As most of you would be aware...well, maybe not...I live in Australia. The significance of that re b-ball is that we have a competition here where the new rules (ie the zone) are already in place... Some of you would have already seen what a difference it makes when the International games were played. IMO...Rice's value is DOUBLE what it normally is under these rules. This is an EXCELLENT trade for us. Particularly as all it cost was Shandon whose, IMO, value is about half what it was under the new rules. (ie guys without a solid shot tend to drop off) Ironically enough, I said to a friend of mine last year during the Olympic games that Glen Rice should have been on the USA squad. He almost fell over, until I pointed out why I felt that. The reason being, the lane was completely clogged up...as it will be next season in the NBA (where double teams off the ball will be all the rage...) and thus the ball was getting thrown out to the shooters, who were missing (Carter, Payton etc). It was only when Ray Allen came in and lit it up that the USA team started to look good. Next season, you can imagine Steve and Cat getting doubled...you can imagine defenders moving off their man simply in anticipation of Steve or Cat going down the lane...at which point, it sure will be nice to have the option to kick it out to an open Glen Rice... This is a good move...don't worry about that. Rice will have at least 20 games where he gets 20 + ... and you can't argue with that. Rudy and CD know what they are doing. Even if the move does fail...ie, chemistry is bad etc...then Rice is a guy who will have a TONNE of trade value come the deadline. The guy is the best shooter in the NBA...and the rules are set to change to favour shooters. How can having the best shooter in the NBA be bad!
SRJ, Agree! Besides the rules applying to his O, they'll also help his limited D...Rice is a great guy to have either way we look at it.
Why didn't he prosper with LA. He had two of the top 10 players in the game and all he did was cry and play matador defense. Steve nor Cat qualifies as a top 10 player, so how will he prosper?
Uh, Kobe Bryant is about the most selfish player in the league, and Phil Jackson sat Rice down in some crucial minutes in the 4th quarter a few games that season. I'd be upset too. And by the way, LA probably doesn't win the championship that year if Rice isn't on that team. Yes, they did this year, but you have to remember Rice got them Horace Grant, and the team last year was definitely more vulnerable in the playoffs. This year's team had an unbelievable chemistry, so it really isn't a fair comparison to the year before. They would've had a lot of trouble beating Portland in that series without having Rice to knock down his outside shots. P.S.-- I'd also say averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds, while accepting a much limited role and winning a championship is pretty damn good. How can you expect him to average more with Kobe and Shaq around?
I agree completely. Rice will be a big difference-maker. I am predicting well over 50 wins this year.
An insightful and refreshing post, mate. Like most, my initial reaction to this deal was disappointment. On the surface, we're getting an aging shooter who's defense isn't much better than Matt Bullards. On a team already weak on the defensive end, we were trading away more defense for offense. Perimeter offense at that. However, these new zone rules definately change things. As does the fact that I realized Rice is not a one-dimensional player - he can rebound, has a strong low-post game, and can even create off the dribble. And as you mentioned ScreamingRocketJet, the new rules literally caters to guys like Glen Rice. Not only on the offensive end, but his defensive deficiencies can be masked as well if Rudy T can implement an effective zone defense. I still have my doubts about this trade, and I will definatley miss Shandon, but this deal isn't all that bad. Its looking better with every passing minute, and hey, like the saying goes, with Rudy we Trust. Azim da Dream
I like the trade, with the rocket backcourt driving and kicking it would seem Rice would be a natural on this team. Rice is a diffrent type of shooter than Bullard and even the Wizard, he shoots the ball very quickly and all in one motion. Even if he has a defender draped all over him he has the ability to get his shot off. I could see him with a few forty point games this season. I also would love to see Morris back him up off the bench.
SRJ, where in oz do you live? Seems Smeg is in adelaide (fitting name), and I'm in Melbourne. Where are you? BTW could tell you were an aussie. Old band now. Rice will work as a player; spot on about the value of a shooter with a zone. I saw the USA@AUS pre-olympic game (both the men's & women's teams, great seats - what a night!), and Ray Allens and Steve Smith killed the zone, and what was a close game til then. Made a clearly visible difference having a great shooter on the floor. Rice will do the exact same thing, with the benefit of a pre-season and a "confused" defense (all shooters will get this advantage) adjusting to the zone. The potential negative out of this is the team chemistry effect. This may in effect be a slightly exagerated point, as with the loss of Hakeem, we would/will develop a new team chemistry regardless. As the veteran on the team, let's hope he can be a positive influence, and not repeat LA (when did Rudy last bag a player in the press and Steve take too many shots?). To use "draft-talk", there is a lot of up-side and potential to this trade.
Agreed to a point that Rice's value goes up... However, with the lack of an illegal D, defenses will be better suited to rotating to the open man much faster and easier than they used to... If NBA teams use the new rules to play a STRICT zone, like in college ala a 2-3 zone... Then, for sure Rice's value goes through the roof... However, I don't see NBA teams going to the strict zones... I think they will just double team the man with the ball much more often than they used to... While being able to rotate easier than they used to... Therefore, if my prediction regarding NBA defenses comes true, then Rice's value as an shooter is about the same as it's always been... Here's hoping that opposing defenses decide to play strict zones! It's very doubtful mainly because they would have to implement a completely new system to some players... It would require much longer than just one month of camp to get 12 players to learn their roles and schemes in a zone...
Hi Harumph I live in Sydney. Well, half the time anyway...I also live in Thailand some of the year (my wife is a Thai born Pharmacist, so we go back there for her work often). BTW...the NBA coverage in asia absolutely rocks!!!!! We get all the ESPN coverage + star sports do two a week + free to air tv does 1 game a week (and covers nearly all the play offs when they start). Thus...I always try and make sure we go back for a few months during the play offs Yep...The Jets! I saw them live the day before I chose this username...so I guess I must still have been pumped from the show As for Rice, that was exactly what I noticed during the International games. Guys like Smith and Allen really killed the zone defences. Hpefully Rice can do that for us. I guess the only thing I worry about re the Rocks is that we don't really have any sort of presence offensively in the middle...and that's important also in stopping teams from double teaming in the lane... I think Rudy has envisioned Francis gettting a hell of a lot of off the ball coverage this season...and Rice is insurance to try and make teams pay for covering Steve too heavily...
Probably a good point re: strict vs make-shift zones. But Cat and Steve can break down any slow rotating double team. Enter Rice camped on the weak side. Even in your scenario, it doesn't matter. You give Rice just a little breathing room and your toast. So then your faced with doubling from MoTay's man or even Cato's man. You know MoTay will knock down an open shot. If your dumb enough to rotate off Cato (which is hard to do for lots of reasons), then Cato has his ally-op. Then your option is to not rotate? Steve, Cat, and even MoTay can destroy virtually anybody one-on-one. This is a very very dangerous team. Other teams, I once read, already dreaded playing the Rockets last year cause our 2 guards demanded major defense. Well, it only gets better now!!! -krosfyah
One thing I forgot to add is that with Rice's height and high release point, he doesn't really get that affected by a defense running at him... Also, he can put the ball on the floor... So, pretty much disregard what I said earlier! It might apply to someone like Walt, but not Rice...
