Ok, let's see...he is kind..ok, he is lazy, ok....he has altitude issues..........oh, send him back........
Yeah because JVG has always under produced with loaded teams.......last year was the worst of his coaching career which was directly tied to the injuries. 2 years ago we won 50+ games with a less talented team, I totally expect JVG to have this team ready to go and motivated to win
We finally get Bonzi Wells, Even Pippen couldn't screw this one up!!! Remember back when the Rockets were going to trade Pippen to the Trail Blazers, the Rockets wanted Bonzi Wells back in return. However, Pippen opened up his big mouth and the Rockets took whatever the Blazers offered. They just wanted Pippen off their hands!!! But, the jokes on you Pippen, the Rockets got their man! It took 8 years, but finally Bonzi is wearing the Rockets Jersey.
Great signing by the Rockets!!! I've been wishing that the Astros bow out of the race already so they can start talking Rockets on sports radio but with this news, the astros can win all they want. Go Rockets!
http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2006/09/bonzi_rockets_in_accord.html Bonzi, Rockets in accord BONZI0928 By JONATHAN FEIGEN Houston Chronicle The Rockets' offseason rebuilding of their backcourt moved close to adding a coveted final piece with Kings free-agent guard Bonzi Wells agreeing to a two-year deal. "We've come to an agreement with the Rockets for Bonzi," Wells' agent Bill Duffy said this morning. "This is really about the Rockets and the right fit for Bonzi. We feel with the situation with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, he (Wells) can be the third premier player." Rockets officials would not comment until the contract is signed. Wells would sign for the remainder of the Rockets' mid-level exception, worth $2.1 million next season and with a maximum raise, his contract would be worth about $4.5 million over two years if he does not opt out after one season. The Rockets could have offered Wells a greater contract in a sign-and-trade deal with the Kings, but Wells preferred the shorter contract. The Rockets hold a $4.2 million trade exception in which they could have signed Wells for $4.2 million in the first season and with maximum raises without the Kings having to take back any salary. But Wells, who had turned down a five-year, $37 million offer from the Kings, wanted the option to become a free agent next season. Wells, 30, averaged 13.6 points and 7.7 rebounds with the Kings last season and then averaged 23.2 points and 12 rebounds in the Kings' first-round playoff series against the Spurs. Wells was the 11th pick of the 1998 NBA Draft out of Ball State and was immediately traded by the Pistons to the Trail Blazers, where he played five-plus seasons before he was traded to the Grizzlies, before going to Sacramento before last season. He has averaged 12.8 points on 46.4 percent shooting, and 4.7 rebounds, in eight seasons. Posted by William Stickney at September 28, 2006 10:10 AM
i learned about this too. thanks for bringing this up. in your face pippen. but wasn't it barkley's fault that we had to trade pippen anyways? so, in your face Barkley!
Why is this contract taking that long to get it done? Do you guys think he might still be talking to the Bobcats? I am getting nervous. The silence from the Rockets is not good.
If we had Phil Jackson instead of Jeff, we would be champion team right now. I always consider that Phil is the most fit coach for Yao and T-MAc.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/dis...ts/4221401.html i'm sure once he gets in town he'll sign the deal.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4221401.html Sept. 28, 2006, 7:39PM Wells agrees to join Rockets Guard's contract worth almost $4.5 million over two years By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Bonzi Wells, who went from out of the Rockets' price range to too much to hope to land even as he considered taking their modest offer, agreed late Wednesday night to become the latest addition to their radically rebuilt backcourt. Wells had been considered one of the summer's top free agents, particularly after an extraordinary performance in the Sacramento Kings' playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. But when he turned down a five-year, $37 million offer from the Kings, they instead filled the roster spot with John Salmons and Wells quickly ran out of high-dollar options. Wells accepted a two-year deal worth almost $4.5 million, though his agent Bill Duffy said that Wells almost certainly will exercise his option to become a free agent again after the 2006-07 season. The Rockets will use the $2.1 million left on their mid-level exception to sign Wells for the upcoming season. With Wells, the Rockets will bring 18 players, including nine guards, to training camp next week. The Rockets hold a $4.2 million trade exception in which they could have signed Wells for $4.2 million in the first season and with maximum raises without the Kings having to take back any salary. But rather than sign the