assuming that we cant S&T for lewis using the MCE and rice (or a package simmilar to that) i tihnk we should use it on a 2guard. the best 2 guard left that would play for the 3 yr $15 million offer is bryon russell a good perimeter defender, who is athletic and can shoot the 3. he can play either the 2 or the 3. he looks like a good fit. do you think he would have any interest in comming here? could he find enough minutes here? do we want him? (forget about the whole playing for utah thing)
Russell? 1. I thought he was a 3 2. Is he fast enough to play the 2? 3. How old is he now? Rocket River
Smoothie - My thoughts exactly! The moment I heard that Utah was not going to resign him I wondered whether the Roc's might not be the next best place for him. Maybe you can answer the questions raised by Rocket River, age, 2 vs 3 spot, etc. In my memory, I thought he played the 3 while Hornacek got the most minutes at the 2 (during the Utah hay days...)
Bryon Russell would be perfect, better than Lewis imo! He would not have an ego problem and not need as much money. Plus he can shoot just as good as Lewis and play better defense, and don't forget playoff exp.
he did play the 3 most of his career. but this past year they had a line-up of: collins malone marshal russell stockton bryon got injured durointh the season and stevenson filled in at the 2. when he came back the starting spot was gone because they were in the middle of a playoff push. he can play the 2. he can defend the 2. the jazz usually put him on the kobe's, Tmac's, carter's... you know, the guys that usually hurt us. the guy guarded jordan in the finals! ok maybe not very well in the last couple minutes of the game but how many people did? he is 32. he has a career average of 9.6 points, 1.16 steals and shoots .371% from the 3. all in 26 minutes per game. cut that to 18 minutes here and you have 6.6 points and .80 steals off the bench. he doesnt want to take 20 shots per game. he will play good defence. and he will shoot well. thats what we are looking for.
He is still 31 and turns 32 on December 31. He would be a nice fit, like having a better defending Walt Williams. Would there be a way where you could trade Williams for Russell?
I'm a little wary of throwing 5 mil a year at B Russell. I think he'll get lost in the shuffle here (kinda like another ex-Utah guard) and he seems to be more of a tweener. Go after Rshard hard first, and then we can think about throwing part of the MCE later in the FA period when money has dried up elsewhere.
Please check the comparisons below and then tell me why you would dish out $15m for Russell Glen Rice Houston Rockets Position: F-G Height: 6-8 Weight: 220 College: Michigan '89 Player file | Team stats 2001-02 Statistics PPG 8.6 RPG 2.4 APG 1.6 SPG .60 BPG .15 FG% .389 FT% .800 3P% .281 MPG 30.3 Bryon Russell Utah Jazz Position: G-F Height: 6-7 Weight: 225 College: Long Beach State '93 Player file | Team stats 2001-02 Statistics PPG 9.6 RPG 4.5 APG 2.1 SPG .97 BPG .29 FG% .380 FT% .821 3P% .341 MPG 30.3 Oscar Torres Houston Rockets Position: G-F Height: 6-6 Weight: 210 From: Venezuela Player file | Team stats 2001-02 Statistics PPG 6.0 RPG 1.9 APG .6 SPG .38 BPG .14 FG% .396 FT% .781 3P% .294 MPG 16.5
Russell would be perfect for this team. He is not the defender he was but he is still above average. I think he was hampered by a broken pelvis or something last year and the Jazz who are rebuilding didn't want to commit to a long term agreement. From part of an interview I read he seems a little PO'd that they cut him. Bryon Russell with something to prove might work out well for this team. I even think in this years economic environment we could get him for part of the MCE.........Anderson left a bad taste in our mouth but it would be good to have a tough on the ball defender on the team again especially one that is big and physical enough to play the big guards/small forwards in this league. With that 3 point percentage he shouldn't have trouble getting minutes on this team. PS........JORDAN PUSHED OFF AND YOU KNOW IT!!!!!
Russell would be my choice, just because he would not ask for as much money as Lewis. Rice and Russell are nothing alike other than they can both shoot very well. Russell plays defense, Rice just shoots. With Ming, Nachbar, Taylor coming back, a heathy Francis I think we will make the play offs. BUt with Russell I think we will make some noise in the play-offs instead of leaving the first round.
Unless Jordan was carrying an invisible sledgehammer which he used to clear space, the push-off wasn't as bad as Russell's embarassing show would lead you to believe.
Byron Russell How about: Raja Bell (solid defense,capable of scoring,RMR 01' MVP) 1mil Fred House (pure athletic ball hawk) 700k Eddie House (high-ammo scorer Iversonystic) 2.2 mil Smush Parker (Athletic, street baller, like Keyon Dooling) 500k Jimmy Jackson (good scoring/rebounding guard) 2.5 mil I prefer Fred House. Who do you guys think we can bring in? I know we already have Torres but there's never too much depth, especially with the injury-bug we catch every year.
I still don't see why most of you don't like Russell, he would be a very nice fit. He could be our new Junk Yard Dog. He could start over Rice at the 3 and still play some at 2. Our he could even be a 6th man.
A three year, $15 million dollar contract for Byron Russell is not smart. He is becoming old, and his defense is overrated. We could sign a much cheaper option. It's not like the backup for Cuttino Mobley will get much time, so it does not matter.
