We've got Barry who's got enough bball IQ to run the backup point and Anderson. Ward is definitely gone. That makes the 2 spot free for Wesley, Head, and some DA. I say we trade James+Moochie for a PF. CD, get it done!
okay, maybe not coming off surgery but coming off season ending injury and viral heart conditions. I really need to watch my misinfo. We need that bruiser. IF we matchup against Miami, we don't have enough fouls to use on Shaq. PERIOD. 1. Yao is big but he's our goto guy down low . Gotta keep him outta foul trouble. 2. Deke is too old and skinny. Shaq will break him. 3. Stro. Shaq will encounter more air resistence from the sweat on his own back. 4. JHow. Well, thats varsity against the frosh team. No contest. IF a Houston/Miami matchup happened, how do we guard Shaq when we know that Yao is foul prone? Easy, we need a big bruising PF/C guy who can also take spot minutes in case of injuries.
I wasn't singling you out, I've just read so many threads where various people have had off-season surgery that I have a hard time remembering who did. So it's my addled brain I'm trying to protect. Your point about Shaq is well-taken, but I don't think we have that problem with anyone esle.
Agreed. I think we can hold our own with anybody now including Miami. But to have a few extra hack-a-shaq fouls sure would be nice...just in case. It is crazy. Guys coming off surgey: Yao, Wesley, Sura and Howard with major medical issues. That was basically our entire starting lineup.
Regarding Lopez' article many here thought something had to be done about having 8 guards and many still talked about the rumored 2 for 1 deal, but now I am wondering... JVG said he's concerned about the health of Wesley and Sura, so I honestly don't think we have them on the block now. CD has said that they couldn't get any value for James right now. We're not going to trade Barry or DA (obviously). What deal can we really make?
I say lets keep our current squad, unless something falls in our lap. Then lets look to pick up a PF/C scrub before the trade deadline w/ somebody looking to salary dump. Maybe somebody will have a rookie or a decent scrub signed to a 3 year deal willing to trade for our 1-year deals. We'll probably address the PG issue next summer. As CD said, Tracy has the ball in his hands so much, a true PG isn't really that important. We just need guys that can play multiple positions...including PG.
With our lineup, I think we have a pretty solid rotation, though some of our players (esp. expiring contracts) could be dealt: Yao Mutombo Howard Swift Bowen McGrady Barry Anderson Wesley Anderson Barry Sura James Moochie Head Ward I think the players that could get dealt are Wesley and James. The main reason I say that is that Anderson now brings that athletic playmaking spark and is a better passer than both James and Wesley. I would think any package would include one of those two packaged w/ maybe moochie to get a big man backup pf/c. I would have loved Dale Davis that got picked up by detroit. I think the most likely target is Wesley b/c of his contract status. That would make our lineup: Yao Mutombo (Backup pf/c) Howard Swift (Backup pf/c) McGrady Barry Anderson Anderson Barry Sura Sura James Head We have guys that play diff positions like : McGrady 1/2/3 Anderson 1/2/3 Barry 2/3 Sura 1/2 James 1/2 Head 1/2 Swift 3/4 (though i don't think he could guard the quicker 3's on the perimeter)
I just wanted to point out how absurdly good this statement proves Shaquille O'neal really is... Just think about the fact that for the last 6-7 years, every legit title-contender had to give serious consideration to giving up an entire roster spot (1/12 of the whole roster) to a player whose only purpose was to come in the game and keep Shaq from dominating a game by sending him to the free-throw line... That is flat-out ridiculous! Can you think of any other situation where teams will keep a player on their roster all year just to neutralize a single player who they may see twice the entire season? The Texans don't devote one of 53 roster spots to a "Vick-Spy" whose only specialty is to shadow the QB. The Astros don't keep a 12th pitcher who's a "Pujols-Reliever" who can't pitch against anyone else but Albert Pujols. But the Rockets, and most other teams, are probably smart for at least considering having an extra big man whose only purpose in life is to come in and foul the $#!t out of Shaq if, God forbid, we should have to meet him in the Finals. As for the topic at hand...I say wait and see who we can pick up during the season...veteran tough guys are always available in the spring...let the young guys get a turn early in the season.
My thoughts exactly. I don't see us moving a guard because Moochie will be inactive, Ward will be waived, and Head will be in Austin. Barry, Wesley, and Anderson are no spring chickens. Wesley is a professional, Barry only wants to be in Houston, and Anderson decided to play hear because he doesn't care about being selfish, he just wants to win. I don't see any of those guys being lockerroom distractions if there aren't enough minutes. Sura and James are our only point guards, so neither is expendable unless we get a point guard in return. Most likely we are standing pat with our guards and picking up a pf with the little money we have. I acutally think it's a nice backcourt because we keep the chemistry, add athleticism, and protect ourselves from injuries.
What's the minimum number of players that a team needs to have under contract in the new CBA? Are there any possibilities of a 2 for 1 trade with a team that needs to have more players under contract? Ideally, we'll trade some combination of Baker/Ward/Moochie for a single player also with only one year left on the contract. It'll be trading trash for trash but this will open up a roster spot to sign someone like Baxter to be our 5th big man.
