Houston Rockets Press Conference 2006

[78#]

Hello everyone,

Glad for you all to join us here today. The new season is about to start and we're here to go over the offseason move, the direction of our franchise, and our starting lineup and primary backups.

OFFSEASON
The draft was the first step of the offseason. With our pick, we selected wingman Ronnie Brewer from the University of Arkansas. Ronnie brings alot of potential with his defense and athleticism. With careful development, we feel he can become one of the best defenders in the league.

Due to not paying off the luxury tax from last season, we were forced to sign veteran minimums. We've acquired alot of our targets. We resigned Austin Croshere who took over the starting PF last season after the Chris Webber trade. He can solidly defend the perimeter and post, also he can hit the open threes, and provides alot of energy on the floor.

The rest of the signings were also veteran mins to help fill up the roster. Among those, Tyrone Nesby, Robert Pack, Alvin Williams, Chris Antsey, Kenyon Martin, and Jimmy Jackson will receive plenty of minutes.

The last major move we made was trading away Eddie House to remove salary.

LINEUP

C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas
PF - Austin Croshere
SF - Peja Stojakovic
SG - Tyrone Nesby
PG - Jason Kidd

Backups will be Jimmy Jackson at SF, Chris Antsey at center, Charles Smith at SG, Kenyon Martin at PF, and Robert Pack at PG.

DIRECTION

We changed direction halfway thru last season with the trade of Chris Webber to the Pacers. Despite being 27-11 up to that point, we needed to make that trade because we couldn't absorb the the almost 200 point luxury tax and we felt we could still be a competitive team post-trade. Though we didn't finish as high as we hoped due to alot of close losses at the end of the season, we still finished with 50 wins and our 3rd straight playoff berth. Unfortunately, we ran into a very good Utah Jazz team led by one of the best players in the league in Tim Duncan and were promptly swept. In the end however, we shaved off almost 100 points off the tax, acquired Peja Stojakovic who will be our starting SF this season, and a 1st round pick in Ronnie Brewer who has potential to be a long-time starter.

Long-term, we're gonna ride things out until we pay off our tax, continue to accumulate draft picks, and become more fiscally responsible so we can sustain a long-term successful franchise.

We will now be answering questions.

[42PhD]

Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Prior to last offseason, you famously said:

"The tax won't hurt me because I can only sign minimum players anyway so the tax doesn't mean crap to me."

Now, you fully admit to trading away talent to shave a tax bill and needing to be more fiscally responsible. You did this prior to the tax bills being locked in, clearly and prior to Orlando becoming the face of tax problems in the League, sparing you and the Mavericks on the growing list of tax casualties.

You currently also are in the tax, but can easily avoid it by trimming some minimum contract players you touted in your opener. You can also try to sell cap space for points and participate in League activities to gain points, something you have not done regularly.

Are you in fact more fiscally responsible? How? Is that what made you trim your tax bill, or do you owe a debt of gratitude to other GM's for helping you to act to lessen the tax blow by showing you the light?

[78#]

Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Prior to last offseason, you famously said:

"The tax won't hurt me because I can only sign minimum players anyway so the tax doesn't mean crap to me."

Now, you fully admit to trading away talent to shave a tax bill and needing to be more fiscally responsible. You did this prior to the tax bills being locked in, clearly and prior to Orlando becoming the face of tax problems in the League, sparing you and the Mavericks on the growing list of tax casualties.

You currently also are in the tax, but can easily avoid it by trimming some minimum contract players you touted in your opener. You can also try to sell cap space for points and participate in League activities to gain points, something you have not done regularly.

Are you in fact more fiscally responsible? How? Is that what made you trim your tax bill, or do you owe a debt of gratitude to other GM's for helping you to act to lessen the tax blow by showing you the light?

There is no debt of gratitude owed since we had offers for Chris Webber last season and Eddie House this offseason.

