# The Mobley Issue.



## KeiranHalcyon (Nov 27, 2003)

Basically, the situation as I see it is this:

Yao needs to become the team's first scoring option.
Steve, to make this happen, needs to work the ball to Yao--play unselfishly, his main shortcoming in my eyes. 
Cuttino needs to do the same thing--let Yao come first.
The rest of the team should stick to their basic roles--Cato shouldn't be scoring more than 10 ppg, but should pull down double-digit rebounds and a few blocks. Jackson was brought here to be mostly a defender, if I recall. Piatkowski needs to be our perimeter threat.

The thing is this: Francis simply IS NOT a true point guard. He's more of a penetrating shooting guard than anything else--a la Allen Iverson.

I read an article a while back saying that we should just trade Mobley away for a good point guard, and move Stevie up to the 2.

The only problem is: Which guard?

Mike Bibby, Gary Payton, Sam Cassell, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd: These are basically the league's elite at the point. No disrespect meant to Mobley at all, but these players are simply better than him. The trade wouldn't happen.

If we're lucky, maybe we can get Griffin or Taylor out of here as well.

What the Rockets need is a pass-first point guard with a good perimeter game. Someone that would pass the ball to Yao or Steve, letting them do their thing--score in the paint and penetrate the defense, respectively. A good perimeter threat at the one would draw the pressure off of them. 

Imagine this lineup: Yao-Cato-Piatkowski-Francis-PG.

Double team Yao, and he'll get it to a perimeter shooter. Should the defense have enough time and speed to get there, the perimeter can work it over to Steve, who cuts through to the hoop.

Problem is, who should we try to get?

My pick: Jason Williams of the Grizzlies. 12.1 ppg, 7.0 apg, .312 three-point percentage for his career.

Not bad stats. 

Comments? Questions? Flames? Let's hear them.


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## Hollis (Jun 4, 2002)

First of all....welcome to the site!

I agree that something needs to be done if the Rockets ever want to win it all....and Francis is just too good to get rid of...so I guess Mobley's the odd man out! I agree with your post, very good...


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## KeiranHalcyon (Nov 27, 2003)

I wouldn't exactly say he's too good to get rid of. Too important (to the team, to the fans, etc.), yes.

I'd rather have any of the other players I listed there at point than Stevie. Maybe not Parker... But the rest, yes. Stevie is simply used to carrying the team, and when your point is used to being the one carrying the team, he's not going to be unselfish.

I'll admit right now: if I had to pick a point guard from any era to play on my team, I'd be torn between Stockton and Payton. They're purists. Stockton does what EVERY POINT GUARD SHOULD DO: rack up assists and steals. If Steve could do that at a level comparable to one of those two, I'd say leave him at the one. As it is, he's simply not playing where he should be, how he should be. If he could, then Francis-Yao could be as unstoppable as Stockton-Malone. But not until he learns to be number two on the team.

If JVG can convince him to share the ball, and keep the current defensive emphasis, then watch out.

Hmm. Thought just came to me. Look at the Jazz in the late 80s-early 90s. The team was mostly Stockton and Malone. Hornacek was a good role player, but not much else. The Rockets should be like that. Yao and Steve should be the team. Mobley should be a role player. Once the team fits these roles, I think we'll win.

Especially if we keep playing defense like we were before the last couple games.


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## KeiranHalcyon (Nov 27, 2003)

And thanks for the welcome. =)


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## 777 (Dec 14, 2002)

exactly, we need a REAL PG on the court! trade or bench Mobley and Francis. sorry but we don't need 2 "pure SG" on the court together this season. last season? yes. but this season? no. 

my suggestion; get another mediocre pg that WILL PASS the ball and move both Mobley and Francis to 2. Francis will start and Mobley will be our scorer off the bench.

mobley will fits the role as the scoring 6th man perfectly, kinda like Jamison's role for the Mavs now. that way the ball goes to Yao first, then backs out for open jumpers or penetrations.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

there is no mobley "situation". he doesn't need to be traded. 

first, yao is not ready to be the man on offense yet. i know we would all love for him to be, but he just isn't there yet. he still can't beat double teams most of the time, and a lot of the time he can't even get a good shot off with only one guy on him. he needs to become more consistent in the post before he becomes the man on the team. 

second, if there is a problem, francis is really more of a problem than mobley. and since francis is the better player he would also be able to get more in a trade. so the rockets could fill more needs or get a better player to fill the needs if they trade francis instead.

also, mobley is the best shooter on the team. the rockets already are pretty good on the perimeter with mobley, jackson, and nachbar there for ming to kick it out to. moving francis over doesn't get houston a better shooter than mobley, and at pg, francis is probably as good of a shooter as most of the guys the rockets could get with mobley.

mobley is also a good defender, and i would rather have mobley on the other team's sg than francis. 

really, i think the rockets are better off with mobley than they are with a more pure of a pg next to francis. mobley is especially great to have when yao and francis are on the bench because he still gives the rockets a good go to scorer.

and obviously, what the rockets are doing right now is working. just look at their record at the top of the division. why make a trade now when things are going good?


