It would put us over the lux tax about $1.5 million. How much revenue does Les give up in this case? Do veteran league minimum contracts count against the luxury tax?
I don't think we make a move at PG at this point. As long as Rafer, Tmac and Head stay healthy we are OK. I agree with the above. Rafer so far and away our best PG (unless you play Tmac there). We have zero room for injuries to the above. If Rafer went down maybe we would see if Seadale Threat or Rod Strickland are still walking, for those remember the last time we went similarly boneheaded as far as depth and went desperately scrambling for a PG post trade deadline and before the playoffs. I don't think we will see a move for a PG. Perhaps something like VSpan for Hart. But overall I doubt it. If we were going to add a PG it would have been yesterday with the 4 mil exemption we had. I think we will live with what we got for now and hope for the best (no injuries, Rafer and Head don't melt in the playoffs).
We'll look at PGs ...this summer. All our guards are healthy and playing well. If we add another player, they DEFINATELY won't get any PT so why bother?
That is clearly our philosophy. I just don't like the fact if either Rafer or Head goes down we are doomed. I undertand if Yao or Tmac is not available in the playoffs we are doomed, but a hate to not have quality vet backups for role players. Puts more pressure on fewer players and makes more things have to go right (no injury to Yao, Tmac, SB, Alston, Head). A lesser but not insignificant point is neither Rafer nor Head has playoff experience. If they faulter, again, no other reasonable options. Even very good young players or inexperienced players sometimes faulter in the playoffs--just get a little overwhelmed and anxious during key stretches, remember Tony Parker getting pulled in some key 2nd halfs so that Claxton or Kerr could settle things down? We don't have a Claxton or Kerr type PG off the bench--again that concerns me.
If Sedale Threatt is even an option, something has gone seriously wrong. He's 45, and coaching basketball in Australia . . .
I don't disagree with you. I WISH we had a backup PG that was trustworthy. But the only way that'll reasonably happen is if we get some washed up player who won't demand minutes. Because this PG won't get ANY minutes unless disaster strikes. So what backup PG could we bring in that would be happy sitting on the bench the rest of the season? THAT is the reason why I say we won't bother looking for a PG right now. Our rotation is set.
I think it is pretty obvious our point guard is going to be one of either Damon Stoudamire or Steve Francis. If we see that they aren't going to buy Francis out, then we will trade sura for Stoudamire straight up. It keeps us under the luxury tax for this year at least. Or if we see that Francis is going to be bought out, we will release Sura for Francis and get a $1.9 salary exception for Sura that we can use next year.
Not so sure about that. CD has said he really likes our chemistry and he doesn't want to fool with it. Both of these guys would be unhappy sitting on the bench. So who's minutes gets burned if we grab either of the guys you suggest. All that said, if we can get Francis for cheap, you gotta do it.
First of all, neither guy will be unhappy this year, even if they have to ride the pine because they are on a team that is contending. And frankly, there is no way that we would sign Francis for the minimum and then not give him minutes. He would take about 10 minutes from Rafer and probably a few minutes from Luther. Damon may be unhappy next year if he didn't get minutes then, but he wouldn't be unhappy this year to get out of a losing situation and ride the pines on a championship contender.
bob sura and john lucas for earl watson this deal works under the cap plus seattle may go for this because they are clearing a lot of money under the cap
If we were going to get Stoud--and I thought we would get him or Atkins, it would have been with the TE. Though I am not happy with it, I really doubt we bring in another servicable vet PG. I think we go with what we have--Alston as the starter with with Head/Tmac sharing back-up duties, and considering adding naother player this offseason if it doesn't work.
...and I doubt JVG is willing to even do that. Literally, ride the pine. The new PG would be BEHIND Novak on the bench. I doubt either Francis or Stoud would be happy with that regardless if we are contenders or not. No GOOD player is happy getting a ring while sitting on the bench ...they want to be in the game.
Yeah, I'm sure they're happy in Memphis and NY, playing for absolutely nothing, with no shot at the postseason.
briliant! well said.\ this is really something that we need if we were to win it all THIS YEAR. john lucas coming in shooting bricks or luther head passing out of bounds is just not going to do it.
If there's a last big move in the bag for CD, I think it would be for Bibby...alston would surely go in that deal but as most of us know, we don't wanna mess up with the team's chemistry right now...
Exactly, why would they want to go from one crappy spot to another? I'm sure they'd rather go to a good team WITH playing time. Would they pull the trigger on a Bibby trade midseason when we've got a legit chance for homecourt advantage if we stand pat? Tough call.
We are not getting Bibby or any other player that is over $4 million in salary. The only way we get Francis is if NY buys him out, which I am doubtful of. I think we don't get anything else done and if we make a move it is a Sura for Damon Stoudamire type deal or possibly, using the injury exception to get Jason Hart. Riding the bench on a World Championship team is not a crappy spot. Just ask Derek Anderson.
Bibby is tempting but in my eyes he's fool's gold. On one had you have a player that averaged 21/5/3 on 43% shooting from the field, 39% shooting from 3-pt range and 85% from the line all last year -- basically All-Star caliber numbers and somebody who hypothetically should be a game-changer if added to our current squad. Then, on the other hand you have the player this year who is shooting in the 30's, looking a step slower and making max salary. In summary, I think we would do well to stay far away from Bibby. If you're looking for that kind of production, research Mike James' averages from last year versus Bibby's. I know everybody is probably sick of hearing the name "Mike James" but it really helps you to put things in perspective when you realize that you can get that kind of production at a much cheaper price and in the form of a player who wouldn't mind coming off the bench.
I don't think it was a higher priority it was just an easier deal to make. Just because we needed a PG more does not mean we would pass up other deals until the PG issue was addressed.
