# Who do we cut?



## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

With Yao returning as soon as next week, the Rockets front office brass have difficult personell decisions to make.

Of Moochie Norris, Ryan Bowen, Lonny Baxter, and John Lucas III, who would you cut?

Norris provides much the same function as Mike James did last season. He can help establish a rhythm on offense, although he is not much of a passer. The offense seems to be more controlled when he steps on the court. Next year his contract is worth $4.5 Million with a Team Option, which could be useful as trade bait.

Lucas provides the backcourt quickness we sorely lacked earlier in the season. With him and Lu on the floor, the offense is suddenly infused with life. Lucas can penetrate and has shown fair understanding of running an offense. Lucas would be much more desirable if he developed a better outside shot.

I think with Chuck Hayes' emergence, the odd men out are Baxter and Bowen. Both are redundancies that wouldnt really get many minutes with the return of Swift and Derek Anderson. I would choose to cut Baxter. While Baxter is the better scorer, Bowen has been with the team longer and has the ability to defend both SFs and PFs while Baxter can guard neither. 

PG: Rafer Alston | Moochie Norris | John Lucas III
SG: David Wesley | Luther Head | Jon Barry
SF: Tracy McGrady | Chuck Hayes | Derek Anderson 
PF: Juwan Howard | Stromile Swift | Ryan Bowen
CN: Yao Ming | Mutombo Dikembe

Inactive: Bobby Sura


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## Rockets111 (Oct 29, 2005)

agreed, keep moochie, could be valuable at the deadline along with wesley who are both expiring at about 4.5/5 mil


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Bowen isn't going to be cut, and Baxter will probably remain as long as Swift is out. Dawson isn't going to pick up Moochie's option for next year, but Houston has always seemed reluctant to cut Moochie. He's injured anyways, so it's a toss up between Lucas and Baxter.


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## Pasha The Great (Apr 9, 2005)

Its most likely going to be Lucas, but I'd rather the rockets keep him and cut Moochie, all he does is sit there on the bench, we don't need him, lucas provides a lot of energy so he will be a good keep.


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## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

It's all about what is best for the team in the future. Lucas will probably be cut since we have to much money tied up with other players. Hayes will get another 10 day to determine whether or not he can produce like this night end and night out.

Keeping Moochie for trade purposes is the best move for this team. The real interesting thing will be what we do once Hayes second 10 day is up if he is still rebounding like a stub.

Trade Stro and our expiring contracts???


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

as long as we keep chuck hayes, im happy


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## skykisser (Nov 10, 2005)

^ditto


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## debarge (Nov 13, 2005)

Have you guys been watching these games? Baxter and Hayes should not be cut or waived. Its hard to see them doing that after the effect both have had on the game when Tracy sits down. Even Bill Worrell has noticed that Dke and Stro don't have it for being consistently good on the boards, Barry didn't have it either, obviously those guys aren't going to get cut they have guranteed contracts. But I could see one of them going on the disabled list w/ plancher fliaitis or whatever it is...
Les, CD, and Jeff have seen the dividends of going with young legs that rebound! For cheap, mind you. Three guys that are not liabilities offensively, Head, Hayes and Baxter. Personally I think the decisions are easy, cut Sura and Lucas. Sura will never play ball again, cut him his check and say bye bye. Get the roster spot. Lucas has potential but hasn't made the impact that Hayes/Baxter have, though I do like Lucas. Baxter by the way has been playing backup center, and backup power forward so I don't know what you're talking about saying he doesnt guard either??? That will be useful when Yao returns, Juwan can't keep playing 40 min games. 
Swift to me is dead weight and should be traded right now to the Nets for their pick in the draft. Baxter and Hayes are pleasant delights that show better understanding of what their roles are, be the best garbage men you can be when called upon. Swift got a big contract and still didn't understand his role. He has no value to us now, get rid of him, but I doubt that will happen since the team would have egg on its face for giving him such a deal. I'd rather have the pick at this point. Stromile doesn't fit this team, he's not a half court player that can defend or play in the paint. Baxter to me is a better fit for this team.
I dont buy what Keith Jones said during the game, Sura Barry and Anderson are not coming back before the break. So that's the end of Feb, Yao maybe. In the end, I think the Rockets will end up making a mistake in cutting one of these great young kids, and return to losing because of a lack of rebounding and defending. TMac's been great, but the defense and rebounding have helped us play well in the last week or so.


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

today vs charlotte

Chuck Hayes - 11pts 8rebs 2blks in 29min
Lonny Baxter - 18pts 11rebs 1blk in 27min

although against a weak charlotte front-line both have shown signs of improvement in the last few games so management now has a dilemma of who to cut and im in favour of ryan bowen, but JVG definately wont be so the likely ones will be either JLIII or Hayes and Baxter

My choice - John Lucas III


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

man, now im hoping we keep hayes for sure, and im pretty sure after tonight, baxter isnt going anywhere either. 

Looks like lucas III


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

I'm surprised MRC didn't suggest Derek Anderson 

Yah looks like it'll be Lucas, and then we'll re-sign him next time someone goes down


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

Yao Mania said:


> I'm surprised MRC didn't suggest Derek Anderson
> 
> Yah looks like it'll be Lucas, and then we'll re-sign him next time someone goes down


hopefully we dont have to resort to getting an extra roster spot again for the rest of the year, id prefer a healthy 15 than needing to go and sign John Lucas III again, but im sure he will be in the rockets line-up in the future, maybe just not the near future


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

CrackerJack said:


> hopefully we dont have to resort to getting an extra roster spot again for the rest of the year, id prefer a healthy 15 than needing to go and sign John Lucas III again, but im sure he will be in the rockets line-up in the future, maybe just not the near future


off season perhaps


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Cut Lucas. He really hasn't done anything of significance. Baxter hasn't done much, either, but he's had a couple of decent games to go with a couple of crappy ones. And we don't know for how long Swift is out.


