moment of clarity for the 2009-10 season

was inspirational, nothing less

as far as trading, re-signing T-mac: no team would take on that contract until he’s healthy or unless they are grabbing a huge expiring for FA, and HOU should be able to re-sign T-Mac for less next summer as the glut of younger and dynamic FA will flood the market

Either he will be healthy by mid season and some team will think he’ll be the missing piece they need, or some team will take him just for his expiring contract (part of which will be covered by insurance, I believe).

If he is on the Rockets at the end of the year, I see no way he re-signs in Houston. All those years of losing in the first round and than he goes down and they finally make it to the 2nd round? And he is supposed to be the superstar? His pride has to be shattered. He will head elsewhere and I wouldnt blame him.

As for all of your other points, Well said. Rec’d.

that the rockets wont make the playoffs next year…

y not …winning 2-2 from the lakers without yao and t-mac and with a artest that chucks up 20 shots and makes 4…we have a nice young team and a running team….500 vs lakers without stars is good…and guess what? we dont play the lakers 82 games a year…this team can make the playoffs especially if t-mac comes back and comes back to the t-mac we all know and love (not the injured one). remember, t-mac is playing for a contract so he will want to come back asap (tho not hurry to much to cause another injury) and he will play as hard as possible so he can get a nice new contract…
this team WILL make the playoffs next season!

I’ve heard reports that he could be back by training camp, back by Christmas, back by the trade deadline or not even play this year (either). Anyone know WHEN this big gun will come back and play for this team?

As for the core of the Rockets, I have to disagree about Lowry lapping Brooks and taking the starting lineup. Lowry is the kind of bulldog backup you like on your team would could start and is a great change-of-pace guy. Brooks though, is CP3-lite, and I see him taking another step next year as a more mature performer.

Scola will be the focal point of this team. Look for Adelman to keep the post game going, but with Scola’s (and Andersen’s) smart passing, the cutting potential of Ariza, and Aaron Brooks/Kyle Lowry breaking down defenses, this should be a promising run next year.

Remember guys: Golden State, Minnesota, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Memphis and Oklahoma City were all terrible last year. I can see them getting slightly better (maybe the Clippers challenge for the playoffs), but the fact is, we still have better pieces than these other teams.

Sometimes a team’s whole is more valuable than the parts. Keep that in mind.

I can’t see why the Rockets are not atleast 8th seed!!!!!!

If we only have to worry about New Orleans and Pheonix, we can still beat them. For being Rockets fans in general shame on you for thinking they can’t make playoffs, if you are a basketball fan in general shame on you for not thinking they can’t make playoffs.

Scola is going to average close to 20 -10 with out a doubt. that alone will make up for Yao. Scola is a beast and he will be let out of his cage. Everyone else including Andersen will pick up points to replace what Scola averaged last year (what is that 9???).

Please give us some credit!~!!!!

I only see T-Mac staying past this year if we get to the Conference Finals with him playing healthy and at a high level all year.

Since that’s pretty unlikely if Morey thinks he can get the best value from him by the deadline he’ll be gone. If not, then we’ll probably keep him till the end of the year where he might peak at the end and maybe even get us to the playoffs, but anything short of what I said above will not keep him here.

Any doubt about Yao being our go to guy will be either confirmed or shunted away by how this season goes.

As of now all signs seem to be pointing to cautiously optimistic about the season without huge contributions from both T-Mac or Yao, T-mac being traded either before the deadline or at the end of the year, and getting Yao back with a strong supporting cast for 2010.

I for one think that McGrady will not come out blazing and will be traded at the end of the year but the only person that can help McGrady is McGrady and I think we’ve all seen how well that’s turned out for him so far.

This is on the assumption that T-Mac comes back healthy AND that Yao comes back as more than a shadow of his former self.

If the Rockets tank this year, get a good draft pick, and those two come back as their old selves… then this team is scary next year or year after.

But it’s probably just as likely that the Rockets only semi tank (35), that T-Mac isn’t his old self, and that Yao never comes back. (I personally hope Yao does, I want a rematch.)