Watching the TNT game between Sixers/Heat...Doug Collins is singing the praises of a PF who reminds him of Charles Oakley back in the day...(and who I think would be a perfect addition to the Rox). As Collins described, he's an big enforcer-type, low-maintenence, tenacious rebounder, a tough-minded defensive player who can hit the open jump shot. This guy also has a certain nastiness about him and comes relatively cheap (I'm pretty sure). Ladie and gents..... Marc Jackson!!!
I'm not so sure we want a bruiser/enforcer type at the PF. I know Shawn Marion is unavailable, but I want someone who can run the floor and space the floor (i.e, shoot the mid-range jumper). If you ask me, Juwon Howard's main liability is not his rebounding but his defense. I can live with 8 boards a game from someone who can play defense, run the floor and who has a developed offensive game. I'll take it a step further: Next year we need depth at the PF more than anything. The lack of a credible backup that creates the huge dropoff we have now is what makes JH so valuable. If he plays all next year like he played his last 15 games this year, I'm fine with it. But we must at least have a functional backup. Besides depth at PF, we MUST have a point guard that knows how to feed a big man. Just think if another starter other than T-Mac knew how to get Yao the ball in the right spots. I value the strengths of Bob Sura and Mike James, but neither makes other players better (esp. James), which is the main function of a point guard. If Jon Barry was a point guard, was younger and played 25-30 minutes a game he could be the guy. He has the mentality of passing the ball to other players first, but he will pop the jumper in if the defense backs off to take away the pass.
Jackson would be a real nice fit on this rocket team I've always liked his effort and I guess so did CD. in fact i think marc is still on the contract that houston gave him a few summers back stupid GS matching the offer only to trade him off for nothing of worth iirc.
Emphatically NO. The answer is as plain as day (at least to me). The best PF next to Yao is an athlete with footspeed and some semblance of a mid-range game. A Stro Swift or Eddie Griffin clone is the answer IMHO. (Obviously, w/o the problems of the latter).
I think SAR would be pretty good if we can get him in a S&T. I think the protypical PF to surround Yao would be a Sheed Wallace clone but their aren't many player like Sheed around.
It's not that people don't realize what the ideal PF would be, it's our means for acquiring this ideal PF that is the problem. The attractice options at PF are most likely out of our price range so people are just trying to improvise.
Actually he has one more year. He is also worth more (salary wise) than a PF since he can and does play center reasonably well.
Marc Jackson is an attractive option because.....? Sorry, having the perfect scowl but lacking footspeed and shooting range doesn't make Jackson "attractive" to me. If we wanted a slow-footed PF who scowls alot, we could play Deke at PF more often. If we all knew what the "ideal" was, we wouldn't be wasting time discussing a player who isn't even a FA. We didn't have alot of options last summer but wound up with players that fit...Sura, Mutombo, Wesley & Barry. Jackson doesn't fit and costs more than all but Wesley. And even that's close. Mikki Moore, Allen Henderson, the best available PF in the draft, the Wizards having 3 PF's, and a C who could probably play PF...there are lots of options for someone keeping an eye on the ideal and not being fooled by Marc Jackson having the best year of his career. We need defensive perimeter footspeed more than we need an enforcer. If you don't recognize your mistakes, you're doomed to repeat them.
rebounder like Jackson - but a midrange game like Marion why not get BOTH !?!?! http://www.draftcity.com/viewprofile.php?p=88 (and a possible backup for Tmac to boot)
I completely agree with that. A PF that can creat his own shot, step out and hit the littel 15 to 18 foot jumper and can move around good on defense makes perfect sense to me. I don't really know how good EG's mid range game is though and in his last season he seamed to always be in the wrong spot on defense. But I like your definition of the perfect power forward for this team next to Yao.
I totally agree. I dont think we need a "bruiser" next to Yao. We need someone to make up for Yao's weaknesses which is the lateral quickness and footspeed. The NBA is moving away from the power game and more into a quick/mobile game. We need a PF that is going to have the quickness to at least try to defend guys like Garnett/Dirk, guys that play their game out on the floor. We need someone quick that can fly in with weakside shot blocking. I dont think we need a 2nd big body just to clog up the paint.
