Rockets Notes

[Zero]

Stro's back? Not quite, but it was an interesting day at Toyota Center

 

There were some new - but familiar - faces on the Toyota Center practice court today. One might stick around.

 

Stromile Swift, Lorenzen Wright and Jelani McCoy joined the workouts, hoping for an invite to training camp and a chance to make the team as a backup big man.

 

Putting aside how much life has changed for Swift since the previous time he was a new guy in Rockets gear, then a coveted free agent addition that Tracy McGrady pledged to make an all-star, his return to the practice floor along with Wright and McCoy was another indication that the Rockets would like to add one more big man at least for training camp.

 

They might find one elsewhere, with some roster tinkering around the league likely in the next few weeks and certain through October. There might even be another chance for a large body (and Stro has gotten pretty big since he was here) to stick early, with the Trail Blazers up twice in the first week and one of the few teams with a physical 7-footer off the bench.

 

They might want an extra big man to play a bit against Greg Oden early, but will know more about what they want and need when they see David Andersen, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Joey Dorsey through camp and preseason games.

 

No decisions have been reached about who, or if any of the big men at Toyota Center today, will be invited to camp. Until then, Pig Miller might want to keep his cell phone charged.

 

 

• • •

There were some good moments at the workout. It is interesting how Garrett Temple and Will Conroy lead each sprint, looking like guys that have been working all summer and are trying to make the team.

 

Don't sleep on these guys. The likelihood of Temple or Conroy making the team is every bit as strong as Von Wafer's was at this time last year. Of the non-guaranteed guys - Conroy, Temple, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and James White - one will make the team. Another might if Daryl Morey can carve out a spot, somehow.

 

Neither Conroy nor Temple is the explosive athlete and scorer Wafer is, but they can play.

 

Conroy is ready to be a backup NBA point guard right now. He's not going to join a club with Chris Paul and Deron Williams, but he can run a team, make the shots he should and do the job. A lot of coaches like to have three points on the roster.

 

Temple is younger and will need more time, but he has a real chance to have a good NBA career. He already seems to be able to defend well enough for a coach to trust him with minutes while he learns the rest.

 

 

• • •

After the drills, there was a relatively brief three-on-three session. It is always interesting to see how easy it is for NBA players to score in three-on-three games, without the usual NBA help defenses. I saw one of those sessions last season in which Calvin Booth looked like Tim Duncan.

 

This one was more interesting for who played than how. Trevor Ariza arrived in time for some shooting and the three-on-three that followed.

 

Much will be said and written about Ariza and the Rockets' pseudo-trade of Artest for Ariza. Already has been, and we'll get into what Ariza brings to the floor.

 

After chatting for awhile today, though, it was interesting to see a guy so happy and enthusiastic and flat-out cheerful joining this team. The Rockets have some driven pros. They could use a guy that works as hard as any, but brings that kind of mood, too.

 

 

• • •

Best moment of the workout, however, was easy to pick.

 

The Rockets were going through one of those new Darryl Eto drills. (I know I promised a story on all that a few weeks ago. It's written. It's coming. Keep checking.)

 

In this drill, players drive to the basket and are to finish their layups while strength and conditioning coach Dave Macha smacks them with a pad. It is a drill to train players to finish when fouled.

 

On one drive, Will Conroy's elbow slipped under the pad and caught Macha. On Conroy's next drive, Macha clobbered him, smacking the pad into the side of Conroy's head.

 

Conroy had barely been Jorge Posada brushing Macha with an elbow. Macha went Karl Malone. Both seemed to find it amusing.

 

No word on if Macha plans the same technique when Tracy McGrady gets to town.

 

 

• • •

The Rockets are ready to announce a month-long series of about 15 events starting on Monday heading into the start of the season.

 

Expect them to announce their marketing slogan for the season and to unveil an alternate uniform Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

 

 

• • •

Finally, how is this for a coincidence?

 

Ariza picked out a house and has begun moving in. He expects to be settled this weekend.

 

He has not had time to get to know the neighbors, but he won't have to introduce himself to the entire neighborhood.

 

Tracy McGrady lives across the street.

 

Ariza said he did not know that was McGrady's place when he picked out his, but he said he does plan to often use McGrady's full-court gym.

Houston Chronic

 

Unless I misread this T-Mac is back in practice which is great. Also glad to see Ariza finally is in Houston working out and picked a house, I find it funny how he's going to be living across the street from T-Mac. Hopefully they can build a good friendship seeing Ariza plays on using T-Mac gym.

 

And thank god we are finally going to have new jerseys. I've never really been a fan of the current ones, hopefully they add a third color in black on them.