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## darkballa (Sep 19, 2003)

i wouldnt trade mobley as the chemistry between him and francis are just great, also if they trade him they should talk to francis first as he is the main man of this team and he and mobley have been okaying together since the draft they were picked (i think francis had a couple of games w/o him). IF i would trade mobley id trade him for jamal crawford as he is a good pg and remember that the rockets were the worst assisting team in the league? crawford can dish out 5-7 asists per night and so can francis even at the sg spot. dont trade mobley


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## Cometsbiggestfan (May 14, 2003)

Ugh! Not this again!! Bench Francis and Mobley?? You people are insane!!!


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

I think at the beginning of the season we saw Mobley in a situation we wanted him in-- hitting his perimeter shots and slashing to the lane when we needed him. Lately, especially on this 5 game road trip, the Rockets have been playing inexcusable, BAD basketball. I mean missing free throws, shooting terrible and not passing the ball at all. The answer doesn't lie in trading Mobley, and we won't get equal value for him either. I think they are averaging single digits for assists, not sure why they struggle to move the ball. An opening lineup with Piatkowski and Cato in it, that is too inconsistent of an offensive team. I don't think change is necessary for the Rockets to succeed, just improve their game, practice moving the ball with the players they have. I mean look at what Sloan is doing with Utah. There has too be something you can improve upon when 80% of the games you lose, you lose them for yourself.

Everyone has talked about Francis at SG, but we need a big point guard if we will push him there. Or a small, tough one like Eric Snow who obviously isn't leaving Philadelphia. Our team assists have been pitiful, and we cannot attribute this all to Francis alone. Gumby has to design plays that create opportunities. Mo Taylor can hit those 15 footers all day why not give him more shots? FG % has killed the Rockets, if they find the open man and give him shots, things will improve.


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## Jay-Ballin (Jul 18, 2003)

Remember when the Rockets were hoping he would sign with them and not the Raptors? I think the rockets should appreciate what Mobley brings to the table. He has had to sacrifice a lot, IMO, to make room for Yao. 

The real problem is the scoring and FG% for the rockets. I think they do a fair job of scoring with Yao on the floor. It seems he helps everyone by just being out there but its a different game when he is on the bench. I think when he's on the bench, Francis and Mobley should resort to their old style of play from last season. They did win 43 games that way. It seems like their are playing a more passive offense and its not working. We'll see what happens but something has to change because the Rockets are having big problems scoring.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>KeiranHalcyon</b>!
> Basically, the situation as I see it is this:
> 
> Yao needs to become the team's first scoring option.
> ...


this is one of the best post. it is easy to say, but it's hard to trade cat for a pg.


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## groovehouse (May 21, 2002)

Wow... I like the idea of SF moving to the 2G with Mobes, dropping Mooch and bringing in a true PG.

:bball: :gossip:


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## rainman (Jul 15, 2002)

the problem i saw last night against the sonics wasnt so much the backcourt but the forwards.jackson and taylor were terrible and i dont see cato in the starting lineup.i know the eddie griffin situation didnt help but they need to address the situation up front.a pt forward would actually do the trick,you could keep cutino and stevie and setup people from the 3 spot.does larry bird have any eligibility left?


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>groovehouse</b>!
> Wow... I like the idea of SF moving to the 2G with Mobes, dropping Mooch and bringing in a true PG.
> 
> :bball: :gossip:


As long as Amaechi is not dropped, Moochie will stay on this roster.


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## 777 (Dec 14, 2002)

again, don't trade Mobley, he is doing well at 2. we just need a true PG, ONE WHO WILL DISH OUT 7 OR 8 ASSISTS EVERY NITE and knows how to distribute the ball (we need ball movement on the court).


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Several articles in the Chronicle today suggesting that Gumby is coaxing Mobley to slash to the hoop more often, and that the Rocket's do great when Mobley has big games. Guys like Mobley are invaluable to struggling offense's like the Rockets. Plain and simple - he can score and in a variety of ways. With perimeter players such as Mobley, Jackson, Piatkowski and even Nachbar, a strong tandem has been set for Yao Ming to throw the ball out during his double teams. Hopefully Gumby can come up with some plays that include a perimeter rotation around Yao Ming. Piatkowski can reeeally hit that shot and I honestly believe with Mo Taylor and Piatkowski coming off the bench the Rocket's should not struggle in upping their points per game to around 94 or 95.


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## Hollis (Jun 4, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>The Franchise</b>!
> 
> 
> As long as Amaechi is not dropped, Moochie will stay on this roster.


Note to self: Drop Amaechi. Now.


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