This story reminds that KELVIN CATO is NOT overpaid, and the story is neither fiction nor fantasy (but a pretty good read): Olowokandi settled for the $4.9 million mid-level exception. But the Grizzlies were willing to pay in excess of $7 million had the Clippers executed a sign-and-trade. Centers are often overpaid, because as Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe put it: "There are very few legitimate centers out there." In the Eastern Conference, adding a true center could put a championship contender over the top. Teams such as the Grizzlies and Dallas are feeling the sting of fielding small teams in a brawny Western Conference. What Dallas has found is that it's difficult to reach the NBA Finals if you allow a ridiculous number of layups and dunks. The Grizzlies can't even compete with non-playoff teams in the West because Golden State, Seattle and Houston have more size. http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/basketball/article/0,1426,MCA_466_2153528,00.html Oh, to be a coveted big man in NBA Centers are all the rage By Ronald Tillery tillery@gomemphis.com August 2, 2003 NBA teams are showing more interest in feet - not feats - judging by the awkwardness of this year's free-agent shuffle. With several pairs of size 20 shoes prancing around, this summer has become one of the league's more active for big men. More than a half dozen centers - including six that changed teams - have signed contracts since the free-agent signing period began July 1. Although the best available centers are no longer on the open market, the Grizzlies continue to explore ways to improve a frontline that averaged 6-11, 237 pounds last season. The skin-and-bones Griz are realistic, though, realizing that (a) trading for a beefy big man is the only option, and (b) the potential addition's best attribute will be beef, not necessarily in interior dominance. "It's not like we can get a Shaquille O'Neal," Griz president Jerry West said. "First, there's no one out there like him. Secondly, we're not in position to do that." O'Neal fashions himself as Superman. Team executives are simply looking for centers with a different 'S' on their chests - one that stands for serviceable. So the job listing most undersized squads have posted reads something like this: Wanted: Experienced 7-footer with good character and a willingness to do the dirty work. Must be able to defend and rebound in the low post. Looking for someone to take pressure off star/budding star at power forward. Needs to show initiative and muscle in order to protect goal. Scoring not a requirement. Leadership ability is a plus. The description is what made modest giants such as Michael Olowokandi, Brad Miller, Rasho Nesterovic and Alonzo Mourning coveted commodities. Centers in the NBA are dinosaurs. Anyone resembling a mobile 7-footer with back-to-the-basket skills is drawing considerable interest. The Grizzlies' pursuit of Olowokandi may have produced hunched shoulders. But several teams were interested in the former L.A. Clipper before Minnesota signed him to help Kevin Garnett and replace Nesterovic, who went to San Antonio. Nesterovic is now the Spurs' replacement for David Robinson, whose defense and rebounding helped Tim Duncan shine. When Sacramento pulled off a sign-and-trade for Miller it was to bolster interior defensive presence because Chris Webber prefers to play on the perimeter. In that regard, the Grizzlies aren't alone in their reasons for wanting a brute to patrol the middle. They need bulk to complement Pau Gasol's finesse. "The two years I've been in Memphis I had guys who worked hard and did their best," Gasol said recently. "But it's always good to have a bigger guy there. Someone who can intimidate and block shots. I think that helps you out on defense." Gasol, a 7-footer, is on the record as loathing the idea of playing the center position. He's a walking billboard for one of the many factors threatening to push the traditional, dominant center to extinction. The sport has evolved to a more athletic game requiring versatility. Plus, talented 7-footers seem dedicated to playing power forward where they can roam the court. That leaves teams searching for players who relish the mandate of rooting themselves on the low block. A decent center in today's game is a shot blocker with the mentality of sacrificing his body to make plays under the basket. "The one thing we felt we needed to do was become better defensively, in the interior," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said. "We needed to become bigger, have more of a presence inside. (Olowokandi) brings that." Olowokandi settled for the $4.9 million mid-level exception. But the Grizzlies were willing to pay in excess of $7 million had the Clippers executed a sign-and-trade. Centers are often overpaid, because as Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe put it: "There are very few legitimate centers out there." In the Eastern Conference, adding a true center could put a championship contender over the top. Teams such as the Grizzlies and Dallas are feeling the sting of fielding small teams in a brawny Western Conference. What Dallas has found is that it's difficult to reach the NBA Finals if you allow a ridiculous number of layups and dunks. The Grizzlies can't even compete with non-playoff teams in the West because Golden State, Seattle and Houston have more size. Golden State and Seattle have a plethora of big men, creating trade speculation. Reportedly, the Warriors are willing to part with Erick Dampier or Adonal Foyle. The Sonics are making overtures that Jerome James, whom the Griz pursued last summer, may be had. "Don't mistake lack of activity for lack of effort," Mavs' coach Don Nelson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Still, anxiety often breeds fruitless pursuits. Interest in Hawks' center Theo Ratliff has increased with a belief that David McDavid's impending purchase of the Atlanta Hawks has created a fire sale. "We are not trading Theo Ratliff," Hawks general manager Billy Knight said. After all, who wants to voluntarily jump into the laborious predicament of trying to fill big shoes?
This is why we should trade Cato. He'll only be playing 8-10 minutes, and his value has never been higher. Here's a list of teams that would love to have him: Indiana Miami Knicks Dallas Memphis Toronto (to a certain extent) Milwaukee That's a lot of teams, and we have a considerable # of needs right now, like a SF, and a better backcourt compliment to Steve Francis.
that article is a shining testament to why everybody who says Cato doesn't have trade value is just being ridiculous. Sometimes I get accused of being a homer but there are lots of people on this board that are the opposite of homers. they don't think anything we have is of any value just because we happen to have it. don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til' it's gone?
