The point is, if you take the two player's Brooks is far superior in PG skills. Luther Head is stuck between positions, whereas Brooks will always be a PG. Whether a scoring or distributing PG, a PG nonetheless. If Head were around 3" taller, or had the decision-making/ball handling of Dwayne Wade (Of course then we probably wouldn't have him ), he would be a young stud SG. But for now, he's a specialist that we need on the team.
I'd agree with that...or...Camby! Houston Trade Breakdown Outgoing John Lucas 5-11 PG from Oklahoma State 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in 8.2 minutes Luther Head 6-3 PG from Illinois 10.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg in 27.6 minutes Kirk Snyder 6-6 SG from Nevada-Reno 4.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg in 14.4 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2006/07 Houston's 1st round pick in 2008 (unprotected) Houston's 2nd round pick in 2010 Incoming Marcus Camby 6-11 C from Massachusetts 11.2 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.2 apg in 33.9 minutes Change in team outlook: -7.9 ppg, +5.7 rpg, and -0.9 apg. Denver Trade Breakdown Outgoing Marcus Camby 6-11 C from Massachusetts 11.2 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.2 apg in 33.9 minutes Incoming John Lucas 5-11 PG from Oklahoma State 3.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in 8.2 minutes Luther Head 6-3 PG from Illinois 10.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg in 27.6 minutes Kirk Snyder 6-6 SG from Nevada-Reno 4.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 apg in 14.4 minutes Bob Sura 6-5 from Florida State No games yet played in 2006/07 Change in team outlook: +7.9 ppg, -5.7 rpg, and +0.9 apg. Houston's 1st round pick in 2008 (unprotected) Houston's 2nd round pick in 2010 Successful Scenario Due to Houston and Denver being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Houston and Denver had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Denver is about 10 M over the luxury tax level right now. (League officials said the tax level for the upcoming season will be $67.9 million, meaning any team whose salary exceeds that figure will have to pay a so-called luxury tax. Teams whose salary exceeds $67.9 million will pay a $1 tax for each $1 it goes over the amount.) http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=f78b9dbd-fcd8-4c7e-b9f8-aff71f34c1d5&k=87055 If they can get a medical exception for Sura, they would save 3.8 M this year in salary for that + the 3.8 M in luxury tax they would save = 7.6 M savings from this this year alone. Denver could also (if I am not mistaken) turn around and trade Lucas to New Orleans (who we know from an insider want Lucas) and thereby get a minimum salary TE - another 0.7 M x 2 saved = 1.4 M. If Morey could offer Denver to find them a taker for Snyder's contract + Houston's second-round pick in 2010 for Denver to turn around and trade him to for another TE, they could save another 2.35 M x 2 = 4.7 M this year. So, by making this trade (and turning around and trading Lucas and Snyder), Denver could theoretically save 13.7 M this year in salary and luxury tax, get one of the NBA's top three-point shooters at an absolute bargain price whom they can lock up for three years, and an unprotected first-round pick, while getting rid of a 33-year old player (even though that player is very good) with a long injury history and a contract under which this guy is owed about 24 M until he will be 36. If they could do the three things I outlined above (medical exception for Sura, trading Lucas and Snyder for trade exceptions), they would save more than 20 M in salary over the next three years, plus about 7 M in luxury tax this year alone and they would also solve their luxury tax issue for next year. I know it's a longshot...but longshots do happen once in a while . I believe that it certainly makes sense for Denver from a financial standpoint. I also believe that it would put us over the top, if that hasn't already happened, while helping us to trim down our roster and addressing the final potential area on the roster where we do not excel already (post defense/shot-blocking...and remember that Scola, even though we all believe/hope he will be great, is still sort of an unknown commodity). Just imagine what roster that would leave us with... (if we somehow managed to still get rid of Alston and Reed without taking players back whom we would keep on the roster) PG: Francis (24), James (12), Brooks (12) SG: McGrady (30), James (10), Francis (8) SF: Battier (22), Wells (18), McGrady (8) PF: Camby (20), Scola (20), Hayes (8) C: Yao Ming (36), Camby (6), Hayes (6) Practice players/reserves/contributors in case of injury: Mutombo, Novak, Butler (+ one more player to get us to 15: Alston or whoever we would get back for him/Reed/Butler) We could use Scola/Hayes at PF/C when we would want to go really fast and small (we did that a few times last year). Scola and Hayes would probably both see even more minutes at PF during the extended periods Camby would be injured, so I think that, considering the fact that Scola will need time to adapt to the NBA anyway, the fact that they would not have more minutes this season when Camby will be healthy would be ok.
this thread warrants 5 stars. Luther is a vital piece off the bench. There's no other shooters who is as clutch or as good as luther. Shane can only hit corner 3s and MJ has to handle the distribution duty. U have to remember that luther played better at the beginning of last season when he doen't need to carry the ball so often. My point is, luther played great when hes an off guard without PG duties. His handles and passing is indeed subpar, but when he doesn't need to expand energy so much on dribbling and passing, his legs are fresh and his shooting is clutch. He's definitely a keeper and a piece to the puzzle if you ask me. Trade him only if we can get a better big man, like a dog who can rebound and block shots alongside yao.