long-term sign-and-trade contract, Wells wanted the option to become a free agent next season. Rockets officials would not comment until Wells is officially signed. Wells is attending a family wedding this weekend and is not expected to arrive in Houston until Monday when players report for their annual physicals. Wells had also considered the Nuggets, Bobcats and Heat, with the Bobcats able to offer a much richer contract. But Duffy said that Wells chose to sign with the Rockets because he believed he would fit best with the Rockets. "That was our analysis," Duffy said. "We feel very strongly that Tracy McGrady is very perimeter oriented. Yao Ming is an interior player. Bonzi is an intermediate player that can play in between them. I think you'll see a lot of post-ups, a lot of isos for Bonzi. "This is really about the Rockets and the right fit for Bonzi. We feel with the situation with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, he (Wells) can be the third premier player." Wells, 30, averaged 13.6 points and 7.7 rebounds with the Kings last season and then averaged 23.2 points and 12 rebounds in the Kings' first-round playoff series against the Spurs. Wells' career, however, has been marked by several incidents. He was twice suspended in Portland, once for cursing former Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks when he was removed from a game and once for "conduct detrimental to the team." He received NBA suspensions for spitting at former Spurs forward Danny Ferry and for a role in a post-game fight with the Golden State Warriors. His tenure in Memphis ended when he was removed from the Grizzlies' playoff roster after a clash with coach Mike Fratello. Wells' season in Sacramento, however, had no such problems, leading to the Kings' hefty offer. "There's no question he's a great talent and he's a guy that can really score the basketball," Rockets forward Shane Battier, Wells' teammate in Memphis, said last week after Wells met with Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy and general manager Carroll Dawson. "If he comes with a good attitude and is surrounded by good guys, he can really help the team." On Thursday, after Wells had agreed to the deal with the Rockets, Battier said that he thought Wells could be a key addition and that his reference to "attitude" is true for any additions to a team "After playing with Bonzi for two years, I know what he's capable of doing," Battier said. "He gives us another dimension offensively. Last year the Rockets had a lot of trouble scoring the basketball, especially when Yao and Tracy got hurt. Bonzi adds an offensive presence. "He's a guy other teams must pay attention to, especially when you put him on the block and throw the ball to him. The margin of error is so small, you always must have everyone on the same page. To win in this league, you must have everyone with a common goal and common beliefs on team. That's essential." McGrady worked to recruit Wells and said Wednesday that he considered Wells a key addition. "He adds more depth," McGrady said. "He is the missing piece we need, especially when we match up with teams like Dallas and Phoenix when they go small." Wells could step in to the starting lineup, replacing David Wesley who started at shooting guard the past two seasons. He also could come off the bench, with his ability to post up and create his own shot more valuable when McGrady or Yao are out. Either way, he would seem to offer a more proven talent to the Rockets' retooled backcourt and skills different from the other players acquired this off-season. "Before this happened, I thought we would be very competitive," Battier said. "With the talent we have, especially with the addition of Bonzi, we can be a formidable team nightly." jonathan.feigan@chron.com
This is unbelievable. With the addition of Bonzi wells, he instantly makes us one of the top 5 teams in the entire NBA !!! I am looking forward to a spectular season. Go Rockets !
i thought they were trying to get Jermaine O'Neal also? oh wells, if only we got O'Neal, Wells instead of Cato, Los, Plastic Man, and the Wizard, yea, ill shut up now and keep dreaming....
Battier knows Bonzi as well as anybody. Basically, what he is saying is what we already know. If Bonzi buys in with his attitude, look out.
wow guys, dont get ahead on this too quick, I am as excited about this signing as anyone, but to say that this "instantly" makes us a top 5 team in the league might be pushing it, we still dont have a banger PF, still have to see if yao and Tmac will be healthy for the entire season, and how past head cases like wells and snider jell with the rest of the team. But this was a great high reward low risk move that could make us alot better.
Really! It's an interesting mix of model citizens Yao Battier Howard Mutombo And players with somewhat past histories Alston Snyder Wells T-Mac (hey, don't flame me, he's my favorite player, but with the retiring comments and the Orlando mess, he did strike many as a problem) I think JVG's record of handling head cases will suffice.