Rox may regret dealing Cato, but if they get good value then they're good to go. I still believe in the reality of KC/Mooch for Thomas/Ward from the Knicks, with Rox able to save 2.5mil or so off their cap (use to resign JPo?).
I'd do that trade, but would the Knicks do it? I'd be a bit skeptical about going into the season with a whiner like Kurt Thomas playing just 8-10 minutes behind Yao Ming at an undersized 6'8. There are definitely no minutes at PF. However, that deal does make us a better team, and it does improve our cap situation because we can cut Ward now for 2M (salary is 6M) and Kurt Thomas has just one more year. We get rid of two contracts that may pose trouble for us in the near future, and we're not equipped to pay those contracts at the moment either. I would do it. Yao/Thomas MoT/Griffin Posey/Rice/Boki Mobley/Pike Francis/Sign someone That's 11 players, we need one more to go.
Clearly I think the Knicks would do it in a New York minute. Where else, how else would they get a legit D 7 footer?
It costs them a lot though. They can cut Ward too, nothing stopping them from doing that. Kurt Thomas is just one year and 5M I believe. Is Moochie Norris better for their team. I'm surely convinced, but they can probably get a slightly better deal from Golden State or Seattle. I mean, Seattle would immediately send any of their C's to New York straight up for Charlie Ward. But I would go for that trade personally. It improves us, gives us the flexibility to re-sign Posey comfortably, and removes two contracts while getting back just 2 contracts. More like one contract and a half, but you know what I mean. We save about 23M total on this deal, so Les has GOT to love it.
I can't believe I'm about to say this, but if we made the Cato/Mooch for Thomas/Ward, would you be willing to send Mo to Utah for Greg Osterfat? Osterfat's contract expires at the end of the season and he would be a better fit than Thomas backing up Yao.
I would MUCH MUCH rather have a MoT/Griffin combo than a Kurt Thomas/Griffin combo. I feel Thomas, at best, is a backup. At least MoT is starter material. Maybe not one of the best PF's, but he is easily starter material. However, again, I'm tempted to take Ostertag off Utah's hands if his contract is actually expiring. Why? Because then we're probably in GREAT shape to go after FA's next year, and we'll have gotten rid of all our longer contracts: MoT Cato Mooch We'd be in pretty damn good shape to build a contender, beginning with keeping Mobley's contract, signing Posey to his super-reasonable contract, and signing a 3rd star in Rasheed Wallace. Rice 9M Kurt Thomas 5M Ostertag 6M That's about 20M shaved off our cap next year, which would put us under the cap, allowing us to make a run at Wallace, possibly Odom, and several other great role players for reasonable money. Yao/Ostertag Griffin/Kurt Thomas Posey/Rice/Boki Mobley/Pike Francis If the Rockets sign either Tim Hardaway or Mark Jackson AND either Charles Oakley or Dennis Rodman, I'd go for thesedeals without blinking. Why those 4 choices? because they physically CANNOT take minutes from our starters, but their presence will improve the players ahead of them. they also fill roster spots for relatively no money (about 900K each). Yao/Ostertag/Oakley Griffin/Kurt Thomas/Oakley Posey/Rice/Boki Mobley/Piatowski Francis/Tim Hardaway Exactly 12 players, and they're all the JVG type. Hardaway will help with Francis' development, and Oakley with Griffin's. Thougths on these moves?
I would do it (tho I hate looking at that goofus, goofustag). I'd start Thomas at the 4, and let him back up Yao situationally.
Cato is valuable! It is true......bigger players get more......they are rarer! I would do Cato/Moochie for Thomas/Charlie. Both of their contracts expire next season. Ward and Norris both suck...Thomas fits us better...Cato fits them better. But Thomas is useless if he only plays 12 minutes per game. I would trade Taylor for Ostertag...because his contract expires. He would be our 15th man. Thomas or Griffin could start and share time at the 4...and Thomas could backup Yao. And if we do both trades, we would be able to resign Posey right? Then fantastic! That would be great...our team could still make the playoffs too..I like this scenario better than the one for Bender and Foster.
i say keep cato one more year as he can put in some great effort and hustle ( i cant believe im saying that) for those 10-17 minutes that he puts in. and as the free agent and trade market this summer seems run dry, lets wait a year and let him show off a little more so that we can improve on his trade potential. i wouldnt think about trading him now unless we can get a solid C backup first for cheap (kevin willis anyone? ) but next year a lot of east teams will regret not beefing up their frontline and will be willing to shell out more in 2004 if not earlier. keep him, he earned it this year
Time to sell. Add me to that vote. Move Cato and Mooch together for Ward and Thomas. I like Taylor for Ostertag, fills the Cato hole. Add all that to Rice, and you got a chance next year to buy someone valuable. No dead weight for the future. Bye bye big bench contracts.
Doesn't Memphis want a true center? Haven't they said that they don't think Wright has the bulk to be the long-term answer there? How about... Houston Trades Cato Nachbar Memphis Trades Battier Swift Watson I don't think they'd do that, but it's possible. They've got Dickerson, Miller, Person, Batiste, and Jones to cover for Battier (possibly Nachbar in the future as well); up front they would have Cato and Gasol starting, with Wright coming off the bench. They have three legit points, so Watson is just cap filler. Anyone else think this would be a good idea?
Is that even a word? I don't know why the Grizz would want to trade Battier for an unproven Nachbar when they already have Miller, Posey, Dahnty Jones, Person, and Theron Smith
For us it's great, but Memphis would never do that in a million years. The Knicks and Pacers deals are better for us, and acceptable to the other teams.
Well the point is that they get their legit center and we get our small forward. It's a given that they downgrade at small forward by trading Battier; I'm not suggesting Boki is his equal. Like I said, I don't think they'd do it, but if they really are desparate for size...
