Just saw that Okur is a FA this summer which I think the Rockets should seriously pursue for this team. I dont think he requires a lot of money, we should have enough to sign him between the TE and the half of MLE. Reasons: Detroit is going to have allow one of their bigs go to allow Darko some real PT. Of their 3 bigs to get heavy minutes, Okur is the most expendable of the 3 (other two being the Wallaces) Darko has already said that if he doesnt get serious PT next year he will be VERY UPSET The rockets need a defensive PF who can shoot and score well and Okur can play defense well and can shoot the ball very effieciently. Playing in a defensive team like Detroit, a transition to the rockets shouldn't be as difficult since the style's of play are similar. With the double teams created by Yao he should be able to get a lot of open looks at the basket. Also we can still use the pick and roll even when yao goes to the bench with Okur since he can hit the 18-23ft jumpers with relative accuracy. Unless by some strange reason Dumars doesnt sign Rasheed i am pretty sure they'll re-sign Mehmut asap. Only downside is that will Mehmut be able to handle the PFs of the west on a more consistent basis? But with cato who can still service as a backup PF at times while Okur sliding to C during Yao breaks it should be possible. A lot of people have seriously have been trying to think of getting Tmac or other superstars here which i dont think will happen. Okur seems to be the right complementary piece for this franchise. We have our 2 stars in place we need the right cogs around them to make this an efficient team.
we need a PF who has offense game, but ALSO can guard strong and quick PF's in the west. Okur is too slow. He is going to be abused on D.
Yeah, there's been a good bit of interest around here in Okur. I watched him a little in the first half of tonight's game and he does have a sweet shot. The problem with us acquiring him is the same problem that Detroit faces. They are expecting him to get an offer of more than the MLE. Utah is the team that keeps being mentioned as a likely destination for Okur. We of course can't sign a FA for more than the MLE, so Utah or one of the other teams with cap space could outbid us. Our best chance would be the trade exception, so Detroit would have to agree. Anyway, if we can't land a top tier guy, then Okur is certainly a realistic option B.
anymore than Taylor is right now? Taylor isnt that fast himself and at least Okur is a bigger body than taylor that will rebound and can work within a teams offense. Taylor is a better offensive player for sure, but he requires iso to score well. Okur's midrange jumpshot is more consistent than taylor's is and thats what needed in this system right now. I think the rockets help defense which has been pretty good this year can compensate for the most part on the quicker PFs on most nights
im pretty sure detroit will keep both wallaces and okur. they can afford them and according to an insider, both the wallaces complement each other very, very well. wallaces are the present, Turkey and Yugoslavia are the future. If anything, corliss williamson is on the way out.
Corliss is signed till 07 though so they have him regardless and elden campbell is signed through next year. I think corliss is still needed for the team as he is probably their best post presence. Rasheed plays post well but his game of late has been more midrange and drives wheares at least from what i have seen corliss just likes to cowboy up from the blocks
As I have mentioned before, Detroit can't possibly commit long-term to Rasheed, Ben, Darko, AND Mehmet. But the Rockets do not have a reasonable chance of landing Mehmet. The Pistons have been dumping salary all season so that they can afford to pay Mehmet more than the MLE. After all that, they are not going to let some other team steal him away for the MLE. Another team (Utah?) may very well sign him, but they are going to have to pay well above the MLE to get him. IF the Pistons were resigned to losing Mehmet, AND Mehmet was motivated to participate in a S&T even though he's a free agent, then the Rockets might be able to swing Cat + TE to get Mehmet. But in such a scenario, I think Van Gundy would rather land Rasheed, and Dumars would rather give Rasheed up.
I'll leave this one for Gater, he's had plenty of practice on this topic. He should be here any minute to explain why it will be difficult for Detroit to keep both Okur and Rasheed.
That's going to get interesting in Detroit this offseason. Dumars prefers Okur and Brown prefers Wallace. I'm guessing that their playoff performance will dictate what ends up happening.
Detroit is looking more and more like June material, and parade possible. Unless and until they are eliminated any spec on Okur and 'sheed is way premature, IMO.
Okur isn't getting much minutes in the playoffs. So it's possible that Detroit might just let him walk. And unless we can cook up a trade it looks like teams like Utah and Atlanta have the upper hand regardless.
aelliott...how did you know that I had touched on this subject before? The Pistons have ~$33m committed for 2004-05 but they are over the cap because Wallace's $17m counts 150% until they re-sign or renounce him. Thus, if they re-sign Okur before Wallace, they are limited to their MLE. If they re-sign Wallace first to say $7m, that $7m adds to their $33m for a total of $40m...about the MLE under the cap. Bottomline someone is going to offer Okur more than MLE $. He can take that larger offer from DEN, UTA, or SA or he can take the Pistons' MLE or he can take the Rockets ' MLE.
We need to create a Rockets "Off Season" FAQ that has these types of information in them so when they continue to pop up (and they will, over and over again) we can just point everyone to that one location. As for Okur...he is a nice player, but I would rather have someone more athletic at the 4 spot next to Yao.
don't know how it would work with salaries or the cap, but, given that i think Okur's a better fit here and MoT might enjoy going back to michigan, is there any deal that could be put together that could work for both teams, assuming Detroit has an interest in MoT?
Yeah, I'm sure Detroit and Larry Brown would have an interest in a backup pf that can't rebound, can't play d, and has a fat contract. Our chances of getting Okur is slim. About the only thing we have going in our favor is offering him playing time on a playoff team beside a legit center. Doesn't seem like there will be a lot of opportunity to add a big man through free agency, unless you want to take a chance on Etan Thomas or McDyess. If we want a good pf, we are going to have to trade significant pieces.
I wish I could see Darko play. IF he really could play - it would be sweet to team Yao and Darko for a REALLY BIG front court. Larry Brown has an itchy trigger finger and prefers veterans. Dumars made the deal to bring in 'Sheed. I wonder if they would trade for Steve. We get Chauncy or something + Darko and pick. They get Steven. SF3 Rip Prince Sheed Ben ------------------------ Yao Darko JJ/Boki Brent Barry/JJ Billups We still move Cato, Taylor and Cat and use TE for other pieces that feed big men. Guys like Matt Harpring and Donyell Marshall that can rebound, pass, d, and shoot. Big gamble that 2 years from now, we have unstoppable twin towers that can contend with Duncan and Garnett. -------------------- Or maybe not.
chances are detroit might be interested in a PF who can score, since the team struggles to hit 80 on a nightly basis. but agreed, Mo's contract is an impediment.
Okur is nice but is he a good fit? He got game but he is slow. He is a smaller / slightly less talented version of Yao. What we need is a PF who can reb, defend and shoot an 18 ft J. A cross between Cato and MoT, someone in the mold of PJ Brown.
Agreed. I feel we need a PF that is athletic and can rebound and hit a mid range jumper. We need someone that has good lateral quickness, something Yao lacks.
