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Dick Justice's Navel...or...The Importance of Jared Jeffries

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by LScolaDominates, Jul 20, 2010.

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  1. LScolaDominates

    LScolaDominates Member

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    In Freudian psychoanalysis, the "navel" represents something in a subject's dream that is conspicuously omitted, suggesting a hidden significance. Dream analysis is much like news or sports analysis, and so Dr. Richard Justice would be happy to know that I have found the navel, the enticing omission, in his recent column (discussed here).

    The relevant excerpts, with my emphasis added:

    [rquoter]Only Yao Ming, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks and Chuck Hayes were around for the start of training camp just two years ago. Yao, Kevin Martin, Brad Miller, Jordan Hill and Patrick Patterson weren't on the roster at the beginning of the 2009 season. (Speaking of Patterson, he's moonlighting as a sportswriter, and I'm guessing he'll tell you it's harder than anything he has ever done.)[/rquoter]

    and...

    [rquoter]These are good problems to have. The Rockets would love to have had Chris Bosh, but they didn't compound the problem by making a dumb deal. Morey probably would like to make another move during the season to add an impact player if possible, and also to get the Rockets under the luxury tax threshold.[/rquoter]

    In the first passage, Justice oddly omits Jared Jeffries--among, admittedly, others, but this is a result of flaws in Dr. Freud's theories, not mine--from his list of presently rostered players that were not active on opening night, 2009.

    Our beloved columnist surely understands the importance of Jeffries to the Rockets success this coming season, but for some deep-seated he represses any expression of this understanding. This is revealed by the bold section of the second passage, which is the key to understanding the unappreciated ex-Knickerbocker's value to the Rockets.

    It's become something of a consensus that the Rockets really need to add one more major piece (read: starter) to have a reasonable chance to contend for a title this year. The expectation is that Yao may be healthy, but will nonetheless fall significantly short of his peak production; then there are the legitimate concerns about the team's defense; etc.

    SF seems like a relatively deep position for the Rockets, even ignoring Jeffries. The contracts of Battier, Ariza, and Budinger can fill a number of needs for potential trading partners (expiring contract, solid wing with reasonable salary, promising youth on rookie contract). Any upgrade, then, is very likely to see a player at the SF position moved. Perhaps two.

    Jeffries becomes important, not only as an expiring contract in a trade, but in the likely event that we lose depth at the 3, and become an injury away from the third string. He is a hedge against any risk taken by trading away a rotation player that takes minutes at the 3 or 4.

    Now, I'm not saying that Jeffries was a key component of Morey's long-term master plan, or anything like that. I just want to show that Jeffries has value as an asset, despite the negative value his contract represented in the trade that brought him to Houston. I hope I have done that, or at least that I have inspired someone to inform me of how wrong I am.
     
    #1 LScolaDominates, Jul 20, 2010
  2. AstroRocket

    AstroRocket Member

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    Jared Jeffries appreciation thread...

    Welcome to the offseason at Clutchfans.
     
    #2 AstroRocket, Jul 20, 2010
  3. BrownBeast99

    BrownBeast99 Member

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    Another idiotic comment made by Justice is him thinking the Rockets will make a move to get under the luxury tax threshold. We're $11+million above the lux tax line and there's no way to get under it. Once again, he should stick to baseball and avoid talking about the Rockets.
     
    #3 BrownBeast99, Jul 20, 2010
  4. worzel gummidge

    worzel gummidge Member

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    Salary dumping Battier would get the Rockets close. Even if it doesn't Les would save around $14M.

    The Rockets could also try to package Hill with Jeffries.
     
    #4 worzel gummidge, Jul 20, 2010
  5. xiki

    xiki Contributing Member

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    I am a believer that this fine example of interpolative analysis is a valuable roster filler for any team. This gentleman can play lights-out D at three positions, and, depending on match-ups, all five.

    Do not hate on Jeffries. No one should. Except for the small fact that he was lured to Knickerbockerville from Wizland where he was a vital cog in what they (thought they) were building (sic).
     
    #5 xiki, Jul 20, 2010
  6. RudyTBag

    RudyTBag Contributing Member
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    Jared Jeffries is not bad at all.


    Jeffries and Shane could be very valueable to a team looking to upgrade their defense while getting back expirings...
     
