ClutchFans - Houston Adds One Mo Rocket

I just remember being very concerned thinking that Rudy had driven into a tree (again)... or at the very least they were handing out some kind of funny beer at Olympic practice.

You see, Mo was a Sonic. It was virtually done... just a few finishing touches on your run-of-the-mill 4-team, 13-player deal and Taylor's picking out drapes with Gary Payton. But alas, the Rockets' patience pays off yet again. Just as it happened last year with free agent coup Shandon Anderson, the Rockets scored a valuable starter with an undersized exception contract.

What it amounts to is the Rockets have called up Mo from their Triple A affiliate, the Los Angeles Clippers, and he's ready for the big dance.

"I felt that a lot of people haven't seen me play my best basketball," said Taylor. "With me coming to a new situation with Houston, I think that people will see me play my best basketball."

Rockets Ready for Taylor to work his MoJo
Taylor has huge offensive skills, no doubt about it.

"He can play out on the floor, back to the bucket, he's got range, and he can put it on the floor," said Rockets vice president of basketball operations Carroll Dawson. "For a power forward, it makes your mouth water when you watch the film of him."

Since being drafted out of Michigan with the 14th pick in the '97 draft, Mo has averaged nearly 15 points and over 5 boards per game. Last season, Mo hit 46.4% of his shots, scored over 17 points per game and increased his rebounding, an element of his game that has received much criticism, to 6.5 per contest. He's got range, but not three-point range -- Mo isn't one to jack trifectas, hitting 1-8 for the year.

Landing a player of Mo's caliber, at just 23 years old, is amazing. With Kenny Thomas, also 23, backing him up, suddenly the Rockets have a young and potentially lethal duo at power forward.

Want youth? The Rockets have it. In a matter of 2 years the Rockets turned the oldest team in the league to one of the youngest. The Rockets' 6-pack core of Taylor, Thomas, Kelvin Cato, Shandon Anderson, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley is, on the average, 24.5 years old.

The chemistry of this young team is already its strong suit, and Cat and Steve did heavy recruiting on Taylor to get him here. Mo said all the right things to lead us to believe the chemistry can only get better.

"Talking to Steve and Cuttino over the week really helped me make my decision," said Mo. "I think talking to them, it really showed me that I belong here because they are guys that are my age that I can definitely get along with, I can go out with, that I can really hang around with, as opposed to going to a veteran team that really wasn't going to be like that."

Been a Rough Year
Make no mistake about it, this isn't exactly the capper of things gone right for Taylor and his agent, "Superfly" David Falk. Sure, it ended up good and they may be happy to be in Houston, but last summer, Taylor's asking price was a max contract in the neighborhood of $70 million. He could have gotten a contract fairly close to that, but Taylor/Falk refused and the Clippers didn't give in.

As a result, Taylor was very public that he would never return to the Clippers and demanded that the team deal him before the trading deadline. After a deal with the Knicks fell through and the deadline came and went, Mo got so pissed he refused to get off the team bus and word is at one point there for a brief stretch, he refused to play in that night's game.

And when free agency began this summer, the Clippers weren't exactly bending over to accomodate him. Back in July, Taylor stated publically he was going to sign with the Orlando Magic, but after signing Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill they couldn't create enough cap room to fit Taylor in.

Toronto then made an offer, 4 years, $18 million, that Mo looked ready to accept, but was rejected in the final hour.

Then it was down to Seattle and Houston, with the Sonics apparently holding the huge upper hand because of a deal for Patrick Ewing on tap. Taylor told many Friday that he had never committed to Seattle, and felt all along Houston was the better fit.

The Final Result
This is an A++ move by the Rockets. It's low-risk, high reward... a one-year deal for a potentially explosive player at arguably our weakest position. If the chemistry continues to be strong or improves with Mo in the mix, adding Taylor for so cheap amounts to highway robbery by the Rockets.

Mo Taylor looks good in a Rocket uniform
(see bigger version here)

Potential downsides?

Dealing with David Falk. That's not a "potential" downside, that just flat out sucks. Period.

Also, the one-year deal gives the Rockets no CBA advantage when it comes time to re-sign him next season. Meaning unless Taylor takes another cheap 1 or 2-year deal, they can't go over the cap to re-sign him. Raw cap room must be used to get him in the fold.

And if you're already concerned about re-signing Taylor, remember: The salary cap is rumored to be increasing to $44 million next summer, and the Rockets will have significant room with Dream's retirement (and possibly Matt Bullard moving on) on deck. But so will a number of teams, including hometown Detroit who could have Taylor high on their list behind Chris Webber.

Also, how will Kenny Thomas take this? Remember, he's the same age as Taylor, and may now never start in a Rockets uniform if Taylor stays long-term. KT played surprisingly well in his rookie season, but his sophomore campaign in Houston may now be his biggest challenge.

Where Carlos Rogers fits in all this is a mystery, and Bryce Drew will still be moved before the season comes into play.

But suddenly, with the signing of just one player, the Rockets look fairly deep at all positions.

As for Mo, he looks to be a good fit in Houston. "When it came down to it, I felt that Houston was the best place for me," said Taylor.

Couldn't agree more. We only have a few rules we live by as Rockets: No bitching on the team bus, no mocking Moochie's hair, and crowbars are not only legal against Karl Malone, but encouraged.

ClutchCity.net photos from the Maurice Taylor Press Conference
Mo Taylor listens as a reporter asks a question	Mo smiles big after hearing a joke about the Clippers	Mo listens in as Carroll Dawson, right, talks to the press	Taylor and CD again as CD continues to address the media
Another shot of Mo-CD at the press conference	All 6'9" 250+ pounds of Taylor stands up after putting on his Rocket hat