A healthy Pike would have been as asset, but even an aged center like Mutombo will be good. Can't you see going tall with Yao and Mutombo for a defensive spike every now and then. Also, with four PF's on the team there has to be another move coming. Did anyone ever hear the details of Padgetts' contract?
Gaines probably pg-c.war,t.lue sg-t.mac, b.sura sf-j.jackson,s.padgett,b.nachbar pf-j.howard,m.taylor,.c.weatherspoon c-y.ming,d.mutombo
Appears to be a low risk moderate gain trade for the Rockets. I saw Mutombo play several times last year and he was not as some of you describe. His defense still affected games and he was hardly decrepit. I was underwhelmed and greatly disappointed with Pike's performance last year, zero impact. Mutombo can easily give a few minutes a game and make a difference. Wilks and Griffin weren't even visible. A relatively safe trade as I see it.
Sometimes I wonder about you guys. The Rockets make a deal to bring in a solid veteran back up for Yao Ming, something we've been complaining about since the T-Mac deal, and all we give up are reserve players, two of whom might not even play in the NBA, and all this complaining? WTF? I'm no Mutumbo fan, personally, but he is a good fit for this team. We made our big deal of the summer. In fact, if it hadn't been for Shaq, it would've been the biggest deal made this offseason by ANY team. We are now filling out the roster and plugging in role players to surround our two superstars. We now have a roster with four guys that can play point, four guys that can play the two, four guys that can play the three, four guys that can play the four and four guys that can play the five. We have versatility out the wazoo. It gives us depth if not a superstar at every spot on the floor. Barring injuries, we will be a good team next season and will have a couple years to build towards something better before we'll need to make a few minor roster changes as contracts expire. But, in this deal (as with the others this summer), we added quality depth for a low price tag. What else do you want, exactly?
also.. Wilks could barely get minutes when he was the ONLY backup for Francis - Griffen played once at the end of the game for his "defense," then the other team kept fouling him b/c he could hit free throws Pike has 2 more years on his deal (Deke has one) this is a nice little deal for the Rockets
I'm with DaDa on this one. I'd definiltely rather have Pike than Mutumbo, need for a backup center notwithstanding. People in Houston vastly undervalue him because of his injury last year. A deadly 3-point threat is exactly what this team needs to spread the defense.
I am not saying it is a bad deal, just that I would rather have Pike than Deke. However, he probably doesn't fit anymore on the team. So, Deke it is.... Personally, I don't think Deke has much left in the tank. DD
Agreed on that point. If the TE is allowed to simply expire, which is looking more and more likely, the crime had better not go ignored. I'll give credit when credit is due (such as this deal and the T-Mac deal) but I will not simply turn the other cheek when management makes a bad move (such as the Ward/Sura signings or the entire TE fiasco). Regarding Ward, why 3 years? Were they so scared that some team would snatch him up at the maximum after this season that they had to commit 3 years to him? And Sura has long been one of my least favorite players in the league - he is erratic and not a good shooter. In fact, I felt the prime requirement for our point guards was to be able to hit the open 3 and neither can do that well. Sura could still be a steal with his energy off the bench but I am skeptical. As it stands, you are delusional if you do not accept that the Rockets have the weakest point guard combination in basketball. That Carrol Dawson was able to walk to the podium and calmly announce that he felt "fortunate that things were able to work out the way they did" without breaking a smile is unbelievable. Oh well, I digress as the real issue I wanted to discuss was the trade exception. That Minnesota was able to acquire Latrell Sprewell for Terrel Brandon, Memphis Bonzi Wells for Wes Person, Dallas Jason Terry for Antoine Walker, (and I'm sure I'm forgetting some other expiring contract steals), and we will have GIVEN UTAH 2 DRAFT PICKS TO TAKE BACK AN EXPIRING CONTRACT and then TAKE BACK A CAP ALBATROSS in return then turn around and let the exception go unused is beyond belief. Up until this point, I've always considered Les Alexander a first rate owner dedicated to bringing home the metal as evidenced by his willingness to make the big trade and overpay for marginal talent. But if this trade exception is allowed to expire, I'm going to do alot of thinking as a fan of the Houston Rockets, because that just does not show commitment to winning. Thus far, in conclusion, you have to rate the summer a success simply due to the McGrady deal. But that doesn't mean there weren't gaffes along the way, and allowing the trade exception to simply expire really taints things for me. I hope management proves me wrong.
