To me its simple. Given his whole package of strengths and weaknesses as well as price right now Mobley is the best available fit at SG. Arguments can be made against him, but I just don't find them that compelling. If JVG uses him right Mobley will be fine. I really think Cat's ability to catch and shoot as well as take a guy of the dribble is undervalued. I just don't see who we could actually get with equal skills and better smarts. BTW - Mad Max filled the same role for the Rockets. Are people actually forgetting the totaly inane shots, drives, techs etc. Max tried at times? He actually lost us some games, BUT his defense and streaky shooting won us more. At least Cat doesn't get the techs.
Thing is, how much do we NEED his ability to take people off the dribble? I think most fans agree Cat is talented (and hard working), but are his strengths the strengths we need, and are his weaknesses weaknesses that really hurt us? I think a player core with Cat can be successful, but I don't disagree with others who feel that a pure-shooter, good role-player guard might be a better fit with Yao and Steve, and as JVG has said, that's what our focus should be when analyzing our roster. But is there a player we can acquire significantly better for the team than Cat? I don't know.
Until JVG starts giving Cat less playing time than he is doing what he is told. Plain and simple...If he gets wild at times and drives through 2 defenders (or three) then so be it. The defense has to be keeping an eye on him and Steve because they can blast through the lane and make them look silly. Well how can you try to stop them from driving the lane when you have to have a big body on Mr. Yao Ming all the time? I like the comparison to Mad Max...sometimes erratic on offense but a predator none the less. Give this guy his props. Cat is here to stay...
I'm not saying their styles are the same but I'm more or less referring to their value on their respective teams.
Relativist, I agree with much of what you've said. I do think we need him. If we really want to develope a post offense around Yao then I think we do well to have two players that can create. I've seen quite a few post oriented teams run into trouble relying on only the post plus role player pure shooters. When the defense is good enough not to double, when the play breaks down, when the defense is quick at double teaming ( Seattle vs Houston early 90's) a creative scorer is a must. With Steve and Cutino we have the ability to have at least one scorer plus a post scorer on every possession. I just think its up to JVG to get the most out of Cat. In the set offense be the 2nd or third option after whoevers in the post, run when its there, play tough on the defense. Seems like he'd be fine in that kind of role. And like you said, "is there a player we can acquire significantly better for the team than Cat?" I don't think there is.
The question is not only whether we can acquire a player that can fill Cat's shoes, the question is who do we pick up that can fill the spot at the salary that Cat has? The answer of course, is nobody. There is nobody in the NBA that has as much bang for the buck as Cuttino Mobley. He accepted far less than he could have gotten elsewhere and showed loyalty to the team in doing so. He deserves to be shown the same loyalty, especially considering how much game he has.
Except that it is easier to guard a pure shooter type than it is to gueard Cat. There were 3 scores that Cat had last night where the defender closed on him quickly and he drove by for the dunk or layup where a pure shooter would have had to rush the shot or pass off. Cat's ability to create will come in VERY handy this year and his shooting ability will help us torch the teams that double Yao off of him. I personally think he is better coming off the bench behind Steve, but I will never claim to have half of the knowledge about bball that JVG has.
I've always liked mobley, even when many fans were really pissed off with his play, and how he couldnt hold up the team when Steve went down. I was the happiest person when Dickerson was traded to the grizzlies because personally the cat was better. Going back to holding the team up when steve was down, THis is not Cat's job, his job is to give the team its appetizer, Steve and yao are the main coarses. So all the food talk aside, when Steve went out, and Cat couldnt hold the team he shouldnt have gotten the blame, the blame should have been put on the whole team for not stepping up, because if i remember correctly Cat brought his A game everyday.
Thank God, people are supporting my boy. He has been my favorite player since we stole him in the draft with dickerson. We had some of the best rookies that year, but as we see now, Mr. Dickerson has retired his jersey in a Memphis Gym somewhere.