    #6 RudyTBag, Jul 20, 2010
  7. melvimbe

    melvimbe Member

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    It's obvious that he's just throwing stuff out there without doing much research, but I imagine Jeffries was left out because he us unlikely to be a part of the rotation next season. Justice was not thinking about assets, but how the team will play together on the court.

    And I'm not so sure that Jeffries is really a big asset for trade anymore. Expiring contracts are valuable to teams who want to reduce their payroll for the following season. That will surely be us, so I would not be surprised if Morey plans to hang on to these expiring contracts if at all possible.
     
    #7 melvimbe, Jul 20, 2010
  8. HorryForThree

    HorryForThree Member

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    I'm not a Justice fan, but come on dude....this is a bit of a stretch, even for me.

    I dont foresee Jeffries seeing much time on the court beyond obvious blowouts. And its not like he ommitted Yao or something......
     
    #8 HorryForThree, Jul 20, 2010
  9. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Contributing Member

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    Jeffries will be used as a situational defender used to defend against guys who have too much size on ariza or too much quickness on Scola and Hayes. I think of Wings out there like Lebron and Melo and he is the perfect defender on our team to give them hell. And people seem to forget that he led the league in charges taken last year too. He is a stud on defense and we will be happy to have him if we make a run in the playoffs next year.

    I personally wouldnt mind moving Ariza to make room at the three spot for Budinger and Battier and give me minutes to Jefferies and Hayes. I think Ariza is a good guy and gave it his all last year, but he probably will not be happy in Houston with a diminished role next year.
     
    #9 dobro1229, Jul 20, 2010
  10. WinkFan

    WinkFan Contributing Member

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    Jard Jeffries is an expiring contract. On the court, he's at best mediocre for a ninth or tenth player. If he's playing significant minutes, the Rockets are in trouble.
     
    #10 WinkFan, Jul 20, 2010
  11. LScolaDominates

    LScolaDominates Member

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    The point is that, in the event of a trade that sends out a rotation player or two (either to bring in a start or to cut salary), we become one injury away from needing Jeffries to play significant minutes. He can competently fulfill that role on a contending team.
     
    #11 LScolaDominates, Jul 20, 2010
  12. Chamillionaire

    Chamillionaire Member

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    he has a really bad reputation, but he wasn`t always the worst player on the floor last year.
     
    #12 Chamillionaire, Jul 20, 2010
  13. Hakeemtheking

    Hakeemtheking Member

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    This.

    JJ could be very valuable for us in certain matchups, like the Odoms, KGs of the NBA. There is nobody in our roster right now (including Battier) who is even more suitable to play D against very tall, mobile PFs than JJ.
     
    #13 Hakeemtheking, Jul 20, 2010
  14. Nero

    Nero Member

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    Clearly, the word you accidentally omitted was 'reason'... Hmmm... or WAS it accidental?

    According to your own hypothesis, reason is conspicuously absent from your analysis.

    :grin:
     
    #14 Nero, Jul 20, 2010
  15. dschwab

    dschwab Contributing Member

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    I love it!!! Great thread.
     
    #15 dschwab, Jul 20, 2010
  16. TISNF

    TISNF Member

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    Posted for eye candy:

    <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9DxBwQIOKeM&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9DxBwQIOKeM&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
     
    #16 TISNF, Jul 20, 2010
  17. Rocketman2000

    Rocketman2000 Contributing Member

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    Sexy, Funny, and a basketball fan .. I think I'm in love. :grin:
     
    #17 Rocketman2000, Jul 20, 2010
  18. ROCKET!!!

    ROCKET!!! Member

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    Wasn't Scola in training camp two years ago?
     
    #18 ROCKET!!!, Jul 20, 2010
  19. Mav-Hater

    Mav-Hater Contributing Member

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    Classic!!!!

    Like DD's Rockets talk with much better scenery. DD, you should work with her so she can get you up to speed on the props. I don't think she could help you with the scenery unless you can get her to appear with you lol!!!
     
    #19 Mav-Hater, Jul 20, 2010
  20. LScolaDominates

    LScolaDominates Member

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    Unfortunately, I am not able to type that word when writing about our esteemed columnist. My fingers simply stop working, and I get terrible heartburn.
     
    #20 LScolaDominates, Jul 20, 2010
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