I want my Jumbo Mutombo Jersey NOW!!!WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO?? j/k Very good man espically for his native land All we need now is to get back Othella Harrington and Ruben Boumtje Boumtje and we can have the Georgetown Quartette!
I've always liked Mutumbo and think he will be a perfect backup to Yao. That said, I think the departure of Griffin and Pike forces us to once again remember that these are the two guys we signed rather than Posey. I know no one likes that can of worms reopened, but I happen to think it was one of the biggest Rocket mistakes in recent history. Now we have (indirectly, over two seasons) traded an up and coming athletic, young starter for an over the hill hall of famer backup. Just thought it was worth mentioning.
I think part of the need for Pike disappeared by acquiring McGrady- not to say Pike would be less effective with the TMac/Yao combo, but his defensive deficiencies would only be magnified by having to play either he or TMac out of position. Sura/Ward/Lue TMac/Sura/(Gaines) Jackson/Nachbar Howard/Taylor/Spoon/Padgett Yao/Mutumbo That's 13. We still have 2 roster slots left for the IR. The particularly curious thing is that the Bulls roster has just ballooned. to 19. That could have easily been prevented by using the trade exception. IMO, that means one of two things. 1.) We have plans for the TE. 2.) Les has some strict salary restrictions. 2.) doesn't really make sense to me, because it's haggling over a couple of minimum level players, and we will most likely sign someone with equal dollars. Whether or not we use the TE, I don't know. We have a lot more time now to use it, so it won't be known in the next month. By having cap friendly assets, Detroit was able to acquire Rasheed, who was a big help in their title chase. tcab- The Ward signing doesn't bother me too much because the value on it is so low, and he can probably still be reasonably effective for the life of the contract. Anthony Johnson got 4 yrs, 11 mill from the Pacers iirc. If anything, imo, it's mostly a sign of committment to JVG for at least the next 3 years.
I think it was a great deal for the Rockets. Giving up scrubs who don't get any playing time on this team (except for Pike) makes this is a good deal. It was more of a Pike for Mutombo deal. I kinda wished the Rockets got a draft pick out of it, but it doesn't matter. We filled our final piece to this team and we can start the season saying we have a complete team (except for injuries).
Exactly. There was no doubt that the Rockets missing roster piece was a backup C and some of ya'll expect to get one for free? Deke may not be the best backup C in the league and he may not have much left in the tank, but he is still a vet that can still produce. Someone posted the stats of Deke and Cato, and they are almost identical, except that Deke is making 1/2 of Cato's salary. CD made a good deal with what we had, Pike/Wilks/Griffin didn't see any PT last season and that wouldn't have changed. Atleast we don't have to pay those guys, they weren't getting paid that much too begin with, but atleast Deke will play.
the haters always come out whenever there's a deal like this - the rank and file Rocket fans are probably very happy with the depth, like the veteran upgrades (JJ, Howard, Sura) and are excited. Some of these people think that the being an NBA GM is like a PS2 game (where the players play where ever they are assigned - any trade goes - and garabe players can be all-stars with enough cheet codes)
I could easily see the team make a trade mid-season with what they have now. They have a couple of young guys with potential (Boki, Gaines) who are on the cheap and a couple of guys with expiring contracts (Deke, Lue), all of which could be used at the trade deadline. If there in not another move, then Deke's and Lue's contracts come off the books and we then have roughly $6.1 million to go get a better option at the point and backup center next offseason.
Or maybe some of us have different opinions about the trade, and Deke's value. Nah...it can't be that...everyone that doesn't agree with you Willis must be mad...right? DD
Since Mutombo just got aquired by the Bulls, isn't the only way they can trade him is if he is in the trade alone? Maybe that means something else is on the horizon with the TE?
I somewhat followed the discussion on this, but apparently missed the outcome...so is this certain now? Until when can we use the TE and what is its value? Thanks!
Deke is way better than any other back up center that the Hakeem ever had. If I do recall, that includes Tree Rollins and grey beard Charles Jones (?) ...LOL I'm very happy with this trade.
