Either Kirk or Bonzi should be getting some minutes. If nothing else, Bonzi could be used some at PF when teams try to play small against us.
If both were healthy and ready to go, then JVG should've seen that Snyder and/or wells would be useful against the Mavs. I would have much rather seen either of them out there than Lucas or Hayes.
If Bonzi is in the doghouse and on the trading block, how about this. Trevor Ariza is expected to be out for 8 weeks, and so far in the 3 games he's been injured, Magic are 0-3 albeit against top teams. Orlando are currently 3rd in the East but are about 5 losses away from dropping out of the top 8. If they keep on losing they could be forced to find a replacement for Ariza, ie immediate help. A possible solution for them could be Bonzi. Throw them a combination of Bonzi and either JLIII, Padgett, or the TE for Ariza and Diener. Rockets then get a backup point and the possible solution to when Battier is on the bench. Ariza would be a lateral move as he'd be contributing as much Bonzi is now but it's all about having the players come playoffs. While Diener would be ready to go. So in the end both teams get immediate help from trading players not currently playing for whatever reason. Of course this really depends on how much the Magic want to make the playoffs this season. Ariza wouldn't be a player they would let go under normal circumstances but fate could be forcing their hand.
We're in a Win Now mode. Players like Ariza who is averaging 8ppg and Diener who is averaging 5ppg on a mediocre Orlando team aren't going to significantly improve the Rockets playoff chances. Meanwhile, Wells is a proven veteran who has a very small contract. We won't get equal value in return for him. If I am JVG or CD, I do all that is in my power to make the Wells situation work. Trading him for scrubs like Dale Davis or developing players like Diener/Ariza is a bad choice unless like you said JVG has stubbornly decided that Wells should be traded.
If Kirk or Bonzi is back, Rox can use Luther Head to play 1. I don't think Head can defense big shooter such as Kobe or today's Stackhouse.
i think Gundy is playing T-Mac, Battier and Alston too much. in theory, Snyder actually has good enough handles (possibly better than Luther) that he could bring the ball up and hand it off to T-Mac in the half court. then T-Mac (or Snyder depending how you look at it) could take a sizeable chunk of Rafer's minutes. in turn T-Mac would then free up some additional minutes at the 3 for Bonzi. but i guess Battier (or Bonzi) at the 4 just isn't going to happen.
Ariza's numbers aren't that far off from Battier's and they're both major reasons why their respective teams have the wins they have. Diener's numbers are skewed by the number of games and minutes he's gotten. Rockets just don't have a backup point in their squad at the moment. It's Orlando, not Houston, who would need the time to consider this.
I do wish Van Gundy would've used Snyder and Wells against the Mavs for match-up purposes. Devan George, Stackhouse and Howard are always give us fits. We needed more size against them.
I don't think you can really compare Ariza to Battier, as Ariza isn't even a consistent starter on an average Orlando team while Battier is a key cog on our team. I sincerely doubt that Ariza is the reason why Orlando is winning, I think its more attributable to Dwight Howard being more and more dominant in the post. I'm not sure why you are so high on Diener. He doesn't have much experience and doesn't get much time behind Jameer Nelson, who isnt that great either. Like I said, we are in Win Now mode and we need proven talent not unknowns. If a trade like this goes thru I think it would be one of those lose-lose deals for both teams.
damn it damn it damn it damn it! I know JVG and everyone else is happy with the recent success and there's going to be the "if ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude prevailing around here, but crap...it ain't broke, but it's not great either. I hate the small guard backcourt. I hate it! I hate it! I hate it! I've always thought it was a product of necessity due to injuries, because the Rafer Head combo (plus JL3) isn't quick enough to outquick the defenses by any means, and their shooting doesn't make up for the lack of height, athleticism, rebounding, and defense. We can get by on hustle vs similarly talented teams. But when you play superiorly talented teams that try just as hard (Dallas, Phoenix, Detroit), then we get beat. Even when we force teams to go small, their smalls are taller and longer and as quick as ours. Argh!!! WTF JVG?!? Do you want to make my ****list? You are a smart man...have I been overestimating your abilities? Snyder AND Bonzi need to play for this team to be great, especially since Yao is out. I mean, what the hell were you talking about all summer? JVG: we need size, athleticism, and shooting. we're too small. That's what he kept saying all summer! And now he isn't going to use it?!?
This is the primary reason I want a new coach....he is FAR too slow to change, and he wears his guys out. Bonzi should be playing NOW.....unless a trade is in the works....there is no reason to only play 7 guys against the Mavs, especially the first night of a back to back...with Phoenix on the back end...that is just stupid. When we play weaker teams, the bench gets more minutes, but he over plays the starters against the better teams, and if we are not up by a ton, we fade worse than the singing career of Kieth Partridge. DD
play them both so are guysd arent dead tired towards the end,even novak and billy 3 or 4 minutes here or there wouldnt be bad
Putting our bench guys in at the end of the game is not helping any of them when Van Gundy sticks JLIII out there. He doesn't run the offense and no one gets to touch the ball except him. He goes one on five and takes all the shots. He doesn't even look for Novak, much less anyone else. JLIII, great quicks and can get off his shot, but he is not good in the team concept.
