Hey, has anyone ever heard of Zendon Hamilton? I'm stat fishing through the list of free agents and came across this guy from Philly. The playing time he's had doesn't bode well for him but his numbers are what I'd like to see in a backup center. I would guess these are mostly garbage time minutes but you can't argue with over 14 rebounds/48min over a 4 year career. Anybody watch 76er games?
Great discussion of the current point guards options. #1 option seems to be Arroyo, but I imagine Utah will keep him. Its not clear that Fisher is better than Lue, so Fisher should only be considered at a value contract. MManual nailed the Hudson analysis. If we can't get Arroyo, or Fisher on a decent contract, go for the value player, whether its Charlie Ward, Damon Jones, etc. MManual and Duece also highlighted the need for interior toughness. I like Skinner or Etan Thomas. As far as Boki is concerned, I say give Boki a chance to prove he can play. Every time he has had a chance, he has performed, other than an inconsistent shooting touch which is to be expected. For a guy with no lateral quickness, he plays good position defense, and he hits the glass. I think he can become a rotation player.
Agreed. I would also like to explore other options on the team namely Jim Jackson at the point. I'm not sure if JJ can stay with most pgs in the league, but if he does I wouldn't mind to see what he can do at the 1. JJ fits our need at the pg position. He can shoot, pass, and play defense. Neither Fisher or Barry brings more to the table than JJ under the Rocket's structure. If Fisher and co. can't be had at the right price and years, I'd rather sign Eric Williams and let Boki and Williams share the minutes at the 3. Boki and Willams are decent three point shooters who play defense. Boki's problem is his inconsistent inside shooting which can be made up for his I think Boki is ready to play around 20 minutes. With JJ at the point and Williams signed the team looks like this: JJ - 6'5" McCrady - 6'8" Boki and Williams - 6'9" and 6'8" Howard or MoT - 6'9" Yao - 7'6" We have great size at 1,2,3 and 5 which counters the loss of interior D in Cato. If JJ can play defense at the 1 I think this lineup beats playing Fisher or Barry at the same position and getting locked up by their contracts. We still maintain the flexibility to get young and nice pgs after this season while addressing the depth by adding Williams. It's like one shot three birds.
Correct me if I am wrong, but Lue did play in LA. He was the back up to Fisher, and was allowed to go while Fisher was retained. And those decisions ere made by GM JErry West. I am not sure exactly what the question is, but in the Lue debate, I am pretty sure that is the answer.
Are you sure? Lue left after the 00-01 season (Man if I was the NBA commissioner, those hyphenated years are the first thing I would change). I thought Logo joined Memphis just before the 02-03 season. Did he take a year off? Also, how did Lue leave LA? Free agent?
Sonics shopping Allen "Meanwhile, the Sonics are trying to re-sign free agent guard Brent Barry. Seattle has offered Barry a three-year, $18 million deal. However, at least one team is planning to offer the 32-year-old Barry $20 million for three years"
West left in the summer of 2000. Lue signed with the Wizards in the summer of 2001. His stats have been pretty much the same as Fisher throughout his career. He plays the same type of game (spot up shooting). That's probably why the Lakers decided to let him go. Because they already have a player that’s almost identical to him in Fisher.
Any big money the Rockets spend should go toward solidifying the backup center spot where we are too light. $$$ won't be wasted, even long term, if they find the right guy. Skinner or Foyle would be worth the money. Fisher is solid, tough and defensive minded, and my pick.
He's not defensive minded. He's a defensive liability. He’s not fast enough to keep up with quicker point guards and he’s not big enough to guard taller point guards. He’s a tough and feisty player. I’ll give that to him, but his physical limitations will always make him a liability on defense.