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## smithys1510 (Jul 11, 2005)

its gotta be john lucas
its strange that we have so many injuries but are still forced to cut a good player


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## Mavericks_Fan (Apr 19, 2005)

Sura.


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## hitokiri315 (Apr 30, 2004)

cut moochie and baxter 

keep lil jon and hayes(dude is a baller)


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## CrackerJack (Jul 2, 2005)

hitokiri315 said:


> cut moochie and baxter
> 
> keep lil jon and hayes(dude is a baller)


you only need to cut one player and have you seen baxter play as of late? and moochie will never be cut


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## TManiAC (Dec 19, 2004)

debarge said:


> Have you guys been watching these games? Baxter and Hayes should not be cut or waived. Its hard to see them doing that after the effect both have had on the game when Tracy sits down. Even Bill Worrell has noticed that Dke and Stro don't have it for being consistently good on the boards, Barry didn't have it either, obviously those guys aren't going to get cut they have guranteed contracts. But I could see one of them going on the disabled list w/ plancher fliaitis or whatever it is...
> Les, CD, and Jeff have seen the dividends of going with young legs that rebound! For cheap, mind you. Three guys that are not liabilities offensively, Head, Hayes and Baxter. Personally I think the decisions are easy, cut Sura and Lucas. Sura will never play ball again, cut him his check and say bye bye. Get the roster spot. Lucas has potential but hasn't made the impact that Hayes/Baxter have, though I do like Lucas. Baxter by the way has been playing backup center, and backup power forward so I don't know what you're talking about saying he doesnt guard either??? That will be useful when Yao returns, Juwan can't keep playing 40 min games.
> Swift to me is dead weight and should be traded right now to the Nets for their pick in the draft. Baxter and Hayes are pleasant delights that show better understanding of what their roles are, be the best garbage men you can be when called upon. Swift got a big contract and still didn't understand his role. He has no value to us now, get rid of him, but I doubt that will happen since the team would have egg on its face for giving him such a deal. I'd rather have the pick at this point. Stromile doesn't fit this team, he's not a half court player that can defend or play in the paint. Baxter to me is a better fit for this team.
> I dont buy what Keith Jones said during the game, Sura Barry and Anderson are not coming back before the break. So that's the end of Feb, Yao maybe. In the end, I think the Rockets will end up making a mistake in cutting one of these great young kids, and return to losing because of a lack of rebounding and defending. TMac's been great, but the defense and rebounding have helped us play well in the last week or so.


Baxter is a servicable player, Ill give you that. But the only reason why were giving him 20+ minutes a night is because of a thinning front court. We have only one true Center that isnt injured, Deke. Baxter is not a defender, he is an offensive-minded tweener. 

Before Swift was injured, he was putting up solid numbers... He is not dead-weight. He is a solid backup to Juwan Howard and as such, Baxter will see very limited minutes, if any. Deke is also a solid backup at Center... there's no space for Baxter there. With Chuck Hayes emerging as our enforcer and rebounder, he will get any spill-over minutes behind Tracy McGrady and Derek Anderson at the SF position as well as those few minutes behind Juwan Howard and Stromile Swift. With a healthy front court, Baxter will be the dead-weight.

John Lucas, although not a stat-padder, brings alot of intangibles to this team. I think ppl are inspired by his hard play. JLIII, Lu, and Hayes are fearless rookies. I really like the attitude that they bring to this club.

JLIII vs. Baxter:

Norris is gone, Sura is done, Wesley aint sticking around, Barry needs a prescription for retirement, DA only has another year... Juwan and Swift will be sticking around for a while. Let JLIII grow on our team instead of cutting him in favor of a player that the Hornets cut last season.


On another note:

I find it interesting how well we've been playing with basically our pre-season roster. If I remember correctly we were 8-1 in the pre-season with this roster.


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## sherwin (Mar 21, 2005)

Easily Ryan Bowen. Seriously, I'm tired of the novelty of the hustling white guy. He's just bad. Moochie if he wasnt an expiring deal.


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## debarge (Nov 13, 2005)

sherwin said:


> Easily Ryan Bowen. Seriously, I'm tired of the novelty of the hustling white guy. He's just bad. Moochie if he wasnt an expiring deal.


How about those deals the Celtics and Wolves made? Wow, maybe we could trade Bowen and Norris for a pick or something, get their contracts off the books and then we could keep everyone we wanted, Swift, Baxter, Lucas, and Hayes? Sounds good to me.

I can't believe the Celtics traded Mark Blount, that guys gonna be really good someday soon. He's a decent shooter and rebounder w/ soft hands and pretty good athleticism? For Olowakandi??? WTF. They must've had to take him to get Wally Z. Wally and Paul Pierce, that sounds okay. Wally's a better shooter than Antoine Walker. Should we try to get Ricky Davis from Minnesota? He's like 6'7 and has the skills we need at that position to go w/ Mac and Alston? Shooter and Penatrator.. :clap: I like his aggressiveness...he's got juice!

I say we start calling teams wanting to get expiring contracts and make something happen to benefit us next season. Hopefully we could get an early start on the free agent market for the summer by freeing up contract space. The Nets still want Swift desperately, we could move him in the offseason if he doesn' t show any real improvement for a good 2 guard to start w/ Mac Alston and Yao. That's the piece thats missing to me, a 6'6" dribble-driver w/ a good long-range shot. That would give the Rockets a devasting starting five. Just Things to think about...


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