his back problems (i think i recall it being operable... not sure though)

San Antonio did it.

I don't recall any time that San Antonio has tanked the season, at least not that my memory knows. They had one season where David Robinson was hurt for almost the whole season so they completely blew ass.

Exactly. Sean Elliott also missed a significant amount of time and key reserve Chuck Person was also out the entire year. Their top scorer that year was a returning Dominique Wilkins and he only played around 60 games and averaged just under 18 or so. They didn't tank, they simply couldn't win.

If any team tanked that year to cash in on the Duncan Sweepstakes it was Boston, though that's still only cynical speculation and in case, they lost out.

San Antonio did it.

I don't recall any time that San Antonio has tanked the season, at least not that my memory knows. They had one season where David Robinson was hurt for almost the whole season so they completely blew ass.

Exactly. Sean Elliott also missed a significant amount of time and key reserve Chuck Person was also out the entire year. Their top scorer that year was a returning Dominique Wilkins and he only played around 60 games and averaged just under 18 or so. They didn't tank, they simply couldn't win.

If any team tanked that year to cash in on the Duncan Sweepstakes it was Boston, though that's still only cynical speculation and in case, they lost out.

Good to see people still remember and respect the actual history of teh game... and San Antonio's.

History? It was like 10 years ago

I thought you were the one complaining about all the 12 year olds infesting the forums...

maybe some of them do need their share of enlightenment.

As soon as I saw this title and author: VanK, I just knew there was going to be a starting lineup of the Rockets for next year with an added Rudy Gay/Ronnie Brewer/LaMarcus Aldridge and possible some added FA's as well.. I'm so sick of that..

As soon as I saw this title and author: VanK, I just knew there was going to be a starting lineup of the Rockets for next year with an added Rudy Gay/Ronnie Brewer/LaMarcus Aldridge and possible some added FA's as well.. I'm so sick of that..

Maybe you should take a pill or a hundred. What exactly is wrong with speculating how a team could improve via FA and draft? And guys I'm constantly mentioning (Gay, Brewer, Aldridge, Morrison...) are the ones I have seen play and I believe that they'll be something special in the League. When I see and like others, I will mention them too.

I still say that the pre-Duncan Spurs tanked that season. Robinson and other could come much sooner than they did, but when they saw that the season is lost and that they can actually win the lottery, they decided to tank it.

Robinson and other could come much sooner than they did, but when they saw that the season is lost and that they can actually win the lottery, they decided to tank it.

That's called 'not risking aggravation of previous injury by playing in meaningless games'. I consider it a logilal option, not tanking.