Welcome back, Stevie Franchise.
Free to go anywhere, Steve Francis came home to the team and city he never wanted to leave.
Once celebrated as the Rockets’ Franchise, the point guard will come back to Houston seeking a return to more than just his adopted hometown, where he began his NBA career.
Three seasons and three teams since the Rockets traded him, Francis signed a two-year deal Thursday. He was a three-time All-Star with the Rockets before getting traded to Orlando after the 2003-04 season.
“I think he sees this as a rebirth,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said, “as a restart of his career.”
Francis, the cornerstone of the Rockets’ post-Hakeem Olajuwon rebuilding plans, passed on more lucrative offers from the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.
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“Steve has a sense we’re real close,” Morey said. “We think he can be a big part of getting us there. I always thought it was a long shot. Credit to Steve, he chose what he thought was the best chance to win over options that were better financially.
“There was always a chance that Steve would choose Houston. Until Steve told me himself he was coming, it felt like a long shot. Jeff Fried was doing a great job as an agent creating options. It came down to Steve focusing on what was the most important to him, and that was winning.”
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Francis had been recruited by [Rockets’ head coach Rick] Adelman, Morey, former Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson, Yao Ming and McGrady. He had considered offers to reunite with Mobley, a friend and former teammate, and Sam Cassell, a friend and business partner, with the Clippers, and to play with each of the 2006 NBA Finals teams, the Mavericks and Heat.
“It’s a chance to win,” Morey said. “Both Yao and Tracy really helped with the recruiting process and are excited about our chance to win with the additions in the offseason. We’re feeling good we’ve addressed a lot of our goals.
“When you have a chance to add a talent like Steve who really fits what coach is trying to do, you do it.”
As exciting as this sounds, I have some concerns.
On the one hand…
I was a big fan of Francis’ while he was here. On that level at least, I’m very happy about this.
Accepting a lesser deal because he thinks he has a better chance of winning in Houston says a lot about Francis’ priorities as a player, and it’s all good. If he feels Houston is where he belongs, so much the better.
With no disrespect to Rafer Alston or Luther Head, Francis is an upgrade at the point. If last season proved anything, it’s that the Rockets need more talent around Yao and T-Mac if they hope to break through in the Western Conference. This is a step in that direction.
If the coach and the team’s two stars want you here, that’s a very positive side.
On the other hand…
Francis brings some baggage with him from his first tour here. He had a reputation for being a ball hog, for not playing smart, and for having attitude issues. Obviously, the Rockets feel that he has overcome these things. That remains to be seen.
It’s not a trivial matter for a guy who was once The Franchise to accept a more limited role as a member of the supporting cast. I believe Francis wants to win. But will he understand that the best way to achieve that goal is to do whatever it takes to let Yao and T-Mac do their thing, or will he still think of himself as “the guy”?
Along those same lines, the Rockets had big problems with turnovers last year, and at times with team defense. Neither of these are Francis’ strengths. How much can he and will he change his game to fit what the team needs?
Overall, I like this deal (and from what I see in the story’s comments, so do the fans). There’s risk, but there’s also a big upside. The Rockets aren’t going to beat the Spurs by standing pat, or by putting ordinary role players around their stars. This is the kind of move they have to make, and kudos to them for making it. We’ll have to see how it plays out, but I like the odds.