Back up Center?

[wadero]

We all love Mutombo but we also have to start thinking about why we are here and that is to win the Big One. I personally dont think we can get away with winning the Title with Dorsey 6'8 Harris 6'6 Hayes 6'6. The only guy behind Yao with the any height is Scola 6'9 or 6'10 and Landry at 6'8 or 6'9? We need to address this postion. Who are some big bodies that could come in here and Back up YAo? Or who would you like to see behind Yao?

[MaxRider]

why do you want a big backup center? to guard who?

[moofs]

Let's get Chris Mihm he's so effective!!!!

Seriously if we get a backup C now (which we aren't), we can't get Deke later (which would suck). If we're having problems before the trade deadline and Deke isn't signed and prognosis is not looking good, we can make a trade if it's deemed the priority.

This is not somethin to be worrying about now.

Deke has proven time and time again, he's the best possible backup C we could have, and whatever we need to do to have the best shot at getting him back is the way to go.

In the meantime, Dorsey will be getting some spot minutes he wouldn't get otherwise that will help him develop.

Also as Max said, it's not like there's a stampede of traditional centers running around the league. Oh crap Dorsey's having to guard Matt Bonner and Fabricio Oberto, we're doomed!

[Baller 24]

Just like moofs said; Deke is our best bet at this position, he is reliable, durable, and effective when he is given minutes. Hell I'd say when Yao goes down; his statistics are better than some of the starting centers in the league. Hes the best fit, also IMO if things aren't looking good for the later part of the season before trade deadline; I'm not saying they won't be looking good, but just in case things aren't (injuries etc.) I think its best we trade the man so he can win a damn tittle! But right now my mode of thinking is; hes looking at the right team (Rockets) if hes looking to win a tittle in '09

[Ribalding]

why do you want a big backup center? to guard who?

Grammar aside, you make the perfect point.

The days of the traditional center are beyond simply "numbered". They're over. Have been for 5 years. Perhaps their time will return (as "every season"), but for now.....

As it pertains to a backup center, I have 3 questions:

1. Why bother? (as MaxRider asked)

2. What NBA team has 2 legit centers? (Answer: nobody, now that Zo's retired and Shaq's in Phoenix.)

3. Would you rather have Deke on the floor, as a backup? Or....

PG: Barry
SG: McGrady
SF: Artest
PF: Battier/Landry
C: Scola/Dorsey

?

Seriously. You'd rather have Deke? I don't get it. That lineup is terrifying. (Moreso considering it's a fall back option.)

[King Roosk]

I think our main concern, aside from health, is at backup PG. Brooks has looked good in the past 2 pre-season games, but I still believe he's our biggest question mark. I'm hoping he proves his worth and renders this discussion unnecessary.

[CuttingEdge]

There's no need for a backup C with the way this team is and the way other teams are in the league. We need a backup PG... I would take a recovering Monta Ellis come trade deadline if Golden State decides to waive him due to the broken contract regulation thing. The PG is the hardest commodity to come by in the NBA these days...

[tisbee]

Dwight,Bynum,Oden,Shaq,Kaman,O'Neal.
Duncan,Amare,Jefferson,Horford,Gasol,Bosh.
Gee,what possible need for a back-up C could the Rockets have? It's not like Yao never picks up silly fouls and has to go to the bench w/foul trouble. Nor does Yao ever come out of the game for a rest-no he's an iron man who plays 48 minutes a night,game after game after game.

[Guy986]

We have the Chuckster. We dont need no stinkin backup C.

[2fast4u]

once again. the thread starter has failed tremendously

[Ribalding]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6069425.html

When the Rockets played without a true center — Yao or Dikembe Mutombo — last season, they outscored opponents by 2½ points more per 48 minutes than did the Rockets’ groupings with a center.

[moofs]

There's no need for a backup C with the way this team is and the way other teams are in the league. We need a backup PG... I would take a recovering Monta Ellis come trade deadline if Golden State decides to waive him due to the broken contract regulation thing. The PG is the hardest commodity to come by in the NBA these days...

We.. need a backup point.. guard.. so you.. name Monta Ellis? I am SO lost.

Man this bacon is so tasty, but I'm being audited by the IRS so I better not watch The Daily Show tonight.

[McGrady2Head]

Dwight,Bynum,Oden,Shaq,Kaman,O'Neal.
Duncan,Amare,Jefferson,Horford,Gasol,Bosh.
Gee,what possible need for a back-up C could the Rockets have? It's not like Yao never picks up silly fouls and has to go to the bench w/foul trouble. Nor does Yao ever come out of the game for a rest-no he's an iron man who plays 48 minutes a night,game after game after game.

Lets see, Shaq Suxx, i have no idea why you mentioned horford, bynum is overrated and unproven, kaman suxx, amare, bosh, gasol, and dwight are pfs.

