Rafer had been consistent this year. He was careful with the ball and knew his role, but his shooting percentage was down and he didn't drive to the basket very well. If the Rockets had McGrady available to penetrate and dish off to the open man, that might have been enough. But without a slasher or a point guard that could score, opposing teams could play zone defenses that collapse on Yao Ming, shutting down their best weapon. That made Alston expendable.
The big question is why did they trade him for the players they got in return? Brian Cook has been a journeyman backup in his five-year career with the Lakers and Magic, averaging 6.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. This year, he has averaged just 7 minutes per game in only 21 games. Third-year guard Kyle Lowry has never been able to consistently break the starting lineup on one of the worst teams in the league, though in fairness, he has played significant minutes this year behind highly touted rookie O. J. Mayo. Oh, and did I mention that Lowry can't hit a three for squat?
So the Rockets have traded a starter for the last guy on the bench of a good team and the first guy off the bench for a lousy team. OK, Daryl, I'm going to go with you on this one. It's a leap of faith, but based on the team you've put together, I guess we owe you one.
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