So what should we do? Sign Etan Thomas to a $40 mil deal? Sign Cardinal to a $40 mil deal? What's wrong with Howard? The guy averaged something like 17 pts a game in his career. He was 17/7 last year. He shoots the mid-range jumper very well. He has post up game. Complaining about our PF is like the Spurs complaining they have no one to even out Yao at center, and must improve on Nesterovic. You don't get to have all-stars everywhere. Again, who would you pay for? Some people here wanted Foyle a while back, before he signed a contract averaging $9 a year. Sure, we could use a backup center. But to break the bank on such a player is ludicrous, which is what I was pointing out.
The difference is the Spurs only have to worry about Yao. That's only four games a season. The Rockets will have to worry about Duncan, KG, Brand, Amare, etc. They'll be facing an all-star 4 every single night.
hmm, other teams not named Miami will worry Yao every single night too. The problem is Yao is not that dominant against so-so centers.
For one thing, considering there's a solid chance the Spurs will meet the Rockets in the playoffs, the stakes are higher than are you're implying. And I reiterate, is there any way we can improve on Howard? I mean, I'm all for trading Taylor for Elton Brand, trading JJ for Lebron James, and trading Weatherspoon/Howard for Jason Kidd. Unfortunately, this sort of thing doesn't happen in the real world. I think that if a poster is going to complain about management decisions on FAs, he better come up with better alternatives. IMO, we haven't found such "realistic" ways to improve our team w/o mortaging the future.
We just need a banger who give Yao a few minutes to rest. Someone will have to fill that slot. We don't have anybody on this team that can muscle for us w/o Yao on the floor. For PFs, read the above posts on why we should sign someone else to help out that trio. 3-4 people above this post agree we need to sign a PF. FAs that the Rockets could go after: Centers Restricted: Zeljko Rebraca, Chris Mihm, Scott Williams, Chris Andersen Unrestricted: Jason Collier, Mamadou N'diaye, Michael Doleac, Robert Traylor Other: Francisco Elson (Salary protection of $50,000 if waived before July 21, thereafter 100 percent), Dan Gadzuric (No salary protection if waived prior to Aug. 1) PFs Restricted: Lonny Baxter, Marcus Fizer, Lee Nailon (PF/C), Brian Cardinal, Stromile Swift, Toni Kukoc Unrestricted: Keon Clark, Donnell Harvey Other: Udonis Haslem (No salary protection if waived prior to July 15. Salary protection of $200,000 if waived between July 16 and the first game of the regular season). PG Restricted: Mike James, Jason Hart Unrestricted: Damon Jones, Derek Fisher, Travis Best, Darrick Martin, Anthony Peeler, Charlie Ward, Rod Strickland, Brevin Knight Other: Jeff McInnis (Salary protection of $300,000 if waived before July 1, thereafter 100 percent), Marko Jaric (No salary protection if waived before July 1, thereafter 100 percent)
Fizer? If we got him or Keon or Battie or whatever, we would have to get rid of one of our 3 power forwards that we already have.. There are plenty of point guards. I want another Jimmy Jackson on our team..like Eric Williams, Bruce Bowen, Shane Battier..
JC a Hawk -- 2 years, 3.something mil. Good for him. Hart is apparently? possibly? about to sign with Bobs.
... Do you people realize that we had to face all of those guys LAST YEAR too? Howard is an UPGRADE over Cato. Offensively AND defensively. He's not as foul prone as Cato, he's a better man to man defender than Mo, and he can hold his own against the quick, mobile PFs that lit Cato up night after night after night! We're set at PF. We need a center. We need a PG. We need a backup swing.
Yes I agree. Howard definitely upgrade..I hope. How old is he? We do need a center..they are expensive these days! Mengke Bateer Yao will be playing 36 minutes per game? I want to get a guy who can play both the 4 and 5...we need to find someone who is good enough and will be satisfied playing 12 minutes a game..unless we make a trade..involving our 4's.. And yes a backup swing. Should we resign Terence Morris or Scott Padgett? I don't think Nachbar is ready..it would be nice to see him play great like he did against the Lakers.. 4 fouls in 4 minutes lol.
Just some corrections...(other than some of the listed names are signed already, like Brian Cardinal) Scott Williams, Lee Nailon, Toni Kukoc, Lonny Baxter, and Marcus Fizer are all unrestricted FA. To be a restricted free agent, you have to have played 3 years or less- Williams, Nailon, and Kukoc all exceed that. Fizer and Baxter are unrestricted free agents by virtue they were selected in the expansion draft. They were restricted free agents for their respective teams, but the Bobcats selection of them makes them unrestricted. I don't see us picking up another PF unless we move one of ours. I think a guy like Scott Williams makes a lot of sense as a FA pickup. I also don't see us really need another swingman- our depth at the 2 goes TMac/Pike/Gaines, and at the 3 it's JJ/Nachbar/Griffin. PG and C are far greater needs.
We should wait till Utah blows the majority of their wad, then go hard after both wondertwin J. Collins and non-Spainard M. Williams at the same time.
Well, Doleac is off the list of backup centers: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=fanball-heatdoleacagreestofo&prov=fanball&type=lgns News Center Michael Doleac agreed to a four-year deal with the Miami Heat on Monday. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the contract is worth approximately $12 million. "We had a number of different destinations in mind and we were back and forth with New Orleans, who actually offered more money,'' agent Glenn Schwartzman said. "But playing with Shaq was definitely appealing." Views Doleac will now have the honor of guarding Shaquille O'Neal in practice on a daily basis. Have fun, Michael.
That is hilarious that we are still paying Matt Maloney this upcoming year, and that the "alien" pointed that out. Another example of CD greatness I'll have to stop bashing CD as much as I do, after I've seen all these center/pf contracts being given out like they are well-rounded players. I'm still rooting for Damon Jones/Badiane and to get rid of MoT or Spoon for any scrap we can get! How bout a draft pick?
You can cross Stephen Jackson off of any list as well...and Harrington as well......Pacers and hawks made a trade today
The Rox would be crazy to get a 4th power forward, when they've already got three guys at that position, and all of them have bad contracts. It would seem unlikely that a bruiser could be brought in, unless the Rox could figure out a way to dump either Howard, Taylor, and Spoon.