If all the big names are out of our price range and there are no trades available, would you consider bringing Othella Harrington back? Or is there even a real possibility to sign him without using the MLE? I guess he might be available for cheap if Chigaco resigns both chandler and curry. He would bring us more depth and since I have no problems having Juwan starting another year, i might do that, especially if it would mean we could be in a hunt for Bobby Simmons or Antonio Daniels or someone like that.
Besides "athleticism" and shot blocking what exactly does Stomile Swift bring to the table? Does he rebound well? Defend well? Pass well? Does he have a high basketball IQ? If he's that good, why is he averaging only 21 mins, 10 pts, 5 rebs per game and is not even a starter on Memphis? Why did he only play 5 minutes yesterday? Guys like Swift and Darius Miles have physical tools that dazzle people (he was the #2 pick) but they frustrate teams and never deliver the goods consistently. Instead of working on their game and really improving, they let their athletic gifts do the talking every now and then just to remind people of what they could be but never become. You mention some semblance of a mid-range game. Eddie Griffin has never had one. All he does is dunk or shoot 3s and he can barely handle the ball. If he developed a mid-range game and came to play every night, EG would be an all-star. Pity the poor sap GM that makes Stromile Swift a rich man. With EG, I give him some chance to develop. This Summer and next season will tell us what he's all about. Of course, no way the Rox should take him back.
Charles Oakley - one of the great enforcers and bruisers of all time, was a phenomanel defender and had a solid overall game. I would love to have that kind of player along side Yao. Another would be Rick Mahorn. Where are the modern day "bad boys"?
GATER made me think of the difference between a tough PF and athletic PF. Both are can be related. But some players have have more toughness, and less athletic ability. Others, vice versa... Swift seems to have a more athleticism than toughness. Same with Bosh. They're more finesse PFs. Quick, active... just all over the place. They can cause a lot of trouble defensively for our opponents. Bosh has the bonus of hitting the 3-pt shoot. Swift only plays 21 min per game mostly due to the depth they have in Memphis. I'd love to have both even if their stats don't show outstanding numbers (Bosh is good at 16.8ppg/9rpg, though). Oakley was a bruiser in the classic sense. He was an under the basket player. Rarely wandered far (until later in Toronto) from the basket. And was a master at the rebound and put back. He lived for contact. But he wasn't known for being quick or atheltic (NOT a high leaper or shot blocker). There's not too many guys that are less than 6'10" and are willing to sacrifice their body for the boards anymore; Jason Williams type. We have a lot of skilled, but finesse PF today (Don't mess up the face man! It's worth millions!). At least not like Barkley or Oaktree. Maybe Brian Grant a few years ago. Today we have Elton Brand, Emeka Okafor, and Keynon Martin. Those guys are our tough ones! They *want* to rebound! It's mine! (By the way, Shaq, KG and Duncan are on a different planet, so don't go there). Could you imagine Okafor on this team! He's 15ppg/11rpg in his 1st year. Way to rebound, rook! Also, there are a lot of PF that are averaging 20 minute per game with only 5 or 6 rpg. Makes you wonder what they could average if they had 30 minute per game on this team. I'm sure we'll see Swift increase his numbers as he matures his game.
That's why I mentioned Mikki Moore and Allen Henderson. We probably can't get him but Dan Gadzuric between Yao and TMac. I
I remember Dan at UCLA. He was very large and lumbering (freaky long arms for his height!). He could power the dunks in very well. But his knees were an issue late in his college career. The last time I saw him play (Bucks) I noticed that he had really slimmed down and was looking very quick. I'm sure it helps his knees out too not being sooo heavy. Makes you wonder if the strength and conditioning coach had a talk with him. "Man, loose some weight! You're fat!" He'd be a good pick up. Although, he's center. Mikki Moore and Allen Henderson are good possibilities. It's amazing how much these guys would help this team....when we already have a core group of stars. Those guys would see exponential improvement and probably work harder knowing they are on a championship caliber team. On this team, the fans would actually know Mikki Moore name after a few games (like Fisher experienced in LA).