And the plan is to be more fiscally responsible long-term which doesn't happen right away. I know its hard for you to process that due to your ASSperger's, but if you read my last paragraph slowly, it clearly states the plan is to be fiscally responsible long-term, not this season. Now go Frye yourself.

[42PhD]

Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Prior to last offseason, you famously said:

"The tax won't hurt me because I can only sign minimum players anyway so the tax doesn't mean crap to me."

Now, you fully admit to trading away talent to shave a tax bill and needing to be more fiscally responsible. You did this prior to the tax bills being locked in, clearly and prior to Orlando becoming the face of tax problems in the League, sparing you and the Mavericks on the growing list of tax casualties.

You currently also are in the tax, but can easily avoid it by trimming some minimum contract players you touted in your opener. You can also try to sell cap space for points and participate in League activities to gain points, something you have not done regularly.

Are you in fact more fiscally responsible? How? Is that what made you trim your tax bill, or do you owe a debt of gratitude to other GM's for helping you to act to lessen the tax blow by showing you the light?

There is no debt of gratitude owed since we had offers for Chris Webber last season and Eddie House this offseason.

And the plan is to be more fiscally responsible long-term which doesn't happen right away. I know its hard for you to process that due to your ASSperger's, but if you read my last paragraph slowly, it clearly states the plan is to be fiscally responsible long-term, not this season. Now go Frye yourself.

Yeah, that's not what you said. Being fiscally responsible long-term does not mean you will start off by being a flagrant spender. It may take time to "get there," but you do actually start.

Sounds like the tax did hurt you, is hurting you, will hurt you, and means crap to you.

Your hostilities are unwarranted, as you just said, you had offers and you didn't take the one for House. You did this to yourself and looks like you'll continue to do it.

I suppose if you really mean that, you'll be adding salary via trade this season by packaging mins and paying the tax again. I look forward to see if this is just machismo and bluster to try to "win" a press conference.

See, I can do that without insulting you.

You're welcome.

[78#]

Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Prior to last offseason, you famously said:

"The tax won't hurt me because I can only sign minimum players anyway so the tax doesn't mean crap to me."

Now, you fully admit to trading away talent to shave a tax bill and needing to be more fiscally responsible. You did this prior to the tax bills being locked in, clearly and prior to Orlando becoming the face of tax problems in the League, sparing you and the Mavericks on the growing list of tax casualties.

You currently also are in the tax, but can easily avoid it by trimming some minimum contract players you touted in your opener. You can also try to sell cap space for points and participate in League activities to gain points, something you have not done regularly.

Are you in fact more fiscally responsible? How? Is that what made you trim your tax bill, or do you owe a debt of gratitude to other GM's for helping you to act to lessen the tax blow by showing you the light?

There is no debt of gratitude owed since we had offers for Chris Webber last season and Eddie House this offseason.

And the plan is to be more fiscally responsible long-term which doesn't happen right away. I know its hard for you to process that due to your ASSperger's, but if you read my last paragraph slowly, it clearly states the plan is to be fiscally responsible long-term, not this season. Now go Frye yourself.

Yeah, that's not what you said. Being fiscally responsible long-term does not mean you will start off by being a flagrant spender. It may take time to "get there," but you do actually start.

Sounds like the tax did hurt you, is hurting you, will hurt you, and means crap to you.

Your hostilities are unwarranted, as you just said, you had offers and you didn't take the one for House. You did this to yourself and looks like you'll continue to do it.

I suppose if you really mean that, you'll be adding salary via trade this season by packaging mins and paying the tax again. I look forward to see if this is just machismo and bluster to try to "win" a press conference.

See, I can do that without insulting you.

You're welcome.

I obviously took an offer for House since he got traded. Guess you missed that too.

Insulting you is funner so I'll keep doing it throughout the year. Just make sure your team doesn't fall flat on its face cause I will be the first to let you know about. At least win a playoff game this season.

