Our buddy LaFrentz has very good range for a big man. Assuming we get Webber, if the oponents center trys to help down low to double Webber or even our penetrating guards, it could easily be kicked out to LaFrentz for a jumpshot. He is the perfect center to throw against Shaq to keep him out on the perimeter. Oh, he also avg's over 9 boards and blocks over 2 shots a game too and one more thing he's young too, born in 76 I believe. ------------------
Good point about Jackson, Relativist. I'm not sure if he would help us more than Cato, according to what we need. Another thing: Would you rather have Lafrentz or Mo?...assuming we got Webber of course. That would be a tough choice, but I'd have to go with Lafrentz. That would mean Cato and KT off the bench, rather than maybe Mo and KT/Collier. Not a whole lot of difference their, but Mo would be a nice 6th man. ------------------
I personally don't care for Terrance Morris. Since they moved him from the 4/5 to the 3 last year, his game has not gotten any better. I see Morris as a Buck Johnson type of player. One who can run the floor but can shoot worth a @!$%. The only knock on Shane is his ball handling. I think he's the best all around player on the board. IMHO he should go in the top 3, but the NBA has "potential" in it's vocabulary and that knocks him down. Other 3's to consider are Richard Jefferson(6'7"Jr)Arizona, Jason Kapono(6'7" Soph) UCLA, Isiah Victor(6'9" Sr) Tennessee, Gerald Wallace(6'7" Fr) Alabama. ------------------
I agree with PSJ and believe we will have to move up higher than some might think to get Battier.He plays good D,has a good J,and is fundamentally sound.You know what your getting,but I think the upside decreases much like Juwan Howard.That's o.k. though,I think he would compliment our team very well. As far as Shandon goes,sign him ASAP.Let's give him 4-5 mil/yr for 5 years.He's part of the glue on this team and brings the effort every night.I really believe he is important for this team's chemistry.Even if he's not putting up big offensive numbers he's always leading the way in D ing up with a tough matchup every night.Another thing about SA, is the more Steve grows,the more we should see him take advantage of anderson's ability to move without the ball.Rudy might do well to tap in to Shandon's ability to post up some too.We need his defense and if we can pull in Webber,there will be alot more fast breaking that SA will benefit from.In summation he's a well rounded,hard nosed defensive player,the kind each championship team has at least one of.Lets lock up this important piece of the puzzle. ------------------ [This message has been edited by hardwood (edited March 20, 2001).]
Here's what I would want if I could have what I wanted... [*]I would offer Shandon Anderson the Early Bird money with a little extra, but no more than Mobley got. [*]I would give Taylor a significant raise and bring back Norris. [*]I would sign Marc Jackson away from Golden State. [*]I would trade the draft picks (probably 3 according to Jonathon Feigen on 610 AM this morning) and plus Williams and Rogers to move up in the draft and create cap space - not necessarily all to the same team. [*]I would move up to draft Battier or another athletic 3. [*]I would re-sign Bullard to the veteran minimum. This is a more realistic scenario and keeps us loaded for years to come at every position. Francis & Norris at point. Mobley & Anderson at two Battier & Langhi at three Taylor, Thomas and Bullard at four Cato, Jackson and Collier at five It also gives us flexibility with moving players to different positions on the floor. It also solidfies defense and offense as well as rebounding. The thing I personally like about Battier is that he is a guy who would fit the Rockets. He doesn't get his own shot but he can knock them down and who needs to get your own shot with Mobley and Francis? Also, he can rebound and run the floor. Plus, he's a good kid. Finally, with the exception of Bullard, the team is young and can grow together with time. Only Norris would be nearing 30. I, personally, wouldn't go after Webber unless it was clear that we had the deal wrapped up. Too much time spent on him could mean the loss of other key free agents in the market. The Rockets feel like the chemistry they have with Taylor, Francis and Mobley is special. I don't see them wanting to mess that up at all and Webber is pretty adamant about not wanting to play center. Jackson makes a much more realistic target and probably a very good fit with his defense and rebounding abilities. And, hell, the guy has some nice post up moves too. ------------------ "I swallowed a lot of agression...along with a lot of pizzas."
reposted from another thread: the question is how well kelvin cato plays. if webber goes east (ny), wherever he chooses will more than likely end up in the nba finals. the east is pathetic and he is that good. however, if he wants to come to houston, he must consider a few roadblocks, namely san antonio and los angeles (lakers, of course). webber, i'm sure, has no desire to bttle against shaq at the center spot - which is where he'd be playing in houston, should the catomic bomb implode. should he EXPLODE however - at least defensively, as he has been the past few games - webber could play the power forward and tackle duncan and grant - much more to his liking, i'm sure than shaq or david robinson. in the east, webber could play center or power forward - it would not matter because the east is "paint-weak". the west, at least in it's top teams, is not. bottom line, if you want webber, you'll need a frontcourt mate (preferably center) to help him out and form a formidable tandem. btw, could you imagine a webber/cato front line with motay coming off the bench? UNREAL. francis/mobley backcourt. UNREAL. we'd be the best team in the west. hands down. CATO FOR WEBBER....CATO FOR WEBBER....CATO FOR WEBBER ************************************************* fellas, shandon anderson is not what the rockets need at a starting 3. how many times have we heard that the rockets win when the outside shots - particulary from the 3 spot - are falling? OK, when i think of that statement, shandon anderson is the last person i think of. get a real starting 3 in here - bring me battier on a platter! verse -i am the anti-shandon.
Verse: Before you call yourself the anti-Shandon, why don't you try to understand what that means? It means you like flashy players who don't try to fit in with the team, who don't pay attention to defense, and seldom play hard-nosed basketball... do you want that type of player filling the Rocket ranks? You'd be an idiot if you did. Anderson has shortcomings, very true. But he also has some abilities which compliment our otherwise lousy defensive team very well. Look at the situation objectively, not with eyes obsessed with glamour. BTW, Shandon isn't actually THAT bad of a shot. ------------------ Boston College - Big East -East Division Regular Season Champs Worst to First in 2001!
Actually verse, you bring up a good point, Cato. If (and that's a MONSTROUS if) Cato starts to consistently play to his potential, it would go that much further to helping the Rocks land CWebb. But a bigger factor is the draft. If the Rocks can increase their talent level, with as many as 3 picks in what may be one of the deepest drafts in years, the Rocks could surpass the Kings in terms of talent and prove very desirable to Webber. ------------------
