I disagree. McDyess starts, with Cato, Croshere and Weatherspoon splitting the minutes depending on whether we need more shooting or more power. I don't see the problem. Croshere can play PF, but can play SF as well, unlike Mo. This spreads out the minutes. At SF, all we have is JJ and Boki. JJ's a bit small at SF and Boki is STILL unproven. Personally, I think he'll make it, but we can't bank on my intuition. Even if Boki is good, we simply need more size. As for the SF spot, JJ's minutes should go down, he's comfortably in his 30's now, and played 40 minutes per game last season. If Mobley's gone, there will be more backup SG minutes for JJ too. However you look at it, if McDyess comes, there are less minutes at PF, so it would be smart to sperad our talent into other positions. We're good at C, PG and, if we sign McDyess, PF. That leaves SF depth and SG depth. JJ is more likely to need a good backup than Mobley, and I would much rather put my hopes on Pike at backup SG than Boki at backup SF.
I think a team opt-out after the first season would take care of this. A two year deal with us being able to opt out after the first year? If the 2 years go well, then we can just say thanks for your services and goodbye (he'll be a bit too old to offer an extension). Unless he's willing to re-sign for a few years at only a slightly improved price (5M?) then I'm fine with that. He's from Houston, he'd have a lot more relaxation time, although I'm not sure how easy JVG's practices would be on his knees. That's a concern. Would JVG be willing to give special treatment? Otherwise, sign him up @3M for 2 seasons with an opt out after the first. It's a good gamble, even if he only plays half the season, that means we payed 3M for half a season of McDyess. Not the best deal, but we won't the franchise won't exactly be in shambles after it.
Trading Taylor for Croshere only makes sense if JVG and management determine Nachbar is a bust and he will not play. Otherwise, this is going to be the year of us getting a glimpse of the future at SF, playing big minutes behind JJ. Now, obviously this all changes if Mobley is dealt, then JJ would move to SG and Croshere playing SF would come in useful. However, Taylor is much better lowpost scorer than Croshere and they are probably on the same level defensively so in that case Taylor is a better fit than Croshere. A trio of McDyess/Taylor/Cato playing minutes at PF/C is a great combination of defense and scoring. If you want a spare shooter at SF we can bring Padgett back, otherwise I don't see the logic behind a Taylor for Croshere swap.
I guess you think MoT is better for this team than Croshere, which I disagree with. What I'm saying is, if McDyess is taking 30 minutes at PF, and Cato is taking 10, then that leaves 8 minutes for Mo. Are we going to pay 9M for 8 minutes of MoT? I hope not. But MoT can't play anywhere else effectively. If we trade him for Croshere, Croshere will take those 8 minutes, as well as a good 15 minutes at SF, and will become a solid contributor for this team. Why take the risk on Boki? We can't afford to let Boki develop on game time. If Boki is playing good, and Mobley's playing good and Pike is playing good, then sit Croshere down, jsut like we would have to have done with Mo. Basically, Croshere would be more likely to get minutes than Mo, and he would be more useful to our team. There simply would be no minutes for MoT, but there is a very good chance there would be for Croshere. Remember, this is Yao's team. Croshere is a better shooter than MoT and a better rebounder as well. Those are things that would help Yao tremendously.
I'm by no means president of the Maurice Taylor fan club but yes I do think he's better for this team right now. Croshere got a ridiculous contract after the year Indy went to the Finals and has done nothing since. Granted, Mo's contract is ridiculous too but at least Mo played well this past year, damn near making a case for 6th Man of the Year. Why take a risk on Nachbar? Because we need a long-term answer at SF and we spent a recent 1st round pick on him. It's not complicated. And if he stinks up the joint backing up JJ its simple, we play Adrian Griffin or bring back Padgett as the designated spare shooter you seem to think is so important off the bench. You are obviously not a fan of Taylor, which is fine but at least be objective about the matter. Without Taylor, our only threat on offense down low is Yao. McDyess is capable of some scoring, but not much. Taylor is instant offense and at least makes it so if a PF on our team touches the ball the opponent should not look away. Croshere is more of an athlete with a shooting touch than a scoring PF (which doesn't do us much good if our PF is out on the permiter shooting jumpers instead of rebounding anyways). I don't think Taylor should play huge minutes but somewhere in the 15 minute range is reasonable.
That sounds reasonable to me. I am very skeptical about McDyess and his injuries to be honest with you. It certainly would be a risk. But perhaps a risk worth taking if you could get him for HALF of the MLE (any more than that and it would be TOO risky). Let's say you signed McDyess for half the MLE and then Bob Sura for the other half and then picked up Charlie Ward for the vet minimum. That wouldn't be too bad of a FA haul. I certainly WOULD look at Brent Barry with the full MLE first, but if we couldn't work something out with him then McDyess would be someone to look at. Don't yell at me but...if the Rockets are looking at McDyess they could also look back at Eddie Griffin and probably get him at a VERY reduced cost. Griffin probably would be about as much of a risk as McDyess yet with better upside. Just a thought.
