Mr G.Branded- Your ability to come up with something worthwhile just as your trolling nature is about to overwhelm me is incredible. Despite all the crap, you still manage to come up with something unique and intesting every now and then. He does not seem to fit the 'pure center' classification that the Chronicle seems to imply that they are looking for but otherwise he'd seem to be a nice fit as a rebounder who doesn't shoot much. Watched him before, and I remember the long arms and all. What I can't remember, however, is whether he spent any time at the high post on offense. I can sort of remember a drive or two, but it all fades together... Could you enlighten me. Ike suffers from Matt Maloney disease. You look at the box score and wonder how that many zeros could posibly line up. This isn't necessarily bad as he may not provide great help, but neither will he shoot bad shots or commit turnovers. He also has an adiquate outside shot. A solid zero is better than a big minus for a third stringer. If I remember correctly the Seattle fans were livid at how horrid Olumide Oyediji looked in the summer leagues. He would seem to be less ready to play, though more talented than, Ike. I don't see the Rockets trading for a project at this point.
Ruffin or Miller? Miller is a true center. Ruffin is a 6'10.5 poor mans Rodman. He's purportedly added a 'j' to his repotoire this offseason. I have the best basketball mind on the ClutchCity BBS. Clutch took one look at the condition of board minus me, and......well the rest is history.
I doubt Mihm will be given up. I also think he is overrated. Jahidi White reminds me of Yinka Dare..big guy ..that's all.
Actually Doleac might not be bad from Cleveland. He had 13pts and 13 rebounds the other day. There is a rumour we get Scott Williams from Milwaukee for a sign and traded A. Mason
Hopefully one of the mentioned trades go through. Another possiblity for a center is Duane Carswell. He's a seven footer who was a decent backup for Zo', in Miami. Carswell doesn't average many points, but he clogs up the middle and is a decent shot blocker. We'll just have to see what happens. I have faith in Rudy and CD! Cod
Actually, Ruffin might be a great option. He's a C/PF swingman & has just two years left on his contract with a team option in the last year & he only makes $541k this year. According to this article, he's a tenacious defender, which would make him a great 2nd or 3rd center for our team. Here's the article from the Chicago Sun Times about him. http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bullnt19.html Ruffin realizes he's caught in Bulls' squeeze October 19, 2001 BY ROMAN MODROWSKI STAFF REPORTER As Michael Ruffin hustled around the Berto Center court Thursday, his wife, Mistye, watched from a balcony while holding their infant daughter, Milaya Sade. Normally, this family portrait would be suitable for framing, but the uncertainty of Ruffin's future with the Bulls casts a blurry tone on the snapshot. ''Yeah, there's more pressure,'' Ruffin said of making the team. ''I'd be lying if I said there wasn't. ''I'm trying to provide for my family. Now that we have another child [to go with son Deionte] for my household, it puts more pressure on me. But I feel as long as I work hard and put forth the effort, it will all work out.'' But it might have to work out for another team. Ruffin is a 6-8 power forward whose defensive tenacity allowed coach Tim Floyd to occasionally play him at center. Management described Ruffin as the team's best defender last season. But that praise grew fainter this summer as the Bulls acquired forward Tyson Chandler and center Eddy Curry in the draft and traded for power forward Charles Oakley. With Brad Miller, Dalibor Bagaric and Curry locked in at center and Oakley, Chandler and Marcus Fizer at power forward, Ruffin and center Jake Voskuhl became the most likely candidates not to make the final cut. ''I didn't think it would be easy coming in when I saw the way things worked out during the summer,'' Ruffin said. ''And it's not any easier now with Jamal [Crawford] getting hurt and Ron [Artest] being out.'' That's because the Bulls likely will keep two extra perimeter players with Crawford and Artest destined for the injured list. The Bulls drafted Ruffin with the 32nd pick of the 1999 draft, and he quickly impressed management with his work ethic, defense and aggressiveness under the boards. Ruffin was third on the team in rebounding at 5.8 per game last season, but he missed 37 games after twice breaking bones in his right hand. ''Had the season gone differently and I didn't get injured, I would be in a totally different situation right now,'' he said. ''But it didn't happen. It's frustrating, but I can't live in the past.'' The present is just as frustrating. Ruffin wants to prove himself, but he's averaging just 5.7 minutes as Floyd is forced to evaluate another crop of new players. Voskuhl is averaging 7.0 minutes and is most likely to be the first cut, but his situation isn't as dire. Voskuhl's agent, Mark Bartelstein, secured a two-year guaranteed contract for his client, who was picked 33rd last year. Voskuhl, who played in just 16 games last season, will get paid this season regardless of whether he makes the team. Ruffin, who recently purchased a new house, is not as fortunate. ''I don't think Michael or Jake should read too much into not playing because we had the benefit of looking at both of them last season as well as during the summer league,'' Floyd said. ''Right now, we have a bunch of players I don't know who need to get as much floor time as they can.'' Ruffin's nature is to stay positive and focus on his goal, but the new mouth to feed also has him thinking about the future. A former chemical engineering major at Tulsa, Ruffin's future does not depend on basketball, and he's talented enough to land with another team if he is cut. But that doesn't make his current situation any easier.
If I had to pick one of those four guys, I'll pick Chris Mihm. Just don't think Cleveland will let him go that easy. Yet I hear Anthony Mason is still in the market.
If we wanted to get Mihm, we would have to give up a 1st somewhere down the line plus a player. The Cavs hold he cards because they have a glut at 5. Just think, we could have gotten B. haywood for little or nothing considering what the wiz gave up to get him. I think we're just f*&$@d as far as centers because there just isn't any quality ones availible. Ike is big enough to be a 3rd center in this league or second far as that go. Its not like anyone is going to do us any favors. Miller, Dloeac, and all those other stiffs are just salaries without production. Basically, all we need is to get the equivilent out of our 3 centers what some of the other teams get out of 1. Thats basically 15-20pts, and 8-14 rebs, and a couple of blocks, thats it. If we can get that kind of production out of Cato, Collier, and Ike combined, then we'll be better than alright. It was so much easier when we had Dream.
I think what he meant to say was "When you see me on the court, it's time to see what's on Showtime".
B- Thank God it is not my responsibility to figure out how to get those players that I mentioned. I used them because they are all players that have either been mentioned as available (Clark and White) or there are extenuating circumstances (Clevelands glut at center and Baker's reemergence in the offseason. The Rox have the medical exemption from Mo and Walt's contract status combined with our many small forwards makes him appealing and we also have Langhi and KT and Jones
Ervin Johnson!!! His salary matches up perfectly with our DPE and allows Milwaukee to drop salary to sign Mason. Johnson would be excellent coming off the bench to back up Cato.
I'm not one of those CBA experts, but I beleive it's against the CBA to sign someone just to trade them to someone else. j