Good post. We need to be thinking not just about 2007, but about the overall health of the team from 2008 to 201?. I'm a big fan of grooming players, and Head is the ideal player to groom.
You know how hard it is to get a big man with stats like that in the NBA? You're telling me that Denver would trade this guy for a bunch of bench scrubs..well think again.
40% three point shoters do not grow on trees folks. He's not as bad at everything else as you guys make him out to be either - and he's young.
I like Luther and the way he is playing. He was clutch in the regular season, but he was not at all in the playoffs. And after all, what really matters, is postseason. In general, I wouldn't like to do it, but I think, we have to trade him either now or not at all. Now - because he has his peak trade value now. Next season, given his 99% sure decrease in minutes, his value will most probably drop. Not at all - we keep him hoping he will evolve to the Steve Kerr type of player in a future championship team.
He was atrocious in the playoffs but it was his first time so I don't think it should be a make or break situation for him. He was hitting at a ridiculous clip with that new ball at the beginning of the season.
Exactly. Yes we are stacked with PGs, but can any of these guys, with the exception of Head, really knock down wide open threes? Think about it. Yes Adelman is all about more cutting and slashing, but this doesn't make the three pointer an expendable commodity. The only way I can agree to Head being traded is if we know for sure than Novak will be able to step into that role of Air Bullard.
He's likely peaked and he'll have a hard time cracking the rotation. I wouldn't mind keeping him because he's cheap production and that's rarely ever a bad thing, however if he's just going to rot away on our bench why wouldn't it make sense to at least try to shop him for a future first? Although, I will say the rumor of him getting traded for garbage like Brian Cook made me sick. If we're going to deal Luther, I would want something of significance in return given his age, athleticism and production.
[font size=4]Reasons NOT to Trade Luther Head:[/font] 1. He will never be a headcase. With a backcourt loaded with potential trouble for egos, playing time and random leaves of absences to the House of Pies, Luther is what he's always been: disciplined, calm, cool-headed, humble. For lack of way to better express it, Head's just a really nice guy. 2. We are spoiled by his 3-point shooting. Of all the respectable (and by respectable, I mean popping off at least 200 attempts at a decent rate) 3-point shooters in the league last year. There was Kapono (.514) with 210 3PA. Nash at .455 with 343. Brent Barry with .446 with 287. THEN you have Head with .441 and taking 401 attempts. Yes, 401. His avg for the season prior was .361 and yes, statistically it's a small sample size, but no doubt, he shows improvement. 3. He loves Houston. This may not matter to some, maybe most posters, but if dig around for some videos/articles, he clearly shows his desire to play here and nowhere else. He knows he has market value; he knows the Rockets are getting trade offers. But he has an earnest loyalty to Houston and has called it his home. 4. His athleticism, overall offensive game and basically just the way he plays has been SEVERELY limited to fit JVG's system. Head, with whatever playing time he is given will thrive and blossom in Adelman's offense. Yes, about 2 dozen other posters have stated this exact point in the thread, but this one truly merits this much attention. 5. Without a single doubt in my mind, at least half of this board will miss chanting "WE LOVE HEAD!" after a game-changing shot late in the fourth quarter and giggling like tickle-me elmos at the undyling sexual tones.
Given the additions we’ve made this offseason, I would rather trade Bonzi away and keep Head as the primary backup 2. Essentially all the players we’ve added this summer are players that are at their best when they have the ball in their hands. Mike James, Aaron Brooks, and especially Steve Francis are point guards whose games are predicated on handling the ball and attacking the defense. Their games will suffer if they are asked to defer too much. Scola is used the being the man on his team. Take the ball out of his hands, and his game may suffer as much as Spanoulis. Bonzi Wells is a much better player with the ball in his hands than without. People continue to point out how well Wells played under Adelman in Sacramento, while forgetting he played well because he was usually the 1st or 2nd option on offense. Throw in Yao and Mcgrady, and that’s 7 players who like having the ball in their hands. I know with the departure of Van Gundy, a lot of people want to alter our approach of modeling our team after the Spurs with a couple of playmakers (Duncan, Parker) and a bunch of 3-point shooters (Horry, Bowen, Barry, Finley, etc.), but I don’t think we need to deviate from that approach THAT much. We still need a few players on our team that can shoot and can thrive while playing off-the-ball. I sure as hell don’t want to be one of those teams that look great on paper, but once you put the players out on the court, they don’t fit. IMO, the signing of Steve Francis makes Bonzi Wells more expendable, not Luther Head. I believe the Heat showed a lot of interest in signing Bonzi Wells last summer. I’m hopeful that a package of Wells, Alston, and maybe Novak will be enticing enough for the them to trade Haslem.
I like Head, I've got his jersey, but I think he'd be best used as a trade commodity. He's shown little evidence of expanding his game, his passing ability (especially to the post) was atrocious, and he has to be hidden on D. He's a specialist, and I don't want to risk a repeat of his spring performance. If we land a Haslem in a package that involves him, do it. I have confidence that James will help fill the void. Evan
Please keep him!! We need some young guys to be the future of our team once all the oldies get too old.
