Interview with Jason Friedman

[Eralp]

Here is our interview with Rockets.Com writer and journalist Jason Friedman. He is a like source that really close to our team and he answered our questions. We learned many thing that we wondered about, so really appreciated to him for this interview.


RoxTurk: First of all, thank you for answering our interview. Could you tell us about yourself, and when was the first time that you started this Rockets job; meaning Rockets writer.

I accepted the job as the writer/reporter for Rockets.com this summer (right before the NBA draft). I covered the team last year for the Houston Press and have eight years of experience in the field of sports journalism.

RoxTurk: Let's go on with Rockets. A lot of Turkish Rockets fans are wondering about Steve Francis situation. What is the last update about Franchise, when he will be back ?

I suggest fans keep their expectations low with regards to Francis. He is still not able to fully participate in practice and has even said himself that he might not be 100% recovered from surgery until the second half of the season. The truth is that Francis has not been a productive player for years now and when you consider his advancing age and the severity of his injury, it quickly becomes apparent that Francis faces an uphill climb if he is to ever be a productive player again. Quite frankly, his expiring contract (which could be a key to a trade deadline deal) might offer more value to the Rockets than his skill right now.

RoxTurk: We have dealt Ron Artest and now have 3 superstar in our team. Do you think that it will be a handicap for us ?

When you consider the relative lack of risk (final year of his contract, the Rockets gave up none of their regular rotation players) involved in the Artest trade, I think it’s a move Daryl Morey had to make. True, there is always a chance Artest loses his cool and ends up hurting the Rockets, but this team is built to win NOW so it seems like the right time to roll the dice. Artest gives the Rockets a chance to be remarkable defensively, and he also provides the extra offensive punch that this team has so sorely needed in the past.

RoxTurk: We read that Shane Battier is injuried himself and still not 100 percent and don't know his returning time. What is the last news about him ?

I spoke to Shane yesterday and here is what he said: “I’m doing better…. Two weeks from today I’m getting an MRI and that will determine a lot… If it shows that the inflammation has gone down and I’m OK to resume practice, then I’ll start working my way in slowly and we’ll go from there." Expect him to miss the entire preseason and start slowly working his way into the rotation when the regular season begins.

RoxTurk: Meanwhile i should ask you about T-Mac. He did not play in pre-season games, so far. Maybe he will play some of these games. Is he going to be back and be 100% ?

McGrady is day-to-day right now and might see some action on the Rockets’ current road trip. The team is being very cautious with his injury because there’s no need to rush his recovery. It’s far more important for him to be healthy in April than October. If that means missing some time early on in the season, so be it.

RoxTurk: What do you think about our young guys like Aaron Brooks, D.J. Strawberry, Joey Dorsey etc. Do you think that they will play a lot this season ?

The only one of that group who is likely to see much playing time is Aaron Brooks. D.J. Strawberry is unlikely to make the team and Joey Dorsey, while talented, is very raw. Barring significant injuries, he probably won’t see much more than a few minutes of playing time per game. He might even be sent to the D-League early on just so he can get some real game experience, rather than merely sitting on the bench with the Rockets.

Aaron, on the other hand, is being asked to step up and assume the back-up point guard responsibilities. If he proves capable, the Rockets will be thrilled since the back-up point position has been very problematic for them in recent years. If not, then expect to see Brent Barry and T-Mac assume more of the ball-handling responsibilities when Rafer Alston is out of the game.

RoxTurk: Do you think that we will be struggled about back-up center situation. We all know that we haven't got a real center for back up position to Yao. We still did not signed a contract with Mutombo.

The Rockets will employ a rotation of Carl Landry, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Joey Dorsey at the center position when Yao is out. All are undersized, but it’s important to realize there are very few quality back-up centers in the NBA. The only way it will be a serious problem is if Yao gets hurt again. As long as he’s healthy, back-up center won’t be too terribly problematic for the Rockets.

Also, it’s important to remember that there’s still a good chance Mutombo will sign with the team at some point during the regular season. Remember PJ Brown’s signing with the Celtics last season? Look for something similar to happen with Deke and the Rockets.

RoxTurk: What about Adelman and his contact with players ? Do you think Adelman is looking closer to players than Jeff Van Gundy and what do you think about his game strategy ?

Adelman has connected very well with his players. They respect his experience and expertise and Ron Artest has even said that Adelman is the best coach he’s ever played for. If anyone had any questions about Adelman’s coaching ability, I think he answered them when he managed to find a way to coax his team to 55 wins despite Yao missing more than a quarter of the season.

RoxTurk: Are we going to see any other moves in regular season ?

I think it’s very likely the Rockets will make one or two moves during the regular season. But it’s impossible to speculate what they might be until we see this team in action, and get a better feel for its strengths and weaknesses.

RoxTurk: Do we have any chance for being championship ? What do you think ?

This team absolutely is a championship contender. The key, as it always is with the Rockets, is health. If they can stay injury-free, the Rockets can match-up with anyone in the NBA. But given this club’s injury history, that’s obviously easier said than done.

RoxTurk: Did you have any conversation with Yao ? He said "hey, my foot is 100%" , but many people did not believe it. To be honestly, he is a really tall guy, and it is really hard that he would be 100% for all of regular season. What do you think about that ?

I have spoken with Yao several times in the last two weeks. I believe that he is 100%. Right now, his biggest issues are conditioning and rust; but that’s what the preseason is for. And while it’s natural to be skeptical about Yao staying healthy given the events of the last few years, it’s also important to remember the story of Zydrunas Ilgauskus. Early on, it looked like his career would be sabotaged due to persistent injuries, but he’s now managed to stay quite healthy and productive for six straight years.

RoxTurk: Ok. Let us talk about our country. Have you ever been in Turkey ?

Unfortunately, I have never been to Turkey. Thus far, the only European countries I have visited are England, Ireland and Spain (I spent two months walking El camino de Santiago two years ago). I have several friends who have spent time in Turkey, though, and they all rave about how amazing it is. I hope to see and experience it with my own eyes someday soon.

RoxTurk: What do you think about RoxTurk.com and what can you say to Turkish Rockets fans who are supporting Rockets without being near to them.

I thank RoxTurk.com and all the Turkish fans for their interest and support. The passion and enthusiasm they display for a Rockets team which plays its games thousands of miles away is amazing to me. I’ll be sure to tell the players how much love they’re receiving from Turkey.

RoxTurk: Can we wait a journey from Rockets organization ? Maybe like an Nba Europe Live tournament. Many Nba teams came out to Turkey but thousands of Turkish Rockets fans could not see Rockets in their home. Just wanna know your thoughts...

I hope the Rockets will one day have a chance to play in front of all their Turkish fans. I know the NBA is very serious about expanding its presence in Europe and Asia, so hopefully that means a trip to Turkey in the near future. Thanks so much again for your time and your interest!

http://www.RoxTurk.Com - Turkish Rockets Site

[Vator]

Good interview. Thaks for sharing.