Rockets going after Anderson and Van Exel ?

[BOSS]

Rockets Going After Van Exel And Anderson

4th August, 2005 - 3:13 am

Houston Chronicle - The Rockets moved quickly after the Trail Blazers' cost-cutting release of guards Nick Van Exel and Derek Anderson on Wednesday with preliminary conversations with Tony Dutt, the agent for both players.

Dutt said the two players are interested in the Rockets, and that Van Exel could be especially open to considering the Rockets' smaller salary-cap exception.

The Rockets can only offer their smaller exception, set last week at $1.67 million for the first season.

The Rockets had offered that salary-cap exception to another Portland guard, Damon Stoudamire, and did not offer the exception to Anderson or Van Exel. But Stoudamire could be close to accepting a richer contract with the Grizzlies, freeing that money to be offered to other free agents.

Good acquisitions if the Rockets picked these guys up.

[chuanito]

Van Exel brings in shooting from the PG. I have doubts about how well he can run an offense.

[Andrew]

Anytime you can bring in capable role players without spending too much money, it's a good move. So far this offseason, Houston has been making (or looking to make) good moves.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

With Sura, Wesley, James, Nick and Derek, that's one backcourt crowded with mediocre-to-good veteran players... Might work in th eplayoffs, but who knows?

[Kemp]

How could you split playing time with 5 guards seriously? This might be good for insurance if 3 guards are all injured at the same time. But na, I don't like this move by the Rockets. Anderson health is still a problem. Van Exel takes too many 3s and Yao and T-Mac would not be happy.

[kinokong]

i think anderson is headed to the lakers anyways.. pretty sure he wants a starting job and also pretty sure la and houston can pay him the same amount

[Indy]

Houston is already the winner of the offseason in the West by bringing in Stro. If they pull off getting even one of these guys, they will have improved that much more.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Houston is already the winner of the offseason in the West by bringing in Stro. If they pull off getting even one of these guys, they will have improved that much more.

They're still no better than the 4th or 5th best team in the West...

To follow up our Eastern Conference predictions in another thread, here's the Western one:

1. Spurs (by far...)

2. Suns

3. Mavs

4. Rockets

5. Denver

6. Lakers

7. Minnesota

8. Golden State


Bye bye Sacramento and Seattle...

[kevC]

James - Sura - McGrady - Swift - Yao would be the second best starting line-up in the West. All five players are average to great defenders and 4 of them are the top ten offensive players in their respective positions.

[BOSS]

Hopefully Yao has one hell of a breakout season.

[kevC]

Yao "breaking-out" would be playing 7-8 minutes more while playing like he did last year (after the horrendous month of November). All of a sudden he'll average 20-10 and people will go "OMFG 20-10!!! HE BROKE OUT!!" even though he's playing the exact same way.

[Indy]

1.) Spurs
2.) Rockets
3.) Suns
4.) Mavs
5.) Nuggets
6.) Lakers
7.) Golden State
8.) Sacramento

The Rockets are going to be outstanding this year.

[kinokong]

1.) Spurs
2.) Rockets
3.) Suns
4.) Mavs
5.) Nuggets
6.) Lakers
7.) Golden State
8.) Sacramento

The Rockets are going to be outstanding this year.

gotta disagree with you indy rockets at 4th while suns and mavs are at 2nd and 3rd.. i don't understand how adding swift bolts the team to 2nd.. and the vanexel thing is just a rumor at this time

[Kemp]

West:
1. Suns
2. Spurs
3. Mavs
4. Rockets
5. Sonics
6. Wolves
7. Kings
8. Lakers

East:
1. Heat
2. Pacers
3. Pistons
4. Nets
5. Bucks
6. Cavs
7. Bulls
8. Knicks

[kevC]

1.) Spurs
2.) Rockets
3.) Suns
4.) Mavs
5.) Nuggets
6.) Lakers
7.) Golden State
8.) Sacramento

The Rockets are going to be outstanding this year.

gotta disagree with you indy rockets at 4th while suns and mavs are at 2nd and 3rd.. i don't understand how adding swift bolts the team to 2nd.. and the vanexel thing is just a rumor at this time

Well last season, after the first horrible months of basketball when the Rockets got it together and both Yao and T-Mac exploded they were on pace to win 60+ games and adding Swift is an upgrade from Juwan Howard in everyway possible.

[baller status]

this is all just rumors... ive heard that the spurs are even trying to pursue van exel

[[L3]1101]

if Dereck Anderson wants a starting role, he can get that in Houston. I like Anderson starting over Sura. As for Mike James, isn't he a FA? At least that's what LIVE 2005 says... lol. Van Exel will be a great backup, hopefully being a backup and on a good team will make him play like he did with Dallas.

[Indy]

1.) Spurs
2.) Rockets
3.) Suns
4.) Mavs
5.) Nuggets
6.) Lakers
7.) Golden State
8.) Sacramento

The Rockets are going to be outstanding this year.

gotta disagree with you indy rockets at 4th while suns and mavs are at 2nd and 3rd.. i don't understand how adding swift bolts the team to 2nd.. and the vanexel thing is just a rumor at this time

The Suns will not be as good as they were last season. Don't underestimate how important having two great wing players in JJ and Q was to that team. It opened up opportunities for Amare and Nash. Right now, the biggest perimiter threat they have is either Raja Bell or Jimmy Jackson. This team will not get farther then the second round.

Houston looks very good this season. I think Swift may have his best season yet. He's in a role where he can play his natural position and he will be the number 3 option. He knows that, and I think he'll flourish in that position. TMAC and Yao will be TMAC and Yao, and I think the combination that they have next season will be enough to get them to the Westeren Conference finals. Unfortunatley, they are in the same division as San Antonio, and that may spell disaster, considering that they may have to play each other in the second round.

[kevC]

Well the way they seed it if they're 1 and 2 they'll most likely meet in the WCF just like how the Suns and Spurs met in the WCF this year.

[Indy]

Well the way they seed it if they're 1 and 2 they'll most likely meet in the WCF just like how the Suns and Spurs met in the WCF this year.

What are you talking about? The Suns and Spurs aren't in the same division.

[kevC]

Oh, right I thought you meant conference .
I also forgot that there are 3 conferences now so we can't be 3rd seed .

[COOLmac©]

Houston is already the winner of the offseason in the West by bringing in Stro. If they pull off getting even one of these guys, they will have improved that much more.

They're still no better than the 4th or 5th best team in the West...

To follow up our Eastern Conference predictions in another thread, here's the Western one:

1. Spurs (by far...)

2. Suns

3. Mavs

4. Rockets

5. Denver

6. Lakers

7. Minnesota

8. Golden State


Bye bye Sacramento and Seattle...

you just have to insert golden state in there dont you?

anyways i like playing the underdog and have van gundy pull a big frown on everyones faces if we move deep in the playoffs... the rockets are the 12th best team in the west

[nikkolas]

Houston might be in trouble....van exel must go somewhere in east he always loved to shoot in crunch time and you know wat it bricks..