[42PhD]

There is no debt of gratitude owed since we had offers for Chris Webber last season and Eddie House this offseason.

And the plan is to be more fiscally responsible long-term which doesn't happen right away. I know its hard for you to process that due to your ASSperger's, but if you read my last paragraph slowly, it clearly states the plan is to be fiscally responsible long-term, not this season. Now go Frye yourself.

Yeah, that's not what you said. Being fiscally responsible long-term does not mean you will start off by being a flagrant spender. It may take time to "get there," but you do actually start.

Sounds like the tax did hurt you, is hurting you, will hurt you, and means crap to you.

Your hostilities are unwarranted, as you just said, you had offers and you didn't take the one for House. You did this to yourself and looks like you'll continue to do it.

I suppose if you really mean that, you'll be adding salary via trade this season by packaging mins and paying the tax again. I look forward to see if this is just machismo and bluster to try to "win" a press conference.

See, I can do that without insulting you.

You're welcome.

I obviously took an offer for House since he got traded. Guess you missed that too.

Insulting you is funner so I'll keep doing it throughout the year. Just make sure your team doesn't fall flat on its face cause I will be the first to let you know about. At least win a playoff game this season.

You traded Kemp last season, as you noted, to avoid tax. You traded House this season... After you paid the tax on him last season, which was the point.

If you are hanging you hat on Cleveland losing, stand in line. There are big differences between bad luck, not being the best or having the best players, and actively, knowingly, and willfully taking a harsh penalty for your team for dubious benefit. To your credit, you didn't Magic yourself, but you only partway saved yourself.

Feel free to insult all you want. Just know that I don't have to rely on insults to make a point, and I don't have to wait for bad luck or the inevitability of the top tier of the teams to make a point.

I may be a complete disaster for a number of reasons. None of that diminishes your own management error.

Let's see if you add salary and keep it.

[78#]

[quote="42PhD
If you are hanging you hat on Cleveland losing, stand in line. There are big differences between bad luck, not being the best or having the best players, and actively, knowingly, and willfully taking a harsh penalty for your team for dubious benefit. To your credit, you didn't Magic yourself, but you only partway saved yourself.

Feel free to insult all you want. Just know that I don't have to rely on insults to make a point, and I don't have to wait for bad luck or the inevitability of the top tier of the teams to make a point.

I may be a complete disaster for a number of reasons. None of that diminishes your own management error.

Let's see if you add salary and keep it.[/quote]

Have a good day and good luck this season.

[Xist2Inspire]

Random Reporter: It looks like despite being the subject of trade rumors late in the offseason, Peja is now a vital piece to maintaining your success. What are you hoping to get from him this season, are you confident that he can fill the secondary scoring void?

[78#]

Random Reporter: It looks like despite being the subject of trade rumors late in the offseason, Peja is now a vital piece to maintaining your success. What are you hoping to get from him this season, are you confident that he can fill the secondary scoring void?

He had a good training camp and followed that up with a really good preseason. He's starting for a now, but he's probably gonna be available for a trade by the deadline.

[Conroy]

Bill Simmons Sports Guy Here, Jason Kidd was always a popular name here in Boston. Nothing ever materialized though, what's the plan moving forward with him? Is there a market for him? Is there any chance in hell he's in a Rockets uniform next year?

[RPF]

New Jersey Reporter: What are your expectations this season in the tough midwest?

[78#]

Bill Simmons Sports Guy Here, Jason Kidd was always a popular name here in Boston. Nothing ever materialized though, what's the plan moving forward with him? Is there a market for him? Is there any chance in hell he's in a Rockets uniform next year?

We've never discussed moving Kidd. There's a strong chance he will be here next season. We're not likely to bid on free agents due to the tax. We're always taking offers.


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[78#]

New Jersey Reporter: What are your expectations this season in the tough midwest?

It's gonna be a tough season. We're looking like an average team right now. Our main guys took a hit in TC and we have a lot of new parts to work in.


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