While Mason is talented, and he can be a force inside, we really need a 5/4 more than another short 4. Furthurmore, it strikes me as more than coincidental that Mason is the last remaining unsigned veteran free-agent with any significant degree of talent. It certainly appears that Mason isn't much wanted by other teams (hence he might be difficult to trade later). Mason has a terrible history of trouble with the law. Even with a 1 year contract he could be a bad influence to a young and impressionable team. Our team chemistry won rave reviews last year, and I fear we might risk imploding if we bring in a really bad apple (you know the old saying that one bad apple spoils the bunch). Yet another problem if we sign Mason is where does Eddie Griffin get his minutes? We already have five small forwards so it won't likely be at the 3, and Griffin is too small to play the 5. I want Eddie to get some valuable playing time, and I don't see how signing Mason would help in this regard. Cato and Kenny Thomas have been playing well this preseason, and I'd rather loose the medical exception than use it to sign Mason. If worse comes to worse, sign Nawanko or Pig Miller as a backup 5 and preserve the team chemistry. Since we can't sign Jackson, if we take Walt Williams contract off next year does that give us any room to manuver under the cap?
I don't want him. He is a chemistry killer, and I wouldn't want to risk anything of that nature with the excellent, balanced nature we have right now. If Athony Mason comes here, I give him 3 months before Eddie Griffin takes a swing at him.
I'll take him. Bring him on........he has kept his act fairly clean last season, and can bring a lot to the court. I don't see Houston attaining him though. Houston usually stays away from the questionable ones.
I'd take Mase in a NY Minute...if he was a 5. I think him playing the same position as KT and perhaps Eddie, coupled with the fact that he isnt the best guy for Eddie to look up to...ahhhh screw it...sign him up...the guy can flat out play.
Anthony Mason is a good scorer, rebounder, and defender at the power forward position. Why would we want that kind of player on our team? After all, we have all the low post options we need in Kenny Thomas and Kelvin Cato.
Mason would be good from a player standpoint but the character problems are still an issue. I'd much rather have him than Marc Jackson anyways.
You are talking like we got better Pf than him, we got nothing except Griffin (Which is too young) and KT (Who Cant deal with guys like Webber...) and with Mase We are going to have great lineup: Cato/Collier/ Mase/Kt/Griffin Rice/Walt/T-Mo/ Cat/Torres/Langhi Francis/Mooch/Jones
Beggers can't be choosers. Bring Mason in. As for Mason being a chemistry killer, he has been on New York, Charlotte, and Miami and they have ALL been to the playoffs. The reason Mason isn't wanted by teams is because the the luxury tax issue. The Lakers, Bucks, and 76ers ALL wanted him.
He would bring an agressive, take charge attitude that the Rox are definitely lacking right now. He is an all star. We all know his stats, we know he can play. PERIOD! You know Gatling wouldn't be all that bad. At least we wouldn't have to worry about him lighting us up any more. JUST USE THE EXCEPTION... DON'T LET IT GO TO WASTE!!!
One look at Cato taking a fall in only our 4th preseason game makes it glaringly obvious that only the equally injury-prone Collier is now backing up Cato. WE NEED A 5 NOT A 4!! If we sign Mason to anything other than a one year contract, then he better be tradeable. What would we do next year with Mason, Taylor, Thomas & Griffin all fighting for playing time at the 4? I know the luxury tax is a problem for Miami, but surely if Mason were tradeable Miami would have done a sign and trade with a team having an exception (like we did with Olajuwon) and at least gotten future draft picks for him. Look at the lengths that GSW just went to not to loose value for Marc Jackson. It seems that Mason isn't very tradeable. Its like trying to trade Rider or Rodman for something of value, because his reputation preceeds him. The guy clearly has talent, but it isn't what we need at the 5 spot and IMO it isn't worth the chemistry risk. What does it say to be sitting there unsigned after an All-star season?
The difference between Rider, Rodman, and Mason is that neither J.R. nor Dennis made the all-star team last season (in fact, neither has ever made an all-star team). Mase did. Winning can cure alot of chemistry problems, and 16 points and 10 boards a game can go a long way towards winning games.
Mason was an all-star in the east when he really shouldn't have been(Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, etc?)