Dude really has no new sources. Come on, John. Andy Miller wrote that for you, didn't he? Why don't you get out and work the phones or do some new analysis. Tell us what other more chatty gms say about the Rockets phone calls. This isn't really very helpful. Absolutely nothing coming out from the JVG camp, that's for sure. The Rudy - camp days of easy leaks and pre-written stories are gone.
If McDyess is healthy and sound, even at a 10-20% diminished capacity from pre-injury days, he would be an upgrade. The flip-side of only 52 games in two years is, if healthy, he should be well rested. If the price is right, sign him.
If we can get him for a good price, then why not. But we all know he isn't the long-term solution, he might not even be a short-term solution.
No way we sign this guy unless it's for the minimum. Most GM's would fear the obvious. But considering his options, he'll get paid basically the same to stay home and contend for a title than to go elsewhere and possibly not even make the playoffs. He's already got plenty of $$$.
there is no way Mcdyess is playing for anything below MLE muchless the minimum unless he is guaranteed a championship. I think he would only play for the Rockets if he got a contract similiar to Mourning's or something similiar. I am sure Dallas would be very interested in a player such as Mcdyess and willing to put out the cash.
But DAL already has 3 PF's. Their MLE would be better spent on a C so Nowitski won't have to play the position. And DAL is looking to move Antoine Walker to get Jamison more PT so part of their roster is still TBD. IOW, Dice may sign somewhere before DAL even has its roster set. They are also going to have to get the Steve Nash re-signing complete in advance of PF FA signings because they may need a backup PG if Nash goes to PHX. Someone earlier mentioned $3m in MLE $ and given Dice lives in HOU, I'd say that's close. I'd definitely consider it. Especially if Mo T is traded.
Nice spin. Revisionist history sure is great, isn't it? Actually, from what I remember, the Rockets actively pursued McDyess until he made it known to them that he would not sign. This would have been nice 5 years ago. Anything more than the veteran's exception is foolish. McDyess is done. That MLE money should belong to Brent Barry.
01-02: 10 games played-11.3ppg 5.5 rpg 02-03: 0 games played 03-04: 42 games played-7.1ppg 5.95rpg This is McDyess's averages for the last 3 seasons. He use to be a dominant player, a 20ppg 12rpg guy. But if the Rockets only solution for our PF is McDyess, look for the same problems we had last year. Like I said, if we can get him for really cheap, we might as well. But definitely won't be our long-term solution and by the looks of his #'s the last couple years, he won't be our short-term solution either. People will always say that they can rest their injury and that they are ready to play, but the truth is that some injury's just don't go away, no matter how many surgeries and how much rest they give it, it will never be right.
Plus, this is a guy you'd want to play mano-y-mano with the likes of Nowitzki, Duncan, KG and Malone. That's a tall order for a PF in the best of condition let alone a guy whose kneecap is broken in two. I don't care how cheap you could get him, if he can't play his position then he's of no use to this team. The Rockets need players and not projects.
Yep. Dice was unsure of a roster replete with aging veterans (Glide, Dream) and just-drafted guards (Cat, Drew, uh, Dickinson? Dickerson? You know who I mean!)
I guess in the end the trainers and Rockets doctors will have to make an assement. I mean, it's going to weigh on whether or not we get McGrady before we go an get a questionable MCDyess. If we get McGrady, then signing McDyess to a limited contract would be ok. Just as long as he only got limited minutes (too many minutes would make it worse for his knees). McDyess seems like a one-year contract guy. Nothing more. He's a "we'll sign you each year, as long as your knee holds up" type player.
IF we get McGrady, we need opportunity offensive players who contribute primarily in other areas. As such, McDyess wouldn;t really justify the gamble as his role would be somewhat unnecessary. If we don't, then I;d hope we get better than him as another star if we're giving up Steve, and if we keep Steve, to go with Yao...and Cat...where are we going to get all the balls needed? Especially in that we're a slow down defense first team. Only way he might be worth the gamble, IMO, is if we trade Steve for a package like Hinrich, no.3, etc., where the obvious no. 2 star voild isn't filled.
You think McDyess is still capable of being a legit #2 star guy? I actually see him being that opportunity role player type that would be perfect if we landed TMac. He used to be an excellent defender/shotblocker/rebounder along with his 20 ppg ability. I see him more likely to take a backseat role and focus on those aspects and score on the opportunity buckets created when the defense is forced to key on Yao/Francis (or more hopefully, TMac). Very similar to what Karl Malone did this year. Malone averaged over 20 ppg in his last year in Utah. Side note: McDyess was in NY the year after JVG left.
