Sam Amick: JaVale McGee freed from Philly, Houston among potential destinations?

I've needed something stronger than aspirin since the trade deadline

It's a hard pill to swallow, but I could take the Portland loss they are just bigger than us. This jazz loss I might need antidepressants... they have one guy over 6/10 on their roster and we got outrebounded by 20 and had 10 blocks to our 2...that just makes me sick...mcghee might be a gamble but without that gamble we stand no chance in the playoffs . Memphis, San Antonio, Portland, Los Angeles, even Dallas, Golden State, and Oklahoma City are all bigger than us. I could even live with mghee next year also as our backup, if not someone would always trade for him... I don't like it, but what the hell just give him that player option. I'd rather him be here than some other playoff team.

 

It is a no-brainer IF McGee wants to play with us. It could be a Dragic type situation where has eliminated us due to perceived lack of opportunity.

 

True although dragic was about the $$$ he knew he wouldn't get a max deal here. Regardless if we dont land mcghee I say chase blatche we need some physical size bad. If its a playoff team I think we have the most to offer in PT and deleopment for mcghee. He could do something mcgheeish and just sign with the lakers too. Whatever happened to andrew bynum? Anyone know?.? I know he had knee trouble but hes still young and not played in a year if he could give us 15 to 20 mins and clears a physical id be interested.

 

Favors may only be 6-10 but he's a good 260 with huge yams and a 9-2 standing reach. That's easy bigger and longer than anybody we got not named Dwight and really Dwight only can match his length because Dwight has long arms. Favors is bigger than Dwight.

 

i hear andrew bynum and greg oden are available also

 

but but hes gonna be a star. hes untradeable! you can't trade a 7foot guy with post moves. he just needs touches!!

 

Its true, DMo does have post moves and did need touches, and he produced from the touches

Its those OTHER areas for a 7footer though....

 

Could not agree more, even if you held a gun to my head and a blowtorch to my privates. For the price, McGee is worth the gamble. And for God's sakes someone needs to make McHale understand that his players are tired, so extend that rotation already. If he's just going to lose, rest his players so we have a chance in the postseason. It can't be all about Dwight, he may not even return and even if he does we don't know how effective he would be, even in limited minutes.

We know Dorsey and playing our 4's at the 5 is not the answer.

 

For a a 7ft he sure hunches over a lot, if you are tall be tall.

 

Dwight is not a 7fter. Plus even with a healthy Dwight, somebody has to play center when goes to the bench. I don't like ANY of our current options, and neither should you or Morey

 

I might be the only one that thinks dmo could eventually play canter (he'll never be a shotblocker and I doubt he ever averages more than 8 rebounds a game), but hes a long ways away... if he learns to use his body, and still doesnt have it in his head hes the 220lb rookie from Lithuania, he would be more effective. All that said it DOES NOT HELP this season he's only getting worse... it's like hes hit the proverbial "rookie wall" he's tired and not used to playing this much . If we can snag mghee or another big, the more I think about it we can promise him PT even, and rest dmo so he's fresh come playoff time.

I'm curios about bynum I cant find much info on him or if he will make it back to the NBA again, greg oden never will he's done and if im not mistaken he's in trial for beating his woman or something.

 

He can play center offensively against anybody.

He can play center defensively and offensively against the vast majority of back up centers in the NBA.

He can adequately defend about half the starting centers in the NBA.

He cannot defend the upper echelon of centers in the NBA.

He is neither big enough nor explosive enough to control the boards and defend the rim at center when matched up against bigger, longer centers.

 

Good post, BBholic.

Pretty nails D-Mo's strengths and weaknesses.

In addition, this can be said for Jones and Smith whenever they try to man the 5 spot. They are competent against backup centers and twiners, but against true 7 footers in teams like Detroit, Utah, Portland and the Clippers, they are nearly helpless.

 

Add the Spurs, Blazers, and Thunder to your list.

 

Which is likely why he comes off the bench as the BU 5 when Dwight's back.

This is his first year to get real (/any) minutes, let alone starter's minutes. Should come out of the season with some really solid learnings and things to work on.

Knowing dude's worth ethic, if anyone is capable of improving in those areas, he will. His biggest issue last year was not being able to move his feet adequately to really defend anyone. He's made a HUGE jump in that respect.

 

He's our best offensive power forward. And he's our second best defensive power forward. Seems to me this team would be best served with him playing the 4 alongside Dwight who can cover his deficiencies on the glass while helping Dwight and James have maximum PnR spacing and giving the starters a legit 3-point shooting threat in the corner. While Terrence and Smoove can run away from our opponents backup bigs.

 

Makes a lot of sense. I think I've been so affected by our current rebounding/rim protection weakness that has been creating such an uphill battle for us that my mind automatically went to TJ and Dwight.

But you're probably right - the delta between TJ+Dwight and Dmo+Dwight in those areas likely aren't significant enough to ignore the way Dmo+Dwight would open the court up for our parameter shooters.

 

Agreed 100% I just think he will bulk up more, learn to use his body to keep the longer centers farther out from the basket, and could one day be a very serviceable center. He's just got to put in the work... again it does not help this season at all. One doesn't have to be big or explosive to be a good rebounder of defensive player look at charles Barkley he was 6/5 maybe, and he was a rebounding monster. He WAS explosive, but he knew how to use his body, boxed out, and anticipated where the ball was going. One does not have to be gifted to do those things its big man 101. Those things dmo can learn. I can see him being a rik smits type center. He may never be a top center, but he can be very good if he puts in the work.

 

He's a serviceable center now. But you can't stretch him and make him longer. And if he puts on more weight he'll likely lose his quickness advantage he has now.

I think his future is at the 4 and playing backup 5 minutes.

 

You could be right, the way he's evolved has surprised even me (I saw him being a danillo galinari type guy when we got him)...and I have been a fan since we got him. I think no doubt if he becomes a 4 or a 5 he will improve even more, im sure rebounding, stamina, and defense will be his top priorities this summer. Hes put on around 40lbs since we got him and hes still one of the quickest 7footers I've seen in a while. I love watching him run the floor. He's always the first or second man back on defense, as much as I like him getting back I think that may hurt his defensive rebounding numbers also. He gets alot of hate on his rebounding but he is avg. 6 a game marc gasol is avg. only 8 not much difference when you factor in PT. Either way I think we both look forward to how much he improves no matter what postion he ends up.

All that said everyone, can we get back to making this thread about finding another center?
Any news on mcgee, blatche, hell even bynum? Its too quiet doesnt he have to sign by the 15th to be on the playoff roster?