Deuce, fine post and on the money as usual. Sorry to join in late but this is on hell of a thread find, props to the contributers. 1st I have to say that I think Fisher, Skinner, and Eric Williams would make a fine offseason, but I am feeling a tad more aggressive. EW, no qualms there, hopefully get him to take the 1.6 exemption. An extra swingman is our 3rd priority. Skinner is Ok. But I first say aim a little higher. Granted Camby and Swift are probably unreachable despite our TE, but Etan Thomas probably is not. Younger, better, version of Skinner who I wanted the year we could have drafted him but moved down a few slots to take Collier. Washington is loaded with bigs and trying to dump salary, I would think the TE plus an 06 #1 pick would land him. 4 year deal around 20 mil sounds about right. We could also play the MLE game, but then we have to sweat with Wash, why not just work with them. I also think Foyle will quickly find out no one will pay him near the MLE, miight be worth having for like 1/2 the MLE. Though brutal offensively, I think Foyle can bang with thr ture power players a little better than Skinner. Hunter from Orlando is also an option. Fisher. It all depends on salary demands. For anything in the 4 mil range per season, I want no more than a 1 year contract or 2 year contract with team option after the 1st year (if we can set up such a contract as SA did with Horry). If he wants 2 years, about 5.5 mil is about right, 3 years, about 7 mil. Could give him a player option on the last year in either case where he could earn more based oon performance. I don't want to invest too much in Fisher because there is a good chance last year's regular season indicates there is not too much left in that body of his. Yes, the only way I take on Snow is for Spoon. That, or Snow and McKie for MoT and Pike, or if Phily is desperate to drop salary, Spoon and the TE for Snow and McKie. In sum, one of our bad contracts has to be involved to take Snow. Similar deals for Alvin Williams, if he clears team docs, could be considered. No question to me Barry will get the MLE, the question is years. I think his shooting and flexibilty at the 2/1 is too hard to pass up if a 2-3 year MLE would do it. We can still use the TE for a Big and the 1.7 or vet min (1 mil in this case for a vet more defensive oriented PG (Ward). I don't see it happening though, of the guys Barry is just one of the few leget MLE candidates and he will get offers better than what we want. For the record, Lue is not THAT cheap. He has 1.6/1.7mil exemption level money due him. Still, glad to have him for that contract. And I agree it is important to consider that we have him, and to look for a complementary PG, not a duplicate. Though I don't think Fisher is a complete duplicate, he is more physical and more experienced. I completely agree about the contract for Fish, what I would be thinking in terms of 1-2-3 year salary committments I stated earlier. We can also look to Alston or Damon Jones for 1/2 or less of the MLE who don't have Fish's experience but are coming off better years. Love to get Arroyo even more, but hate to play the waiting game with Utah. I'd offer the TE and a 1st rounder to get him from Utah--maybe they would if they just want to save cash and are high enough about Lopez/MoW picking up the slack at the 1. Absolutely. With Tmac and Yao being terrific at getting others shots, we are one of the few teams THud could least use his skills for. Respect his game, but just doesn't seem like a good fit for him to us, or us to him. But there is always a right price if someone once to join your team as Karl Malone showed last year, 1/2 the MLE would do it. Extrodinarily doubtfull THud is a Rocket. I agree this is better than making a bad contract with Fish, or worse, the thought to taking on Snow w/o losing one of our own contracts. But Ward should be had for the 1.1 vet min, easily for the the 1.6 exemption. But I wouldn't want to go into the season with just Lue/Ward unless we have at least a combo or tweener guard like Barry (MLE) or AD (trade: AD + Booth/James for MoT or TE + Spoon) or Damon Jones (1.7 exemption FA) to provide still another look to Lue/Ward. Agreed, but because we have the TE there are so many options. --TE up 7 mil starting and allowing trade flex -MLE up to 5 mil starting, or split to 2.5 & 2.5, or 3 & 2. -1.7 exemption. I don't think we settle for a Ward or Skinner in our most needed positions. We should not underestime the use of the TE to get a major or extra major role player over just servicable role players this offseason. We should come out with 2 major role players + 2 servicable role players, or at a minimum 1 major role player + 2 servicable role player . I would have 2 simultanous sets of call going to address the 1 and defensive 4/5. ***LINE 1: I think my first call would be to Washington (Etan's cost), than Seattle (explore AD + Booth/James cost), than Foyle's agent, than Skinner's agent, than S Hunter's agent, and then Otag's. Compare for best value with Etan being ideal. ***LINE 2:I would also have calls to Utah (Arroyo's cost), Barry's agent, than Seattle (explore AD + Booth/James cost), than Fish's agent, than Alston's agent, than Damon's agent, than Phily (Snow for contract) than Charlie's agent, than Lindsey Hunter's agent, than Sura's agent. Compare for best value with Arroyo or Barry being ideal. ***Once either LINE 1 or LINE 2 are open (meaning first deal done) than call for the extra swingman. Eric and Bruce would be quick targets. I have never felt the Rockets had some many options to negitiate with other teams and FAs than they have now.
The reason that I like Troy Hudson is that our two best penetrators are gone. Sure Mcgrady can penetrate, but we should have a reliable second option. You have to consider that injuries might hit us. They should work Hudson out and if he does well, then I really like the prospects of having a guy like him if we get hit by injuries.
Regarding Eric Williams: wasn't he one of Jim O'Brien's favorites? Didn't trading him signal the beginning of the end of the O'Brien era in Boston? I would guess that Williams is likely to end up in Philly if they have any cap room... Regarding Derek Fisher: If we understand that the preponderance of Fisher's shots come from long range, isn't 39% actually pretty good? What makes shooting percentages go up is having a fair amount of chippies to add to the mix. With Shaq camping out in the lane area and Kobe slashing, Fisher is reduced to a spot shooter... from a distance.
He shot less than 30% from land and like 1.00 points per shot last year--very poor efficiency ratings any way you look at it.
