Just curious -- free agent to be Slava Medvedenko, does he appeal to anyone else but me? I think he would make a good complement to the Yao/MoT front line. If he were deemed 'signable', would he and Kareem Rush be enough back for Cat? I think not (particularly since Rush hasn't exactly rushed forth in LaLaLand), but I do like Slava.
i like him, he's a solid roleplayer and can play the 4 and 5 pretty well. he works hard and doesnt try to force anything and can score but doesnt need the ball to do it. can hit the open jumpshot, which is more than some of our players can do (cough pike, boki, steve cough). itd be a nice communist bloc team.
I like the guy, tho I question whether a trade is feasible. From a match up of teams' needs, assets etc, that is.
The Lakers' announcers have the best perspective on Slava..."he never met a shot he didn't like". And they've said it on multiple occassions. Medvedenko's shot selection makes Cuttino's shot selection look conservative. If we're going to throw $ at someone with this skill set (decent range, decent boards, backsup C & PF), I'd start with Mehmet Okur. Memo has got to know he's never going to get big bucks with Wallace and Darko in Detroit. I'd run a gambit at the Pistons...bid the whole MLE on Okur and if they match go after Rebraca for much less. The Pistons will be reluctant in both instances because these signings eat into the ~$6m in cap space.
Pistons claim their cap space is to RE-sign Okur! I bet the days of 2 year no-option for 3rd for 2nd rounders is done, over, and histoire!
That may or may not be true, but is much more complicated than just saying it. First, there is only one way they can accomplish this via cap space...they will have to first renounce Bobby Sura and every other current contract....Lindsey Hunter, Rebraca, Hubert Davis, Darvin Ham and Tremaine Fowlkes. When players are renounced, their Bird Rights are forfeitted for one year. Unless they use the above method, they are limited to offering Okur the same $ as Houston's MLE because that is the max Detroit can offer to an Early Bird. IOW, they can renounce no one and offer Okur MLE $ or they can renounce everyone and offer Okur ~$6m. If they renounce all of their FA's and use cap space to resign Okur, they are allowed no vet mins or MLE money because once you go under the cap, you lose these exceptions. Now, once they have used their cap space on Okur, they still need 3 roster spots and have no exceptions and have no Bird Rights for their FA's. Once the Rockets force them into this situation, they Rockets can bid on Sura and/or Rebraca with Detroit unable to respond. Detroit is already paying Elton Campbell $4.4m to backup Wallace and Okur and may decide $4.9m (or $6m) is too much for Okur when they already have Darko in the wings and need to fill out their roster. Plus Okur has some say so in this matter.
In addition to the above, Detroit will have to leave one of their 8 2004-05 contracts available to Charlotte. Probably Corliss Williamson but possibly Elden Campbell or Chucky Atkins depending upon whom Detroit leaves unprotected. If Charlotte takes a Piston player, the Okur off-season dynamic heightens as the Pistons will have an additonal roster spot to fill and no Bird Rights if they opt to renounce every FA.
How is Rebraca? I know nothing about his game. His stats don't seem particularly remarkable, and he seems to be a center. What can he bring to the Rockets?
Rebraca is a legit 7 footer with decent range and fair skills. He doesn't get much PT because Detroit has bigs consisting of Wallace, Okur, Darko and Elden Campbell. He has a very impressive list of European credentials but unfortunately will be 32 in April. The main attraction is he does play D, has some low post game and shooting range, doesn't force things, and would easily surpass a Weatherspoon or Amaechi. He's a definite step down from Cato, but not much and would be a fraction of the cost. My guess is $2m of MLE money would get him.
Other interesting free agents taht would fit the Rox perfectly: Boozer, Turkoglu. Two ideal PF for our team. Both can defend, rebound, and can sink the J.
Hell why not put out an offer? It never hurts to have a good supply of big men on the bench...whats that great line--- "You can't teach height." If he doesn't work out and doesn't fit what JVG is trying to do then let him go. It's worth a shot, and I think he looked pretty good in limited action with the Lakers.