[moofs]

At age 28, Michael Jordan was in the 1990-91 season just starting his championship years.
At age 28, T-Mac was complaining about losing a step and almost retired.
Grow a pair T-Mac

Haha dude your sig is awesome! Lemme tweak it some

At age 16, Alexander the Great was beginning his conquest of the known world, acting as parochial ruler of Byzantium, and had 5 wives.
At age 20, McGrady2Head was posting on an internet message board.
Grow a pair, T-Mac!

[tisbee]

McGrady2Head,
Dwight is the Center of the Magic.
The second list was of PFs who play Center and are inside players.
Shaq has declined quite a bit but he still gives 15/9 and last yr he and Amare dominated the Rockets w/out Yao.
Horford could have been Rookie of Yr.
I live in LA and see alot of Laker games-Bynum is legit.(I could understand you saying Oden is raw,which he is,but he has been overpowering people down low in the Pre-Season.)
Kaman was a borderline All-Star before he got hurt.

All of the players I listed play inside,are bigger than the the Rockets other than Yao,and can put up a 20/10 on any night. These are the guys who the Rockets will need a quality backup C for.

[McGrady2Head]

At age 28, Michael Jordan was in the 1990-91 season just starting his championship years.
At age 28, T-Mac was complaining about losing a step and almost retired.
Grow a pair T-Mac

Haha dude your sig is awesome! Lemme tweak it some

At age 16, Alexander the Great was beginning his conquest of the known world, acting as parochial ruler of Byzantium, and had 5 wives.
At age 20, McGrady2Head was posting on an internet message board.
Grow a pair, T-Mac!

oh im sorry i didnt realize the internet was a "nerdy" thing to do. i guess me and you are the only ones on the internet these days, lets tell the rest of the world about computers and the internet, i think it could be huge and change the world

[moofs]

lol nevermind man, you completely missed what I was getting at

If you read it the way I intended, it's really not insulting.

(although the insulting interpretation that's there is hilarious, imo, but you didn't even catch IT properly )

McGrady2Head,
Dwight is the Center of the Magic.
The second list was of PFs who play Center and are inside players.
Shaq has declined quite a bit but he still gives 15/9 and last yr he and Amare dominated the Rockets w/out Yao.
Horford could have been Rookie of Yr.
I live in LA and see alot of Laker games-Bynum is legit.(I could understand you saying Oden is raw,which he is,but he has been overpowering people down low in the Pre-Season.)
Kaman was a borderline All-Star before he got hurt.

All of the players I listed play inside,are bigger than the the Rockets other than Yao,and can put up a 20/10 on any night. These are the guys who the Rockets will need a quality backup C for.

Gotta defend a legit post player.
No Mutombo for the moment.
Daa dadadadaada daaaaaa Chuck Hayes to the rescue!
Want position? No can do!
Want to bring the ball up slowly? SWIPE
He's usually pretty decent at defending post players, though I prefer Mutty.
We got Joey Dorsey for the same thing, and he's allegedly going to be better (Hayes was definitely not this good at defense his rookie year, that leap came around gradually in year 2 and really showed last year)
(I expect Shaq to post between 9.5 and 11.2 ppg this year)

So....? I mean... it looks like we're back to the early preseason argument that we need a guy whose head is taller than 6'9" for purposes of simply being tall and big, again, even though it would, again, mess up our chances of signing Mutombo, which has been a stated priority since the end of last season. We have 2 guys who have shown they can do it (Scola works in spurts against some teams). I don't follow, and as such, vote "no" to the Erica Dampier archetype. This sounds suspiciously like the "we need a point guard who can defend Deron Williams and Chris Paul" argument

[MaxRider]

Dwight,Bynum,Oden,Shaq,Kaman,O'Neal.
Duncan,Amare,Jefferson,Horford,Gasol,Bosh.
Gee,what possible need for a back-up C could the Rockets have? It's not like Yao never picks up silly fouls and has to go to the bench w/foul trouble. Nor does Yao ever come out of the game for a rest-
no he's an iron man who plays 48 minutes a night,game after game after game.

if we can't beat Clippers, Minnesota, Atlanta, Raptors without a true backup center
we might as well start rebuilding
only concern here is Lakers and Phoenix
Yao had been dominated over Bynum
it's more like they need a 3rd backup center to guard Yao
Gasol is just soft
you didn't see him getting push around by Powe?
you got to remember we don't need to double team Kobe unlike other team

[tisbee]

Moofs,
You're right about this turning into a rehash of the "Rockets need a big big" argument/discussion. Difference is recently Rockets beat reporters have been expressing concern about Rocket size and Adelman expressed some concern after a recent game. Whereas earlier the backup PG seemed more of a concern.
I'm sure the Rockets brain trust is worried about both the backup PG and lack of size up front. I'm also pretty sure that the team will use Nov/Dec to evaluate what they really need and in Jan will try and fill that need.

[moofs]

Dunno. Got any cites? I'm curious to see why they were concerned.